The club meet to Fairhead in Antrim over the weekend of June 9-11 was blessed with good weather, both on the meet itself and in the run-up, meaning the rock was dry and we were spared the usual wind and showers. The combination of sun and sea breeze was pleasant, especially as it kept the midgies at bay.
Given the expense of the ferry there was some car sharing and several parties extended their stay by arriving ahead of the meet’s start on the Friday. The weekend prior to our visit had been the Irish international meet at Fairhead, so most of the routes we attempted were clean and well chalked. The lack of traffic on some routes, a problem in the past at Fairhead, is still evident in some places but most of the classics do not now suffer from this.
People took full advantage of the good conditions, climbing a great selection of classic routes. The campsite is at the Ballycastle end of the crag, so that was where most members focused their attention. A few routes like Burn Up (E1, 5a) were done at the far end of the crag and some routes were accessed in the middle of the crag via some static abseil ropes which were kindly brought and carried, and appreciated by all… anything to spare the ‘adventurous walk’ along the foot of the crag for routes in the middle!
The latest arrivals, constrained by work commitments, still managed to squeeze a route in on the Friday evening and were treated to warm glowing rock and a lovely sunset. Various parties had been to Fairhead before and had a clear hit-list for the Saturday, but for many this was their first experience of the joys and committing nature of the climbing, so concentrated on the classics to get a feel for the place. A relaxed and sociable evening was had back at the campsite exchanging impressions of the climbing, so although we missed the famous atmosphere of the Irish pub, a good night was had by all. Sunday offered another good day’s climbing, with people departing at different times for ferries and to explore the west coast. This meant most people focused on routes at the Prow on the Sunday to have more control of finishing times. Again, some shared static ab lines helped access. The locals at both the campsite and on the crag were very friendly and helpful in pointing out lines and ab points.
Most departed impressed with the climbing but feeling somewhat tired, given the physical nature of the climbing and with the good weather offering no excuses for a rest or sightseeing.
The photo by Grahame Nicoll shows Stan Pearson leading Fireball (E1, 5b) belayed by Steve Kennedy and Geoff Cohen seconding Midnight Cruiser (E1, 5b)