Exploring

Andy & myself had often looked at the gully to the left of Curve Direct and wondered what it would be like. We decided that the only way to see it was to abseil down from the top. We set Sunday 3rd August as the day to see it.

Andy called for me at home. We loaded his car with ropes & hardware. On the journey we decided to ring Margaret but there is a misunderstanding re the climb. Herself and Patricia are to follow on.

At Lisleibane we sorted the gear, Andy takes an abseil rope, a climbing rope and full rack of gear. I took an abseil rope, and a half rack of gear. The women are also to bring gear & ropes. I feel the weight on my back but make good progress in.

We climb up Curve Direct up the ridge from it, cross the stream and swing left for the top of our gully. There are fantastic views of the first level and Coimin Iochtarach well below us. We see Margaret & Pat walking toward Curve Direct.

We select anchor points for the abseil rope. Five in all, we are taking no chances. Andy prepares to enter the gully as the women arrive, our greetings receive a frosty reply. Andy drops into the gully, we hear a lot of loose stones moving and we get no reply to our calls as he descends lower.

Eventually a reply, do-able but would have to abseil down a waterfall, we say "No thanks". Andy re-climbs and we pack up the gear. Mist now coming in and we decide to head for Carrauntoohil. We are well to the left of Curve Gully. New ground but we decide to work our way up. Grassy in places, some scrambling, some interesting moves, but we make steady progress, eventually coming out on the ridge to Howling near the cross. We enjoy a cuppa and head home via the Gates.

A good day even if we did not fulfill our original goal, but we now know what it would take to abseil that gully.