I had a brilliant day climbing at Larry the Goats, Co. Waterford on Saturday. It is a beautiful place and one is privileged to be able to enjoy it.
I realised that the problem descriptions are sketchy in the bouldering guide, which could be a source of irritation and frustration. I think that it is a good place for making up your own problems especially because the sand level is different almost every visit. Having said that, for a strong visiting boulder who is keen to try the established hard problems listed in the guide (like Barry I’m sure) it is annoying for them when the problem descriptions are vague. I am trying to clear things up now.
There are 4 difficult problems that I have climbed. These are:
• The sit-start to the prow (prob. 16), 7a. It starts with right hand in a pocket and left hand on a sloper and then you slap up left for a slot. The stand up classic is probably 6b not 5+ and is scary enough.
• Prob. 19 starts with two hands on a low jutting out crimp. Three low percentage deadpoints get you to a good hold and then top-out. The grade is at least 7b.
• Prob. 13 starts from standing and is essentially just 2 moves – a slap to the obvious slot which is hard to stick, and then grab up above it. No real top-out.
• The sit-start to prob. 3 starts with right hand on a poor hold in crack and left hand on pinch. Then make hard bump with left and big throw with right to reach the starting position of the stand-up version. The grade is about 7a+.
I came very close to climbing a traverse of the lip right of prob. 3. This is still a project and will probably be 7c or something hard.
The rock is not limestone but some igneous rock.
