MALL HILL.

The walk in to and out of Mall Hill today can only be described as an attempt to cross a meadow that was created and furnished by satin himself.

Brittle, rotten, slippy branches, hidden streams, holes, rushes, gorse, thorns and prickly christmas trees litter the approach, making it hellish under foot - and it's all steep.

But it's so worth it when you get there!!

I'm sure I found my favourite boulder in Wicklow today. It's hidden in the forrest and has 3 lines on it:

Strictly Ballroom 6b+

Living the Dream 6b

Coup D'etat 6c

'Living the Dream' just captured me today. It was the first thing we tried and so far beyond me as a warm up. The first move is an improbable reachy sidepull and crimp, then a throw to a juggy/crimp. Moving from that to an intermediate crimp (the guys didn't use it), lock off and move to a left hand side pull. Fix your feet and launch, 110% commitment needed, for the top and you'll be rewarded with a perfect lip for your right hand.

Tim and Barry both sent it pretty quickly and as usual, I thought in the beginning that I wouldn't get close to it, but I came so close that looking back on it, I'm torn I didn't stick it!

The issue is that if you don't stick the throw, the landing from the boulder slopes away downhill towards a tree.

I narrowly missed the throw 3 times (my best effort, I had my hand on the lip, but I think the swing was too much maybe?) I would like to thank Tim for saving me from certain broken ankles/death. The final time, though I was caught, my left foot found it's way between the mats and hit a rock sending a shooting pain up my ankle and I thought, uh oh!

But no harm done it was all good after a few minutes rest :)

Strictly Ballroom was sent by all 3 of us, and is such a fun problem, with a big swing at the end and a tricky little top out after moving out right.

While I was trying 'Living the Dream' again and again, the guys were on Coup D'etat. Before that, Tim had worked the beta on Strictly Ballroom and Barry sent it first, using Tim's sequence - Coup D'etat saw Tim get his own back. After Barry worked the sequence on it, it was Tim's shot and he made the most of it with a dodgy looking reach to a sidepull, up and over he went. Barry soon followed.

After that we made our way up to 'The Small Matter of Up' (6a) and the boulder was COVERED in moss. The problem itself is lovely, but the top out was too manky and I was uninspired to top it out.

Dublin-Beavais (6c) and Piece de Resistance (7a) were next on the list. We had met up with Keith and James at that point and while Barry and Tim worked Piece de Resistance, Keith and I were working away on Dublin-Beauvais.

Left foot on the small ramp, hands on the rail/horizontal crack, and twist and jump to the rail before slapping up right over the lip, top out is cool! I was pleased I sent it.

Piece de Resistance was beyond me, and we couldn't figure out the sequence on it. Tim and Barry both worked at it and made nice progress. It's the only thing I think they got stuck on today - the two of them were well and truly aboard the send train!! ;)

We set off to find the Chigaray Arete and were just wandering about the place, unsure where to go, James disappeared off and a few minutes later while the rest of us were trying to figure out where the boulder was - a whistle sounded through the air. James had found it.

With time against us we all made a quick send of the left arete that we thought was the Chigaray (6a) - turns out it was only a (4)! The Chigaray Arete is the right side and I was just too tired by the time we got to it. Barry sent it, and it was time to go.

We marched out in double quick time.

The bouldering in Mall Hill is some of the best I've seen anywhere.

I am in the process of attempting to imagine that the walk in and out wasn't all THAT bad...

Was it?!