Mt. Errigal North ridge ascent 12/13th Sept

[kendogbaggio]

Hi all below is a bit of a photo diary of Neil, Sean and myself's ascent of errigal, altan lough camp and return journey to the car the following day enjoy... we certainly did, it was a memorable experience

Mount Errigal from our start point at the car... gr. 919,221


Neil and Sean setting off


Taking a short breather after the first steep approach hill


View towards Lough Nacung Lower from the first of many approach hills


Looking towards the north ridge obscured by many false ridges


Approaching the bottom of the scree slopes


Scree again


We met this farmer with his 3 sheep dogs he told us he climbs it once a week to keep fit. For a man his age we had nothing but respect for the speed in which he went up this


Having a well earned rest after a very steep approach


Checking my kit is secure before the first push up the scree


Sean doing the same Neil was still sleeping lol


Sean pausing to work out his next move over the tricky scree


Shot of the scree to show the angle of the approach


Looking up our first gully


Neil topping the gully to the first saddle of the north ridge


Neil again waiting for us at the top of the gully


Sean just behind me on the first gully.. pretty damn steep


View up the north ridge


Sean traversing across


Neil approaching the first tor


Again on the tor reflecting on his climb so far


Having a rest on the tor with Neil glad i didnt look to my left!


View up through the arch at the top of gully 2


Me topping out of gully 2 totally wrecked


On the summit and as you can see its very touristy looking over the saddle to the lower summit 1


Looking down the west face to Dunlewy Lough


From right to left the mountains are Mackoght, Beaghy and Aghla More we would be setting camp at the foot of Lough Altan between Aghla More and Beaghy


Having a bite to eat and rest in the cairn on the south descent of errigal



Looking back up the east face of Errigal


Rounding Beaghy towards our camp site


Approaching the 1800's fortified Altan Farm where we would camp


Stepping stones across the stream to camp


All the cooking water we needed this water fall would later claim my cooking pot! Dont ask


Dinner Started


Beautiful sunset over Altan Lough


Eerie view of the farmhouse overshadowing the campsite


Sean finishing his dinner


Last of the daylight


Just like to take this opportunity to say how much the pro lite rocks


Sean turning in for the night


Then a friend joined us for some whiskey!


Making tracks the next morning along Altan Lough


Neil reflecting on the journey


Stopping for water with Mackoght left and Errigal right in the far distance


Looking back down the Lough to where we camped in the far distance


Nice find at the end


Looking at the north face of errigal again which we climbed just 24hrs before


This was an epic journey... something i wont forget for a long time and im sure Neil and Sean would agree.
I would recommend getting the OSI Discovery Series 1 map for this area it came up trumps for us every time

[Wolf_Larson]

Breath taking pictures, and im sure a breath taking time with the weather being good to you all.
The camp site is the best ive seen, glad you all had a safe amazing time, cheers for the pictures.

Regards Dave.

[RedLeader]

Amazing pictures, thanks for sharing. It looked like a proper hard climb up the scree. Wouldn't fancy that when the weather was bad... Good to see the Pro Action Lites getting an airing...

Congrats on an epic weekend!

[Cardnim]

Great pics Kendog! Thanks for sharing them mate.

Never done any walking around Errigal but after seeing the awesome scenery (& amazing old farmhouse!) its on my wish list. 

[666_pack]

First class guys.
Errigal is now top of my to do list. I love a bit of scree me

[kendogbaggio]

Thanks guys, was a great weekend tough would of loved to have spent more time there, maybe 2 or 3 nights

First class guys.
Errigal is now top of my to do list. I love a bit of scree me

Sorry you couldnt make it this weekend Michael.. i had a total mix up with dates etc but no doubt we will be going back again this side of christmas so will keep you informed if we plan anything else

Regards,

David

[666_pack]

Thanks guys, was a great weekend tough would of loved to have spent more time there, maybe 2 or 3 nights

First class guys.
Errigal is now top of my to do list. I love a bit of scree me

Sorry you couldnt make it this weekend Michael.. i had a total mix up with dates etc but no doubt we will be going back again this side of christmas so will keep you informed if we plan anything else

Regards,

David

good man david.

[kendogbaggio]

Remembered Neil took a few shots to be stitched together for a panoramic view

[Spark]

Looks like the weather was great the one and only time I have been up Errigal it was during a coast to coast race and there was a 90/100mph wind left from the car park at the bottom it was unreal getting blew up the side of it and at one point didnt think i was gonna be able to stand upright again....!! then on the way down was so mad having to fight into the wind my brother was standing into the wind at a 45 degree angle at one point waitting on me....lol all i could think was if the wind stops hes gonna do a face plant...lol and all this in 50 mins it was fun........!!

Thanks for the pics just brought the memory of that all back....!

[billy56]

The pictures at the top amazed me, when i was at the top it was pitch black blowing a
gale and vertical up rain! Now i wish i,d done it in the summer!!!

[MG1]

Looks like a great trip guys keep informed of the next one.

[whoRya]

These pictures are amazing .  It's a bit depressing though realising that this trip was, but for a day, exactly a year before I am planning to have a go at this bad boy, meanwhile I'm listening to the wind howling and the rain beating off the side of my house.  Yikes!

[LennyJ1]

Great review. I took on the mountain in howling winds and diaganal rain.

As previously said wish I went up on a sunny day instead.

Well done

[Hunter]

Well done lads looks like yous had a good weekend !!