Geoff Somerville placing gear on Equinox (E2), Rathlin Wall. (photo Bill McChesney)

“Oh my God!”

That’s how most people feel the first time they set their eyes on Rathlin Wall. It’s big. It’s steep. It’s foreboding. The place taunts you, “Come and have a go if you think you’re ’ard enough!”

This is a climbers’ paradise, for people who have mastered the craft, who love the pump of the big wall experience. It ain’t a crag for beginners. All the routes feel big, even the short ones!

A taster...

A seagull’s view of the 100m cliffs at Fair Head. (photo Arthur Ward)

There are many special places there, I’ll describe just one. It’s the belay at the top of the first pitch on Burn Up, the classic HVS of the crag. So what’s so special about it? Well to get there you’ve got to negotiate the first pitch. An easy groove leads up to a looming bulge at 27m and the crux of the first section. On the lead it’s expected that once conquered, the belay is bound to be just beyond. Not quite. The belay is away on up after a further 12m of vertical crack climbing.

Scotland - barely 15 miles away! (photo Olly Howard)

Gradually as you get closer, the most delightful little throne appears. Now picture this, here you are in the middle of a massive 75m wall and 40m up, with the ground sloping steeply another 100m or so down into the sea. Sitting up there, while belaying the 2nd is a moment to be savoured. Superb views roll out to sea. The Mull of Kintyre can be clearly seen in the distance. Rathlin Island sits comfortably 7 miles off shore. The occasional buzzard, or peregrine screeches overhead and waves lap on the beach far, far down below. It has to be one of the most delightful spots on earth.

So what’s Fair Head got?

Geoff Somerville out there on Jolly Roger (E3). (photo Niall Gault)

Nearly 400 routes are spread out over the length of the crag. The biggest are 4 pitches and 100m long but there’s loads of single pitch stuff too. E1 is definitely the magic minimum grade in order to get the most out of a visit. But at any grade, believe me, the classics will totally blow your mind.

The cliff is made up of dolorite columns, similar to the Giant’s Causeway just around the coast. As a result the climbs are mostly in cracks until around E2, when face climbs start appearing.

Be prepared for mega-long pitches of steep, sustained and well protected climbing of the highest calibre. It leaves anyone who lusts for the ultimate climbing experience knowing that they’ve finally found it.

Routes not to be missed include:

VS - The Fence, Girona, Roaring Meg.
HVS - Burn Up, Hell’s Kitchen, Pangur Ban.
E1 - Railroad, Toby Jug, An Bealach Runda, Fireball, Mongrel Fox, Aoife, Doldrum, Crib Pad Crack.
E2 - Cuchullain, Hurricane, Blind Pew, Equinox, Conchubair, The Brasser, Sandpiper,Mizen Star, Titanic.
E3 - Jolly Roger, Salango, Marconi, Ocean Boulevard, Blade Runner.
E4 - Face Value, Track of the Cat, Hallowe’en, Born to Run.
E5 - The Wall of Prey.

Peter Keane sinking jams on Cuchullain, E2. (photo Niall Grimes)

That little list doesn’t even scratch the surface, but do a few of those and let’s just say, you’ll be heading home rather satisfied.

Take the like of Cuchullain for example. A three pitch E2 at the top of the grade. Climbing of the utmost quality. Each pitch is distinctive: the first is tricky; the second is steep and hard, through a couple of overlaps; and the top pitch comes out onto a headwall with sustained jamming all the way, with a massive 80m of air below. Something else!

What went before?

Joanne Cousins climbs Crib Pad Crack Direct (E3). (photo Bill McChesney)

This can be summed up in two names: Calvin Torrans and Eddie Cooper. Calvin is the undisputed pioneer of the crag; nearly all of his routes where done before friends were even invented - a sobering thought. Eddie went on to push the envelope to an unsurpassed level. Phenomenal is all you can say about the contribution these two have made.

The past ethics forged by Calvin set the scene for how the crag should be approached. It remains a bastion of purity, out of total respect for what went before. You’ll understand why when you stand below and look at routes like The Doffer or Thunder Road. The Doffer is a 48m crack, which turns into a body-width crack at 30m. No big cams when that was done! Thunder Road is the most vertical and exposed crack going, with the 2nd pitch lasting for 42m of solid 5c jamming. Between them the number of ascents can be counted on the fingers of one hand. That’s where the respect for their ethics was generated. Routes like those command nothing less.

So what’s happening now?

Ray Farrel enters Hell’s Kitchen (HVS). (photo Niall Gault)

Local interest is currently huge and at last recruits to the sport who started climbing on indoor plastic are finally realising that climbing at places like Fair Head is really what the sport is all about. There was a lull in activity at the crag from about ’96 to ’02, but that’s well and truly over. Attention is back on the crag and there’s more people climbing there now than ever before.

It’s far from busy though; a busy day usually means a few car loads, and when these are spread out over this 3 mile cliff, it always feels like you are on the most remote but idyllic place on the planet.

Eddie Barbour on a rare ascent of the bold Hector Pickaxe (E4). (photo Craig Hiller)

Recently, a group of dedicated locals have put in a bit of effort to rejuvenate the crag by cleaning routes. Not an easy task on routes as massive as these. But many of the classics had become overgrown, and if climbing there was to survive at all something needed to be done. The results are impressive and to date 12% of all routes have been brought back from the brink. Full credit to all those who make the effort.

The scene at Fair Head is no longer exclusive to the cliff itself. The boulders at the bottom of the crag have provided a whole new playground for the current generation. Bouldering is here to stay. There’s many a fun filled day to be had continuing the development of the area. The first topo is available, but with the jumbled boulder fields stretching for three miles the surface isn’t even scratched yet.

So what does the future hold?

Jonny Gibson enjoying the exposure on the classic Mizen Star (E2)

Ricky Bell’s ascent of The Complete Scream has taken things to a new level and is a taste of the things to come. The line is an impressive one, up a blank looking wall that strikes awe into anyone that gazes upon it. At E8 (6b) it’s as bold as brass, big run outs on minimal holds, and even more minimal gear. A single pitch at 58m in length, it’s at the cutting edge, demonstrating the new style of routes yet to appear at Fair Head. There’s plenty more lines like this to be had for those with the talent and imagination to seek out a project all of their own.

[Since this article was written, Ricky Bell has climbed a new E6, and a new E7/8: A Bad Skin Day]

Many of Eddie Cooper’s lines still await a second ascent; some have been waiting as long as 20 years. That speaks volumes. It’s rumoured that a good few might just be a tad harder than their initial grades suggest…

Unlike most crags the development is far from over. There are many more new lines to go at, and much of the crag remains undeveloped, due to the full-on commitment that developing new routes requires.

What do you need to know?

There’s little you need to know for a trip to the crag.

Fair Head is located on the north coast of Ireland and can be clearly seen from the town of Ballycastle. Easyjet, BMI Baby, and FlyBe provide cheap flights into Belfast from all over the UK and Europe. You’ll need to hire a car, or alternatively bring your own on the ferry.

Bring a big rack, a full complement of friends, 2 sets of nuts, a few hexes and you’ll be well equipped for anything that tickles your fancy.

Even the ‘short’ routes are pumpy. Tim Wilson enjoys Railroad (E1) at The Prow. (photo Bill McChesney)

Get fit! Even a couple of single pitch E1’s at The Prow leaves most people knackered. Run laps on indoor routes in preparation for your visit. Train hard, climb easy!

Dal Riada club runs a hut for their members and offer it up for visiting climbers. Alternatively there’s a good hostel in Ballycastle, and numerous B&Bs line the main street. There is no camping at the crag, but a site exists in the town.

A guidebook is pretty essential and these are available from www.cordee.co.uk

There’s little else needs to be said except that car parking is a sensitive issue, so please only use the designated areas as described in the guide.

If you need more info www.fairheadclimbers.com aims to fill in the blanks and is worth a look for the photos alone.

Sublime sunset. (photo Brian McAlinden)

Oh, and the Guinness in the climbers pub of choice, The House of McDonnell, is as thick as custard. Lush.

See you up there...








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