Onwards & Upwards - Mourne Rock Climbs - Blue Lough Buttress

Exploring and filming new rock climbs in the Mountains of Mourne, N Ireland. Ricky Bell and myself (Craig Hiller) made several trips during different seasons to explore the lesser visited southern end of the Blue Lough Buttress. This extensive crag is located on the northern end of the Binnian Plateau situated between the zig-zagged Binnian Lough River and northwards close to Buzzard's Roost. The first section of the cliff at the southern end is characterised by a concave feature with the lower half sloping up to half height and then kicking back and sloping outward to form an overhang in the upper half. This upper portion resembles a visor. This unique feature provides natural acoustics for the energetic vibrations of the Binnian Lough River with its granite water slides flowing adjacent to the crag. It is a rare treat to climb at a venue in these mountains with the captivating sound of a waterfall echoing off the rock and tranquilly dominating the background. In this short film Ricky adds two first ascents of contrasting difficulty and proves that there are still little gems at lower extreme grades to be found. Part 1: Harry Dean Stanton, E2 5c Part 2: Welcome to the Blue Visor Hotel, E7 6c Music: by Craig Hiller - A new Beginning, Part 1 & 2 @Craig_Hiller_Music