UCD Mountaineering Club

Trad. climbing is a style of climbing using "Traditional" methods. Some would describe Trad. climbing as being "real climbing", others would say it's madness. Either way, it's worth begging someone experienced to bring you out to give it a try. Instead of the pre-drilled, bombproof, no fear, super bolts in sports climbing, you place your own protection all the way up the climb. It's how the hard men of old did, and it's how we do it here in Ireland. Trad. climbing is an excellent activity to get involved in if you are serious about going climbing in remote places.

Members of UCDMC regularly go climbing, keep informed through the forum and the people at the wall and you should be able to organise yourself some trad. climbing.

Here's how to Trad. climb:

1) Find yourself a nice crack to climb.
2) Beg someone with a rack of gear to go there too (usually with the promise of beer / favours).
3) Place as much protection as you can on the way up.
4) Set up an anchor at the top and belay your friend up to remove the protection.
5) Drop back down to earth by walking off or an abseil.
6) Afterwards, vastly exaggerate to everyone else about how difficult it was.

Trad. can mean relaxed, enjoyable, comfortable climbing with great protection all the way, or it can mean scaring yourself silly as you make delicate moves above delicate gear. What you want to do depends completely on yourself....

The variety of Trad. climbing in Ireland is phenomenal and there's enough to keep you entertained for the rest of your climbing career! From single pitch granite in Dalkey, to abseiling down to a hanging belay in Alladie in The Burren, to multipitching in Glendalough valley or the imposing might of Fairhead, to Divided Years - the hardest climb in Ireland - in the Mournes, it's all great!!!

Guidebooks have been created for most locations and can usually be acquired on loan from the more experienced climbers around.