Paddy's Castle

The Word: Should not be in the first hundred Grampians crags you visit.
Sun/shade: Shady until early afternoon.
Wet weather options: None.
Style of Climbs: 10-15m trad routes.
Grades:7-21

The Details:Short access is the only positive thing about this place. At least we could make it slightly interesting by getting a bagful of new routes...

Access: 2min walk. Drive about 5mins SW from Boreang campground on the Glenelg River Rd and keep an eye out for the signpost and cleared parking area on the L (E) of the road. Follow the path, the routes are to the R of the hillock as you approach.

Paddy's Castle - the first and "best" section of rock, with Cameron on Irish Weetbix and Iain partially hidden on A Bit of Craic on the right:
Yep, that's as good as it gets....

To be Slim, To be Slim 12m 10 (solo)
Without wanting to devalue Richard's mighty ground up onsight first ascent....this one makes a good speleological descent route! It starts 2m L of IW and heads back into the bowels of the crag to squeeze out the back.

Irish Weetbix 18m 16 (YP)
The line which escapes out the R side of the big cave/overhang. Pretty sub-standard and quite solid for the grade up to the roof, but then some nice positions round the lip. Here's Cameron approaching the roof.
ho hum

Doing a Line 12m 18 (OS)
My second onsight ground up first ascent for the day. Marked in the pic below, from the short orange bum crack just above Heather, it steps L and then direct up the wall. The centre section is surprisingly sustained at about 16 (small-med cams), followed by a fun finish through the top bulge. Will be better since I cleaned all the lichen off the holds! I quite enjoyed it anyway.
A Bit of Craic 12m 14 (YP)
The fourth new route of the day. The photo below shows Heather seconding Ben on the FA, with the next move (stepping L and up the short bum crack) being the crux. If you step R instead and then back L into the line above, the grade would probably drop to about 12. The corner just R is Dungeon (8).

Best cliff ever....not

Clever Heather * 15m 21 (OS)
This was my "warm up" for the day - nothing else could inspire me to rack up! There are several really nice moves of all varieties, and plenty of pro (double ropes preferable). It starts about 3m L of Fredarnehaun (14), and about 100m R of the above routes. The initial 4m handcrack (cams) is really nice (18ish), then step L under the large thin roof (cams in break). A good hold on L end of roof then reach back R to holds beside a short thin corner (wire). A bit thuggish (20ish) to swing up to a heelhook on the lip and to move up to top of thin crack (cams in break). Step L to insecure orange slab moves (crux) just L of black streak to gain break under roof (extend cam on L). Fun swinging hand traverse R (cams possible but fiddly/pumpy) with few footholds, leads to an airy mantle onto ledge. Short easy finish. Big tree for belay. The slab move was 22 for my second who's a little shorter than me, but then again the silly bugger doesn't use chalk either. My hardest ground up onsight FA.

Me atop the short handcrack on the first ascent, about to step L under the roof.
Ok, that was fun, now whats the roof gonna be like?

Me dealing with the thin roof on the first ascent (� Ben Wright).
The steep bit - pumpy gear placement!

The crux - those crimps are really crap! (� Ben Wright)
And I thought I'd just reach past the blank bit - but Heather had picked it, hence the name

Ben looking a bit slappy on the hand traverse. (� Ben Wright)
He even produced a heinous heelhook move - however from this angle it made for the world's worst arse-shot and the photo had to be destroyed by health inspectors

And me starting the fun hand traverse - yay for a first ascent!

Out of order but this landscape wouldn't fit side-by-side with the shots above

More Internet Sites on Paddy's Castle

Tell 'em they're dreamin'! The only vaguely relevant sites are:

Victorian Climbing Club (VCC) go here to check for new routes, and/or upcoming trips to this area.

Bureau of Meteorology Navigate to "Wimmera" - Horsham's weather is the closest.

Australian Maps Enter "Camerons Rd" as the street and "Laharum" as the suburb (and Victoria as the state).

Parks Victoria Park information, downloadable maps, etc.

Parks Victoria Education Resource Kit A fascinating explanation of Grampians climate, geology, wildlife, vegetation, soils, history, park management, and visitor impacts.

TheCrag.com As always. Record your Paddy's Castle ticks here, and see what everyone else is climbing.

� 2003-2004 Will