The Dalkey 40

The genesis of the idea was a birthday challenge by Andy Minshull and Michael Salvage for their 40th birthday last year. This year the IMC have embraced the idea and expanded the challenge to a larger group of people, creating a fun day out, and perhaps it will become an annual event.

The rules are simple. Climb 40 routes (or as many as you can) in Dalkey Quarry in one day. All routes to be lead and seconded, no repeats but route variations are allowed, no free soloing. Preplaced anchors and abseil points can be used.

I paired up with Niall Hed with the intention of getting an early start but overnight rain pushed our start out by a few hours. Our plan was to focus on areas with a cluster of easy routes, we would alternate leads and aim to average 3 routes an hour. The first 10 routes were mostly done in approach shoes as the rock was wet until noon. Even though these were all easy grades there were a few scary moments given the wet conditions :)

Once the sun came out we mostly stayed in the sunny side of the quarry and ticked off the routes at a consistent rate, and some 13 hours after starting we finished the 40 routes, exhausted, dirty, and hungry. I devoured  a bowl of curry prepared as the IMC basecamp.

Only two teams managed to complete the 40 routes: ourselves and the team of Michael Duffy and Conor Orr. They completed the 40 routes in 8 hours!!!! I have no idea how they did this. They must have forgot to use rope and gear on some route.

We finished off the day with a pint in Dalkey. We looked out of place in a Dalkey village pub dressed in our climbing clothes and everyone else out on a Saturday night dressed up to the nines. We didn't care and enjoyed our well earn pints.