Having walked up Slieve Lamagan the previous weekend we decided that a more challenging ascent would be fun. With this in mind an attempt on a rock climbing route was called for and FM on the Lamagan slabs fitted the bill. FM (rated V. Diff) is one of the longest multi-pitch routes in the Mournes with about 160m of direct climbing and another 200m or so of grade 1/2 scambling and walking to reach the top of Slieve Lamagan. The Lamgan slabs can be seen on the walk-in from the Carrick carpark and at first sight appear to rear-up as an amost vertical un-climable wall. Fortunately this is an optical illusion created by the perspective of the view from the footpath for upon reaching the foot of the slabs their true nature becomes apparent.

The start of the climb can be reached by taking the footpath eastwards around the foot of Percy Bysshe before turning northwards to reach a path running along the foot of Slieve Lamagan. Follow this path eastwards again until a faint path at J 33250 24877 E can be taken up the boulder and heather clad footslopes of Lamagan. The rock climb begans at the foot of a white slab in a small gravel floored embayment at J 33159 25480 F. I won't describe the climb in detail as there is a good description in the recently published book on 'Rock Climbs in the Mourne Mountains'. But some points to note are: the rock is generally good and clean (mostly 45-55 degree slope), some parts are mossy and rock shoes are recommended; the crux is a step up onto a sloping ledge on the third pitch (this was wet on the day of our climb and I traversed left below the ledge for about 7m and then climbed a short overhanging wall to step back above the sloping ledge); protection is generally good but there are long run-outs on the slabs for the leader (an uncontrolled slide down the slabs wouldn't be pleasant).

There is a commanding view of the Annalong valley during the climb with the floor of the valley appearing almost as a map beneath us. Every so often the minute moving dots of walkers could be seen on the paths below us, occasionaly stopping to watch our progress up the rock face.

FM is an excellent and airy route, perhaps not on the alpine scale of Carrot Ridge, but certainly a bit harder and more commiting that than the latter. A 50m-60m rope and a selection of slings and hexs are required. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/106/comment/6123/