Background

Background: There are no very big mountains on the island of Ireland. The highest Irish mountain, Carrauntoohill (Corrán Tuathail) is a little higher than 1,000m. There is no summit that cannot be reached by walking, yet there are many regions that are enjoyed by hillwalkers, hikers and climbers. Although the altitude of such regions is hardly more than Spain's Meseta, due to the combination of altitude and latitude such terrain is agriculturally unproductive , being used mainly as rough grazing for sheep. Many people enjoy mountain activities such as hiking and climbing in Ireland and over the centuries many people have travelled from Ireland to perform feats of mountaineering in the Greater Ranges of the world.

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Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Charles Barrington - Eigerman

 A Dublin merchant from a Quaker family, was  born at Fassaroe, near Enniskerry, Co Wicklow in 1834

Courtesy: R.Barrington:F.Nugent

As part of his European 'Grand Tour' he visited the Bernese Oberland and on August 9th 1858 he climbed the Jungfrau (4,158m) - the highest summit in the range - accompanied by guides Christian Almer and Peter Bohren, from Grindelwald.


Two days later, with the same two guides, he made the first ascent of the Eiger (3,970m).

Despite these impressive achievements he never returned to the Alps.

Other interests included steeplechasing, hunting, shooting and yachting and  was the owner, trainer and jockey of the horse that won the first Irish Grand  National, using an alias to disguise his identity.

 He provided the prize for the winner of the first Irish hill-running event,  held  on the Sugar Loaf mountain in Co Wicklow.  It seems that he was inspired by an event he witnessed in the English Lake District


Modern West Flank Route, very similar to that followed by Barrington

Courtesy:  Summit Post

See: In search of Peaks, Passes and Glaciers by Frank Nugent for more detail.


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