Gola Island

The sea cliffs and outcrops of the small uninhabited island of Gola, which lies a short distance off the coast of northwest Donegal, are home to over 200 single-pitch routes. The rock is very rough, clean granite that features an abundance of breaks and cracks, so a good selection of cams is useful. Most routes are accessed by abseil so an abseil rope is essential (and a rope protector, the rock is very abrasive). The selection here focuses on the areas where there is the greatest density of quality climbing but there are plenty of other good routes scattered across the island. If staying overnight then camping is the only option, the best spot is between the sandy beach and the lough on the west side of the island. Please don’t leave any rubbish on the island. There is a water tap at the pier.