Saturday, 13 May 2017

Magical Verdon


Excited!!! Just arrived, back for a few weeks, a couple of partners lined up, fingers crossed for good weather. Pic from autumn visit last year


Great to share magical places like Verdon with friends visiting for their first time. Julian peering over the rim to reccy one of our planned routes. Fresh snow on the hills this morning a little unexpected!!



Fun day climbing the mythique classic La Demande which follows cracks and chimneys for 320m the full height of the gorge. Nice change from the face climbing so far. This is Julian following on one of the upper Chimneys, using some thrutching technique! We had all to ourselves, probably due to the freezing start after heavy rain last night! and the rumbling thunderstorms we heard from two thirds way up,..that fortuitously rolled on by. Looking forward to some warmer dryer weather to finish the week



Beautiful spot with the captivating griffon vultures continously flying and circling just below this pitch. Julian making his way up through some pocketed face climbing high above the gorge



Absorbing climbing moving up the grey pocketed pillar on A Tout Coeur above the Jardins des écureuils. Sunny days are back!



Saying goodbye to friends in La Palud Sur Verdon after their first visit, been great to hang and climb with you Julian & Pilar, hope you caught the Verdon bug and we see you here again!!



Goodnight Verdon. Another brilliant day climbing, with a new partner, sadly she got some news this eve which means she has to leave, so looking for a new partner...anyone?...



Off for a walk and got to see the Alps stretched across the horizon, beckoning,...gives us a sense of Verdon being pretty close to the bigger mountains, probably explains the weather we've been climbing in this spring so far!!


Strong. Psyched. Travelling to pursue a passion. And here...in motion, cruising on her first visit to Verdon. Meeting new climbing partners on the road, learning from them, and hearing their story


Taking a moment to soak up the atmosphere and gaze at daily life in the gorge,...getting off the ground on Une Histoire Sans Fin



Atmospheric morning looking into the gorge toward couloir sampson. Met a local from Toulon whose friend opened a new 400m route here last year called Bambino Bambino he wants to try


Seems like we've become addicted to traversing in verdon this year! Richard following the 6c traverse on the 400m 15 pitch 7a Bambino Bambino. All to ourselves in a stunning setting, on what must be the most equipped route in Verdon hence me being able to do it at the grade!



Getting going in the chilly mistral wind, on the 15 pitch 400m Bambino Bambino in sector Grand Eycharme, Verdon. A fun modern route. Merci Robert Milesi et Jean Pierre Hermitte pour une jolie Grand Voie et Richard pour l'idée.









Saturday, 22 April 2017

Spring has sprung - parlais Francais maintenant!

Siurana, Seynes, Saint Leger, Malaucene, Buis Les Barronies


Last few days in Siurana heading North. Views to el Cargol climber on Purgandas Populus


Paula trying the moves on Cojon Prieto 7a steeper than it looks


Will miss these amazing Spanish sunsets #nofilter by Miami Platja our rest day wild camp spot by the beach


New friend at Seynes followed us for the day, Paula was rather taken....


Tufa in Seynes


Viva la France


P having some hammock time above Buis les Barronies


Stefan on Un Nouveaux Monde at the brilliant pocketed Malaucene


Market day in Buis




Approach walk in Saint Leger

Saturday, 18 February 2017

a very Spanish winter

Fine memories from winter 2016/17 living the simple life travelling and climbing in Spain #vanlife #climbinglife 
Siurana sunsets

Weekly trip to the beach

Pockets, painful pockets in Margalef

Beautiful la Pedriza Madrid

Us

Chulilla gorge, brilliant climbing

Endless Chulilla

Climbing in the gorge

Sella valley and views to Puig

Pared de Rosalind some excellent shady climbing

Trad multi pitch on Puig Campana

Abseiling in the clouds

Puig Campana 

View from the van at breakfast

Serra Gelada Trad multi pitch

Nice traverse



Topping out

Oh o...our home goes for minor surgery

Serra Gelada

Winter....


Christmas day driving to Penton Ilfac

Paula getting ready

On the classic multi pitch Costa Blanca

High on the route nice exposure

Paula Topping out

In the cave for lunch

Met by a Cat at the top?!

Espuna national park

Good multi pitch

Sierra Nevada ski

Frontales el chorro

Winter scene (for a day)

Paula's work

Robin on Quasimodo

Makinodromo

Van view in Desplomilandia

Abseiling from top of Frontales after climbing 280m Estrella Polar