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Chockstone Forum - Crag & Route Beta

Crag & Route Beta

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Recommendations for Europe May/June 2015

ado_m
26-Nov-2014
1:19:47 PM
Hi all

I'm heading to Europe around late May, early June and interested in what crags people would recommend. Non-polished sport sea cliffs would be ideal, but appreciate it may be a bit hot for most areas.

I climb trad, sport - but preference is not to lug a trad rack. Glacier crossings would not be preferred ie no massive alpine epics, consumer climbing would be easier. Preferred grade zone - Ewbank 20-24 sport, trad 16-19.

Will probably arrange a car, but a crag or area that doesn't need one will be a bonus.

Dolomites, French alps are on hit list...any recommendations apprecaited.

Ado


phillipivan
26-Nov-2014
3:04:45 PM
In the French Alps there are lots of long moderate mixed routes on granite around the Envers refuge. There is a glacier approach, both to the refuge, up the Mer de Glace, and from there to the routes. However, both are quite tame and could be done in the right conditions with lightweight boots and a walking axe. I saw many do the approach without crampons, however I used them. Little instep crampons would likely be fine.

i spent a great week climbing round there in July. The bolted belays help make long routes roll on efficiently.

shortman
26-Nov-2014
3:13:17 PM
You mean something like this?

http://www.dx.com/p/lightweight-portable-fourtteeth-simple-crampons-black-281453#.VHVTjFeUczE




:)

The good Dr
26-Nov-2014
3:13:19 PM
Go to Switzerland. Lots of varied crags that would suit your requirements.

vwills
26-Nov-2014
4:04:24 PM
After spending February in morocco and march in turkey this year we did the following:
April: kalymnos and crete. Kalymnos needs no introduction, but if you want unpolished climber friendly seaside limestone than you can't go wrong. We only had 5 days on Crete and went to 4 different crags. Plakias and agio farango are right on the ocean and the crags around kapetania have ocean views.Not crowded, not tourist season, great weather and a fantastic part of Greece. Heaps cheaper than France or Italy.
may: Italy. We wanted to get to the Dolomites but the. weather and access weren't great. They had actually extended the ski season there was so much snow. We had 2 weeks around Arco, a week around Lecco on lake como and a week around finale Liguria. I would probably give the Lecco area a miss if I went again. Nice place especially if you dig tunnels, but the other areas are better for a climbing holiday. Arco was pretty polished at popular crags. After a week we figured out the crags to avoid, and did find some really nice places and wished we had done more multi pitches. Finale ligure was better with little polish and some great routes and lovely old scenery. We got an apartment pretty cheaply at residence Glicini on a weekly rate which was very convenient. The pennavaire valley which is next door is even newer in climbing development and has its own massive guidebook.
June: France. It was getting pretty hot. Verdon gorge was fantastic but hot. We based ourselves in Guillestre for 10 days (see Doug Bruce's bumbling around Briancon thread). Even at that Altitude we had a spate of days in the mid 30s but there is heaps to do on different types of rock. Also did a long day trip to ceuse. Spent a few days at st leger and a few routes nearby at Buis les Barronies.
There is rock everywhere!
martym
26-Nov-2014
6:08:23 PM
Paklenice.



phillipivan
26-Nov-2014
6:14:43 PM
On 26/11/2014 shortman wrote:
>You mean something like this?
>

You got it in one.
surfziggy
2-Dec-2014
10:37:04 AM
South west UK. Portland, Swanage, South Devon. Tons of sport climbing on limestone and good weather conditions. There's also some trad adventure stuff too.
Sir_Henry
3-Dec-2014
10:09:30 PM
Hi!
Interessting places could be:
- Calanques (France, close to Marseille, single and multipitch sport and trad routes, some directly above the sea)
- Verdon (France, multipitch sport and trad on the right hand side of the river, single sport routes on the left hand side of the river)
- Buoux and Ceuese (France, both really good sport climbing areas)
- island of corse (contains to France, everything from single sport to long trad routes, Bavella is very nice, think may is a really good time to climb there)
- area around Brinacon (French alps, every kind of style, most on calcaire, the rock on the high alpine routes isn't the best)
- area around the lac d'annecy have some really good cliffs (France, most is single pitch sport climbing, calcaire)
- Ticino (Switzerland, everything from single pitch sport to bigwall, most of the longer routes need some extra protection)
- island of Sardegna (Italy, everything from single sport pitches to long routes, most calcaire)
- as described Finale Ligure (Italy, calcaire, most sport but also some longer climbs)
- i wouldn't recommend Arco (Italy) if you want to do single pitch sport climbing- polished and many, many people BUT the longer routes are ok cause they get much less traffic but they are nice
- if you go to Austria try Zillertal and Ötztal, nice single and multipitch routes on gneiss, sport and trad
- ....
if you want more information (guidebooks, camping,...) just give a message.
ciao, fabi
gfdonc
4-Dec-2014
9:37:18 AM
We were at Ticino for a few days in September. It was gneiss.
Jayford4321
4-Dec-2014
10:02:08 AM
On 2/12/2014 surfziggy wrote:
>South west UK. Portland, Swanage, South Devon. Tons of sport climbing on
>limestone and good weather conditions. There's also some trad adventure
>stuff too.

I say old chap, when did the mother country Rule Britannia suddenly become part of Europe?
Be a good fellow and pass the scones and marmalade please.

Eduardo Slabofvic
4-Dec-2014
11:57:39 AM
I thought Sardegna was the second most over rated place I've ever been. I wont be going back.

Just go to Switzerland, get a car and use the trains that take your car through the mountains to find a valley where its not raining

Lingy
4-Dec-2014
1:24:15 PM
My partner and I were climbing similar grades in France June/July last year.
Had a few days in Verdon, but persistent electrical storms kept us off the walls (apparently it's not uncommon during this time of year).
Orpierre was okay, but hardly an international destination (and polished to hell).
Ceuse was far and away the winner: world-class climbing, a little bit of altitude and not too difficult to avoid the sun (you just move progressively along the cliff, left to right, and take an extended break during the middle of the day). Plus the walk-in is good fun...
The Calanques might be a good idea, but I'm pretty sure it's closed this time of year due to fire danger (I think you need special permission).

trog
5-Dec-2014
8:42:36 AM
In France, Gorges Du Tarn and Jonte were good too, much better than Orpierre. In general though we found it hard to go too wrong in the south of France.


There are 14 messages in this topic.

 

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