Saturday 25 July 2009

Belgium Reprised


A hot wind (29C) blowing down from the Grimsel Pass battered the tent and our nerves as it blustered all night long - so early next morning we upped sticks and headed north - to Belgium. I can't remember how many years it was since we were last there (could be 15) and my memory of the camp-site and the cliffs was a bit hazy! We got established at Villatoille (near Dinant) - the site was really busy but soon quietened down after 10:00 - very civilised.
We visited the crags at Dave - which Sherri described very accurately as a Belgium Stoney Middleton - the climbing was good, though very polished and I was shocked at how far apart the bolts were - must be getting old! One easy route I look Sherri up had 3 bolts in each of its two 30m pitches - I was glad I had plenty in reserve!
Sunday we called in at Marche les Dames and it was busy with weekend climbers, mostly Dutch and Belgian, with the odd German(!) and us. Another place that I had fogotten about; the climbing was good (though poished again) but the routes proved to be long, steep, pumpy pitches with spaced bolts - and some rather suspect grades - take me back to Kalymnos!

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