Sunday 21 August 2011

Time Flies

Three weeks back home already, it has been full on with Peak Limestone and it has all gone pretty well. The crags are lovely and dry so I have manage to get a few more of the missing crag shots by visiting the Dales at odd times of the day to catch the best of the light.
As ever 'The Team' have been very helpful with with checking routes over, visiting out of the way places and posing for photos - always turning up with a nice array of coloured T-shirts. See Dan and Graham (The Green Team) in the shot to the left.
The weather has been good though often a bit sweaty, there has been a lot of donkey work putting all the corrections into the master document, a good excuse for staying indoors on the hotter days.
A couple more weeks and it is off again - Switzerland this time. Apparently the Alps have had a crap summer, lets hope they have a decent autumn!

Friday 12 August 2011

S'limestone & Stanage

August in the UK - that's not something we do very often. The weather has been mixed, and very warm compared to northern Norway, but pleasant enough.
I have pressed on with Peak Limestone, there have been lots of bits and pieces to tidy up and check over, conditions down in the Limestone Dales is great at the moment, and everywhere is remarkably quiet. We have pushed the publication date back by six months, there seemed little point in 'full steam ahead' and bring the book out just as the season ends - a Spring launch makes much more sense.
A Sunday on Stanage with most of the 'usual suspects' was very pleasant with a bunch of old classics ticked off, good routes and good company.
It is six weeks until we head for Kalymnos so we have book a 10 day slider to Handegg for early September just to stay keen. Lets hope the weather is kind.

Tuesday 2 August 2011

South by South West

Early evening we sailed out of Svolvaer and along the coast, slipping past Henningsvaer and out into the Westfjord. There were no cabins available this time, and many folks just crashed in the lounge, though we spent time looking for a decent dossing spot and found it at the back of the ship, an alcove that was sheltered from the wind and undercover enough to keep the rain off. We got a few strange looks but who gives a damn, we had two comfy nights there and saved a heap of dough too!
We had four nights at the oddly named Koppang (sounds like a Batman comic annotation) by the banks of Norway's biggest river - the Glømma. The place was all set for salmon and trout fishing, though we found a good sport crag not far to the south, and had an excellent walk up some 3500' foot top just to the west whilst thunderstorms grumbled all around. The strangest thing was the DARK - all a bit spooky after so long with 24 hour daylight.
Then it was on south to Larvik and a much smooth crossing of the Skagerrak than the one going the other way 10 weeks ago to the day. The next morning we had a walk on the glorious beach at Tornby and quick ride across Denmark, to Esbjerg to be upgraded to Commodore Class yet again. The forecast is for a flat calm crossing - brilliant.

And it Continues

Exploring the coast north of Altea February in the Costa Blanca Three weeks on and we are still seeing slow improvements in my stamina, bala...