Corsican Reprise

Grand Dalle Rt 2 at Bavella

 We visited Corsica last September for the first time and were impressed by the great scenery, quality climbing and general quietness. A return visited was pencilled in and so a week ago we collected Colin (reinforcements) flew Toulouse > Bastia, collected the hire-car and headed back to the Residencia de Canella in the south-east corner of the island.

The Col de Bavella and its superb Corsican Pines.

One week in and it has been as excellent as hoped for though climbing at the Col de Bavella has required a bit of application - one day it was blowing a gale, one day we got soaked and the third visit was a Bank Holiday with its attendant crowds - we got routes done on each occasion so all was well.

Sherri doing a bit of 'coasteering'.

On the one(!) rest day we explored the local area, there are some great beaches and some interesting scrambles. We have one week left and are moving round to the south-east coast tomorrow - a new area so that should be great. On the way we are going to have a poke around the bouldering on the headland of Capineru. We don't really 'do' bouldering but it looks great in the photos so must be worth an hour or two of our time.

Pootling around the Pelopennese

Climbing up on Didemon at 3500'

 After six weeks on Kalymnos we were ready to try somewhere a bit different so a short flight to Athens and a brief drive west found us at the impressive old Hotel Cokkinis where we spent three days exploring the area and doing a bit of climbing.

Wheat fields -
not what you expect to see in Greece

Then it was a three hour drive past the impressive gash of the Corinth Canal (thronged - it was a Bank Holiday) and onwards to Argolis - the easternmost finger of the big peninsula of the Pelopennese. We had an excellent 8 days there, exploring the ancient history, the superb deserted beaches and the rather good sport climbing. We never saw another climber; indeed the area appears to be virtually unknown to British climbers which is odd considering the high quality routes, on a good variety of cliffs in a relatively compact area and a classic Greek holiday setting. We stopped in a superb hotel (the Blue Beach) right on the seashore and for a very reasonable price - for most of the week we were the only guests which is just how we like it.

Flashy hire-car and wind-farm

Finally it was up-sticks and thee hour drive back to Athens in time for an afternoon flight to Stansted and a night in the Raddison  - time for a little bit of luxury - a bath, a TV (not that there was much on) Internet in bed and l-o-n-g bath. Sunday started with the 'meg-breakfast' then an easy flight down to Carcassonne and onwards to Chez Arran for a brief rest. It is great to be back in the mountains.
And in just over a week we are headed back to Corsica.