Monday 28 May 2018

Swish Swiss Action


Mont Collon
After Colin left we spent another 10 days around Briançon enjoying the varied climbing, the fantastic scenery and quietness of the 'between seasons' time. Then it was time to head north and east towards Switzerland.
It is five years since we were last here - on the previous occasion, in September, the weather was unsettled and cold - at the end of a 10 day spell we decided we had done with camping, and we haven't pitched a tent since - in fact we sold all the camping gear once we got back home!
We spent a week in Martigny, which pleasant, and not too warm, unlike this time last year in France. Then we headed up to Arolla, a place I had read about back in the 1969 and always fancied a look around. On the day we arrived I did a clutch of routes on the local crag, which brought my tally for May up to 102 - that's something that doesn't happen very often.
Amnother gorgeous Swiss meadow
We stayed in a delightful old converted Swiss syle house, enjoyed the cool weather up at 6000' and had a walk up towards the mighty Mont Collon - in another life I would liked to have a crack at the striking line of the North West Couloir which splits the face!

Thursday 10 May 2018

"50 Years Ago Today"

Big Chris and Smaller Colin - 50 years on and still getting wet!
Colin was heading back from Spain to the UK so he called in and we spent 10 days climbing together - initially at Orgon - and later around Briançon. The weather was a little unsettled but we managed nine days on the rock and around 40 routes.
Part way through the trip - 5th of May to be precise - it was out 50th anniversary - I first climbed with him at Brimham Rocks on the 5th May 1968. He followed me up Lichen Slab (VDiff) and Birch Tree Wall (VS) in his farm boots.
Half a century on and we still love it!

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...