2020 - Good Riddance - or a Sign of Times Ahead?

More climbing in 2021 - let's hope so

A year ago we saw the end of 2019 at Chez Arran, the same as we have done for quite a few years now, before heading down to the Costa Blanca to work on the new book. There were already rumblings about a virus in China that might be 'the big one' but no-one was ready for the tidal-wave that engulfed the planet. We made it back to the Ariege in mid-March before the shutters went down across Europe - it was a pretty pleasant place to spend 'the Great Confinement'. When we were finally let out 16 weeks later we continued our wanderings, climbing up through the Alps on our slow way back to the UK.

The winding road ahead

Then of course there was the other big issue on the horizon - Brexit. We have spent a fantastic 10+ years wandering through Europe at our leisure, from Spain to Norway to Greece and Turkey, popping back to the UK when required - and now that great adventure has to end - we are not best pleased about that.

After a lot of research/reading around we decided getting Spanish Residency might be the best way to sidestep the coming restrictions so we relocated to La Mata/Torrevieja in October to look into it in more detail. In the event, Spanish Residency doesn't really do what we wanted, it requires spending at least six months a year in Spain (no big chore tbh), paying tax on your 'Global Wealth' in Spain and changing your driving licence amongst other things. 

So back to square one? Well maybe not - we are now 'allowed' (cheers for that, Brexit voters) to be in the EU for 90 days out of every 180 days - but there are options - Turkey, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus aren't included in the restrictions - you are allowed 90 days in EACH of these without it affecting your EU entry/exit days - looks like there may be a plan forming there. 

Of course there is the small matter of the role out of the Covid-19 vaccine, but at least that has started, so maybe there really is a little light at the end of the long, dark tunnel?

It Was All Going So Well

Climbing at Ambol

Almost four weeks since I last blogged - everything seemed to be ticking along quite nicely back then, we had got a rental contract and the NIE - the number that lets us interact with the Spanish system. With them we submitted our Padron application to Torreveija Town Hall and since then - four weeks of deadly silence. We have everything else we need but without the Padron we can't begin to apply for the Residency - TIE. On a positive note, apparently if you are/were resident in Spain before 20 December you have until June to complete the process.

Callosa across the Salinas

We have talked to our solicitors who suggested we called in at the Town Hall which we did. That was fine in theory but a policeman on the door won't let you in without an appointment. Of course we had previously tried to get one - the phone lines are never picked up and the website says there are no appointments available. Eventually a passing stranger helped with some translation - it turns out if you have applied on line (we have) you will get notification in 'about a month' - so the wait goes on.

A deserted Calpe

We have continues to explore the local area - and know it pretty well by now, everywhere is pretty quiet which is just  how we like it. We have also had three very pleasant trips to Calpe, climbing and working on the next book. The highlight for me was the first curry in over a year, followed by two more - might risk a Vindaloo next time :-)

Slowly, Slowly, Catchee Monkey

La Mata in November - could be worse

 I has been a month since we arrived at La Mata, and it has been very pleasant. We got a long-term let (three months initially) in a smart modern pad, right on the beach for £16 a night and we began to look into some kind of Residency Permit with the aim of not having to spend six months a year in the UK - can't even imaging which six - two blocks of three, three months apart - we would choose.

In the event, the 'simple' process turned out to be a bureaucratic nightmare - fortunately Sherri's old college friend Gill, who has lived down here for years, recommended a friendly solicitor and she had move things along quite nicely.

We currently have managed to gather/get:

 - a rental contract, (to show we are resident) - plus letters from the Russian owners to prove they exist

- an S1 form from the NHS (to get reciprocal health cover)

- an NIE (equivalent of NI number) - had to do this in Alicante

- a digital certificate from the town Hall (so we can do things on line)

We have an address/postbox

- submitted forms to the Town Hall (closed to visitors) for the Padron - (like a local census to get you on the councils books).

Still to do 

- once we get the Padron - we have apply for the TIE (Residency) which apparently involves two more trips to Alicante and one to the police station to get finger-printed.

- convert the S1 into heath cover, requires a visit to the medical centre, and some other place - not looked into it yet. If we get that the UK/NHS will issue us with a new EHIC card to cover the rest of Europe - very useful.

- and finally (?) possibly change our driving licences.

So - getting Residency isn't particularly easy or straightforward, and there is no reason why it should be I guess. Without a good understanding of the system and the ability to speak Spanish - I'm guessing the whole process would prove to be near impossible. We are actually learning Spanish - via Duolingo and that has been quite an enjoyable experience 

** Necesito aprender más español, más rápido **

!

Southwards to Who Knows What?

White Cat hanging on

In the end we had a pleasant month in the Ariege, climbing and hiking, thought the weather was unseasonable, very hot to start with then cool and damp with snow on the high tops - very unusual for October. Our 'favourite feline', White Cat had deteriorated significantly in the three months we had been away, so we decided to stick around to look after her (him!) for her (his) last few days. Anyway - a month later she was still enjoying sleeping, sunshine and tickles and time was pressing on - so we handed her over to John and Jackie, she has become an indoor cat now in their nice warm apartment. Fifteen years is a great innings for a tatty old farm cat but we will miss her :-(

UPDATE - White Cat lasted another 10 days and is now buried in her favourite spot for morning sunshine in the garden.

La Mata - warmer than the UK

Then it was southwards via the snowy Pyrenees to La Mata near Torrevieja, where we have booked a long-let close to the beach to see about some kind of Residency before Brexit. It is all a bit confusing and daunting but the alternative - six months a year in the UK - doesn't bear thinking about.

Settling In

A couple of days in we had a hot day's climbing at Callosa and got back to find the car had been broken into - a large concrete block through the rear driver's side window. There was nothing of value in there but what a nuisance - Welcome to Spain!

Three Score and Ten

 Seventy years old, a milestone I wasn't really looking forward too (or not at all to be honest), but it has arrive anyway. I have been busy, fifty plus years of climbing memories, lots of great friends along the way, lets hope there are a few more good days coming down the line.

We left the UK a month ago, the Hull to Zeebrugge ferry was virtually empty, but most venues in France have been quite busy, only a little less so than more normal times. We had a few damp days in the Vosges then a while in the Maurienne - we like it there, plus a week in the ski resort of Puy-Saint-Vincent so we could be close to Ailefroide. Them it was back to Ariege for a while to catch our breath on the way to the Costa Blanca in an attempt to get some kind of Residency Permit so we can still be 'Europeans' after Brexit - what a bloody mess that has turned into!

Glorious day above Ax les Thermes

All Done and Dusted - Well Almost

Colin on some totty 6a+ at Goddard's Quarry

Three weeks back in the UK - the weather has been a typical UK summer - alternately hot/sweaty grey/wet - not really very pleasant at all. A bit of climbing with Colin was a diversion - though really the visit has been about 'the jobs'. We have had time enough to sort most of the things that needed doing, though not quite all. Doctor's, dentist, garage, parents, EBay and buying new stuff all ticked. Ferry south and a place in Spain booked for the winter ahead. 

The only 'failure' was the attempt to get married, though we have almost manage to get things moving - hoping to have 'the Banns' read next week which at least leaves us free to do it in our own time. 

 We have a ferry booked for next week to Zeebrugge and will probably head to Switzerland for some easy granite action if the weather looks to be set fair - after that it will be southwards for the next big adventure - it is too late to stop now!

 

Sherri shivering at Bamford - it isn't the South of France!

 

Northwards - at Last

Behind the Col de Galibiere - 8,000'

The Ecrins

Climbing at La Travereses

So after months (12th March to 28 June) we finally set of from Chez Arran to slowly make our way back towards the UK. Initially we have based ourselves in the Briançon area, the altitude takes the edge off the summer heat and the high passes means there is always the option of getting up into the cooler air.

We normally visit in May or October when the whole area is pretty much shut - the number of people has been a shocker, especially considering lockdown has only been lifted a short time - it looks like France is pretty much open for business again.

The climbing around here is great, so varied and generally very quite, there is limestone, granite, quartzite and conglomerate, all mixed up in a geological mishmash of an impressive scale. And of course the fabulous Ailefroide is a little over half an hours drive away.

Next we have 10 days booked into the Maurienne, another place that is normally really quiet, it will be interesting to see the state of the place. Then some time after that we need to think about getting back to the UK.

Ariege - Blank on the Map - an article I originally wrote in 2012

Binky on the classic (as in Front Cover) of Sabine (5c) at Auzat

Some climbing destinations broadcast their delights far and wide and are well know and secure on ‘the circuit’ but others can creep up on you askance, having been mentioned in passing in a busy pub or briefly alluded to in magazines. The Ariège was one of the latter, initially, I didn’t even know exactly where it was with any certainty, I had heard of huge routes on the Dent d’Orlu and a few Brits who had moved out to the area, settled in and never come home - but not much more.
A little research pinned it down to the French Pyrenees, close to Andorra and the Spanish border. A bit more digging found that RyanAir flew to Carcassonne, about an hour from the area, and as an underused route the prices were less than reasonable; late 2006 four of us flew in for a long weekend, (£30 return from East Midlands) to check the area out. Considering it was the 1st week in November we were impressed, gorgeous weather, quiet crags, granite and limestone to go at, in four busy days we visited four crags, did 30 routes and got a small feel for the area.
We were back the following Easter to do a bit more exploring, and then kept then popping in on a regular basis at least once a year.

Poisson d'Avril (7a) Calames

By 2011 I was at a bit of a loose end with ‘projects’ so contacted John and Anne Arran who I had never met but knew lived in the area to see if they wanted to help write a guidebook the Ariège - they were keen, so in February 2012 we loaded up the car and drove down spend a few months the area. In the event it was a great move - instead of the usual scenario of jetting off somewhere for two weeks, rushing around like mad dogs then heading back home to sort the mess out, we could take our time, pop out to take critical crag shots, or go back to check approaches etc as the book progressed.
John and Anne proved to be superb ‘checking machines’ doing 26 routes on one particularly intense day on Sibada - and most importantly, promptly writing up the information in a useable format. Many other locals chipped in with advice about routes and grades and things moved on nicely.
Long time buddy Colin Binks called in on a regular basis on his travels between the UK and Spain, and as winter turned to summer a large and jolly Rockfax/UKC team came out for an intense week's climbing and checking routes in glorious weather. By the autumn the book was well advanced, we popped back in for another week in the area in September (on the way to the Costa Blanca) help to tidied up a few loose ends. The book was published in December - possibly something of a record; less than 12 months from 1st keystroke to being on the shelves. So once again and just before Christmas, we trekked back across France again to spend more time in this great area - this time with a boot full of shiny new books.

Calames - plenty of routes (200+) to go at there

So what’s the area like? Quiet is the 1st word that springs to mind, and varied is the 2nd. Despite several large campsites in the main valleys the area always seems almost deserted. Apparently July and August are busy with holidaying French, but for much of the rest of the year, you will often have crags to yourself. The rock faces in all directions, there are routes from tiny roadside stuff to 20+ pitches. There is granite and limestone and gneiss, there are mega-caves and huge slabs. There is also a bit of trad around for those who like that sort of thing, on the Dent d’Orlu and Sinsat, though a bit of uphill hiking will be required. On top of the climbing, there is skiing, canoeing, caving plus, cycling (on and off-road) mountain walking and ice climbing and even Cathar castles to visit.  Of all the places we have climbed this is one of the most varied, especially when you consider that the area isn’t much more than 30 miles across.

As an added attraction, the main Ariège valley is at a height of only around 450m, but the surround peaks rise to over 3000m. Climbing and skiing are possible on consecutive days and the option of driving uphill to escape the summer heat is a real attraction. The 1st time we visited Andorra is was 14C at Chez Arran and -9C with a savage wind at El Pas de la Casa - we were seriously underdressed!

South Face of the Dent d'Orlu - 26 pitches big enough for you?

Main Climbing Areas (numbers refer to routes in the guidebook)

Calames - 190+ routes. One of the main venues in the area, high-quality limestone, with a full mixture from slabby to very steep, from 4+ to 8b+ and from tiny to seven pitches. The crag is south facing and can be very popular at weekends - once of the few crags you might have to share.

Alliat - 125+ routes. Another limestone area, with a selection of cliffs scatted across a wide hillside. The crags get afternoon shade which is useful in hotter weather. Many of the best routes are in the upper grades, with the big wall pitches of the Passe Murailles and the fine sculptured lines of Le Livre being the showcase venues.

Auzat - 185+ routes. A lovely set of granite slabs and buttresses scatter across the hillside above the old aluminium smelter. A good set of grades, lovely rock and even some small multi-pitch climbs all add to the attraction of the place, as do the easy accessibility and tree-shaded bases.

Sinsat - 190+ routes. The spectacular rocky mountain that runs along the side of the main for several kilometres has a full range of climbs broadly split into single pitch routes down by the river and bigger ‘mountaineering’ type routes higher up the hill.

Dent d’Orlu - 30 routes. A huge granite peak, and a summer-only venue. There are a trad and bolted route here up to an astounding 25 pitches long, and many finishing on the summit of this spectacular mountain. Early starts and the ability to move quickly are a good idea here if you don’t want to spend a night out or get caught in an afternoon storm.

Logistics:

Season: climbing is possible year-round and although snowy weather can make things tricky in the depths of winter there are many south-facing cliffs. Summers are hot, though the option to go high is available.

CC on Los Bire Fireal (5c) at Sinsat

Getting there: Flights into Carcassonne and Toulouse are good options, being about 1hr 15 min from Tarascon sur Ariège. Perpignan and also Girona and Barcelona are options, being 2 - 3 hours drive away. From Calais it is about 12 hrs drive to the Ariège - a night crossing to St Malo is a good option, leaving an 8 hr drive through western France.

Where to stay: As mentioned there are many campsites in the area, several of which have cabins and/or caravans to rent - check out the Tourist Info.  Several ex-pat Brits have good accommodation in the area - a web search for Base Calames Chez Arran, La Gite de Borde, My Pyrenean Adventure and The Forge is a good place to start.

Guidebook: Rockfax France: Ariège (£24:95 -312 pages) by Chris Craggs, Anne and John Arran was published in December 2012
and covers the majority of the good climbing in the central part of the Arège valley and several of the outlying cliffs. It includes 25 crags and almost 1400 routes. It also covers brief details other activities available in the area including cycling and snow-related activities.

Lockdown - Two Months and Counting

Chez Arran - summer on the way.

Down some lazy river

 We thought we might be held in the Ariege for a month or so with the Covid 19 lockdown across the whole of France. In the event, the lockdown was extended and then extend again as the disease raced through Europe and on round the world - eight weeks+ so far, though Monday the restrictions are to be eased.

Sinsat chapel and mountain

We were allowed out for shopping and exercise - once a day, for one hour, within a kilometre of home, and avoiding parks and footpaths. With a little bending of the rules, we stretched the time and distance limits a little to enable us to make a decent walk on a daily basis. There are three basic directions we can head from Chez Arran - uphill, downhill and left by the river and downhill and right through the park - with a little imagination we manage to do something a little different every day for the past 50+ days.
Monday will be different - we can return to 'normal' activities and travel up to 100km without needing a form explaining what we are doing.
Climbing might be nice though as might be expected the forecast is terrible - lets see what happens.

Lockdown

Andorra - just before it shut

We headed north from the Blanca for a few days climbing at Collbato/Montserrat before nipping back over the border to the Ariege and the Pyrenees. We had been following the Coronavirus developing over the globe, but were almost caught out by the speed with which it swept across Europe. We were still making travel plans a couple of weeks before country after country went into lockdown.
In France it quickly developed from 'avoid people' too don't drive except to the shops. We are fortunate at Chez Arran in that we have a big garden and there are several local walks easily accessible without using the footpaths that are all closed now.

Self Isolating - easy!

At least I have huge amount of work backed-up, photo editing and cataloguing, articles to write and of course the new Costa Blanca guidebook to get stuck into. It looks like we will be here for at least another month - but as we have always said, there could be (much) worse places to be stuck.

Blanca Business Trip

One of the occupants of the Cat Village

Six weeks since we left Chez Arran - not too much climbing done which is disappointing but a lot of photography sorted - both regular and with the drone. We had a couple of weeks in Villajoyosa, then move south to La Matta/Torrevieja - which was hot and busy though we did stop in a superb modern pad there, with the added attraction of the 'Cat Village' - a protected area for feral cats right next door. That gave Sherri a few mouths to feed, and we even got the occasional visitor (Sox) which was nice. The nearby salt lagoons were also an interesting spot, with some great birding on offer.

The Penon from Calpe

Lonely on the beach

Then it was north to Denia, the area we stopped on our first visit to the Costa Blanca in 1987. It was windy there, which rather restricted the drone flying, though we still got plenty of crag-shots 'in the can'. We aim to be back in the area in the autumn to continue to work towards the new book, due out in a couple of years.
Next it is northwards to Montserrat - I haven't climbed there for many years - time to rectify that if possible.

The Rain in Spain.....

Overflowing dam at Margalef

Me on Lluis (5b) at Margalef

We headed south again, Blanca-bound, but decided to break the journey with a week in Margalef - an area renown for its hard climbing. There was loads evidence of the chaos created by Storm Gloria that had dumped three days of rain on the area after giving the Costa Blanca a pasting previously. Fallen rocks, flood damage, seepage, the overflowing dam - all very impressive. I managed to amuse myself on the cliffs mostly developed for 'beginners and children' - they forgot to add - 'and old folks'.
The town of Margalef is an interesting spot, ancient houses, narrow alleyways and all built into the cliffs.

Alan droning on again

Then it was onto the Blanca to a tower-block in Margalef overlooking the blue Mediterranean. Alan James arrived for a five day flier with the intention of getting a few routes in, but more importantly starting work on the next Costa Blanca book, due out in a couple of years, and training me up with drone flying to get pictures of the more inaccessible crags. It was a hectic few days, with up to four cliffs a day visited - but he is back in stormy Blighty now and peace has returned.

Pyrenees - Peace and Quiet

Athens to Carcasonne via Brussels was a different way to get back to the car and despite another General Strike in France we made it back to Chez Arran in good order. And a month later we are still here enjoying the peace and serenity of this quiet corner of the Pyrenees, hiking, climbing, working and chilling.
I have made good progress on an App version of a guide to the climbing on Tenerife and Colin has been over for a week so we have managed to climb every day. About another 10 days here then we need to head to the Costa Blanca to continue work on the revised/updated version of the book, due out in a couple of years.
The only other plan in the pipeline is hopefully to visit Istria - a peninsula on the borders of Italy, Slovenia and Croatia in the spring, it certainly looks like a great spot.