Where did the Time go?

Back in the 1980s I studied with the Open University for eight years and when that all came to an end I looked for a way to fill my time. Regular articles for the climbing magazines proved to be a good of learning the basics of writing/photography/publishing trade. The guidebooks all started with Cicerone Press back in 1990 in the form of a small (128 pages) guidebook to the Costa Blanca, with a 3000 print-run; much to Walt Unsworth's surprise it sold out. Other small guidebooks followed to Andalucia and Mallorca as well as Belgium and Luxembourg plus my 100 Best Limestone Climbs which the late Paul Williams described as a 'real belter'.

Ten years later (and after writing Bamford, Stanage, Derwent Edge, Gardoms, Chatsworth, Birchen and Willersley for the BMC's definitive series) I fancied writing a guide to my beloved Gritstone. Cicerone were initially keen but after some skulduggery by 'the establishment' they pulled the plug on it. With little to lose I approached long-term rival Alan James of Rockfax and together we produced the revolutionary Peak Grit East - perhaps the Genesis of modern rock climbing guidebook production. The acrimony surrounding the guide has passed into history but the ripples continue spread out down the years. Western Grit followed (it and PGE both won Guidebook of the Year award) followed by Northern Limestone (along with Alan and Mark Glaister) covering the Peak and Yorkshire and also the solo project of Northern England.

Alan had already produced several Spanish guides so we cooperated on a new Costa Blanca guide in 2005 and the full colour treatment proved popular, revitalising this well known area. Thorbjørn Enevold of the Nord Norsk Klatreskole was so impressed that on a visit to the magical Lofoten Islands he sidled up to me in the shop with a copy in his hands and asked if I could do one like that for him! We went one better and the magnificent Lofoten Rock which won the prestigious Banff Guidebook Award in 2008. Ariège had become another of our favourite spots and seemed ready for a UK guide. Anne and John Arran, who had lived in the area for a number of years and were much better climbers than I had ever been, were keen. We moved into Chez Arran for the spring of 2012 to work on the book, having it in the shops by the end of the year was probably some kind of record.

So what's next? Swiss Granite, Southern Norway, Canaries Rock, Corsica Climbs, or maybe as my 63rd birthday approaches we could just go climbing. 20 books in 23 years seems like a fair monument to my obsession!

Sunny Days Are Here Again

Back to the UK was a pretty steady trip, a nine hour haul from Chamonix to Zeebrugge then a gentle overnighter on the ferry to Hull, leaving a 90 minute tootle home through the drizzle. The sun finally came out on Friday (after the coldest spring for 50 years) and big jolly team assembled at Stanage. There was climbing and merriment, and I started work on Eastern Grit III - the real reason for coming home. The forecast is set fair so there is a need to crack-on and photograph the cliffs that either face northish or will be cloaked in trees once the spring catches up - it is currently running about a month behind schedule which is quite helpful!

Update: the lovely weather is set for the week and crag photography is progressing well. The Weather Lady said last night and said it was the longest dry spell in the UK for OVER A YEAR!

Wandering Northwards

The time finally arrive when we had to pack the car and leave Ariège, sad faces all around, especially the cats - and us! We headed up to the Buis de Barronais area to stop for a week with Craig and Vicki  Entwhistle at their place Les Air du Temps which turned out to be great, nice and central and very well appointed. The unsettled weather that has plagued most of Europe continued - with snow on the top of Mont Ventoux but we managed to dodge the showers and get four days climbing in.
Monday caught us out, we had forgotten it was a Bank Holday and the cliffs were packed - plus all the shops were closed - hey-ho!

After a great week it was back on the road and up to Chamonix. Thorbjørn has a bought a small place (and very nice) in Les Bossons for when he is guiding in the area and kindly offered it to us - which turned out to be quite brilliant. Just on the edge of town, nice and quiet plus with spectacular views.

The bad news is that is is Half Term week in the UK and ferries are full (Zeebrugge to Hull) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so we either need to leave in a couple of days or stay for more than a week - decisions!

A couple of hours later and decisions made, ferry booked - homeward on Wednesday - gulp!

Boulder Bash

A year and a day since I was up at the Orlu Boulders with Colin, last year it was 35C and this year it was 16C - a bit more like it!
I did 20+ problems (all easy ones of course!) and thoroughly enjoyed it - a cool breeze off the snowy peaks, the river gushing by, and not a soul about - despite it being a Sunday.
I have never been into bouldering - "playing on small rocks - but it is undeniably a pleasant enough way of spending a couple of hours.
 
Less than a week left in Ariège now before we have to load up the car and head back north. Plans are fluid, we are booked in close to Buis de Baronais for a week, there are several crags in Adian's newish guide to the area that I have never climbed at, so that should be good. After that, may be Chamonix, we'll have to see.
Since we set off for Kalymnos in September we have spent a grand total of six days in the UK - that will be 9 months by the time we get back - wonder if they will let us in?

Summer Time

Above Ussat - heading for the hills

The high Pyrenees from Appy

Back in the Ariège, back in the groove. Island life was great but now it is the quiet rural version, climbing, walking in the hills, keeping the cats company and doing a bit of work. Temperatures have varied between 28C and 6C - weird!

It has been a while since I looked at 'the work' - last year three saw books published in 10 months which was a bit of a grind, but as ever I have started thinking about the next one coming down the line - Eastern Grit Ver III. That will require a return to the UK - but lets not rush into things.
Interestingly we have three offers to visit friends on the way home; Mike and Elaine on the Cote d'Azur, Monty and Hillary in Provençe and Thorbjørn  in Chamonix - choice, choices!

Trains 'n Boats 'n Planes

The month on Kalymnos was great, but the escape was confounded by a strong northerly that blew for 5 days - and is still blowing apparently - so no ferries were running. Then I remembered the high-speed catamaran that runs a daily service from Kaly to Rhodes and sails in wilder weather and so we got away. The flight back to Stansted cost €22 each which is amazing which ever way you look at it. Stansted was a real culture shock - we queued for 30+ minutes at passport control, 20 gates wide and hundreds (thousands?) of people waiting to get into the UK.
A brisk five minutes saw us in the Radisson - another culture shock  - and all a bit posh, I wasn't really sure they would let us in. An early flight to Carcassone (£20 each) then John and Anne whisked us back to Chez Arran - the circle was closed.
Thursday and a quick six routes on Auzat in mint spring conditions - it is great to be back!

The Good Life

We usually arrival in Kalymnos in late September; the cliffs are rammed, it is hot (25C+) and everywhere has the feeling of a desert as is hasn't rained for five months. The place is fully open for business: restaurants,  shops, scooter hire and apartments giving the place has a real holiday resort feel about it. Many folks love it like this but were are more ambivalent - though the snorkelling in the warm Aegean is brilliant.
Being here in the spring has been a really pleasant surprise; it has been a bit showery on occasions, but pleasantly warm, very quiet and remarkably green and flowery. The cliffs are drier than I was expecting - bone dry in most cases. Easter week was a bit busy but nothing like the 'high season' - I think it may become our favourite time of year to be here.
As ever the climbing is superb, I ticked my 1000th route here last week, and the locals are like long lost friends - a great spot to escape the tail-end of the grotty northern winter.