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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

 Page 1 of 2. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 37
Author
Climbing Destinations in Europe?

Rich
15-Oct-2005
12:12:04 PM
Okay, time has come for a little planning.. So for those who have been over there, which areas in Europe are 'must-climbs'?
Cheers!
Mr Milk
15-Oct-2005
6:48:55 PM
I'd like to climb the Queen

mmm... forgot to log out on a public computer. But I know the person responsible...

stephan
15-Oct-2005
8:06:07 PM
if you got enough money, switzerland is great!! :) not just because i am swiss!! hehe

Rich
15-Oct-2005
8:53:19 PM
yep.. thanks stephen and ah jesse i'm not sure what ur on about ;).. loooking for climbing areas not to miss rather than countries if possible? I will be visiting switzerland.
Dave C
16-Oct-2005
3:46:42 AM
Fontainebleau

Provence (Sth of France, most famous crags probably Ceuse & the Verdon Gorge)

Calanques (coastal area near Marseille)

Finale (Italy)

Frankenjura (Germany)

Heaps of other good limestone areas all across Spain, France, Switzerland & Austria)

Unique sandstone climbing in Upper Saxony and the Czech Republic

If you're coming to Britain then sample the gritstone of Yorkshire and the Peak District but North Wales is really the best area with excellent sport-climbing on limestone around the Ormes headlands on the North Coast, superb trad routes on the mountain crags of Snowdonia (rhyolite), the unique ambience of the Llanberis slate quarries and the intimidating sea-cliffs of Gogarth on the island of Anglesey. There's some top bouldering to be found in all these areas as well (except the slate quarries.)

climbingjac
17-Oct-2005
10:27:52 AM
Orpierre (France)

Ceredo (Italy)

Sperlonga (Italy)

Richo I have maps and guidebooks you can look at and photocopy if you wish. I'm off to Europe this week, but I'll be back at the end of November. Get in touch with me then if you want to take a look.

jac

neats
17-Oct-2005
10:46:38 AM
Safe traveling Jac! Make sure you keep us updated re exciting climbing adventures!

Gunta Skirtpulla
17-Oct-2005
10:56:50 AM
Fontainebleau for sure.

Frankenjura
Ceuse
Siurana
El Chorro

nmonteith
17-Oct-2005
11:18:57 AM
Frankejura - average. Very Nowraish. Not spectacular.

France

Font - Amazing must visit
Orpierre - great intro to french limstone. Good place to warm up before heading to Ceuse (1 hour away)
Ceuse - best crag in the universe. blah blah
Buoux - ok - lots of polish and wierd climbs. A few classics. Uncrowded.
Verdon - amazing. Europes version of Yosemite. Lots of mega-classics. Huge area perfect rock.
Chateauvert - small crag but awesome Thailand like routes. A few hours from Verdon.




Eduardo Slabofvic
17-Oct-2005
11:44:57 AM
The above mentioned crags are all good. I would add Verdon (France) and Mont Serrat (Spain, near Barcelona) to the list.

However, it really does depend on what grades you are climbing, as climbing in Europe is extremely popular, so well known limestone crags get polished to the extent that it detracts from their enjoyment, so if you can find obscure places (which does not mean they are not good) you may have a better time of it.

I have a strong preference for Switzerland, in particular the Berner Oberland. Crags to definitely tick here are Englehorner (actually a group of crags). Routes here are well equipped and range in height from small multi-pitch to long multi-pitch. Seek advice on navigating your way around the area as you as reasonably high up.

Also near by this area, as in 1/2 hours drive away, are Eldorado (a must do route here is Motorhead) and Handegg Walls (granite), Tellistock and Wendenstock are also worth a visit (but take care at these places). Smaller places that are good include Ueschenen and Hintisberg (a great view of the north face of the Eiger is had from here), and many more that I have not been to. Look for the Jurg von Kanel guide book series, as they have all the information (apart from the length of pitches) to find your way around.

The added benefit of this region is that there are many climbing areas down low in the valley, so finding places to climb when the weather is crap up high is not only possible but very worth while. The towns of Interlaken and Meiringen have craps that you can walk to from the edge of town.

Also Switzerland is not that expensive if you follow some simple principles. Wages are relatively high in Switzerland, so if you partake of somthing that involves many people working, like going to a restaurant, then you are going to pay through the nose. If you go to a supermarket food is generally the same price as everywhere else. Fuel is cheaper in Switzerland than most other places (at least those places I’ve been to), but public transport is excellent to the extent that you don’t need a car to get to many of the climbing areas. I have climbed at places where the bus drops you off at the trail head.
rod
17-Oct-2005
5:32:31 PM
On 17/10/2005 Eduardo Slabofvic wrote:
The towns of Interlaken
>and Meiringen have craps that you can walk to from the edge of town.

so don't forget your bog roll and bring a shovel !

if you must resort to french limestone: presles, verdon, ceuse, some stuff in the callanques and ardeche where you'll find silex on some routes (chickenheads?). i'd do 'em just for the food. we took on some engelhorn routes this year, weather turned bad but likely to go back next season, good rock with plenty of run out, mid-high mountain. sardinia and corsica are worth a look. a general recommendation: find gneiss, granite and sandstone, less of a problem with polishing.

nmonteith
17-Oct-2005
5:51:21 PM
I didn't find limestone polish was that much of a problem - even at major areas liek Cesue. The only
place that was uber polished was the Callunques. The routes we did were over 60 years old so i guess a
bit of polish would be expected!
Dave C
17-Oct-2005
7:46:58 PM
On 17/10/2005 nmonteith wrote:
>I didn't find limestone polish was that much of a problem

You're lucky you've never had to experience Peak & Yorkshire limestone over here. It can be like cranking soap bars.
julian.A
17-Oct-2005
9:13:44 PM
Look for a book called Jingo Wobbly - Europe Climbing.


La Chambotte, and D'Ablon - Annecy, France : Less popular so no lining up for routes. D'Ablon has some great climbing.

Arco - Italy : Great, but polished - especially Marsonne.
Dolomites......

Orgon and Gorge Du Tarn - Southern France are great.

GO EAST

Paklenica : About 1hr north of Zadar in Croatia. Fantastic limestone gorge. 400m Sport routes, cheap camping on the beach and lots of people who speak english.

If you get to Slovak Republic try Becov Castle, and Mannin Gorge.

Slovakia - Lake Bled in the Julian Alps..





nmonteith
17-Oct-2005
10:35:48 PM
On 17/10/2005 julian.A wrote:
>Look for a book called Jingo Wobbly - Europe Climbing.

I can lend you this guide Rich. I have a copy i bought last year.

Eduardo Slabofvic
17-Oct-2005
11:15:47 PM
On 17/10/2005 Stuck in UK wrote:

>You're lucky you've never had to experience Peak & Yorkshire limestone
>over here. It can be like cranking soap bars.

This thread is about climbing in Europe, so whats Peak and Yorkshire limestone got to do with anything?

You'll need sunglasses to avoid the glare off of the polished rock around Arco.

The Dolomites are great, but you need to like your rock loose. Get a new guide book and look for routes that were done in the last 5 to 10 years.
Dave C
18-Oct-2005
12:09:52 AM
On 17/10/2005 Eduardo Slabofvic wrote:

>This thread is about climbing in Europe, so whats Peak and Yorkshire limestone
>got to do with anything?
>

You obviously hadn't heard that the U.K. is actually part of Europe (although there are a still a few old fogeys who think otherwise.) This has been true for as long as humans have lived in Europe. Officially endorsed when the UK joined the EEC in 1974.


manacubus
18-Oct-2005
10:34:59 AM
Ceuse and Font (even if you claim to not like bouldering!). Don't bother about lugging around a bouldering mat, the landings are lovely. Plan to spend a minimum of a few weeks at Ceuse. I wish I was there right now.

Rich
19-Oct-2005
12:07:07 AM
yeah there's some great info there guys and thanks for the loaner guides jac and neil, I'll definitely take you up on them. Switzerland sounds awesome and France obviously has heaps so that'll be great, I'm trying to get as many stars (for crags) on the Europe map as possible and then have them ready for when I'm around that area and to plan a general route..the vague plan at the moment is to start in morocco end of jan, then spain for a while, esp el chorro, and then follow the coast thru italy and greece and then unsure whether to travel around north and north east or head back west keeping in mind i'm trying to sort of follow the sun. thanks for the ideas for eastern areas julian any more recommended spots out east as I heard its great to go if you are budget conscious? Eduardo the grades i'm lookin at is prob maxing out at 7b+/7c.
Font and the peak district is def a goer, have heard conflicting ideas about best time to visit font tho and i've heard that the grit is best in winter??

cheesehead
19-Oct-2005
12:42:09 AM
>Font and the peak district is def a goer, have heard conflicting ideas
>about best time to visit font tho and i've heard that the grit is best
>in winter??

Damn straight. It's more pleasant in the colder parts of spring/autumn, but definitely best in winter.

 Page 1 of 2. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 37
There are 37 messages in this topic.

 

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