[mark]

I think I post this every year at about this time. Summer is lumbering into view and I've had to book time off work already. Events have conspired to leave the first half of August as the only time we can get away. So, any suggestions of good places to go? It's a family holiday so had better feature either sea or a lake for children to splash in and some decent bouldering to keep me sane.

[SA Chris]

You restricted to driving, or can you stretch to flights? If driving, how far you prepared to go?

[Stef]

Hi Mark,
Font has always been a nice place for family holidays with the best bouldering. It's been several summer that weren't so hot that affords some good climbing conditions, and we have here lots of extra activities to suit a family, such as horses or poneys, climbing tree circuits, several swimming pools, lake resort, Disney (1 hour), another small local leisure park for kids, and of course some cultural activities with the Fontainebleau castle, Versailles (1 hour) or Vaux le Vicomte and Paris.

[SA Chris]

Have you heard of this place called "Font" before mark? Sounds wonderful.

[mark]

SA Chris, driving or flying are both options.

Stef, thanks for the suggestion of Font. I've heard mention of it somewhere before, I think! We're off there at Easter but I find summer trips there just too frustrating due to the conditions.

Last couple of years we've been to Brittany, specifically Ploumanac'h and Kerlouan. Both good and both fulfil the beach-plus-boulders requirement but this year I fancy going somewhere that the water is a bit warmer. Possibles are Ligurian coast somewhere near Varazze and the Cote d'Azur with visits up to Annot. Anywhere else worth considering?

[Plattsy]

Sardinia?

http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=343.

[Dolly]

I don't think Varazze is that good (Nibile agrees) but it might be OK ish for a quick fix. There's a thread about it, but I can't find it as the search function doesn't seem to be working at the moment ?
The problem is that the coast is much better further west than Varazze - depends on how far you want to drive.
I've got the guide if you want to borrow it ?

[i.munro]

Tinos?
It fulfills the holiday stuff really well & it might (i repeat might, I haven't been in summer) cool down enough to slot some bouldering in in the evening.

[SA Chris]

I fancy going somewhere that the water is a bit warmer.

I was going to suggest a couple of fantastic spots in Scotland, but they are all nixed on that point!

[Stef]

and the water is so warm out there... yum yum !

[webbo]

you could try tenerife. it will be hot as hell but at least the water will be warm.

[i.munro]

Couple of Tinos pics

http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=111155

http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=111154


Sorry can't seem to get them to display (I'm only a software engineer!)

[slackline]

Sorry can't seem to get them to display (I'm only a software engineer!)

UKC do not permit encroachment on their empire and therefore disable embedding of pictures hosted on their site.

[i.munro]

Thanks. Thought it was just me being crap as per.

I guess I should join Flickr then but I can't be fussed at the mo.
Just think Blue sky, blue sea, White churches & boulders.

[stelios_kos]

Don't even think about Tinos. Even we(Greeks) can't bear these temperatures in the summer.

[i.munro]

Don't even think about Tinos. Even we(Greeks) can't bear these temperatures in the summer.

I was only suggesting it as an alternative to tenerife.
Apparently Tinos is  where the North Wind (Boreas ?) lives.
From your comment he must go on holiday in August.

[andy popp]

Basque/Picos region? Its where I'm probably looking to head at pretty much the same time of year.

[stelios_kos]

Don't even think about Tinos. Even we(Greeks) can't bear these temperatures in the summer.

I was only suggesting it as an alternative to tenerife.
Apparently Tinos is  where the North Wind (Boreas ?) lives.
From your comment he must go on holiday in August.
[/quote

The temperature in Tinos in August is about 40 c

[Charles]

Mallorca? Good family resort (so I'm told) plus all that Deep Water Soloing...

[mark]

Mallorca? Good family resort (so I'm told) plus all that Deep Water Soloing...

Bit of thread CPR... Breathing again, excellent, here we go.

Mallorca is looking the most likely venue at the moment. Work and school restrictions this year mean we are going to have a summer holiday in the first two weeks of August. Requirements are a beach, warm sea and something steep to climb on to keep me sane.

Has anyone been out to Mallorca deep water soloing in August? I appreciate that it will be scorching at that time of year but am hoping that by climbing in the mornings and evenings I'll avoid getting roasted. Is this right or am I deluding myself?

Finally, any ideas on how many people will be out DWSing at that time? Are there many other people on the crags? I'll be the only one of our party climbing so I'm keen to meet up with others and have someone ready to fish me out if things go wrong.

[slackline]

You need your Thread Necromancer card for this post



(Although its not quite as apposite as it could be as you're actually contributing something useful, but I've been waiting ages to use that image in these forums, and am not quite sad enough to go and find some random thread to resurrect just so I could use it )

[Dolly]

Last couple of years we've been to Brittany, specifically Ploumanac'h and Kerlouan. Both good and both fulfil the beach-plus-boulders requirement but this year I fancy going somewhere that the water is a bit warmer

We've just booked near Kerlouan. Is the water cold then or just not Med warm ?
I think we'll be taking Shortie wetsuits so I guess we'll be OK for bodyboarding in them. Actually is the Kerlouan beach any good for bodyboarding ?
Won't bother taking the boards if its not up to much

[bobkatebob]

you could try tenerife. it will be hot as hell but at least the water will be warm.

If you look at this http://www.tenerifeonline.com/temperatura-en.html you'll see that it won't be that bad in Tenerife. The thing is that their temperature is more constant over the year than it is in the UK. Looks like it might even be hotter here this week than Tenerife.

[magpie]

Has anyone been out to Mallorca deep water soloing in August?

Yes, twice.

I appreciate that it will be scorching at that time of year but am hoping that by climbing in the mornings and evenings I'll avoid getting roasted. Is this right or am I deluding myself?

You'll be alright, probably.  We managed quite a bit of DWS and also some routes, although it is hot.  Not so bad for DWS but lethal for routes if you don't do early / much later starts.

Finally, any ideas on how many people will be out DWSing at that time?

Some, more at the popular places, but we saw other people pretty much everywhere we went, DWS wise.  By September it's usually properly busy, but you do see people in August, fairly regularly.

Are there many other people on the crags?

Not that we saw, it really is a bit hot for routes, most people don't seem to bother at that time of year.

I may have said more useful stuff relating to this before, on UKC, so you could search my post there if you wanted more info, alternatively I will answer direct questions if you have them.