[Willriseley]

Hey all, The missus and me are going to be leaving the UK by van June 1st heading for Font for a few weeks, then not back to the UK until Nov so where else you think we should go?

Mainly boulder and sport , currently thinking of the following places

Font
verdon gorge
magic woods
italy????
cataluna for some sport and sun

I know some of the areas but anyone have any ideas???

[S Smith]

You've got to hit up Ceuse for the sweet sweet cool temps!  Places in Spain should be left till september/november I'd imagine, too hot in the summer.  Had lovely conditions in Magic Wood last august.  Gorge du Tarn perhaps?!  Could be a nice stopping point on the way to northern Spain...

[Paul B]

I'd suggest planning a rough itinerary around expected conditions and a logical route. There's nothing worse than constantly being baked alive and having to seek out any available shade, nor is it fun to be stuck in a tin can/van as it rains for days.

I guess you also need to decide how many venues you want to visit (or how long you'd like to stay at each to get the most out of it)?

I think we managed to do this quite well on our trip (although at the height of summer we were struggling a bit), the only place we got well and truly wrong was Rodellar, arriving one day before it soaked through.

I put a lot of the major european crags on a map for working out where to visit etc.

The gorge is good around Oct but the town and campsites starts to close down on the 1st and it can get a little boring. The South of France really is good and you can pick off a lot of venues on a logical progression towards Spain. Spain can be broken up by stopping into Tres Ponts and then on to the bigger better venues.

The Frankenjura is great too; very varied but as you're going away in June I can't really see a route that'll lead you there when conditions are reliably good.

[Willriseley]

At the minute its looking like a month in france
month in italy/swizzle
then month going like southern france sport maybe into cataluna

then last months in spain i guess? maybe staying north but a lot of good words about el chorro???/ Also be nice to get into portugal for some waves

[Willriseley]

also guys anywhere to camp free at said places? will be travelling in a stealth converted tranny so roadside shouldnt be to bad, apparently a certain area in font to park up which gets busy but cant find info about it, also anyone ideas about roadside sleeping in spain or is it 

[Duma]

re font, there's generally vans at isatis and sabots and it's tolerated. I spent 6 weeks in spain and less than ten days in campsites, reckon you'll be fine.

[psychomansam]

It's been said many times, but if you do go camp out at font, (or even if you don't)  especially at Sabots, take a bin bag, fill it up and take it away. Increases the chance you'll be able to camp there next year if nothing else. I'm sure you give a  about the state of things there too. A lot of people seem not to. Also, either bury your  or do it elsewhere. Don't use toilet roll unless you're taking it away. Hopefully I'm preaching to the converted 

[Paul B]

From what I've heard Chorro is a good winter sun destination but not comparable to the big crags of Catalunya. Its also quite a distance when you look at the map. We left it for another Winter trip (cheap flights etc.).

Camping isn't an issue in Europe, we used a site for 6 days out of 6 months and three of those were enforced as we had no locks (done twice, Calais and Barcelona, they didn't get in either time). I'd just advise being cautious, people tried to get into our van knowing we were inside (window foils and a pad leant against the door). The same happened to other friends too (and it wasn't just some git with a screwdriver).

[Nibile]

Italy can be very hot in the summer, but in july or september (avoid august like plague) the Dolomites are beautiful. I am a dedicate boulderer, but nothing beats a day spent on a long, easy, trad multipitch, and then the hut with beer and apfelstrudel!!!
In the north there are many summer crags, especially around Trento or the Garda lake.
Bouldering is possible high up, like at Rifugio Barbara, but generally in the mountains.
All the best Swiss destinations (Chironico, Magic, Cresciano) are just one hour drive from the Italian border.
In october and november the bouldering gets good here where I live also, in Tuscany.
Give a call when you're around!!!

[Willriseley]

It's been said many times, but if you do go camp out at font, (or even if you don't)  especially at Sabots, take a bin bag, fill it up and take it away. Increases the chance you'll be able to camp there next year if nothing else. I'm sure you give a  about the state of things there too. A lot of people seem not to. Also, either bury your  or do it elsewhere. Don't use toilet roll unless you're taking it away. Hopefully I'm preaching to the converted 

Should be fully sufficient in the van with a shower and poop box and may even be able to share food and drinks with others but yeah take nothing but photos and leave nothing but fottprints is a good saying.

Cheers for all the help so far guys, currently going mad with a map and pen trying to find and organise all this, but cool. Nibile where are you at as yeah maybe come visit you for a little inside knowledge?

[Nibile]

I live in Siena, a small medieval town one hour south of Florence.
great art, monument and cultural shit.
one hour from good beaches.
five hours from the Dolomites.
five seconds from my wall and Beastmaker.

[Muenchener]

Frankenjura is wonderful

[Willriseley]

re font, there's generally vans at isatis and sabots and it's tolerated. I spent 6 weeks in spain and less than ten days in campsites, reckon you'll be fine.

care to elaborate on these camping spots or am I just being stupid?

[leeroy]

re font, there's generally vans at isatis and sabots and it's tolerated. I spent 6 weeks in spain and less than ten days in campsites, reckon you'll be fine.

care to elaborate on these camping spots or am I just being stupid?

people just park up in the car parks. spain seems good for vans, some good spots near the big el chorro crags, desplomilandia etc.

[fried]

The problem with dossing at Isatis/ Sabots etc, is that even if you're scrupulously tidy, you still look like part of the bigger problem.

The forest is big and I'd imagine it'd be easier and more pleasant to camp elsewhere, use your common sense. As mentioned in other posts there is a free camping with toilets near la maison de forestiere.

[psychomansam]

Should be fully sufficient in the van with a shower and poop box and may even be able to share food and drinks with others but yeah take nothing but photos and leave nothing but fottprints is a good saying.

Well it's a good start, but if you want to contribute to the good then you could take away some rubbish too. And bear in mind that you're leaving a massive carbon footprint.

I genuinely think that saying, along with LeaveNoTrace, is somewhat misguided. But that's another argument. Hope you have an awesome trip. Jealous!

[Paul B]

Its significantly less of a footprint than flying to the venues listed or driving there on separate trips. I'd also think that the carbon footprint of simple, van-life is considerably less than heating a house etc. and day to day UK life.

For instance whilst away we drove LESS miles than we do in an average year in the UK (half in fact). Everything electronic was charged from the engine whilst on the move. You're not flushing the loo or showering with treated water. I'm definitely sticking with a net deficit of carbon on this one!

[Bonjoy]

 
Overall I bet an averaged per day carbon footprint for a long road trip is way lower than the same period living, working and climbing at home for most folk, especially if you throw in a foreign holiday by flight.

[Willriseley]

Fingers crossed it should be a green trip and gettin psyhced for it now, although need to get some work or I wont have the cash.

Anyone have ideas about access at Albarracin these days?