[Paul B]

UKBers,

I've been meaning to book some leave early this year but as of yet haven't managed. Owing to various commitments that means that the earliest I can go away is either the fortnight over Easter (where I can't find any accommodation in Font [with the pooch, not of the Alex variety]) or the last week of Apr/1st week of May.

These days I'm happier leaning towards guaranteed climbing rather than chancing my days-off for good connies. My feeling is that May, may be pushing temps in Font into the sweaty horrible rather than dry/pleasant. Am I wrong?

The other alternative would be somewhere like the Jura (with rope) but this feels like it'd be a risk in terms of early season wetness?

We're not too fussed about Sport vs. Bouldering. However, I want to avoid driving to the ends of Europe as for a fortnight I find this to be a bit of a chore (the Verdon for instance feels very pushed to me in 2 weeks).

Any other destinations I/we should consider?

(I'm not that psyched for Albarracin due to spending quite a bit of time there already and unless we used the ferry to Bilbao would count as too far I'd imagine!).

[dave]

Font could be hot but plenty of folk go there in high summer, the advice seems to be you search out the stuff that's steeper on bigger holds, roofs, shady crags etc.

Targasonne? Pfalz?

[Paul B]

Font could be hot but plenty of folk go there in high summer, the advice seems to be you search out the stuff that's steeper on bigger holds, roofs, shady crags etc.

I'm willing to go to "less than perfect" but not really that psyched for slim pickings due to making a bad decision. People who go in high summer also like London.

Targasonne - Potentially.
Pfalz - Been, liked it. Wasn't overly blown away by the scope.

Scotland for bouldering? I know very little about this and the practicalities.

[Duncan campbell]

Pembroke? South West? I always think of May has one of the UK's best months...

[slackline]

I want to avoid driving to the ends of Europe as for a fortnight I find this to be a bit of a chore (the Verdon for instance feels very pushed to me in 2 weeks).

I once did Verdon by Eurostar/TGV (change at Lille) and hiring a car at the other end which was quite civilised, only a days travelling each way.  Not sure how that would work with a pooch in tow though.

[dave]

Scotland and the phrase "guaranteed climbing" don't sit together well, but if you can mix bouldering up with routes, some mountain walks/scrambling then there should be plenty to go at in scotland, especially if you go in May when it's usually most settled on the west coast. You could go and hit the Cuillin, Torridon, Reiff etc.

[Duma]

I've been in May and it was ok if you got up early - also the leaves are out so a bit more shade around than April. Afternoons were too hot though. Didn't find eves that great either tbh, the rock stays warm too long. good plan was up early for decent temps climbing, lunch, shopping/scoping in the afternoon, beer and dinner in the evening sun, early bed for same again next day.

[Paul B]

Pembroke? South West? I always think of May has one of the UK's best months...

Trad's a bit tricky (esp. sea cliff) with her ATM. She leaped into a reservoir last Wednesday after a Moor Hen and required rescuing (it had snowed that day for added fun).

I think single pitch type stuff where she can stay on the ground and still see us would work fine. Somewhere that she could possibly come to harm isn't ideal as we've not had much chance to check her self-preservation instincts or expose her to various scenarios that might class as every day to you or me (or anyone with dog from a puppy).

Happy to mix it up in Scotland but would need plenty of advice on what/where and quick (this needs booking yesterday).

Font in May sounds like a no-go based on Duma's experience. I'd just get up late and moan all of the time.

[Fiend]

I didn't know you'd been to Pfalz?? I love it, 15 days total over 2 trips and I'd go back for more. Surely the dawg would love it too?

[Fiend]

Happy to mix it up in Scotland but would need plenty of advice on what/where and quick (this needs booking yesterday).

I can give you any and all details on climbing and travelling apart from SAChris's projects on the Aberdeen coast and richieb's new lines in Torridon.

Scotland has some bloody good bouldering spread out (i.e. not Dumbarton and Portlethen), and would be well worth a lengthy tour driving around. Late Apr / early May is *almost* always very good weather-wise, no guarantees of course but even in the shittest of years (2011, I'm looking at you, you cunt) there's been good stuff around then. Also if you are driving around then pretty close to the good bouldering is also the best sport climbing (again away from the Central Belt).

Apparently the dog walking is okay too  

[jwi]

Gothenburg / Bohuslan can be lovely that time of year. Plenty of good bouldering & trad. Some OK sport climbing. There might be a ferry directly to Gothenburg? (Otherwise it's clearly too far)

[SA Chris]

You could just book the time off and see where is best based on forecast. If you head up this way just stay totally flexible on destinations? East can have good weather, while west is minging etc. There are reams of bouldering and sport / single pitch  and walking options. Obvious choices for a bit of everything are;

Fort William / Glencoe area

Torridon / Gairloch / Gruinard

Ullapool / Reiff

Far NW - Sheigra / Durness / Sutherland Coast.

Angus Glens / Angus Quarries and Seacliffs/ Aberdeen Seacliffs / Eastern Cairngorms

Once up here it would be easy to get between these areas in anything from a couple of hours to about a day.

 

[bigtuboflard]

Going back a while (well, a long while) I spent my 18th birthday which is in April climbing at Berdorf in Luxembourg. Really easy to get to, certainly no further than Font, and if memory serves me correct, nice routes too. We also did a day or two on some limestone somewhere in Belgium but can't for the life of me remember where. Near a big river I think ...


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[Paul B]

Going back a while (well, a long while) I spent my 18th birthday which is in April climbing at Berdorf in Luxembourg. Really easy to get to, certainly no further than Font, and if memory serves me correct, nice routes too. We also did a day or two on some limestone somewhere in Belgium but can't for the life of me remember where. Near a big river I think ...

I know where you mean...

I'll add Berdorf to the list of potentials.

I didn't know you'd been to Pfalz?? I love it, 15 days total over 2 trips and I'd go back for more. Surely the dawg would love it too?

I'm fairly sure you do know that and I'm fairly sure I've given you advice on the area in the past! For me (having been there a bit in the past) the place boils down to a relatively small number  of more sporty crags.

[slackline]

Going back a while (well, a long while) I spent my 18th birthday which is in April climbing at Berdorf in Luxembourg. Really easy to get to, certainly no further than Font, and if memory serves me correct, nice routes too.

Stopped at Berdorf on the way too/from the Dolomites two years ago.  If you opt for this you have to apply for a permit to climb details  here and no doubt obvious but you have to carry the permit with you (we didn't get checked though).

Very nice spot, 10 minutes walk from a nice campsite (providing you go the right way, friend didn't and spent two hours wandering round the woods trying to find us  ).  AndiT rates it  (if I remember Flickr comments correctly).

Nice big walls...

Wanterbaach by slack---line, on Flickr

Precision by slack---line, on Flickr

The Next Bolt by slack---line, on Flickr

We also did a day or two on some limestone somewhere in Belgium but can't for the life of me remember where. Near a big river I think ...

Probably Rochers de Freyr...



Not been, have a Belgian friend who's climbed there lots (since its one of the few decent crags in the country).  Polished in the low grades.

[SA Chris]

You could just book the time off and see where is best based on forecast. If you head up this way just stay totally flexible on destinations? East can have good weather, while west is minging etc. There are reams of bouldering and sport / single pitch  and walking options. Obvious choices for a bit of everything are;

Fort William / Glencoe area

Torridon / Gairloch / Gruinard

Ullapool / Reiff

Far NW - Sheigra / Durness / Sutherland Coast.

Angus Glens / Angus Quarries and Seacliffs/ Aberdeen Seacliffs / Eastern Cairngorms

Once up here it would be easy to get between these areas in anything from a couple of hours to about a day.

Shit and Skye!

[Johnny Brown]

especially if you go in May when it's usually most settled on the west coast.

I know this is what it says in all the books, but it hasn't been true in recent years IME. April seems to be a better bet, although it is obviously colder. On the plus side some of the routes on the Ben have been hanging on into May.

[SA Chris]

And gullies to be skied. If the dog can keep up!

[bigtuboflard]

Thanks Slackline, it was Freyr, only spent a day or two there though on some hard 7's which felt desperate (but was young so I'll let myself off). I seem to remember ending up at a local indoor wall in Belgium too as rained off and being impressed with their set up as their walls were way ahead of the U.K. Ones at the time (i.e. The Foundry).

Got away without needing a permit back then for Berdorf but very much agree that you'd need one now.


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[petejh]

Do a tour of Ireland/N.Ireland! Donegal, Fair Head, Mournes, Fermanagh/Sligo gritstone, Burran, Wicklow, South west. Check out the Ireland select guides for  routes and bouldering.

Late Apr / early May is *almost* always very good weather-wise, no guarantees of course but even in the shittest of years (2011, I'm looking at you, you cunt) there's been good stuff around then.

This had me

[Paul B]

See above about sea cliff stuff, this rules out Fair Head and the Burren which kills that idea for me (really want to climb at the latter).

It's also (comparatively) expensive to get there by ferry and I've spent two weeks in Belfast watching it rain before spending the lone good day holding down a skyhook for a headpointing hero. The mournes were constantly in fog.

[petejh]

Oh, you hit the dry season..

[Nibile]

I'd say Swizzy, no brainer.
If it's boiling hot you can go to Sustenpass or Gottardo.
If it's nice you have high and low sectors in Chironico (the river ones are pretty cool in the Summer as well), and Brione.
If it's cold you have Cresciano.

[dave]

See above about sea cliff stuff, this rules out Fair Head and the Burren which kills that idea for me (really want to climb at the latter).

It's also (comparatively) expensive to get there by ferry and I've spent two weeks in Belfast watching it rain before spending the lone good day holding down a skyhook for a headpointing hero. The mournes were constantly in fog.

Word, some of the Burren is above a huge nontidal platform, so it's not really a seacliff vibe.

[abarro81]

The main thing I can glean from this thread is to never get a dog.

[Schnell]

See above about sea cliff stuff, this rules out Fair Head and the Burren which kills that idea for me (really want to climb at the latter).

It's also (comparatively) expensive to get there by ferry and I've spent two weeks in Belfast watching it rain before spending the lone good day holding down a skyhook for a headpointing hero. The mournes were constantly in fog.

Word, some of the Burren is above a huge nontidal platform, so it's not really a seacliff vibe.

Fair Head isn't a sea cliff either. It is usually easier to ab in  because the terrain below is pretty tough going but that depends what part of the crag you're going for. I'd see the weather as a bigger problem though like for Scotland, May/June is usually about as good as it gets weather wise over here.

[chillax]

See above about sea cliff stuff, this rules out Fair Head and the Burren which kills that idea for me (really want to climb at the latter).

It's also (comparatively) expensive to get there by ferry and I've spent two weeks in Belfast watching it rain before spending the lone good day holding down a skyhook for a headpointing hero. The mournes were constantly in fog.

Word, some of the Burren is above a huge nontidal platform, so it's not really a seacliff vibe.

Fair Head isn't a sea cliff either. It is usually easier to ab in  because the terrain below is pretty tough going but that depends what part of the crag you're going for. I'd see the weather as a bigger problem though like for Scotland, May/June is usually about as good as it gets weather wise over here.

While not seacliffs in the "cliff coming straight out of the sea" variety, both places provide ample opportunity for an unsupervised pooch to get swept out to sea/spanner themselves in big dirty boulders. I'd say the mournes would be the best bet for a first trip with dog, but the lack of gear and bugger of a walk in might dampen the enthusiasm. Maybe head over next year when mutley has better crag training?

[T_B]

See above about sea cliff stuff, this rules out Fair Head and the Burren which kills that idea for me (really want to climb at the latter).

It's also (comparatively) expensive to get there by ferry and I've spent two weeks in Belfast watching it rain before spending the lone good day holding down a skyhook for a headpointing hero. The mournes were constantly in fog.

Word, some of the Burren is above a huge nontidal platform, so it's not really a seacliff vibe.

Fair Head isn't a sea cliff either. It is usually easier to ab in  because the terrain below is pretty tough going but that depends what part of the crag you're going for. I'd see the weather as a bigger problem though like for Scotland, May/June is usually about as good as it gets weather wise over here.

Apart from Ballycastle Descent Gully areas, which areas do you not ab into? I'm struggling to think of a worse crag to take a dog than Fairhead. The top is totally flat and I can imagine a hound accidentally diving off into oblivion having not realised there's an edge and 50m drop below.

The trad climbing in Sweden (Bohuslän?) sounded really good in some article Pickford wrote.

[Paul B]

While not seacliffs in the "cliff coming straight out of the sea" variety, both places provide ample opportunity for an unsupervised pooch to get swept out to sea/spanner themselves in big dirty boulders. I'd say the mournes would be the best bet for a first trip with dog, but the lack of gear and bugger of a walk in might dampen the enthusiasm. Maybe head over next year when mutley has better crag training?

Yes quite; it's on the list and a friend owes me a guided tour at some point.

When I'm confident pooch won't take a head first dive off the top of a cliff should she get free or find some other way to self-harm whilst unattended then sea-cliffs* will be high on the agenda. Ireland (inc. Northern Ireland) are high on the wish-list for trad destinations but weather, and relative expense always put me off! Apart from the reservoir incident  and the consumption of one sheepskin rug she's (the dog that is) been fairly well behaved (actually bloody well behaved given her past).

*including cliffs in close proximity to the sea

The main thing I can glean from this thread is to never get a dog.

I'm going to take the greatest delight in seeing you compromise in some-way in the future, or you realising that (when old) you wish you had compromised to have experienced a slightly more rounded life, after all, they're just rocks and some Czech 6yr old will have just onsighted your prized tick in his trainers as a warmup and logged it as 'soft' on 10a.nu. How's that finger injury coming along BTW? 

[Schnell]

See above about sea cliff stuff, this rules out Fair Head and the Burren which kills that idea for me (really want to climb at the latter).

It's also (comparatively) expensive to get there by ferry and I've spent two weeks in Belfast watching it rain before spending the lone good day holding down a skyhook for a headpointing hero. The mournes were constantly in fog.

Word, some of the Burren is above a huge nontidal platform, so it's not really a seacliff vibe.

Fair Head isn't a sea cliff either. It is usually easier to ab in  because the terrain below is pretty tough going but that depends what part of the crag you're going for. I'd see the weather as a bigger problem though like for Scotland, May/June is usually about as good as it gets weather wise over here.

Apart from Ballycastle Descent Gully areas, which areas do you not ab into? I'm struggling to think of a worse crag to take a dog than Fairhead. The top is totally flat and I can imagine a hound accidentally diving off into oblivion having not realised there's an edge and 50m drop below.

Given that I've been there a few times without an ab rope, a fair few of them. Not to say it's easy, quick or very enjoyable. You can walk in to various routes from Grey Man's Path at east end fairly easily though.

[T_B]

Tell me about it. I once walked pretty much the full length of the crag on a day I'd deemed too cold to climb 

[Paul B]

We've managed to weasel some earlier dates and found some accommodation on AirBnB... Bring on Fontainebleau, it's been a while!