[Denbob99]

Coming to the final year of my PhD and am aiming to take a year off afterward. Has anyone taken a full year off to bum about and purely climb?

Currently torn on a few options which are:

1) Go somewhere to work the least number of hours I need to in order to survive (Squamish/US?)
2) Go somewhere cheap enough that I don't need to work (Yangshuo/Hampi)
3) Get a van and do Europe (More expensive to start as I don't have a van)

Option 1 means I would have to work, which is less than ideal frankly. Option 2 means with some hard saving that I could get away with not working, looking at the costs of accommodation in places like Yangshuo and Hampi, you can live for a year for fuck all. Apparently if you choose the crags well you can climb in Yangshuo the whole year, not so sure about that for Hampi. Option 3 is always appealing, as you could chase the weather for a full year, but expensive to buy the van and have to rely on its reliability.

So if you have any personal stories about any of the 3 options I would love to hear them, as well as suggestions for locations in each option. Especially if you've done any of these and could tell me roughly how much you spent overall.

Looking forward to any help,
Cheers.

[Fultonius]

We weren't al that excited by the climbing in Yangshuo, Moon hill is now closed (or certainly was when we were there in November). I'm not sure a month there would be good, far less a year.

Mike liked it even less http://mikeowenfrance.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/climbing-in-yangshuo.html

We did hear that there are other, newer climbing locations nearby that are better so do your research before committing to that.

[Denbob99]

Yeah I've heard a few people were a bit turned off it, and it's a real shame about Moon Hill. Was it the climbing or the town you disliked?

[bendavison]

Why not do Europe without the van? Dossing is fine in lots of places, and even if you pay to camp I'd have thought it would be cheaper than getting/running a van.

I did this in a lot of my year off. But did 5 weeks work in the middle with barely any climbing (non outside). Cost around £85 a week, but I was flying back between trips, mostly stayed in campsites and went to Kalymnos which is well expensive.


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[Denbob99]

Thanks Ben. So is the £85 fuel+food?

[bendavison]

£85 was everything. Flights, camping, food etc. Generally, it was more than that, but I had a couple months in Spain where I was a dirtbag.


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[sdm]

I spent a year traveling around India 4 or 5 years ago. It was mostly a non-climbing trip but included a week bouldering in Hampi, a week bouldering in Manali and the odd bit of climbing elsewhere.

I budgeted for about a fiver a day, expecting it to be a struggle to live off so little. I came back with half of my money unspent.

In Hampi, we paid about £3.50 a night for an en-suite three person air conditioned room with a TV. Blackouts were frequent when we were there so don't rely on air con unless your hotel has a generator although you probably wouldn't need it for most of the year. We were offered very basic triple rooms from as little as 15p per night. We were there out of season though. The price you pay will depend on how busy they are, how much they think you can pay (scruffy clothes and equipment help) and how good you are at haggling. Don't book accommodation in advance, you will pay 3 times as much.

You could get meals for under £1, some of the touristy restaurants were more expensive but some of the locals' restaurants were less than 30p for all you can eat. The cheapest food in India is usually the best once you get over the fact that you eat with your hands and get no choice over what you eat.

The main bouldering season is from October/November until February/March when the temperatures are cooler. The monsoon season is about June-August. After the monsoon is the coolest time of year, then it gradually heats up until the monsoons next year. We were there around May when temperatures can reach 40-45ºC so it was too hot to climb during the day. We got to the crag for sunrise, climbed until 8 or 9am, then chilled or explored for the rest of the day.

The bouldering is great (although quite tough on the skin!) and I didn't begin to scratch the surface of what was there. Lots of crimps and highballs (plenty of lower stuff too if you get scared). There is a guidebook these days so getting around should be a lot simpler. There are undocumented boulders left to explore for as far as the eye can see.

Other than bouldering, there are loads of ancient temples and ruins to explore on your rest days. There is quite a good backpackers/dirtbag scene there and the locals are very friendly.

[petejh]

After leaving the army I sold everything I owned (v.little - a motorbike) and buggered off to new zealand for a year. Bit pricey for the flight but once there the costs were low due to the exchange rate if you've some pounds saved up. I went there for the alpine climbing and skiing, both of which are brilliant. Plenty of decent sport climbing and trad too if you don't mind exploring - Paynes Ford and Darrans respectively. Obviously excellent bouldering at Castle Hill. I bought a cheap 1976 bedford camper and split time between van dossing and living in the NZ alpine club huts. The van caught fire (electrical fault) in the last week of my year trip, perfect. I highly recommend  a year in new zealand, wonderful place.

Second experience was Canada - I fucked off there to climb for a year, which turned into 4 years. While there I landed a couple of well-paying part-time jobs that gave me lots of time off to explore. Highly recommend Canada too and it comes with the bonus of you being able to explore the states quite easily (hellish border guards permitting). Don't do what I did and buy a house/settle down without first securing residency.

Spent 3 months in a van around Europe with an ex - don't think I'd choose Europe for a year-long away from it all proper adventure but it's obviously a good option for doing lots of climbing and close enough to home to bail easily.


I don't recall asking for much advice before I made my decisions, I just went with where I felt like I wanted to explore and took the plunge. If it's a country/continent you want to explore the climbing will be 'good enough'.

[Fultonius]

Yeah I've heard a few people were a bit turned off it, and it's a real shame about Moon Hill. Was it the climbing or the town you disliked?

I didn't dislike it, in fact, we had a fun time as we were doing a lot of multi-pitch easy routes (with the girlfriend) which were a bit jungle-like but quite fun. It's a nice place, the scenery is good and the locals (who aren't trying to sell you shit in yangshuo town) are friendly.

The town is nice enough if you stay away from the touristy bits (most of it...). It's really the climbing that' underwhelming. It's alright, just not the "world class" destination it's made out to be.

You might have a great time there. There's certainly an active local scene and it depends on how much other climbing you've done around the world. I'm a bit spoilt as I've managed to get to a lot of the top destinations around.

[T_B]

Option 2 sounds brilliant! If you're young and have no commitments, I would definitely go somewhere further afield than Europe. Some friends of mine are just back from a year in France/Spain in a van. They found winter in Spain hard at times and were lucky enough to get a house sit. Also most people would get burnt out after a year of purely sport climbing.

I spent 9 months in Australia and climbed in Arapiles/Grampians for 4 of those, plus did loads of memorable 'travelling'. Could easily have spent a year but ran out of money. Casual work was easy enough to pick up (we're talking 20 years ago here...), but it got too hot to work outside come summer so I bailed to Thailand.

The States/Canada would be amazing for a year, but I guess it would be pretty expensive?

What about Africa? Not sure how feasible it would be to travel south through Ethiopia (trad) - Kenya (trad/alpine) - Tanzania - Malawi (bouldering) - Mozambique - S Africa / Namibia (bouldering, sport and trad).

[r-man]

A few years ago I spent a year in Australia. Wages there were (and probably still are) excellent for casual work, so that working for a few months and living as a climbing bum in Arapiles/Grampians for the rest of the time is perfectly feasible. I worked over winter in Perth (not a hotspot for climbing, but easy to find jobs), then after some travelling/wwoofing/couch-surfing in Tasmania bought a big car on the mainland and lived in it during spring and summer. Then I did a couple more weeks of work and had a three week sport climbing holiday in Thailand. Good times. Highly recommended.

[tomtom]

Australia is not a cheap place to stay anymore... It's Got alot more expensive relative to UK in the last 4-5 years...

Scary expensive earlier this year.. But salaries are high.

[r-man]

Absolutely. Same as when I was there. The cost of living is high if you are spending English money. However, if you are drawing an Australian wage, life is much cheaper than in England.

And if you are living in the Pines (Arapiles campsite), accommodation is 2 dollars per night, with all the veg you can eat if you work one day per week at the farm over the road...

[jwi]

Option 2 sounds brilliant! If you're young and have no commitments, I would definitely go somewhere further afield than Europe. Some friends of mine are just back from a year in France/Spain in a van. They found winter in Spain hard at times and were lucky enough to get a house sit. Also most people would get burnt out after a year of purely sport climbing.

Who would climb full time in Europe for a year and only do sport, when there so much good multipitch sport, bouldering, alpine climbing, trad, ice, mixed and aid climbing to be had?

[T_B]

Option 2 sounds brilliant! If you're young and have no commitments, I would definitely go somewhere further afield than Europe. Some friends of mine are just back from a year in France/Spain in a van. They found winter in Spain hard at times and were lucky enough to get a house sit. Also most people would get burnt out after a year of purely sport climbing.

Who would climb full time in Europe for a year and only do sport, when there so much good multipitch sport, bouldering, alpine climbing, trad, ice, mixed and aid climbing to be had?

Aid climbing!? Seriously though, yes, indeed. But that would be a pretty expensive trip. I guess I'm basing my opinion on what a few different friends have actually done and they've basically ended up spending long periods in Spain as it's cheap. A trip starting in northern Europe during the spring and travelling down through the Alps to end up in Spain in the winter months would be amazing of course.

[jwi]

Yeah, I know, it's crazy that people spend a year in Spain doing only sport climbing, when there is so many other forms of climbing to be had in Spain (and just across the border to France).

[SA Chris]

My view is scrape some cash together working here first and if you are doing a long trip do it somewhere far away that you can't do on short holidays from the UK. Alternatively I was lucky I managed to get a work visa to work a winter in a ski resort in Colorado, and managed to save enough money for a 3 moth trip around the US. Worth considering if you enjoy snow sports. You actually get paid fairly well, especially if you avoid going on the piss every night (which is hard), and I picked up a vehicle fairly cheaply from someone at the end of the season.

Dirtbagging is OK, but it's nice to not have to constantly worry about the cash, and have a bit of comfort.

[Bonjoy]

There is a lot to be said for keeping life simple on a long trip. Having all the kit for all sports in the van is just more shit to worry about, plus doing anything more adventurous than sport and bouldering really ramps up travel insurance costs. 

I've done two long trips away. First time it was a full year on a round the world ticket. Japan (a week visiting family) - Thailand (a month climbing) - Australia (6 months mixed working and climbing) - New Zealand (5 months climbing). We lived and worked in Sydney for a big chunk of the Oz time which financed the NZ bit. Bought and then sold on cars when in Oz and NZ, made a profit on the second sale! Tended to sleep on mattress in car and keep kit in disposably cheap tent when away climbing. Was mostly sport and bouldering but did a fair amount of trad in Oz on a minimal rack.
Second trip was six months in a van round Europe, mostly sport climbing with a few weeks of bouldering thrown in. Initial cost of getting a van comfortable enough to live in during all seasons was high but then cost of living very low once out.
Both trips were brilliant and hugely improved my climbing. Both had their own pros and cons and suited my time of life. We tended to climb three on one off (with two day rest every third or so cycle) and never got burnt out, I put this down to a lack of imagination, high levels of psych and the fact that we were very well organised (mostly thanks to my wife) and always clean and comfortable. If you live like a vagrant in stinking cold/hot damp ming and eat badly prepared slop every day, as a lot of folk in vans we met seemed to, then you can expect to get jaded after a while. Occasional nights in proper campsites with facilities and the odd week in a gite is also a good way to avoid burn out. Beware if you go with a partner, most of the couples we met on long trips broke up whilst on the trip or shortly after, it really puts your relationship to the test, probably a very good pre-marriage exercise come to think of it!

[kelvin]

Cheers for that Bonjoy - reading what was posted before, I was starting to think I'd got this winter's eight month trip all wrong!
I'm heading off in four weeks time and trying to keep it simple. Sports gear and two pads basically. The idea is to get better at climbing, rather than go on an adventure and I'm guessing that's the first choice someone needs to make.
Live cheaply, campsites every 8 days or so to do washing, eat well, alcohol if there's something to celebrate and stay in a nice place at Xmas. Went Jordon heads home after four months, I'll head to the Orange House for a while before trekkin to Font for the last month or so.
Why Spain? The rock, a different language, climate. Money isn't really an issue and I also think, saving money shouldn't be a motivating factor in where you go unless you are genuinely on your limit.
Enjoy whatever you chose to do.

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[Denbob99]

Thanks for all the replies. Even more to think about than when I first asked I think, but that's all part of the fun right?

[SA Chris]

Whatever you decide, just make sure you do something, and don't get all sensible. Plenty of time for that.

[abarro81]

I did 14 months climbing in UK and Europe after uni - went on a simmer trip, came back n climbed in UK n bought a van then back to euro for long trip (flew back at Xmas for a few weeks) from Oct til June, back UK for a few months then brief euro hit again before starting PhD. It was amazing.

Coming up to the end of my PhD I'll be taking another year off. This time I'll go further afield, but in no way do I regret doing France/Spain the first time around. Part of this depends on how much you've already done - now if I were in a van going to Europe I'd focus on crags that are harder to do without a van. Places like margalef, rodellr and siurana are dead easy on short trips whereas some places its harder to find cheap easy accom. That said, I don't regret going to those places - they were new to me then and I loved it and was so excited to go to all these famous crags.

Things I would do differently - more bouldering to avoid getting weak. Also I find it less stressful. You can't push yourself every day for 4 months like you can for 4 weeks, you need days where it's chilled and you're just playing on things you know are way too hard for you or cruising on things which are too easy or bouldering which I find less stressful. Otherwise you can get burnt out mentally. I had 2.5 months living in Tom n Lynne's house in Santa linya in winter which helped a lot with not getting burnt out mentally or physically.

Trips are ace!

[Denbob99]

Whatever you decide, just make sure you do something, and don't get all sensible. Plenty of time for that.

Wouldn't dream of it!

[lagerstarfish]

it's also worth thinking about having enough money to try out a new activity whilst you're away

I spent 6 months climbing in Thailand (when it was still cheap) and ended up doing diving as well as climbing - it was good learning something new and also having different stuff to look forward to - I found myself looking forward to climb/dive days even at the end of the trip

consider snow sports, unpowered flying stuff, bikes, surf etc

not slacklining - that's for cunts

[Bonjoy]

In the main I tended to avoid seiging which may have contributed to low stress and no burn out. Rarely stuck with anything which felt like it would take more than three sessions max and mostly did stuff that was potentially onsightable or would go down with in a few redpoints at most. I think doing a few months of this is more beneficial to your climbing than a handful of stressful seiges, not to mention a lot more fun and less likely to produce a trip spoiling injury.
I didn't change my drinking habits when away. Figured it was important to relax at the end of the day and it can get boring in a van of an evening when the nights get longer.