Where to go April to December

[James Malloch]

I’m in the super fortunate position to be taking April to December off work and heading to Europe. We’ve got a big list of places I’d like to visit or go back to but I’d love any recommendations.

Our main criteria for places are:

- Sport Crags with plenty to go at in the 6’s
- Sport Crags with plenty to go at in the 7’s (maybe into the 8’s towards the end of the year).
- Ideally a nice scene where we’ll meet others.
- Somewhere not too hot (mainly as we’ll have our dog with us so he’ll need plenty of shade).
- If bouldering, probably more interested in easier stuff (6A - 7A) that’s got nice landings as will just have 2 pads.
- Nice bolting would be good where possible, especially earlier in the trip..
- We’ll be in a van so places which are okay with that are much better (so probably not a lot in Switzerland!)

Vaguely I’m thinking something like the below at the moment (I’ve not actually seen the guidebooks for a lot of these places so it’s just guesswork). Obviously months will overlap, and we might stay longer in some places/not visit some.

We have family in Germany so would probably do a few trips to the Frankenjura, and we will space the climbing out with some long walks, visiting cities, eating in Italy as much as we can. If I can’t get an EU visa we’ll end up in Croatia, maybe Turkey, or back in the UK for a while I expect. We’re also keen to visit some new places (Slovenia, Poland, Czech Republic etc.) so any suggestions away from the main places are also welcomed!

Any recommendations would be hugely appreciated. I’ve got a guidebook budget ready to be spent!

April
Font
Costa Blanca
Chullia
Margalef
Siurana
Lleida

May
St Leger?
Buoux?
Arco?
Val di Mello

June
Frankenjura

July
Ceuse
Briancon
Alpine Venues?
Magic Wood?
Zillertal

August
Ceuse
Alpine Venues?
Magic Wood?
Zillertal

September
Frankenjura
Cresciano

October
Cresciano

November
Spain/Portugal

December
Spain again down towards El Chorro

 

[ali k]

Jammy git!

If I get time I’ll think about places in more detail but one initial thought is don’t go to Ceuse in July or August unless you like being around A LOT of people.

Maybe go in June before the summer hols.

 

[sherlock]

Hold fire on buying the Zillertal guide.I think I might have a spare copy. I'll check when I get home on Friday.

 

[James Malloch]

Hold fire on buying the Zillertal guide.I think I might have a spare copy. I'll check when I get home on Friday.

That’s one of the guides I’ve got already having been rained out of the French alps a few years ago.

It’s a really cool place! Thanks for the offer though!

 

[sherlock]

No problems James and have a good trip!

 

[Ross.Cooper]

I went sport climbing in Slovenia one April which was mega (Osp, Misca Pec), would probably be good in the Autumn too. We did a rest day day trip into Croatia and the rock there looked amazing as well so could be worth a look

 

[Helge]

Similar to Ceuse, I'd avoid Magic Wood during the summer. Better go there earlier or later, less people and better conditions. September/October is probably too warm in Cresciano and still prime Magic Wood season.

I personally find bouldering in Chironico more enjoyable than Cresciano. More choice, less crowds and the road up the hill in Cresciano is closed and going there now involves a stiff 30 minutes uphill walk to the first boulders.

If you haven't been, there's also great climbing in Switzerland which is in condition when it is too warm south of the alps (not all crags here look like Raven Tor ). There's Gimmelwald, but also smaller limestone crags littered almost everywhere, e.g. Vättis which isn't far from Magic Wood. Staying in a van for a night isn't as problematic in these places as in the obvious spots in Ticino. Then there's lots of Gneiss crags in Ticino and northern Italy (Ossola, Como).

A bit further south, Liguria is full of crags to climb on in the grades you're looking for. I've personally always enjoyed Finale more than El Chorro or other places in Spain. Val Pennavaire a bit further is also a great place, with one side of the valley getting the sun and the other basically in the shade all the time.

 

[dunnyg]

If you are after a finale guide, I have an unused one from our last trip abroad. It was a bit too warm when we went!

 

[Duma]

If you end up doing the Croatia/turkey thing, prob worth nipping to leonidio before your tourist visa runs out. Bit out of the way otherwise, but loads in your grade range and very friendly bolting/grades by all accounts

 

[Fiend]

April - October
That completely isolated storm-wracked bolted version of Cilan Head on some desolate Irish outpost that petejh keeps banging on about.

 

[seankenny]

A bit further south, Liguria is full of crags to climb on in the grades you're looking for. I've personally always enjoyed Finale more than El Chorro or other places in Spain. Val Pennavaire a bit further is also a great place, with one side of the valley getting the sun and the other basically in the shade all the time.

I've only been to Finale for a short trip but it was great, high quality rock but leave your ego at home because the grades are brutal. There's also the "other Finale" which is a bit further along, this is Val Pannavaire according to the link. Not been but if it's as good as the original then worth a visit.

Italian climbing looks really good and virtually unknown to British climbers (I may be biased as I love visiting the country anyhow). I was looking at the Versante Sud guides the other day and there's clearly loads to go at. Shame the guides are so eye wateringly expensive!

https://www.versantesud.it/en/prod/guides/climb/

 

[jwi]

- Sport Crags with plenty to go at in the 6’s
...
...

I now nothing about all your points except:

- Sport Crags with plenty to go at in the 7’s (maybe into the 8’s towards the end of the year).
- Somewhere not too hot

April
Chullia
Margalef
Siurana
Lleida

All good options. You have to climb in the shade of course, but plenty of shaded sectors to choose from.

May
St Leger?
Buoux?

St Leger is an excellent choice. Secteur Balaine should be dry and in good nick. Buoux might be a tad warm, no?

July
Ceuse
Briancon

I see that people are sceptical about Céüse, but if the pandemy keep some riff-raff away from the crag as it did the last two years it can be pretty acceptable. And where else would you go in July? Desfiladero de la Hermida can be good, but it can also be brutally hot when the prevailing wind is from the south. Briançon has lots of crags to choose from which are colder than in Céüse and with far fewer visitors. The crags in Briançon are pretty average though, imho. You will easily do everything in your range in a few months.

August

If I new where to go in August I wouldn't tell anyone

September

October

November

Anywhere on the continent is OK.

 

[petejh]

April - October
That completely isolated storm-wracked bolted version of Cilan Head on some desolate Irish outpost that petejh keeps banging on about.

Yeah just go there, obvs
(take a drill and 200 bolts)


More seriously - somewhere such as the higher granite cliffs in the Pyrenees for the warmer months - Cavallers for e.g.? We’re currently up the road in Val d’Aran doing some backcountry skiing, have been checking out the local granite crags around here on ukc. Also some gneiss cliffs in Val d’Aran which are decent, did a couple of great routes yesterday on a gneiss cliff above Begarge.

Edit: was also going to suggest the Picos (Costa Verde guidebook).

Flatanger for mid-summer?

 

[jwi]

April - October
That completely isolated storm-wracked bolted version of Cilan Head on some desolate Irish outpost that petejh keeps banging on about.

Yeah just go there, obvs
(take a drill and 200 bolts)


More seriously - somewhere such as the higher granite cliffs in the Pyrenees for the warmer months - Cavallers for e.g.? We’re currently up the road in Val d’Aran doing some backcountry skiing, have been checking out the local granite crags around here on ukc. Also some gneiss cliffs in Val d’Aran which are decent, did a couple of great routes yesterday on a gneiss cliff above Begarge.

Cavallers: The slabs should provide amusment for a few days. But I just cannot take all the hiking to the best sectors. The two and a half hours to get to the crags around the Refugio are killing me, especially considering that they are in the sun in the afternoon. Can of course be combined with staying in the Refugio if the budget is OK and it has reopened after the sanitary crisis.

 

[Ged]

I’m in the super fortunate position to be taking April to December off work and heading to Europe. We’ve got a big list of places I’d like to visit or go back to but I’d love any recommendations.

Our main criteria for places are:

- Sport Crags with plenty to go at in the 6’s
- Sport Crags with plenty to go at in the 7’s (maybe into the 8’s towards the end of the year).
- Ideally a nice scene where we’ll meet others.
- Somewhere not too hot (mainly as we’ll have our dog with us so he’ll need plenty of shade).
- If bouldering, probably more interested in easier stuff (6A - 7A) that’s got nice landings as will just have 2 pads.
- Nice bolting would be good where possible, especially earlier in the trip..
- We’ll be in a van so places which are okay with that are much better (so probably not a lot in Switzerland!)

Vaguely I’m thinking something like the below at the moment (I’ve not actually seen the guidebooks for a lot of these places so it’s just guesswork). Obviously months will overlap, and we might stay longer in some places/not visit some.

We have family in Germany so would probably do a few trips to the Frankenjura, and we will space the climbing out with some long walks, visiting cities, eating in Italy as much as we can. If I can’t get an EU visa we’ll end up in Croatia, maybe Turkey, or back in the UK for a while I expect. We’re also keen to visit some new places (Slovenia, Poland, Czech Republic etc.) so any suggestions away from the main places are also welcomed!

Any recommendations would be hugely appreciated. I’ve got a guidebook budget ready to be spent!

April
Font
Costa Blanca
Chullia
Margalef
Siurana
Lleida

May
St Leger?
Buoux?
Arco?
Val di Mello

June
Frankenjura

July
Ceuse
Briancon
Alpine Venues?
Magic Wood?
Zillertal

August
Ceuse
Alpine Venues?
Magic Wood?
Zillertal

September
Frankenjura
Cresciano

October
Cresciano

November
Spain/Portugal

December
Spain again down towards El Chorro

I agree that buoux will be grim by May.

St leger can be climbed at pretty much any month. North facing side when it's hot, but even quite a few east facing bits can be fine probably up until June.

Ceuse in May and June would be magic, agree that July and Aug can be very busy.

Rue des Masque, in the Briancon guide, is ace in 6 and 7's, and good all through the summer. Shady and breezy. Guillestre is a nice town to hang out in, good camping etc. Amazing walking up in the nearby Queyras for non climbing stuff. Highly recommended.

 

[Paul B]

If you ever do find yourself at Buoux when it's very hot/too hot then sector West is worth looking at (and other nearby venues). It has some really good lines.

May though?

James - I spent some time a few years ago putting recommended seasons onto a Gannt chart. I've emailed you a copy although I'd suggest you satisfy yourself that it's correct-ish before heavily relying on it.

 

[James Malloch]

Thanks for all the responses so far.

With Ceuse, it was more that I wasn’t really sure where would be good at that time of year (and we’ll likely be in the frankenjura in June), though it’s definitely not set in stone. All the plans are very vague - it’s also not going to be a super serious trip - more of a chance to relax and get some nice climbing in whilst we’re going.

Helge - Chironico sounds really good too. I actually mean that when I put Cresciano. Is that also more of a late season place?

I remember reading about Gimmelwald - I was really keen for a trip there but never got around to it. Is that a summer venue? Not heard of Vattis either but will put it on the list.

Sean/Helge - Finale/Val Pennavaire sound amazing too - just had a scan at some photos of them. Huw - I might be in touch about your guide!

Duma - Leonido could also be ace. Even spending the autumn down there instead of Spain perhaps - it looks like there’s loads on offer and if the food is anything like Kalymnos it would be amazing!

JWI - I’ve climbed on the north walls of St Leger whilst looking at the amazing looking caves on the other side. Good to hear that it’s decent at that time of year. Will be a nice stop between Spain and Italy/Germany. I’ve not climbed at Buoux before so unsure of the seasons there. Is that one for earlier in the year?

We’ll likely visit my friend in Briancon so will end up there for a week or so I imagine. Sounds like a cool town as well so would be nice to check it out.

Pete - hadn’t thought of the Pyrenees, will have a look at that. My partner stayed with the Arrans for a while out there but didn’t climb much - think we still have a guide somewhere. Flatanger area looks amazing too - but maybe a little far unfortunately.

Ged - Rue des Masques looks great. Bit of a different rock type too which would be a nice change.

Paul - that spreadsheet is brilliant, thanks! I hadn’t realised about Buoux - I just assumed it was similar to Ceuse/St Leger. Definitely sounds like an early season place! I’d love to visit but perhaps towards the end of the trip!

Another place I’d forgotten is Gorges du Tarn - definitely keen to go there!

 

[jwi]

Another place I’d forgotten is Gorges du Tarn - definitely keen to go there!

Gorges du Tarn is probably the best crag in the world for quality 6s combined with 7s and low 8s. The bolting is a bit spaced, more so the higher up you get in the grades. Great place for September for instance.

 

[James Malloch]

Another place I’d forgotten is Gorges du Tarn - definitely keen to go there!

Gorges du Tarn is probably the best crag in the world for quality 6s combined with 7s and low 8s. The bolting is a bit spaced, more so the higher up you get in the grades. Great place for September for instance.

It sounds perfect! My partner has barely climbed (especially on a rope) for a long time now so if the lower grades are better bolted then that’s good. Also plenty of time by September to get back into the swing of things.

 

[Ged]

Another place I’d forgotten is Gorges du Tarn - definitely keen to go there!

Gorges du Tarn is probably the best crag in the world for quality 6s combined with 7s and low 8s. The bolting is a bit spaced, more so the higher up you get in the grades. Great place for September for instance.

My wife climbs in the 6's and really didn't get on with tarn at all. I recall really struggling to find any decent steady stuff for her.