Up and down and round and round in the Dolomites

Funny how the choices we make affect our lives so much. Take this example from the awesome summer of 1976.

One of my regular climbing partners way back then was Pete White. He was so much older and much more grown up than me, or so I thought at the time! He was 23, whilst I was a mere 18. He had a serious job as a maths teacher, whilst I was working on a building site. However, Pete had a car, whilst I hadn't even had a driving lesson, let alone passed my driving test. That summer we were on fire, working our way through the routes in The Pass and Cloggy and we were keen to try anything. We set our sights on going to The Dolomites, in Italy, where we intended to climb on the famous Tre Cima di Lavaredo. I even bought the Dolomites East guide book to get us really psyched. Then for some reason that I can no longer remember, we decided to go to ...... The Lake District instead! OK, don't get me wrong, there are some lovely climbs in The Lakes but the place doesn't compare with The Dollies.

Pete White at Gimmer Crag, July 1976, where we did Kipling Groove (so called because it used to be ruddy'ard)

Could you imagine this bloke teaching your children Mathematics?

Anyway, we bimbled around carrying my copy of "Hard Rock" as our guide book and ticked off some of the classics. We had a right jolly time camping in Langdale and drinking beer in the famous "Old Dungeon Ghyll" after cragging. One particular day (after we'd just ticked off North Crag Eliminate) we discovered the Scout Crag boulders and set about working our way through the many problems. Being as it was summer (and 1976 was an amazing one) we were topless and strutting our stuff. (Is that a resounding "Yuk" I can hear someone say?) I was 110% focused on climbing and didn't notice, but Pete had a 6th sense when it came to the opposite sex. Low and behold, we were being watched by two pretty young ladies (though they later claimed they were watching a "fit looking" instructor teaching some kids how to abseil). It didn't take Pete long to get into his chat up lines and we found out that they were called Elaine and Suzanne. They had just done their first climbs that day and just so happened to be at the crag after their climbing partners had left. We got chatting and they asked us all sorts of questions about climbing. We drove off in Pete's Triumph Spitfire, feeling very chuffed with ourselves, as we'd sort of made arrangements to meet up for a drink later on. Meanwhile, Elaine and Suzanne reported back to the two blokes that they'd climbed with that day that they'd met a couple of blokes who climb "extreme". These two other blokes were obviously very unimpressed and said "No way! They don't climb extreme".

Anyway, Pete and I didn't make it to The Dolomites, but I did meet my future wife. Elaine made steady progress and we have been climbing together non stop since then. (I hardly ever climbed with Pete as a result, sorry mate.) Also, that was the first time I met Mickey J (legendary Lancs climber and one of the other blokes along with his brother Ian!).

Now, fast forward 39 years. Elaine and I have just been to The Dolomites armed with our copy of the excellent new Dolomites Rockfax by James Rushforth. We didn't do any of the famous multi pitch routes that Pete and I had intended on doing so long ago (having a dog is such a good excuse to get out of that mullarky). We visited some of the best sport climbing crags and we were amazed by the stunning scenery. We also got to meet up with Dave and Rhian Cross and her parents, both of whom are still enjoying travelling and climbing in their seventies. (Rhian's father, Barry Webb, is famous for his climb called "Gael" on Cloggy, which he climbed in the sixties, and his appearance in Crew and Soper's compelling read "The Black Cliff".) However, we weren't impressed with how expensive everything is there (eg. the access road for the Tre Cima is a toll road, you have to pay 36 euros in a camper van and a brown loaf costs around 3.5 euros!!). It's so hard to find anywhere decent to buy food, plus you have to pay to park when you do find a shop! The campsites are mega expensive but we were able to camp wild in some beautiful places, no problem. The cheapest campsite we found was at Malga Ciapela, where we paid 32 euros just for one night. It rained or stormed heavily everyday at some point and we had to have the roof down on the Cali every night. Also, we've had enough of negotiating so many hair pin bends and slogging the Cali in 2nd and 3rd gear, as we drove up to high cols and down into deep valleys to get to different crags. On the plus side however, the crags are quiet (apart from Eiszeit), the routes are not polished, the crags dry quickly and the temperature was perfect for summer (between 15 and 20 degrees C). Whilst the climbing is generally very enjoyable, the crags are not very impressive and the style is always fingery and technical. It was great fun doing lots of on sighting but I have to say,  I didn't see anything that I wanted to project (apart from Fottiti at Eiszeit, which was always occupied).

Ruff training Uncle Dave and Auntie Rhian again!

Barry Webb in "The Black Cliff" (Crew and Soper's compelling book about Cloggy, published in 1971).

Right then, we've been there, ticked that box and had a good time but we're glad to be back home for a couple of days. We still have a month of our sabbatical left and there's still lots of fun to come! Bring it on.

A rare sunny breakfast near Saas Dlacia.

Come on, hurry up I'm ready!

Dave Cross climbing Mittersteiner, 7b+, at Eiszeit.

Climbers on Paprika (7c+) and Fottiti (8a) at Eiszeit, the day before a mega storm caused a huge waterfall over the top of the crag!

Unusual cairn at Saleras, girls looking super cool.

Dave Cross climbing Zinnentraining (7b) at Salares.

The view driving down from Passo Pordoi, so many chuffing bends!

The closest we got to the Tre Cima due to unreliable weather and too many people. Seen from the Val di Landro.

Summer heat in the south of France

We actually fancied doing some climbing here, in France, as we've spent most of the last year climbing and travelling abroad.

Ruff making short work of her new football!

Some great friends from our Liverpool days were in the Vaucluse so we met up and drank quite a bit of wine, ate some great Provencale food and did a bit of climbing at Malaucene. It was fantastic to meet up with the Hewson's, Stewart's and the Brown's. It was wonderful to see that we haven't really changed much in the 35 years we've known each other, we're all still fun-loving, grown-up kids.

Jim and Anita get shown around the Cali by Ruff

A yobbo, Lew, Margaret, Barbara and Al

Al and Lew still having plenty of banter at the crag

Ruff watches Al taking aim

the camping municipal in Vacqueyras ("Honestly, it was this big" - thanks Ralphy!)

Lew Brown at 72 and still cranking

warming up for Mt Ventoux

Lew didn't know that Mike was given a very large piece of the cake!

We wanted to go back to les Vercors and climbed at la Presqu'Ile, despite the horrendous walk in. The crag was a bit disappointing but there were some very good, fingery routes up to 7b. I had a look at le Trouble (8a) at l'Auberge Espagnole. Such a great route with 2 tough sections (a thin smooth wall and a big roof). Unfortunately, it was too hot really, it'll be worth going back for in the autumn.

Next on the list was a hole in the ground, called la Precipice du Corbiere (also in the Vercors), which is guaranteed to be cool even in the height of summer. It was worth calling in to do a nice, tough 7c called Requiem. Not the best crag, not many routes and there were loads of flies. Whilst in that area, something to put you in a very thoughtful and reflective mood is a visit to the Resistance Memorial and Museum nearby in the infamous village of Vassieux-en-Vercors, which was totally destroyed (and the inhabitants massacred) by the nazis during WW2.

view from col de la Pousterle

Next up was a visit to Briancon. We've climbed there a number of times over the years and never been impressed. The climate is great for climbing on north facing cliffs in summer, but basically the rock is pants! We returned to Tournoux where, once again, I didn't manage to finish the job on Cost of Freedom (a gnarly, polished 8a with a very slopey crux). But we did go to one of the supposed good new crags called Grotte d'Oreac. What a pile of shite that place is, I'll tell you! The whole cliff is held together with tons of red sika, so it's ugly; the routes are very over graded and they're much shorter than in the useless topo. However, it's always nice to park up at col de la Pousterle, where we spent a few blissful nights completely on our own (oh, along with thousands of flies!).

The Gorges du Verdon was calling us back south by then, with the prospect of some newish shaded crags above Moustiers St Marie. We had 4 great days with the crags to ourselves. No surprise really, due to the 40 minute up hill slog to get to Grotte du Monstre and Baume Blanche. Unfortunately, Baume Blanche gets the sun around 13h and Grotte du Monstre is still a bit dirty. However, we did some really fantastic routes, such as "100% Halal" (a very intense 7b+), "Lou des subis" (7b), "Pour toi j'ai bacle" (a 50m 7c), the much harder "Pour toi j'ai beche" (7c+), "Walim" (a 50m 7a+) and an unnamed 7a+. We got hopelessly lost the first time we went up, as we turned of the GR path too soon, even so the path was very hard to find. Subsequently, we made lots of improvements to the path and erected many cairns to show the way (which was desperate work in the full sun). Ah, yes, there were loads of flies in the Verdon too!

lavender field near the Verdon

so hot!

Whilst our colleagues at school were celebrating the end of the school year, we were eating apples and rice cakes at the crag!

Elaine trying to hide from the flies at Baume Blanche

Now we're back home again and there's no flies! It's hot, of course, but it's not too hot in the Gorges du Loup. We climbed at Jurassic Park (2nd time this year) and Cayenne (1st time this year) on Thursday, where I did my favourite 8a+ for the 41st time and "Cayenne" for the nth time/1st time this year. Yesterday, feeling a bit tired, we went to St Martin Vesubie where I dogged my way up "le 7eme ciel integrale" a couple of times; a fantastic 50m monster with a very Malham like crux. I'll definitely go back for that, when it's cooler.

Now, we're making plans to head off towards Arco (heard there's a 40m 7c called Abissi that sounds great), the Dolomites and on to Buzetski Kanjon in Croatia. Loads more fun to be had and we'll be wild camping again, as the Italian campsites are such a rip off!

Inspiring news from the UK climbing scene (and some punter action in Spain)

Shocking how quickly time passes, but that 's nothing new or surprising. What I mean is it's so long since I wrote on this blog.

We've just returned from a nice long journey through Spain, meeting up with lots of great friends and climbing in some ace places.

However, I'd like to mention some truly inspiring news from the UK climbing scene, which Stu Littlefair summed up so perfectly on Facebook by posting something like this:

"Everybody stop what you're doing. Ben Moon has just climbed Rainshadow. Now, carry on."

Most climbers will understand the significance of this news, but non-climbers will need some help. We are talking about a 48 year old bloke succeeding in climbing one of the hardest climbs in Britain. The climb is graded 9a. Ben did his last and only 9a (which has since turned out to be the first climb to be given that grade anywhere in the world) 25 years ago. Ben was the fourth person to climb Rainshadow yesterday. So, there you go. A really amazing achievement by one of the sports legends throughout the last 4 decades. Well done Ben Moon.

Rainshadow is the long extension to the classic Raindogs, which is a very popular and slippery 8a above the Catwalk at Malham Cove (which I did about 50 times before leaving Britain in 1999). I think I'm right in stating that it was originally equipped and tried by Mark Leach in the early '90's. Several years later Steve McClure took up the challenge and finally climbed it in 2003.

The view on a very cold March day from Ager. 

Ben and Caryl looking so happy after a year travelling and going back to the UK with loads of wonderful memories (photo by Elaine Owen).

A bright and crisp morning at Ager, wonderful and totally FREE! (photo by Elaine Owen).

All the flowers were coming out towards the end of March.

Ruff experiencing some difficulty whilst trying to train Dave and Rhian Cross.

Meeting up with old mates is always great fun, even if they're Porky and the Colonel!

Falling asleep with a pine cone in my mouth and my mum is trying to give me the squeaky ball!

2 photos of Guillaume Bouloumie on his own route, the brilliant Naranga, 8a+ at Super Devotas.

Steve Crowe on Peril Jaune, a very steep 7c+ at Super Devotas.

Me at (more or less) the same place as Steve in the previous photo (photo by Steve Crowe).

Lowering off after a successful red point, Super Devotas is really steep (photo by Elaine Owen).

Ruffin' it and unfulfilled ambitions in Sicily

For a few days my dad and I had been spending some time chilling together in the big blue thing parked in the garage downstairs. I just went along with the flow, it was well worth it coz my dad kept giving me little treats. I was pretty cool about going inside and just listening to him telling me that I was a very good dog. I even put up with his choice of music, it didn't surprise me as I've already been listening to it for a few weeks now. Then, one day, he turned a key thing in the ignition and the big blue thing sprang into life and made lots of noise. That was OK too, because I've been going here, there and everywhere in his little white thing that he has to park on the village car park for a few weeks by now anyway. However, I got the impression that the big blue thing was very special, so I made sure that I didn't have a pee in it whilst my dad was prattling on at me and, once again, my dad said "Ruff, you're a very good dog" and I got even more treats! These humans are so easy to train, it's amazing. My dad will soon be rounding up sheep!

Me in the big blue thing as we set off for Sicily

Then it all made sense! We all set off on my first adventure. We went off to an island called Sicily which was part of a weird country called Italy. The idea was that my mum and dad were going climbing with my uncle Eddie and auntie Mandy. Don't ask me, alright? Yes, I know, I think it's a bit stupid too but each to their own, I say. Anyway, all was super cool, coz I really love my uncle Eddie and auntie Mandy. They let me get away with so much more than my mum and dad. I can leap all over them and uncle Eddie even lets me fool along with him on his bed. I never get near my mum and dad's bed even though it looks so much more comfortable than mine. At least they allow me to sleep in their bedroom.....

Me and my uncle Eddie

I could tell my mum and dad were dead excited about this trip and that's why they'd been taking me down the climbing wall so many times. My dad had even made a flipping wishlist on that UKClimbing website thing, bless him.

The "voyage" went very well. We drove to Genoa and got on a big boat. We were on that for 21 hours and my mum and dad had to take me up on the deck to the "Fido Park" when I wanted the toilet. Mostly we all just slept and some times my uncle and auntie came to see us in our cabin. Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed in the restaurant or bar, I'm so glad we live in France!

My uncle Eddie and auntie Mandy

Me with my mum, uncle Eddie and my dad

When we got off the boat, I could tell my dad wasn't happy. He was moaning at the poor road signs and having lots of trouble finding the way. He said something like "FFS, where's the f...... the autostrada?" We drove to what seemed like a lovely beach near St Vito Lo Capo, after giving up trying to find some friends called Nat and Pat at a cliff near a horrible place called Mondello.
When we woke up, we discovered that the place was covered in loads of broken glass. At least there was lots of sheep poo to eat!

My mum leading at Parco Cerriola in the sun!

The first day was great fun. The sky was blue and it was nice and warm. My mum and dad were really happy too. Then my dad got really pissed off as he couldn't hold on to the holds on an easy 7b climb that was covered in what he called "Gogarth soap". Next day was not so good and my mum and dad just got a warm up done before the heavens opened and we had to go and chill out in The Climbing House where Ivan made lots of fuss over me, it was much nicer than being at the crag.

The main street in St Vito during the first thunder storm

Next day, we went to a big piece of rock apparently called Never Sleeping Wall. My dad is so pathetic, right, he nearly wet his pants when he set eyes on it. However, he was soon moaning again about that Gogarth Soap stuff and he really got angry when he greased off. We went back the next day, too. By all accounts it was a "top day" and my mum and dad didn't find any Gogarth Soap or grease off any holds. They actually managed to do some flipping climbing. Amazing, eh?

My amazing uncle Eddie flashing Il Patrone Nero (7c)

We then had even more rain for a couple of days and we all got pretty bored stuck in the camper van. We even went walking to the Crown of Aragon cliff in the rain, which was fine by me until a nasty Rottweiler dog at the cliff attacked me. I was so glad my mum and dad decided to go back down and not climb there. I was very frightened.

The usual weather

It rained all night but the morning was clear and very windy. So we went back to Never Sleeping Wall. My dad wanted to do Superman, one of the climbs that he'd already greased off. The cliff looked pretty wet. So, to save my dad failing again I decided to bark at the cows. I knew that that would get the attention of the nasty dog that guards them and, sure enough, it soon arrived and barked and barked at us until we packed up and left. I'm so sorry my dad didn't realise one of his dreams, though it wasn't really my fault.

My dad on Superman

We then drove to a place called Syracusa on the other side of the island. On the way we saw a volcano called Mount Etna, it was very big and covered in snow. Things seemed promising, despite the rain. However, after climbing at 3 supposedly fantastic (but in reality very ordinary) cliffs we'd had enough and decided to leave for home. Guess what the weather was doing all the last day? You guessed right, it was chucking it down.

Me in our cabin on the way home

It's great to be back home, where I've got much more room and I don't get wet all the time and bring in mud on my paws. My mum and dad say that we're going to somewhere called Spain in a couple of days. I hope it's nice and dry and we can get lots of fresh air and sunshine. My mum and dad say it's much better than Sicily and that the climbing in Sicily is all hype.

Meanwhile, I'll get back to work on training my dad!

The only nice sunset we saw