UKC

Planning a trip round europe next year, will be driving from UK and have no idea where to go. I know I would like to go to the Italian Dolomites to do some walking/climbing/via ferrata. Other than that no idea!

We would like to do the usual things. Climbing (Will be taking gear)and hiking. We have no restrictions on where to go but not planning on going into spain as its out of the way when heading from uk to the dolomites.

So would anyone mind suggesting some good scenic places with climbing/via ferrata and some nice mountains to hike? And some lovely places to camp? Will be doing a mix of camping/hosteling to save money and be able to shower!

Oh and were planning on going for about a month

In reply to horseynat:

I love climbing & hiking at Riva del Garda / Arco. Classic classic climbing place, great rock e.g. at Nago, avoid the biggest crags and it is not too polished. The lake is amazing and the hikes are stunning. There is a campsite by the lake in Riva del Garda, check out the place in Google maps and call at least a day before to book before you go there...

Climbing and hiking in Grand Paradiso area is fun and it is 110% Italian so it is as much about chit chat, nice food and the scenery as it is about the sports. Valsavarenche valley has a cute campsite half way up the valley and a big and quite ok campsite at the end of the road, one of the best in Grand Paradiso area? Valgrisenche was maybe a bit better climbing, less dramatic and more pictoresque and there you have to / get to wild camp since there are no campsites.

In reply to horseynat:
The Haute Mauienne offers mid altitude mountains (to 3800m) loads of climbing an via ferrata, world class cycling and MTB ing, great trekking and simple mountaineering route with or without glaciers as well as harder stuff. And loads of cultural stuff too1
check out Mountain Adventures in the Maurienne (cicerone) A review is here:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=3793

In reply to marmot hunter:
Should have said, it is on the French - Italian border about hour from Chambery.

In reply to horseynat: Yes the Paradiso is on an alternative route to the Dolomites via northern Italy. I remember a little campsite with a bar near Cogne. That route would take you through Courmayeur, an alternative to Chamonix, plenty of walks.

In reply to Kris:

Most outdoor people camp in Arco (and not by accident).

In reply to Erstwhile:

I find Arco campsites too big and the town less interesting in the afternoon heat or evening. But yes, the climbing shops are in Arco, Riva is more about wind surfing and mountain biking, but the distance is very short. The campsite before the swimming pool in Arco is noisy and full of locals staying there for their entire holiday. I guess the campsite behind the swimming pool in Arco is more quiet and spaced out, but worse facilities. You need a car to get to pretty much any crag around Arco, so I tend to stay by the lake. As I said, the campsite next to the beach means you can swim in the afternoon and have dinner in Riva. This campsite is really small so locals do not favor it but there are more wind surfers there than you find in Arco campsites. When you drive 5-10km east from Riva, there is a beautiful campsite on the hill, in an olive grove, it used to be more hippy in attitude than any of the other campsites in the area

But most importantly, call and book beforehand, all these campsites get completely fully booked July-August-September