UKC

Fishing for any suggestions.

with a couple friends who have a newborn plus +/- some others. we looking at venues for a week in July, basically two weeks before their wedding which is in Tirol. The week before the wedding we thought to spend in Tirol. they have a camper van for wheels.

2 years ago we all went to Vallouise in Ecrins for 2 weeks and loved it. we did all from Via ferrata, single pitch sessions, multi pitch, and climbed Barre des ecrins, and did some biking. we are not big alpine climbers really, and do not lead hard (well one does fr.7's but the rest 5,s and 6's.). we aren't big into bouldering for some reason, although it would be convenient with baby!.

we are tempted to go back to Ecrin since it a safe bet and we know how we will play it with the baby, we know there are nice woods and flowers for walking the baby etc. One looks after baby while the other climbs with me, or we all go a big hike and share the carrying etc.. It isn't ridiculously busy, and it isn't overly touristy, it has a good balance and a good climate and just about everything really!

However it will be a long drive to get to Tirol. So, open to ideas about similar venues that are closer to Tirol. we had wondered about Val Di Mello/Val Masino, and also Handegg/Furka area, but don't know a whole lot about them. I know there are probably a gazillion good destinations, so a pretty diff. question.

Any thoughts appreciated, thanks.

In reply to mchardski:

I spent a week in the Stubai valley in Austria last year which is a lot closer to the Tirol. Its got some good walking, a lot of Via Ferrata of all sizes and degrees of seriousness and quite a lot of rock climbing, single and multi pitch. there's also some easy Alpine stuff (some with quick cable car access) if you should feel inclined.
There's a campsite at Neustift and another a mile or so further up the valley. Neustift has a supermarket and a tourist info office which has free topos to the via ferrata etc and does a good cheap map of the area as well as regularly updated weather forecasts.
There's some info here,
http://www.stubai.at/en/sommer/bergbahnen
and more climbing stuff here, its in German but if you click about you can find topos etc.
http://www.climbers-paradise.com/

In reply to mchardski:

Have a look at the Wilder Kaiser area. There are a number of quite easy grade long routes accessible from the Stripsenjochaus on the Totenkirchl and Fleischbank. I can't find my guidebook right now. I think they were trad routes though (maybe you are just after sport stuff?). We weren't climbing anything too hard at the time, so it might be worth a look. Really nice location, great quality rock and the climbs start very close to the hut.

In reply to mchardski:

How about the area round Pontresina in the far south east of Switzerland, part of the Engadine I think - Piz Palu, Bernina etc. Long time since I was there but I remember some pleasant valley walks as well as the peaks.

In reply to Chris Sansum:

Friends will drive out in camper for summer so may have trad rack - not sure I will have space when flying as have kilt and all that rubbish to take too . thx for heads up.

In reply to mchardski:

thx for the other two suggestions as well will start having a look at them.