UKC

Summer hols in the Dordogne this year. Local crag is Ceou. Guide recommends 70m rope . But most of the routes are less than 30m. All my ropes are 60 m. Should I just bite the bullet and buy a 70 or even 80m rope, or am I just careful about which routes I climb and tie a knot in the end? My belayers won't be the most experienced in the world.
Rope recommendations also welcome. I will probably be trying to onsight rather than work routes, but I have got one route in mind. Current rope is a Beal Joker.

In reply to Richard Justice:

The last time I was there, we used double 9s, as neither of us had a sport rope. We abbed off the belay when we were too far off the ground to lower off.

It can be rather hot there in the summer. We climbed mornings and evenings, but spent afternoons swimming. There is a nice swimming spot opposite the downstream end of La Roque Gageac, which is accessed through the hamlet of St Julien.

In reply to IPPurewater:

I think the heat will really affect my climbing but at least there is some climbing.
Swimming in the river sounds good too.
Thanks

In reply to Richard Justice:
Can't say that I noticed a problem when I was there with a 60m rope. The heat on the other hand was mental, but it was the summer of the heat wave that was killing people in Paris. As far as working routes is concerned, it was all about on-sighting as fast as you could to get back down to the shade!

If it is really hot, there is little crag at Milhac, which is just north of Gourdon, a bit to the West of Castlenaud La Chappelle, and south of the river. It faces West rather than East and so gives you some more time in the shade in the morning. It is a lot smaller than le Ceou, but if it's too hot there. ..... If you get the blue series 1:25,000 Michelin map I think it's marked as Falaise des Corbeaux, or Rochers des Corbeaux - something like that.


I think it might be the place that's visible on streetview here

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@44.7916412,1.3206321,3a,75y,17.17h,75.78t/da...

or possibly the one that's a bit further along the road to Milhac. I remember a 'climbers lay-by' at the roadside - it's all of a 1 minute walk from the road. If you head along the road towards Milhac, you'll see a car parked on the verge shortly after a sort of mill building - it might also be there. They're about 3 minutes apart in the car

Canoe trip on the river is recommended too.

In reply to nniff:

Many thanks for your advice.
A crag in the shade definitely sounds useful.
We do plan on a bit of canoeing

In reply to Richard Justice:

Have you climbed there before ?

In reply to Richard Justice:
Which guidebook are you using?

In reply to Just Tintin:

As nniff has stated, Milhac is not far away but I went there once at Easter and it was way too hot...I'm not sure it will be the solution. Far better options exist near to Autoire (Autoire itself faces East and can get pretty roasting but it is perched and can catch the breeze) - in particular Roc de Cor. St Gery isn't a bad bet as the far L goes into the shade quite early on. Other options exist for the Summer - some are in the Lot guide. Have a look at where Francois Tournois climbs in the Summer - the locals know!:

http://www.8a.nu/?IncPage=http%3A//www.8a.nu/user/Profile.aspx%3FUserId%3D1...