UKC

As it says above, where is it good to go sport climbing in summer:
- for 1 week in July-August time,
- either UK or Europe, or further afield,
- where conditions are likely to be good,
- preferable with a good grade range of routes – typically around mid 6s to mid 7s.

Any suggestions?

Thanks John

In reply to j_duds: Portland?

In reply to j_duds:

Probably depends on your heat tolerance. I'd go somewhere with the chance of a cooling alpine breeze, and some big mountains to explore when I got bored of clipping!

In reply to j_duds:

We went to Portland for the 1st time last summer, it is a nice place.

Alpine breezes can be great, I have been to some Valais Swiss crags a few times, which can be nice or real hole.

Any recommendations of other places? Alpine or other?

In reply to j_duds: Nowhere! Summer is God's way of telling you it's time to do big adventurous routes in the mountains. ;oD

In reply to Rog Wilko:
I'll not lower myself to get riled by the typical and usual naïve comments that I see on UKC!

In reply to j_duds: Get one or more of the Swiss Pleasure guidebooks and just start to dream and drool. For limestone, one place I'd recommend is Sanetsch. Also the crags around Kandersteg and Meiringen. For granite, perhaps the Goeschinen area, Furka or some of the Brgegalia routes.

You'd also have a good time in the Ecrins based at Ailfroide, where there are lots of granite crags. From there you could easily get to the limestone of the Haute Durance (only a few miles away), the Tete d'Aval and Tenailles de Montbrison.

All these places are mountain venues which have long routes, but they are bolt protected, mostly with rap descents. Unless there is a real heat wave they shouldn't be too hot, unlike most of the lower level, shorter climb sport venues in western Europe. By the way, don't go to the Verdon unless you really love the heat.

In reply to davidoldfart:
thanks for the suggestions - i'll look into these crags and areas, some of which I have never even considered!

In reply to j_duds: Portland and Swanage are good. Portland is VERY polished though

In reply to Zygoticgema:
i don't remember seeing lots of polish in Portland or in Swanage, except on englands dreaming and on the surrounding routes.

In reply to j_duds: Have a look at kvalöya outside tromsö in northern norway.
It holds more than enough sportroutes for a week of climbing!
It´s really high-class granite sportroutes up there, especially the crag of ersfjorden.

Otherwise i´m surprised no-one has said Ceüse in france!

In reply to Zygoticgema:

Need to climb harder! no polish!

In reply to Zygoticgema:

No it's not.

Mick

In reply to j_duds: You've got to put up with a little gentle leg-pulling on here you know.

In reply to Mick Ward:

Its not good or its not polished ?

In reply to Mick Ward:

yes it is

Zyg

In reply to GrahamD:

Are you being deliberately argumentative - again? Surely the meaning of my post is clear to you??

Mick

In reply to Zygoticgema:


Is that the sound of a rattle landing outside a pram??

You don't advance an argument, so might I respectfully suggest one?
I'd estimate that of Portland routes:

Roughly 5% have some polish.
Roughly 95% don't have any polish.

Mick

In reply to Mick Ward:

Again ?

In reply to GrahamD:

Well you have been in the past... and I rather get the feeling that you're in the mood for another argument today. (Apologies if that's not the case.)

Mick

P.S. Will be out for a bit, ironically walking past the most polished and least representative bit of Portland!

In reply to j_duds:
any how, now that my electric is back on, back to the topic please:
any further suggestions of where is good to go sport climbing in summer?
Thanks John

In reply to Mick Ward:

I find it slightly amusing that, given all that Europe has to offer, anyone would seriously choose to spend their summer holidays just outside a council estate in Dorset. My tongue in cheek reply kind of reflects that amusement.

In reply to j_duds: mid 6's to mid 7's you would have a great time in Sardinia. For single pitch routes, reading sardiniaclimb's FAQ's: "Which are the coolest areas in summer? Without doubt those not at sea level (i.e. not Cala Gonone). The Jerzu/Ulassai area, for example, is at 700-900 amsl and early in the morning or late in the evening it is the coolest area. In Supramonte the crags of Genna Croce (950 m) and Serra Oseli (800 m) are the coolest in the afternoon.In the south of the island, Punta Pilocca (700 m) in the afternoon."

If you look at my UKC photos, I am wearing a fleecy belaying at Serra Oseli in July. It like Jerzu/Ulassai and Genna Croce are 45' from where we live.

Mid 6's to mid 7's is just the right grade range to get the most out of these crags.

Just nearer to where we live, you can climb very well on many of the Baunei crags in the summer, and some sectors like Braccio di Ferro and the Co 'e Serra cave (http://www.sardiniaclimb.com/default/AlbumCopertine/pages/copserra.html ) are in the shade all day. We bolted some more routes at Braccio di Ferro last summer, and the line at the Co 'e Serra cave was the first one we bolted there, 7a.

In July and August there are loads of local festivals, goat roasting, pig roasting, wine tasting, dancing etc round here.

ciao Peter

In reply to GrahamD:

Good luck with your amusement! However my posts didn't deal with where the OP should or shouldn't go this summer. (Although Wallsend is majestic and Dorset does have a certain reputation for DWS quality.)

I merely wished to challenge the blanket statement that Portland is polished. Some of it is... and most of it isn't.

Mick

In reply to j_duds: Europe seems like a good idea to me.

Am heading to the south of France in about 5 weeks for my first proper climbing holiday. Can't wait!

In that grade range i believe you have quite a choice!

In reply to j_duds: We live in Normandie in northern France. Loads of good climbing over here. Just have a search on the web.. We have good stuff on our dooorstep but enjoy many other areas including burgundy and Orpierre amongst our faves..

In reply to Mick Ward:

you are right though i'm not sure why Portland is popping up in a thread about the best sport climbing on offer in Europe, i mean don't get me wrong it's ok if you live in the south but compared to Buoux, Verdon, Ceuse, Siurana etc....you get the idea.

In reply to j_duds:
The Frankenjura in germany is awesome, and you can drive down to austria to otztal or sasstal for some really good and cooler granite sport.

In reply to Morgan Woods:

I first went to the Verdon in 1980... and Buoux in 1987... so perhaps I had the idea quite some time ago.



Relevance... on UKC?? Re-align your expectations!

To reiterate:

'However my posts didn't deal with where the OP should or shouldn't go this summer... I merely wished to challenge the blanket statement that Portland is polished.'

There's always a choice on here. Do you let sloppy thinking/idiocy go unchallenged - or do you challenge it? Often I do the former. Yesterday I did the latter - because I could see this myth being perpetuated.

Of course Portland can't compete with the best of the continent - but, for the UK, it's bloody good.

Mick

P.S. Will be away from these forums for a couple of days, so will be unable to make any further replies. Best wishes to all.

In reply to Mick Ward:

In fairness to Mick, the OP did ask "either UK or Europe"...but yes, I don't think even the most zealous Portland die-hard would walk past even an average Euro crag to get to the Cuttings!

..and yes, he was right to defend against the allegations of polish.