Re-adjusting to life at the Cottage. Getting to grips with not living in a tent. Hot showers on demand; an abundance of clean clothes; a fridge filled with food; a real bed; walking barefoot on carpets; mid morning Nespressos.  Ah, the luxury of it all. After six weeks of exploration around Europe, we’ve amassed a… Read more

Back in Wales and after a day of washing, sorting, cleaning, unpacking, post opening, coffee drinking, we nipped out to enjoy the last of the light and a quick climb up at the Skyline level of the Llanberis Slate Quarries. We climbed ‘Plastic Solider’ (6a) which had had some bolts replaced a few days ago,… Read more

Service Station cook up – Central France Having stayed the night near Chamonix, we spent the next day travelling the toll road to Calais. We broke the journey up with plenty of food stops. Most of which we really rather civilized, although I did get caught out in a particularly heavy downpour, just as I… Read more

You can tell a lot about a nation, By the state of their motorway service station. The Swiss, of course have got it sussed, And a stop off there, is quite a must, Their cleanliness is just first class, And outside there’s a lake and grass, Where one can rest and lounge around, And puzzle… Read more

Through the Mt Blanc tunnel this morning (after being relieved of €42.00 for the  privilege), and onto a fine day of strolling the streets of Chamonix. Sunshine, heavy showers and more outdoor gear shops than you could ever visit. A great day to be a tourist. Plenty of shopping and cafe time, then met up… Read more

After yesterday’s crack climbing, we decided to switch to some big slabs today, to get little sample of all the delights that the Valle Orco has to offer. With the weather being good lower down the valley, we set off in the sun for a calf pumping, hand sweating, slab padding day of excellent rock… Read more