Annot has it all, Sandstone, Crack Paradise, Trad Climbing, Sport Climbing and Bouldering

In our search for places where you can do multiple climbing disciplines the name Annot in South of France popped up. The main interest for us was the traditional climbing possibilities (yes we ammit we are addicted) but Annot has also sport climbing and bouldering offerings that are well known.

Annot is a very nice little town on the lower side of the Alps in the Provence in France.

With its sandstone formations it is very special place compared to the rest of the area that mainly consist of limestone crags.

We surfed the internet in search for topo’s and guides but apparently they were only available locally. (You can buy them locally at the Tourist Office, Café du Commerce or Book shop.)

Nevertheless I also found some good info from the Dutch Trad pioneers like Niek de Jonge en Kris Schrijvers. They even opened some interesting routes in Annot.

Another good source is: http://tradannot.over-blog.com/

After the 1200km’s drive south we woke up in a very cold, chilly , freezing, snowing, hail, rainy and stormy weather in Annot. Dammed. Nevertheless we started to accommodate with some easy sport climbing routes (5-6a) at Meteores I. Well easy? The first few meters were pretty hard and eroded.

Next day we went off to do some trad climbing. But where to go?? We followed the hiking path leading to the crags but no idea which small climber path to take, and if it was save 300meter high on a small ledge? We went down in La Cave but it was overloaded with people so we searched for another crag. Going back we found some routes at La Vire Du Bas. Starting with SAB 2005 which was slightly wet, but still a good introduction to the area. In the sun I already spotted a great looking crack line called Chauffe Marcel 6a++. A couple of people that walked by told us that it was harder than 6a++. Ok? So I geared up and started. First part is a slanted corner that becomes smaller but still doable, but then the crack starts twisting. Definitely harder than 6B. Other routes are shown is this report.

To make our story not too long, we had a wonderful time in Annot with fantastic trad climbing, sport routes (pockets and steep crags) and a huge offering of boulder blocks with > 1500 problems.

We tried all the disciples with great fun and had a nice glass of wine in Café du Commerce in Annot after our sessions. Life is good. https://www.tripadvisor.nl/Restaurant_Review-g1700020-d4610541-Reviews-Cafe_du_Commerce-Annot_Alpes_de_Haute_Provence_Provence_Alpes_Cote_d_Azur.

For the Boulder people please look also for the weekend of 20-21 May 2017 for Annot a Block. It’s a great festival http://www.annotabloc.com/

https://www.8a.nu/Index.aspx?CountryCode=GLOBAL
Check Trad ranking (8th)

La Vire Inter

Chauffe Marcel 6a++ ?

Now things get complicated

Y Gauche

Took a while

Fanny L1

Fanny

San in Domino

Great Route slight off width





 

Annot, Trad climbing

Hi All,


Last week we went to France for doing some traditional, sport climbing and bouldering.
We started the week with some easy bolted sport climbing routes. Nice occasion on the second day, in glance I saw surprisingly James Pearson just walking by and his girlfriend Caroline Ciavaldini greeted us Good Morning at the train station of Annot.
Not knowing he was working on a project in Annot but now we know. Le Voyage
https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item/71078/new_e10_7a_in_annot_by_james_pearson_-_le_voyage

We will come back with some more stories and pictures.

Cost Blanca Norte

Roca España.
As a working couple we squeezed a quick climbing vacation week between some work duties. Why? Just to have some nice sun shining weather after the long dark, cold and wet winter in the Netherlands.
We chose to do some (safe) sport climbing in Spain around the area of Valencia. Thankfully we were treated very well with beautiful blue skies and plenty of sun shine to do our sport. Looks like we deserved it.


Big bummer was that Sandra was not able to climb because of her recent Hernia which made her unable to control her leg and put force on her left foot. So she decided not to climb but being the belayer. We tried to choose easy approach walks to the crags. Below a couple of crags that we visited.


Borriol, Cucalla.
A very nice looking crag with lots of routes from easy 5 to 8b. Quite some overhanging routes that tend to be slight slippery at some points but very nice technical. In the afternoon the sun became too hot for doing harder stuff. Nice first day.


Borriol, El Castellet.
We started early morning in the shade at the bottom of this crag which was a little bit chilly, nevertheless a great atmosphere. Later we went up.
I did some tricky easy routes and tried a 7b but was unable to finished it. (At some points the holds were manufactured) After that I experienced that although slab climbing is not my favourite but surprisingly with the correct old shoes I could finish a hard one.


Jérica.
A very, very nice crag. We did not know exactly where to cross the river but apparently in the beginning of the path over a dam that regulates the water. We did the vertical routes on the grey orange rock and not on the grey slabby rock in the shade. Very good routes in the higher grades

Altura
Looks like a very new crag since the rock is still very sharp or maybe we did not start at a popular part yet. After several routes I tried a 8a here but I was unable to make the wide crux move on a slab part, the rest was OK.


Chulilla
Visited already last year for a week. We decided again to travel to Chullila since it has a very different style than the crags we did this week. The aim was to do some tufa routes. Regretfully the Chorreras area, most tufa's and colognettes were wet.

Borriol, Raco de Farol
Again another very nice crag in a very beautiful area and nice quit surrounding. It has lots of route offerings in lower and higher grades. Definitely worth a visit, or two. San even found a climbing god as can be seen below.

Last day we did some relaxing to see some Spanish cultural (work)Horsepower (or was it the farmer) on the beach.

Ruhrtal Avalonia

This weekend we spend our time around the Ruhrtal in Germany.
Every year we enjoy to do some bouldering in Avalonia.
Great news that Boulderclub Ruhrtal https://boulderclub-ruhrtal.de/  has now become official owner of Avalonia to preserve the area.

Cold but nice

Katla

Also this year as a tradition we went to the climbing gym called Bergwerke!!
Its a great gym with toprope, lead, boulder and crack routes and a sauna, yeahh!!




Bergwerke, Super Gym

INTO THE WILD 1

Where? In the Netherlands? Yes!!


Last weekend a long time wish came true;
Walking into the woods and sleep in the woods under winter and harsh circumstances.


Where is that possible in the Netherlands????
Well you have certain places where you are allowed to camp with a small tent for a couple of nights but with no or low facilities, they are called Paal Campings.
Packet with our GPS we walked 10km's to the Chaamse Bossen to stay there for one night.
When we walked with freezing temperatures and crispy environment we saw a lot of people skating on some small lakes but when entered the forest area around 16.30 it became very quit and quickly super dark.
Temperatures dropped to -8° to -9°C and it became really dark with nature sounds of screaming Gooses that went south and Owls who started to hunt. Very special! We also had a magnificent view on a bright dark sky full of stars. 

Close to the place to camp

Breakfast with -8°C

Costa Blanca '16 '17

Hi There!


Well, it has become more or less our tradition to spend our time around Christmas & New Year to explore the Costa Blanca for some climbing.
We both love the variety of doing some Sport climbing with the combination of Traditional climbing and doing some adventurous Multi Pitch routes either traditional or bolted.


As we have encountered already many crags in this area there is still plenty of unknown for us to discover. The weather forecast was so bad and showed us huge amount of rain showers that turned the Costa Blanca region into a flooding environment. We even could not escape our house since the road was flooded making it unable for cars to pass.


Some of the crags that normally are reached thru a dry river bed were unable to reach since the river had become into "River Wild" and impossible to go thru. So we headed for some higher grounds.


We tried to push again our limits but not all succeeded.
Like, Destroyer in Los Pinos and Me Cago en el Amor in Lliber both 8a's, nevertheless big fun in some traditional routes.
New Crags we visited: Bolulla Raco Roig, Ambolo, Gata de Gorgos, Montesa, Castellets.

The Barranco in Bolulla area

View on Montesa from the crag

7b Viper in Bolulla

Vall de Guadar, San rappelling down to take gear out

Los Pinos

Sport climbing in Kalymnos 2016

It has been 5 years ago that we visited Kalymnos.

We bought the new 2016 topo and went off, time to catch up with the new crags! 14 days of climbing in stunning places with great views and beautiful weather. We liked it.

Lots of new routes with sharp holds, tufa’s, colognettes, caves, slabs, huge overhangs, uphill, downhill on sea side or mountain side you name it.

With our tiny scooter we visited new places, like secret garden (not secret since it was overcrowded) great style of climbing but too busy.

But also longsome places like E.T, Arginonta skyline etc.

One visit to Sikaty cave aiming for 45 degrees overhang called Morgan, super steep but well featured to have resting points.

We also tried to push ourselves as much  as possible, with routes like Helios on the North Cape.

In the afternoons we spend our time on the beach or swimming pool and in the evening we had great Greece diners.

We were glad to rediscover Kalymnos on pleasant way again. Definitely coming back.

7a+ Unicorn Arginonta Valley Left Cave

6c+ Frapogalo Secret Garden

Path to Sikati cave

7b+ Morgan Sikati cave (find the belayer)