I'm now back in the Alps after completing a further week in Norway. Temperatures continued to be on the warm side (maybe 2 to 4 degrees at sea level) which sent us searching for higher options. Luckily around Aurland (where we were based) there are opportunities to drive up to around 1200m whi... more>
I'm currently in Norway on what has become an annual pilgrimage to the land of the midnight sun. I'm based in Aurland on the shores of the Aurlandsfjorden which is home to porpoise, sea otter and many sea birds. Which is just as well as this year temperatures have warmed up a bit which has kep... more>
Winter has well and truly arrived in the Alps! Already we have experienced more snow than last season and we have had a few 'category 5' days. I've been out and about, mostly skiing with friends and family enjoying the great conditions. Around Christmas and New Year I mainly skied in the local... more>
Nick's returned for another week of suffering in the hills and this time he was joined by Andy. Andy's climbed with me on Ben Nevis (we climbed Slav Route) before but was keen to see what all this winter alpinism was about. The week started off not so good, with the first snowfall for weeks. O... more>
Baz and Dunc have climbed with me before both in the Alps and the UK. They joined me for 4 days mountaineering based out of Fort William, Scotland. The remit of the course was hopefully to allow them to be autonomous in future winters and we concentrated on grade I/II ground (they rock climb a... more>
For the past two weeks I've been based out of Aurland, Norway. Aurland is a popular place for huge liners to visit in the summer as they cruise the fjords jammed with tourists. In winter it is a wee bit quieter. I actually asked at the tourist office what you should do on a day off in Aurland... more>
Nick and Tim have been climbing with me this past week. We organised the holiday with no real fixed objectives and originally I think we were probably going to go to either Cogne or Kandersteg (steep ice climbing). As always of course it pays to be flexible in your approach to climbing and by... more>
Conditions for climbing in the Mt Blanc Massif are superb at the moment. The snow is super stable and ice has formed on many routes. Take a look at Francois Damilano's 'Neige, Glace et Mixte' a... more>
For the past two weeks Tamsin and I have been living like rock stars without the glamour, money or roadies. We have stayed in a lot of Travel Lodges though. The reason for our traveling to far flung places (like Cheltenham, Leicester and even London!) is to deliver the more>
Scotland has been enjoying the best conditions for winter climbing in decades. I arrived back from Norway keen to take advantage of them (and spend some time with Tamsin!). We had a day at Beinn Udlaidh where we climbed a few routes. We started on Organ Pipe Wall. The main line on the right w... more>
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