Saturday, July 25, 2009

Sutton Bank, Yorkshire

Thanks to Anja for the picture.

Sutton Bank, Yorkshire

This is the view from inside the cockpit.

Sutton Bank, Yorkshire

Captain Grant preparing for take-off. Thanks to Anja for the picture.

Sutton Bank, Yorkshire

Captain Anja, preparing for take-off.

Sutton Bank, Yorkshire

Me and my co-pilot, Captain Nick. Thanks to Anja for the picture.

Sutton Bank, Yorkshire

This is me getting a crash course on how to fly a glider. Thanks to Anja for the picture.

Sutton Bank, Yorkshire

The tug tows the glider up to about 2000ft before the glider releases the tow-rope and is free to glide.

Sutton Bank, Yorkshire

This is the tug that tows the gliders into the air.

Sutton Bank, Yorkshire

Sutton Bank, Yorkshire

Last weekend I was lucky enough to get to go gliding.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

La Berarde, France

Walking off the top and back down to La Berarde after my last route, with La Meije and the Promontoire hut in the background. Great week.

La Berarde, France

Summit photos.

La Berarde, France

Summit photos.

La Berarde, France

Half way up looking the route looking up the Veneon valley towards the Pilatte hut and Les Bans.

La Berarde, France

The next day was my last day so as a special treat Cathryn and I went SPORT CLIMBING (Yay!). We did a 13 pitch sport route up this little hump, which conveniently overlooked the campsite. It was awesome!

Thursday, July 09, 2009

La Berarde, France

There it is!

La Berarde, France

The following day we rested by driving 45minutes down the valley to the nearest town, were stocked up on food, cash and camping gas. The afternoon was spent lying in the sun planning our next route. We decided to walk up La Mieje to the Promentoire hut from where we would attempt another PD mixed route. The Promentoire hut is awesome. It is fairly small, sleeping just 40 people. And it does the best food I have ever had in a hut (homemade Tirimasu for crying out loud). But to cap it all, it is perched on the smallest rock ledge, half way up the biggest rock face. It's in this picture- can you spot it?

Tuesday, July 07, 2009

La Berarde, France

La Berarde, France

La Berarde, France

Cathryn and Maria in a bivi shelter.

La Berarde, France

Walking back down the valley to La Berarde.

La Berarde, France

Cathryn on the same summit looking north.

La Berarde, France

We set out the next morning and made the col in good time. However, the cloud, wind and cold were not particularly inviting so we abandoned our route and just nipped up a little peak on the other side of the col. This is Maria and I sheltering from the wind. Thanks to Cathryn for the picture.

Monday, July 06, 2009

La Berarde, France

Thanks to Cathryn (and her clever camera) for the picture.

La Berarde, France

The Pilatte glacier, taken from the Pilatte hut, with Les Bans behind and right. Our second route was to be another PD to the col on the right then a rock climb up the ridge to the summit of Les Bans.

La Berarde, France

We stopped on our way back down and ate our post route food (not quite breakfast, not quite lunch!) in the sun, before heading on down to the hut. Thanks to Cathryn for the picture.

La Berarde, France

Summit photos. Thanks to Cathryn for the picture.

La Berarde, France

Summit photos.

La Berarde, France

Gaining the summit of Mt Gioberney just as the cloud came in.

La Berarde, France

Maria and I stomping up the snow field up to the summit of Mt Gioberney. Thanks to Cathryn for the picture.

La Berarde, France

Cathryn, Maria and sunrise on our first route.

Sunday, July 05, 2009

La Berarde, France

For our first route we decided to do a PD rock route to the summit of Mt Gioberney. Unfortunatley, route finding wasn't quite as straight forward as this helpful sign would imply! This was taken outside the Pilatte hut, looking east with the Pilatte glacier and Les Bans behind.

La Berarde, France

Walk in to our first hut, Pilatte Hut, 3hrs up the beautiful Veneon valley. Thanks to Cathryn for the picture.

Saturday, July 04, 2009

La Berarde, France

Cathryn, Maria and I flew out to the Ecrins for a week of alpine climbing. We set up base camp in La Berarde, a tiny village (with no cash point) and spent a week climbing the surrounding peaks.