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Sometimes we have to climb alone (or with a guide)

In December I found myself on a business trip in Las Vegas. None of my colleagues climb and I only had my shoes, harness and a chalk bag! This is where just calling a guide in can be super handy. The American Alpine Institute are professional and efficient, they returned my call within minutes and had someone free on Friday, a brilliant chap called Alex

Alex recommended the Red Riding Hood area as I had to get to the airport after climbing and I couldn’t risk missing my flight. This area was less than 15 minutes walk in

We started the day on Big Bad Wolf (5.9). Alex offered me the second pitch to lead.

After red riding hood Alex took me up physical graffiti (5.6) which gave the most comfortable jamming I’ve ever experienced. Friction was amazing but without the sharp crystals of Grit.

We then did woodsman (5.9) which I thought was brilliant before moving onto a ‘boulder’ where we did a number of sports routes going from 5.8 – 5.10

It’s always better to climb with friends but when that isn’t possible a guide can provide a perfect partner. Alex was brilliant and whilst I could have just climbed with someone off the internet I knew Alex would be safe and have all of the gear

Two weeks walking and touring in Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo. 

Two years later than planned due to covid delays, in the first two weeks in September 2022 8 of us (4 couples) flew to Tirana, Albania to walk the Peaks of the Balkans (PoB) trail.

http://peaksofthebalkans.com.

The PoB is a circular route of 10 legs and 192kms which crisscrosses the borders of Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo. The route was established only recently and calls itself the newest international trail. However, we did not undertake the whole route and instead signed up with local guiding company Zublo—www.zublo.org. In effect we undertook a “best of” the PoB, missing a good bit of dirt and some tarmac road tramping. And adding some great highlights which we would have missed.

We walked for 10 days. The crux was 6 days out 7 of over 1,000 metres height gain per day with a day of a cultural tour of Kosovo in the middle. During that time we summited the highest mountain in Kosovo—Gjeravica at  2,656 metres(below); and drove out in Land Rovers in indescribably and hair raising rough terrain. 

Much of the mountain scenery is spectacular. And the accommodation is largely in family “guesthouses”. We did eat a lot of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. Beer available everywhere, but beware slivovitz! The weather was perfect for mountain walking. 

It was also a great chance to visit a part of the world with a recent fascinating, and sometimes gruesome, history. Albania was communist until 1990, in effect the equivalent of North Korea today; there are many old army machine gun posts-below-visible as one crosses borders, there to keep the population in Albania. Yet now the country has in part a Mediterranean feel. 

There was a brutal war in what became Kosovo in 1998/99 between the Kosovo Liberation Army and Serbia which led to the NATO bombing campaign against Serbia. Tension is still very much present and problems remain. See eg Tim Marshall’s good book “Shadowplay”. Yet, amazing Christian medieval iconography survived the Muslim Ottomans, the communists and the war.

We had a guide with us from Zublo the whole time. Although for hardy independent souls there is a Cicerone guidebook and a recent map available and Zublo can help with the necessary cross border permits, the guiding was a massive advantage for many reasons. It is the way to go. We would recommend highly Zublo. 

And as the PoB gets busier as it will, the guide said we should think about trekking the Eastern part of Albania which borders with and into North Macedonia. It is quiet and remote. Food for thought! Another trip? Or maybe Northern Greece next? 

The Balkans are altogether a great place to walk into September—in 2016 Adrian Walker and I did 20 days across Northern Slovenia. 

I have been brief in this blog. If anyone wants more information, just get in touch with me. 

Keith Gaines

6 club members made the short trip to Fontainebleau at half term and were greeted with some unseasonably warm weather

5 great days of climbing with the Blue circuit getting the most action but some Reds climbed

A new addition to the calendar this year has been Sport Thursdays. Organised by Mark these have been an additional chance for members to meet up but with the focus being on sport climbing (and occasionally bouldering).

Many local venues have been visited including Horseshoe, Intake, Staden, Mason Lees and even Solomans Temple.

Hopefully we can carry on with this meet for the rest of the year and in future years… thanks to everyone who has contributed to it becoming a fixture

Photos by Tim and Stuart

We have started to climb and walk again but it felt like a while since the club had done anything ‘socially’.

Therefore a cycle ride from Topley Pike to Hassop station was proposed…. however the pay-off of keeping fit and seeing friends did not seem enough.. we must stop for food aswell.

Therefore on a dry Saturday evening a number of club members set off along the Monsal Trail… picking up some stragglers along the way

James definitely had the toughest time with 2 children in the trailer but, Sarah also had a passenger in the doggy seat and this was Adrian’s second ride out of the day.

The food and drink at Hassop Station was good, the tunnel lights still on and if it were not for a puncture on the way back all would have been plain sailing

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