Col d'Allos

Road cycling: Barcelonette-Col d'Allos-Allos
Distance/Climb: 40k/1150m
The onward route to the coastal part of our holiday in Esterel led over the Col d'Allos towards Colmars and Castellane, so it seemed rude not to ride it on my final day in the saddle. Indeed, it was always integral to the schedule and a climb I very much wanted to do. It provided a nice continuation to the previous day, heading ever further south, and was at one time a regular feature of the Tour. Another perfect crisp sunny morning as I set off from Barcelonette with Kate following. The climb winds up above the valley of the Bachelard. It felt like I'd recovered well from yesterday's exertions (I'd certainly consumed enough calories last night!) as I pushed a bigger gear and made good progress up the fairly gentle inclines. The road emerges from the trees as it embarks on a very long curve around the gorge of the Torrent d'Agneliers, with spectacular views down sheer drops to the south and over to the famously well-named Barcelonette peaks of the Pain de Sucre and Chapeau de Gendarme. The steepest section follows up a series of tortuous hairpins on very narrow roads (horrendous for Kate driving) to finally emerge on steep Alpine meadows below the broad ridge of the Serre de la Crous. The peak of the Cheval de Bois is immediately opposite, and the views north absolutely superb for this top section which is relatively gentle. We all met up at the Refuge on top of the col at 2250m. This was a great moment, as it marked our entry into the familiar territory of the Mercantour and the area around Allos visited last year. Perfect clarity for the views over the Mourre Gros - a stunning backdrop to an amazing descent, more confident now, and dropping like a stone through the hairpins to the village of Allos and a picnic in Colmars. So a great little introduction to Alpine cycling, perhaps pushing 5500-6000m of climbing, and a fine start to the family holiday despite the early rain.

Col d'Izoard/Col de Vars

Road cycling: Briancon-Col d'Izoard-Guillestre-Col de Vars-Barcelonette
Distance/Climb: 120k/2400m
As an incurable mountaineer, this was the day I really wanted. A complete contrast to the glitzy ski resorts of Alpe d'Huez, the Izoard has a romantic isolation that makes it a true classic. Combined with the Vars to the south, it gave a long and unforgettable day on the bike. What made it even more appealing was the fact that it took me to an area of the Alps I'd never explored, the Queyras. We drove over the Lauteret to Briancon and I started up the Izoard in perfect warm sunshine as Kate drove directly to Guillestre. The climb winds gently through the edge of Briancon to gain a beautiful wooded valley. The road smooth and perfect, hardly any traffic, just the sound of running water. A few short descents broke the rhythm before reaching the old village of Le Laus after which the road swings sharply to the north and climbs past verdant Alpine meadows and crags to pass a tiny ancient hamlet and enter a beautiful pine forest. I passed a few early starters here, although was soon passed myself by an Italian amateur team as I ploughed up the hairpins as the route steepens higher up. Steady and relentless climbing now, with 20k or so of uphill behind, emerging from the trees into a characteristic Queyras landscape of bare rock and jagged pinnacles, anticipating the drama of the Casse Deserte to the south. After the Refuge Napolean, the climb kicks up for a steeper, dramatic climax up more hairpins to the top at 2356m (1:29 from Briancon). A great place, with scores of cyclists and wonderful views south. The descent (usually climbed by the Tour) is superb, steep and twisting at first, then levelling off as it reaches the legendary Casse Deserte, a tremendous landscape of crumbling pinnacles and scree. Surely the finest backdrop to any sporting event anywhere? A short climb leads to more steep hairpins and a very fast descent through forests to the village of Cervieres. Eventually the road levels off at a junction with the route to the Agnel. I continued right through increasingly spectacular scenery as I entered the gorge above the Guil river. Superb scenery throughout, although a headwind made the level riding more difficult than it might have been. I met up with the family in Guillestre and had a short refuelling session on the children's leftovers while we dried the tent. Despite the 60k already covered, I felt OK on the slopes leading out of the village towards the next climb up the Col de Vars: yet another Tour monument. However, it soon became quite hot in the midday sun and there were no trees to give any respite. A long and steep series of hairpins with stunning views north over Pelvoux and the Ecrins made life difficult and I started to suffer for the first time on the trip, dropping into my tiniest gear. Above, a welcome gentle section leads to the village of Vars where I met the family again (Kate drove over the Vars). The rest of the climb is unfortunately a little tame by comparison with the magnificent Izoard as it wends its way through the ski resort above Vars, surprisingly steeply, before easing off for a final section through Alpine meadows to the Col at 2108m. Another exhilerating descent with new views south to the baked Mercantour, Pelat and familiar territory. Fast hairpins down in increasing warmth to the hamlet of St Paul, then a long haul through Jausiers all the way to Barcelonette, where we camped for the night.

Le Vernis climbing

Crag: Le Vernis, Oisans
Routes: Left Corner (f5:led), Left Slab (f3:led), Right Slab (f4:des), Upper Arete (f5:led)
After descending from the Galibier, we enjoyed a cup of tea in the sunshine before driving a few hundred metres to the crag I'd seen signposted at Le Vernis. The weather was pleasant as we walked the short distance to what was, as I'd hoped, an archetypal 'ecole d'escalade' perfect for the children with easy climbs and a level base. Lots of nice looking grooves, corners and slabs, all very well bolted on good, relatively unpolished granite. I led a short juggy groove on the left of the crag to begin, nice sharp holds throughout. M followed with one bolt grab on a juggy pull through a steep section half way up, E couldn't quite manage this move. They both managed the easy slab to the left, before a large group of instructors and youths arrived and commandeered the fine looking corners I had my eye on. This was my cue to try the higher crag, which unfortunately wasn't as good, although it was bigger and did have nice views across the valley. I did a slabby traverse to the obvious arete while the children made good progress up the arete itself. A heavy and prolonged evening downpour came too late to spoil the day's varied activities.

Col de Galibier

Road cycling: Villar d'Arene-Col du Lautaret-Col du Galibier-Bourg d'Oisans
Distance/Climb: 70k/1000m
I toyed with the idea of a solo attempt on the Marmotte sportive route today, but it wouldn't have been fair on the children - and the weather was too unstable, so I settled for the short south side of the legendary Galibier. However, by including the steepest top section of the Col du Lauteret, it did at least start to replicate the stunning climax of the Tour stage exactly a week ago in which Andy Schleck climbed this south side alone. The weather had improved considerably as I set off from the final tunnel between La Grave and Villar d'Arene. This meant I got the final 10k of the Lautaret, the steepest section of the climb, and made it a lot more satisfying. Glorious sunshine as I started the hairpins, with the peaks of Les Bans and lower slopes of the Meije starting to emerge from the mist and providing happy memories of my last trip here back in 1994. All very welcome after yesterday's torrential rain, although still rather cool. The Lauteret itself is a major pass linking the Romanche and Guisans valleys, and I had a huge grin on my face as I turned off for the Galibier. Hundreds of cyclists everywhere, the road covered with last week's graffiti, and a tremendous prospect of the road rising up to the col ahead. The gradients are gentle at around 7%, but it still takes some effort to negotiate the huge hairpin in the middle of the climb. I tried to stick in a bigger gear than yesterday and made good progress, passing a few other cyclists as I neared the Desgrange monument. Some light drizzle as I turned right at the tunnel for the 'new' road which goes at least 100m higher and gives a much steeper 12+% climax to the route. A great finish, for which a Belgian hooked on to my rear wheel giving the illusion that we were competing for a stage win. The mist was down on the 2645m summit, and I would estimate the temperature at around 5c. No place to linger, but I came prepared with jacket and hat, and this time thoroughly enjoyed the swooping descent to Villar d'Arene, where I joined the family for lunch (1:50 there and back). From here, the descent to Bourg is too tempting, so I followed Kate in the car for 30k down the Lauteret back to the campsite: superb, despite the tunnels.

Alpe d'Huez

Road cycling: Le Vernis-Alpe d'Huez-Le Vernis
Distance/Climb: 40k/1120m
The most iconic of all Tour climbs - this was the predictable starting point for my brief assault on Alpine cycling. We drove towards Bourg d'Oisans in increasingly despondent mood, as it became clear that my good weather luck (which was lasted most of 2011) had run out. Torrential rain as we pitched the tent in Le Vernis, but the Alpe was on the (tight) schedule as my evening warm-up for the bigger climbs to come over the next four days, so had to be done come rain or shine. A short warm up to Bourg, then you turn the corner and hit the climb immediately. It is an electrifying moment for a long-term Tour fan, instantly recognisable as the road ramps up to the first hairpin. Remarkably, I was sharing the mountain with the Alpe d'Huez triathlon, so had crowd support all the way up! Inevitably, and understandably, the competitors were going slowly. I was taking it very gently too, but still overtook hundreds of them all the way up. The first few hairpins are the steepest of the famed '21', but as I'd suspected it was possible to maintain a comfortable rhythm in what was admittedly a small gear. The rain remained steady, the valley below shifting in and out of the mist as I climbed up. Each bend has the name of a former stage winner and the whole place feels like a huge shrine to cycling and the Tour. The angle eases as you enter the trees but there is very little real respite. Dutch corner was still bright orange, as the Tour was here just five days ago. The rain got heavier as I reached the village in 60m after an exposed but gentler section, and became very cold and torrential as I passed the triathletes and headed for the true 'summit' which I reached in a rather slow 72m. I felt I had to be reserved for this first climb, so I'm not too ashamed of taking 35m longer than Pantani's super-human record! Then, a slight problem. Despite 20 years Alpine mountaineering experience, my novice status on the bike showed as I had failed to realise the fairly obvious fact that descending steep slopes in wet, cold weather at 2000m will quickly replicate wind-chill conditions! Cue an extremely uncomfortable semi-hypothermic descent with just a soaked windproof for protection, shivering and almost unable to pull the brakes. Gradually, the pain of the cold subsided as I dropped towards the valley and warmer air. I had to take the descent cautiously as a result of my frozen hands and the now torrential icy rain and later found that I'd melted my brake blocks. It took a hot shower, several hours in a goosedown jacket, and a portion of tartiflette to warm up. Despite all this, Alpe d'Huez in these appalling conditions made a memorable start to proceedings.

Snowdon Race

Race: Ras yr Wyddfa/International Snowdon Race (10m/3065ft/AM)
Time/Position: 1:22:57 (54th from 500 [3rd V40])
A rare opportunity to do this blue-riband event, comfortably the biggest race on the Welsh fell running calendar. I'm normally away on holiday and have only done it once before (2007), so it was a chance to record a quicker time, particularly as conditions were good. An ideal family event with a great atmosphere, albeit rather commercial and closer to that of a city marathon than a normal fell race. I climbed reasonably cautiously but set a good rhythm and began to pick up places around Allt Moses and felt uncharacteristically strong emerging from the two steepest sections above Cwm Hetiau. The mist was down, and the cold air gave a further boost as I gained the summit in 53:55. This race is notorious for its descent accidents, and I was very conscious of my cycling trip to the Alps next week: the last thing I wanted was any leg damage! So I was perhaps a little cautious on the very fast initialy descent down past Clogwyn but held my place well and managed to pick up a couple of runners lower down, feeling quite good throughout and finishing strongly (by my standards) on the tarmac. My descent to Electric Mountain took 29 minutes exactly. Finished way down the field, which was inevitably very strong and international in character. That said, I also squeezed into the prizes as 3rd V40, which was a nice way to temporarily conclude the running whilst I take to the bike for some serious action in the Alps next week.

Bwlch y Groes loop

Road cycling: Bala-Bwlch y Groes-Vyrnwy-Hirnant Pass-Bala
Distance: 50k
Almost certainly the final ride before the Alpine trip, so it was a bit of a shame that I was forced to dramatically shorten the intended route due to bad weather. Light drizzle as I negotiated the undulating road south of Llyn Tegid before starting the 8k climb up Bwlch y Groes. In theory, this long and gentle side of the famous pass replicates Alpine climbs reasonably well, but in reality it is for the most part a typical British climb which kicks up quite steeply at the start before levelling off for at least 3k. It ramps up again towards the top, and remains a very fine climb by UK standards. Steady drizzle became heavier at the top, with misty views of dank moorland. I had thought this was a brief weather window in a very wet week, but the rain was quite heavy at the pass. At least it gave me an excuse not to descend and reclimb the notorious Mawddwy side of the pass! Instead I descended, in horrible weather, the lovely rollercoaster road to the shores of Vyrnwy. Round this, then up the excellent climb through Aber Hirnant. This has a few sharp 20% sections at the start, then eases somewhat before steepening again through a conifer forest to gain a fine open section to the top. Great descent to Rhos y Gwaliau and back to Bala. This route was the exact opposite of the route I took last time I cycled in the Bala area, in 2004 on a mountain bike. Two hours for the round this time, not nearly enough bike-specific training given the looming reality of Galibier, Izoard, Ventoux and the rest, but it will have to do.

Old Horseshoe Pass ride

Road cycling: HK-Cymau-Minera-World's End-Old Horseshoe Pass-Treuddyn-HK
Distance: 50k
Another road climbing circuit, as I am now squeezing as much as I can into the last few days before I tackle the Alpine cols. I was keen to do a few climbs on tired legs, as this is what I'll be doing in France, so went out the day after the Druid fell race and just tried - again - to maximise the climbing mileage on my local hills. None of these climbs are particularly suitable as Alpine training, of course, as they are generally far too short and steep, but I don't have much option! The Cymau road is a good start with two surprisingly fierce kicks. Gentler climbing from Ffrith through to the steep Brymbo road continued the theme, before I tackled Minera-World's End (the opposite way to my previous trip). This is hard to start, 15% and an awful road surface, before easing off into an Alpine style climb over the moorland. Lovely evening sunshine. At World's End, I played good samaritan to a Scouser with a snapped MTB chain, before climbing over to Pentredwr and tackling the notorious Old Horseshoe Pass. This is 1.6k with an average gradient of 13.2% and a max of 19%. It goes straight up in reasonable comfort, before kicking brutally in the middle and staying steep until the Ponderosa. Not as bad as I'd expected but still a bit of a lung buster after yesterday's fell race. Back home via Treuddyn and any other small climb I could find.

The Druid fell race

Race: The Druid (5m/1100ft)
Time/Position: 35:16 (5th from 123 [2nd V40])
Warm evening sunshine for this, my favourite of all the summer evening races. I missed it last year, so it was nice to be able to have a bash at the new course, which goes anticlockwise round the summit of Foel Fenlli before climbing the new steps to the top and heading down the narrow paths along the top of the 'fortifications'. I was a bit tired after my Alpine trip, indeed I'd abandoned a run yesterday exhausted, so was pleased to feel OK as we headed off from Llanferres. It's not the sort of race where you can relax much, so I just concentrated on running the whole way and trying to stay in the top five as soon as I made up the places. Unlike the earlier Hotfoot, gradients are generally gentler on this race, so it's important to keep the pace up through the woods and fields. I felt good on the climbs and managed to hold my position for the steep descent round the side of Fenlli and back through the woods to the edge of the village. Won the v40 prize though the third placed runner was also in the category.

Toreggenkopf

Peaks: Toreggenkopf (2470m/8103ft)
Area: Zillertal Alps, Tyrol, Austria
Having done the Ahornspitze the night before, there wasn't much left for me to do from the Edel hut in the time I had left. But I spied a perfect brief opportunity in the shape of the Toreggenkopf, which is essentially a small pyramid at the top of the spur which leads down from the west ridge of the Ahornspitze and continues around the rim of the cwm almost to the cable car station. I walked out into the early morning mist (perhaps proving that last evening's tiring romp up the Ahornspitze in perfect weather was not as foolish as it seemed at the time), which gradually began to lift as I ran up the path towards the Kasselhutte. This leads to a series of chains and very mild scrambling up the headwall to gain a small col. The route then follows a delightful narrow grassy ridge to the summit - all too brief. The mist was beginning to peel away from the Ahornspitze as I began the descent. This descent was what I'd been looking forward to: nearly 2000m straight down to Mayrhofen. I had no need to conserve energy any more so decided to run the entire length of it, from the Toreggenkopf to my car in the middle of Mayrhofen, ears popping continually. The low cloud enveloped the first section past the Edel hut, but made it cooler and easier, through herds of cattle with bells clanging through the mist. It then heads more steeply and directly down zigzags to enter the treeline. Excellent running down good tracks pick up a farm track and eventually the ludicrously picturesque Alpenrose hut. From here, more beautiful Alpine woods - decorated with carved woodland animals - led to steep zigzags and the road to Mayrhofen. I ran the whole way, but it still took nearly 1:45 from summit to town. I was then finally able to relax with my first coffee for four days, and curd strudel, before driving to Kufstein and Munich.

Ahornspitze

Peaks: Ahornspitze (2976m/9764ft)
Area: Zillertal Alps, Tyrol, Austria
I had planned to do this on my last day (tomorrow morning) but decided to nip up it before my evening meal. This was probably not the wisest decision, as I'd already done the Hoher Riffler then walked part of the Berliner Hohenweg this morning, and then walked up to the Edel Hut (see previous entry). There was a logic to it, however, in that the weather was perfect and I did need plenty of time to get down in the morning. It's also an easy peak, although not quite as close to the hut as it looks. Shallow zigzags led up to a contouring path at an upper cwm. I managed to run a reasonable amount of this before slowing as I gained the main west ridge line (the Popbergschneide). I was now beginning to tire, bonking slightly, and had no water or food having left all my gear at the hut. So it was a bit of a struggle after a tough day, although I was inspired by the superb clarity of light and magnificent views south over the rest of the Zillertal. This morning's peak, the Hoher Riffler, looked big and distant, and the Grosser Loffler also impressed. The ridge is rather broken and shattered, with some scrambling, and I got to the top in just under an hour from the hut. There are two small summits, the one with the cross being clearly lower than the one requiring a brief scramble. I didn't spend long drinking in the stunning views, as I was in need of food. Ran down in 25 minutes or so, and refuelled with pleasure at the hut - which was as excellent and 'gemutlichkeit' as the rest had been.

Hoher Riffler

Peaks: Hoher Riffler (3231m/10600ft)
Routes: Sudwestgrat (uI)
Area: Zillertal Alps, Tyrol, Austria
A cold morning, with the weather clearly still unsettled as I left the hut at 7am. The Hoher Riffler is the most obvious objective from the Friesenberg Hut, and was the only 3000m peak without a cap of cloud as I jogged up to the vague col below the Peterskopl. I was pleased to feel relatively fresh, and was able to run for short sections. I missed the main route almost immediately as a result, and took the south ridge direct with good scrambling. The south ridge begins to narrow at a small col, with a snowfield, leading to good scrambling over boulders until the ridge narrows further and swings to the northeast. This gives a fine finish, far more enjoyable than the dull slog I'd half expected. The ridge is well defined, and drops steeply to the Schwarzbrunner glacier ('kees' locally) to the west. A snowy saddle leads up to the summit in around an hour: an ideal solo peak, impressive yet non-technical. Views a little limited due to low cloud over the highest peaks, but it began to clear as I descended. I had breakfast high on the ridge, but out of the cold wind, and enjoyed a wonderful break with tremendous views over the nearby Gefrorne Wand, Fusstein and Olperer, as well as the other high peaks to the east. An easy descent led back to the hut, after which I decided to extend the day by heading over to the Olperer hut for lunch (I didn't have enough carbs last night, despite Bergsteigeressen and a large wedge of Strudel, and was starting to suffer for it). Steep zigzags led above the lake to superb views back over the Hoher Riffler, which is quite impressive and pyramidal from this angle. There followed a magnificent high level promenade, heading south on the Berliner Hohenweg, virtually level along the 2500m contour with continually improving views as the sun broke through and the high peaks began to clear. By the time I arrived at the Olperer hut just before midday, all the peaks were clear. I enjoyed a memorable break on the terrace, with noodle soup and wurst, gazing out at the glaciated Hochfeiler and Grosser Moseler. A steep descent along the banks of the Riepenbach stream led back to the lake and car after a superb morning. I then drove to Mayrhofen and got straight onto the Ahornbahn cable car, keen to see a different part of the Zillertal in the time I had left. I certainly felt I was maximising my time as I headed up from the top cable station across to the Edel Hut. I felt a little tired on this walk in, not surprisingly, but it was still good with fine views up to the Ahornspitze and down to Mayrhofen. After booking in and enjoying a beer on the terrace, the weather became superbly clear - so much so that I started to get tempted to nip up the Ahornspitze rather than wait for the morning as planned. But that seems to warrant a separate entry!

Ellmauer Halt

Peaks: Ellmauer Halt (2344m/7690ft)
Routes: Kopftorl (vB), Gamsangersteig (vB/C)
Area: Kaisergebirge, Tyrol, Austria
A storm blew up in the night, high winds and heavy rain rattling the windows of the hut. I slept well, though, which was just as well as a long day lay ahead. The mist, which had engulfed the hut a few hours earlier, was fortunately starting to rise as I left the Stripsenjoch on the small path that leads down the Kaistertal to the west. The weather remained a slight concern, however, as it was clearly unstable and I had no option but to cross one of the high cols to the south to regain my car! The plan was to head up the steep valley of the Hoher Winkler to what I presumed was a small col: the Koftorl, and then - if the weather permitted - nip up the range's highest peak Ellmauer Halt. A side path allowed me to cut the corner across the Neustadler Graben through pinewoods, and soon led to a Ferrata section with chains and a long ladder negotiating a line of crags. I soon emerged in the main valley, a great wild place with large herds of chamois. Not as dramatic as the Steinerne Rinne to the east, perhaps, but a lot wilder feeling. Not many people come this way, I would guess, and I was completely alone in a big landscape. Again, towering limestone crags on both sides. The route is pretty direct and gets steeper and narrower until reaching a smaller scree couloir towards the top. The shifting scree was unpleasant and draining, with loose rock above, but it led to chains and easier upward movement as the couloir narrowed further below the top. This climb reminded me very strongly of the Baranie Sedlo in the Tatra. As I emerged at the small col of the Kopftorl (2058m, so at least 800m of ascent to this point), mist swirled up from the northern side of the range, enveloping the spires of the Kopftorlgrat (a tempting easy climb, a shame I had no partner!). This lent tremendous atmosphere to the subsequent descent, which traverses left over lots of space to gain a tight chimney cleft between a pinnacle and the main rockface. I descended this to another traverse, with chains, to gain another tiny col overlooking yesterday's route up to Ellmauer Tor. Steep but excellent secured scrambling down a series of gullies leads to another col below the subsidiary summit of Kopfl, and a final descent gains a very feint contouring path which I surmised led to the normal route (the Gamsangersteig) up Ellmauer Halt. It did, and I had a small breakfast to celebrate. It was somewhat annoying to have lost so much height after the Kopftorl, but the route down had been so enjoyable that it didn't matter. And there was more excellence to come. I hardly noticed the increasingly heavy drizzle as I began the route, a wonderful narrow path which traverses leftwards to gain easy scrambling and, on turning the corner to head north, an extraordinary Ferrata section with metal rungs drilled into the rock enabling an easy 'staircase' ascent for 300m or so to gain a wide couloir and excellent scrambling. I chose to avoid the unnecessary chains and enjoy the rock here. A series of easy juggy grooves led up to an obvious crux with a choice of routes. I opted for the route through a huge cave/cleft to gain a long ladder out of the cave. Easier ground led up to the Babenstuber Hut, a tiny wooden shelter nestled under the summit ridge. Mist swirled around, lending a tremendous atmosphere to the final climb up a series of grooves and slabs to the small summit. No distant views, but the immediate ridges to Gamshalt, Treffauer and Tuxeck were rendered more impressive by the shifting mists. I took the variant route on the descent, avoiding the cave in favour of an exposed Ferrata section leading across slabs to a steep protected groove and crack. An easy but long descent back to the path junction, after which I romped down to the Gruttenhutte in dramatically improving conditions. By the time I'd reached the direct path through the woods back to Wochenbrunner the clouds had cleared and warm sunshine lit the walls of Ellmauer Halt. After a wash in the Hausgraben river, I embarked on the long drive to Mayrhofen in the Zillertal, then took the toll road all the way up to the Schlegeisspeicher reservoir. This was a long drive, but I was still able to start the walk-in to the Friesenberghaus at 3.30pm. I was beginning to tire slightly, but perked up quite quickly and really enjoyed the walk and the opportunity to gradually get my bearings in the Zillertal: an entirely different landscape to the Kaiserberge, open and Alpine, a wonderful contrast. I still had a 700m climb to negotiate, though, and I got a real drenching as I emerged from the contouring path to gain the open valley of the Lapenkar with the hut, and tomorrow's objective the Hoher Riffler, looming above. The rain eased off briefly, then started again in earnest as I reached the hut. The Friesenberghaus is a superb place - old, stone-built and very atmospheric, the highest hut in the Zillertal at 2500m. It had been a long day, and it was great to be able to refuel and rest.

Kaisergebirge traverse

Peaks: Hintere Goinger Halt (2192m/7192ft), Vordere Goinger Halt (2242m/7356ft), Stripsenkopf (1807m/5928ft)
Routes: Jubilaumssteig (vB), Angermannweg(uI-), Gratubergang (uII), Eggersteig (vB), Ubungsklettersteig (vC/D)
Area: Kaisergebirge, Tyrol, Austria
A 'mixed' weather forecast provoked me into downscaling my plans for this, the first day of a brief foray into the Austrian Tyrol. A late flight and night in the Munich suburbs meant this was just as well, as it was after 9.30 when I finally got to Wochunbrunner Alm at the southern end of the Kaisergebirge - a compact yet spectacular range of peaks and an obvious first destination from Munich. This traverse was essentially the opposite of what I'd planned, centred on the enormous gateway of Ellmauer Tor. This is such an enormous col, the focal point of the range, that it transcends the term and warrants a different descriptor (hence 'gateway'). The weather, contrary to the forecast, was superb as I set off at a fast pace from the Alm, although very hot and humid. The character of this wonderful range asserts itself immediately as I climbed through dwarf pines on the Ellmauer Weg to emerge on scree slopes to join the Jubilaumssteig traverse path to the Tor. Huge spires of limestone tower on both sides, meaning (rather obviously) that I started to dehydrate through lack of running water. I emerged at the Tor to fantastic views down to the Stripsenjoch through the Steinerne Rinne, which looks utterly unfeasible as a route of descent. But before continuing the traverse and beginning the descent into the void I nipped up the obvious peak of the Hintere Goinger Halt, which is a short scramble away to the northeast from the Tor. A rising traverse leads to a groove with chains before some mild scrambling accesses the small summit. Fabulous views all around and a great way to get my bearings. Across the gulf of the Ellmaeur Tor rises the Karlspitze and beyond that the highpoint of the range: Ellmaeur Halt, which I'd planned for tomorrow. To the east, the Ackerlspitze crowned a long ridge of dazzling white spires. Enjoyable though the Hintere Goinger was, it was obvious that this peak was just a tourist peak and was actually topped by the far more impressive sister peak of the Vordere Goinger Halt which rose above the windgap of the Predigtstuhl Scharte. So I returned to the gap for an attempt at this, spying a tiny path, with a few cairns. This gave an excellent, intricate scramble (research suggests it's called the Gratubergang) up steep grooves and chimneys and traversing across a series of loose couloirs to gain the steep summit slopes and slabby scrambling to the top. The summit book suggested that it is infrequently climbed - it was last signed in June (compared to the dozens that must go up Hintere every day). Superb atmosphere, with the entire range (seemingly) to myself and rock walls and pinnacles rising from the beautiful green meadows of the Tyrol: a memorable summit. I scampered back down to the Tor and began the famous descent of the Eggersteig on the far (northern) side of the Tor. This gets steeper and steeper as you enter the deep cauldron of the Steinerne Rinne, until it drops sharply away between the towering rock walls of the Fleischbank on the western side and Predigstuhl on the east. Chains protect the intricate scrambling, although they weren't really necessary (but I had Ferrata gear just in case). The line takes a series of shelfs and ledges, twisting right and left down the huge couloir until it reaches an exposed traverse cut into the rocks to the west. This leads, superbly atmospherically, to the Wildanger meadows and a final climb to the Stripsenjoch and its eponymous hut: a great spot. I was badly dehydrated so a lunch of cold Zillertal beer and splendid goulash was hugely appreciated. After booking in, I noticed that a Klettersteig (Via Ferrata) made its way up the crags lining the route up to the small peak of the Stripsenkopf which rises above the hut to the north. A perfect way to while away the afternoon (the Ubungklettersteig). The first section climbs the Hundskopf, a little pinnacled crag above the hut, via a groove and steep wall. After a walk, the second section traverses left before a steep arete finish, while the final section is also steep and finishes below the summit shelter. Having once had a two-week Via Ferrata holiday in the Dolomites in 1996, I've never done another one, finding the metalwork and whole experience a bit weird and unsatisfactory compared to proper climbing - but they are good fun in some circumstances (still weird though, especially this one!). I rested on the summit of the Stripsenkopf, relishing the scenic contrast between the 1000m rock walls of the Wilder Kaiser to the south and the verdant green meadows of the Tamer Kaiser to the north. Some cloud as I sauntered down to the hut, but this soon dissolved to leave a perfect sunny evening. Just glorious on the hut terrace, eating my bergsteigeressen, drinking wheat beer, and looking out over the vast sunlit crags of the Fleischbank and Totenkirchl.

Langdale scramble

Peaks: Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle
Area: Langdale, Lake District
A bit of a disaster in the Saunders Mountain Marathon this year, but you can't win them all. After a good night's sleep in Baysbrown campsite, a beautiful morning boded well for the Klets - a great opportunity given the tough nature of the course (the elite solo class). However, I realised there was a problem as soon as I set off. I felt tired and heavy legged almost immediately and was exhausted, with an upset stomach, by the time I reached the plateau and first checkpoint. By the time I'd jogged the 2k to the next checkpoint, I was almost relieved to struggle to find it. I was clearly under the weather, and later found that M had been evacuated from cub camp with a stomach bug at the same time. I decided to abandon early, as anything else would have prolonged the inevitable and at least this way I could get home early. The weather was so perfect, however, that I had to extend the day slightly. So I walked down to a perfectly still Stickle Tarn (there's a photo of me swimming in this in 1989) and slogged up the scree to Jack's Rake. This is one of the most obvious scrambling lines in the UK, but I couldn't remember doing it before. It was better than I'd expected - a narrow gangway with the odd steeper section, all quite enjoyable. I wandered up to the top of Pavey Ark, then over to Harrison Stickle. Great views, but this gentle ramble confirmed the wisdom of my decision to abandon - as did the descent to Dungeon Ghyll and 'jog' back to the HQ at Chapel Stile. Felt exhausted throughout. Just terrible timing and a real disappointment, as I felt I was well prepared for the Klets and was looking forward to it.