Climbing Berchtesgaden - Germany's other alpine playground Watzmann, Königssee, the Eagles Nest, the Huberbuam - all names springing to mind when thinking about the region and mountains around Berchtesgaden. From climbing to history this place has a lot to offer. However you have to deal with the crowds.
Hiking Hiking the Fisherman’s Trail in Portugal Millions of years of wind and waves have formed the rough beauty of the Alentejo coast south of Lisbon. Our aim when visiting this unique landscape was to explore the area and to hike at least parts of the Fisherman’s Trail that hugs the coast.
Hiking A perfect day out on the Besseggen Ridge I mostly tend to stay away from hikes that do not include at least some scrambling and also those that draw big crowds. However after my own research and a personal recommendation I had to check out this ridge cutting through mountains and lakes.
Hiking High above the wildest of Norway on the Romsdalen Ridge While all of the Fjord lands of Norway are stunning, the area around Åndalsnes is of special rugged beauty. The walls here rise almost 1500 meters straight from the sea and the Romsdalen ridge cuts through the area. From my experience the hike along it has some of the best views in all of Europe.
Hiking The Sa Mola quarry in Felanitx This website talks about the natural beauty of Mallorca all the time but even I must admit sometimes artificial places can be really interesting. The abandoned rock quarry Sa Mola in Felanitx is one of those weird and at times slightly creepy lost places.
Mallorca Adventure Guide Scramble: Galatzo East Face Quick info * An alternative and more adventurous way to reach the top of Puig de Galatzo, one of the premier hiking peaks of the island * Light scrambling with some exposure * Can be combined with the climb of the Agulla de Forcada (el Bispe) General The popular hiking peak of the
Mallorca Adventure Guide Scramble: Serra de Torrella traverse / Puig Major tunnel Quick info * A long traverse with some technical sections high above the Soller valley * Needs rappel gear to stay on the ridge proper * Can be combined with an ascent of Penyal de Migdia General Looking up from the town of Soller and beyond the orange and olive groves the Serra
Mallorca Adventure Guide Scramble: Puig Major North East Ridge / Coll de Reis Quick info * Long mix of hiking and scrambling to reach the actual summit of Puig Major right outside of the military base. * Out and back route. The military zone blocks the way for a circular route. * The main challenges are route finding and the length of the tour. * No technical
vanlife Benasque and the Aneto - The heart of the Pyrenees This chapter of our ongoing exploration of the Iberian peninsula brought us into the central Pyrenees and the very heart of this range, the Benasque valley under the mighty Aneto.
Climbing Pico de Aneto - A solo climb of the highest mountain in the Pyrenees in a day During a cloudless and warm day in late September I took on the Aneto. Ascending via the classic, partly glaciated route and descending via what has become the new normal route. A long, arduous but at the same time beautiful and memorable day well spent.
Climbing The Cova des Genet: Hidden in plain sight The steep eastern coast of Mallorca is peppered with caves of all sizes. And the specially rugged area around the popular bay Cala Varques is no different. However, needing a rope to get in and out makes the Cova des Genet secluded even if it's so close to this sometimes crowded destination.
Climbing Exploring the beautiful and slightly technical Cova de na Mitjana After some cool climbing adventures Wolf and I made the most of the turning winter weather on Mallorca by seeking out a lesser known cave in the north east of the island that can only be accessed by a bit of scrambling and a rappel into the main cavern.
vanlife Agüero - Not just Riglos light! The 300 meter towers of Riglos are both visible from kilometers away and very well known by fans of multi pitch climbing in Spain and beyond. However just a village over there is Agüero with its own Mallos that are just that bit smaller and less intimidating - but as beautiful and unique.
vanlife Maraña - An outdoor enthusiasts dream playground Our van based exploration of the regions of northern Spain brought us into the mountains of León and to the small village of Maraña. Sitting in a beautiful pastoral valley right at the foot of the Mampodre mountains, this place is a gem for hikers, climbers and anyone looking to get away from it.
Hiking Peaks beyond Peaks: Traversing the Mampodre range Besides the famous Picos de Europa there are many more ranges in Northern Spain. By traversing the main line of peaks of the Macizo del Mampodre I got to know one of the less famous but equally beautiful more closely.
Hiking Scaling the Pico Gilbo from Riaño The mountain panorama around the Riaño reservoir is stunning. But even among the many peaks here Pico Gilbo stands out. An almost perfect Toblerone pyramid that looks both inviting and foreboding. Its hard to see where an easy way might lead up - however there is one.
vanlife Exploring the Vallée de Vésubie Like its cousin the Roya valley over the mountains to the east the Valley of the Vesubie river has much to offer to the outdoor orientated visitor. Tons of peaks, curious wildlife and twisty mountain roads provide more than enough to do!
2022 Outdoor sports and other adventures in La Brigue The valley has been hit hard by the storm Alex in 2020 and it still shows. However this means that the area is quiet and the many outdoorsy activities you can do here are not crowded at all. And all of the alpine beauty is still there!
Hiking Exploring the Torrent de s'Arboceret The north-east of Mallorca has its own small mountain range that is much less well known than its bigger brother the Tramuntana. However there is a lot to discover here too - like this remote canyon.
Hiking Climbing the elusive Puig Major on Mallorca With its large radar facility run by the military the summit of Puig Major seems out of reach. Getting close to it is the Penyal de Migdia. However there is a way to reach the proper summit via the North Eastern Spur - it's tricky though!
Tips and tricks Review Salewa Raven 2 GTX boots In summary a pair of light mountaineering boots that are comfortable for hiking and keep your feet warm enough on most occasions. These boots work well for everything but technical climbing or extreme conditions.
Hiking Exploring the Son Cifre canyon After spotting this canyon close to the city of Manacor on a map and a bit of googling we set out to explore what looked to be an interesting feature in the more or less flat part of Mallorca. Turns out we stumbled upon a little hidden gem!
Hiking Exploring the stunning Cova Tancada I do have a habit of looking for peaks, cliffs and other features on maps and then making other people go to these places for little adventures with me. This is what happened to Brigitte when we were hiked/scrambled to and spelunked in the Tancada cave on this memorable excursion.
Hiking Up the Puig de Galatzo via the East face The most prominent peak (1026 MASL) of the southern Tramuntana can be scaled via a normal hiking trail or, as I did this time, a fairly adventurous scramble through the east face. And in early January even Mallorca offers some cold and windy weather to make things interesting.
Hiking The Serra de Son Torrella traverse Its length, exposure and technical nature make this ridge one of the crown jewels of the Tramuntana mountains. And after having looked at it from many angles I set off for a great day of scrambling, rappelling and admiring the views.
