Fan y Big – the Severe climber

Bouldering in Fontainebleau with a Toddler

The woods around Fontainebleau have a reputation as one of the best places in the world to boulder. Thousands of sandstone boulders, with tens of thousands of boulder problems, scattered about a pretty forest that covers some 300 square kilometres. Fontainebleau also has a reputation as being a great place to take kids. That’s a … Read more Bouldering in Fontainebleau with a Toddler

Climbing a Cathedral and Ringing the Bell on the Klettersteig Pfeilspitzwand

A little over half way up the Klettersteig Pfeilspitzwand there is a brass bell hanging from the rock. If you want to ring the bell, then you need to take a detour that traverses the face of the buttress above a sheer drop. There’s a slightly tricky step to negotiate, before you stand on a … Read more Climbing a Cathedral and Ringing the Bell on the Klettersteig Pfeilspitzwand

A Little Bit of the Eiger – the Rotstock Via Ferrata

“All the Grindelwald via ferrata are closed.” The woman at the tourist information office said these words in a firm, brisk tone that indicated that she didn’t realise that I would find them disappointing. I knew that there was a risk that the long, cold winter might mean that some mountain routes would still be … Read more A Little Bit of the Eiger – the Rotstock Via Ferrata

1 Day Wet and 1 Day Dry Walking in the Brecon Beacons

1 Day Wet and 1 Day Dry Walking in the Brecon Beacons

December 15, 2016the Severe climber

I may not have been able to see very far on my walk up The Black Mountain (Y Mynydd Du) last Saturday, but I could still enjoy looking at the pretty colours of the grass.

I may not have been able to see very far on my walk up The Black Mountain (Y Mynydd Du) last Saturday, but I could still enjoy looking at the pretty colours of the grass.

Walking on The Black Mountain.

Walking on The Black Mountain.

Marcus crossing Afon Twrch on The Black Mountain.

Marcus crossing Afon Twrch on The Black Mountain.

The Black Mountain and Fan Brycheiniog.

The Black Mountain and Fan Brycheiniog.

Broken limestone near Castell y Geifr.

Broken limestone near Castell y Geifr.

On Sunday my circular walk over some of the classic peaks in the Brecon Beacons started by walking through Cwm Llwch.

On Sunday my circular walk over some of the classic peaks in the Brecon Beacons started by walking through Cwm Llwch.

The sun broke through the cloud as I walked along a ridge towards the summit of Corn Du.

The sun broke through the cloud as I walked along a ridge towards the summit of Corn Du.

The mountains looked very pretty when the cloud cleared enough to see the summits of Pen y Fan and Corn Du.

The mountains looked very pretty when the cloud cleared enough to see the summits of Pen y Fan and Corn Du.

The view back to Llyn Cwm Llwch and Cwm Llwch from the side of Corn Du.

The view back to Llyn Cwm Llwch and Cwm Llwch from the side of Corn Du.

After climbing Corn Du, it was up and then down Pen y Fan.

After climbing Corn Du, it was up and then down Pen y Fan.

Then up again on to Cribyn, which is where I got this view of Fan y Big. Frustratingly, something had gone a bit wrong with my knee and I was in a lot of pain and so I decided not to walk up Fan y Big that day and head back to the car.

Then up again on to Cribyn, which is where I got this view of Fan y Big. Frustratingly, something had gone a bit wrong with my knee and I was in a lot of pain and so I decided not to walk up Fan y Big that day and head back to the car.