After unpacking from Greece, I took a few minutes out, to sit in the snug and flick back through some of the (hundreds of) photos of last year. What a year it’s been. Great memories. In between local adventures at home in North Wales, here are a few of my favourite standout mountain lifestyle and travel moments of 2017.
January 2017:
The year started off in great style and in various countries. Beginning with the sunny rock of Malta, where we enjoyed some steep New Years Day climbing as well as a dip in the sea.
A few days later, we were in the Alps, ski touring in Italy and France, around Mt Blanc.
February 2017:
There was a bit of Welsh Winter action to start the month off.
As well as some luxury coastal accommodation, with a decent view from the bed.
March 2017:
Back in Wales for March for some rock climbing and scrambling on our home terrain in the Ogwen Valley.
April 2017:
An unbelievable few weeks exploring the Troll Peninsula of Iceland. Seeking out some wild hot springs.
And breath-taking wilderness ski touring. From sea to summit and back down again!
May 2017:
Always the best moth weather-wise in Snowdonia. Mostly hill walking, scrambling and climbing in North Wales, but also a bit of canoe action with ‘The Martins’.
Leading an expedition to the Sierra Nevada, to climb the highest mountain in mainland Spain took up the latter half of the month.
June 2017:
Another new place visited - the Isle of Man, where I got shown all the best bouldering and climbing by the locals.
A hot month, where our local ‘swimming hole’ got plenty of useage.
July 2017:
July was spent mostly in the French Pyrenees. There was some adventurous multi-pitch climbing, but most memorable moments were the solitude of the wild swimming spots...
And a few incredible bivis under the stars as we travelled through the mountains on foot...
Oh, and some dramatic ridge traverses!
August 2017:
We crossed over into the Spanish Pyrenees at the beginning of the month, for more climbing and trekking.
Then finished the month with something completely different - a cycle tour across the south sea islands of Denmark.
A fantastic feeling of freedom and self propelled travel.
September 2017:
September was spent back in Wales, catching a wave whenever we could.
October 2017:
Lots of visitors to The Cottage this month, from Northamptonshire, Cornwall, France and even Canada. A blustery time, but made use of the good weather locally when we could.
November 2017:
A local bike tour - three days across the north of Anglesey, from The Cottage.
And then it turned cold! Got our first winter climb of the season in the Nameless Cwm.
December 2017:
Our most varied month? A local cycle tour through Anglesey.
Winter mountaineering in sun kissed Torridon, Scotland.
Fabulous conditions for leading a group in the Scottish mountains.
Less fabulous conditions for attempting to ski tour in the Ogwen Valley.
Perfect conditions for rock climbing in Leonidio, Greece on Christmas Day.
And a big multi-pitch route on Boxing Day.
Plenty of great climbs, swims in the sea and fresh orange juice saw the year out in Greece.
A brief snapshot of a year to remember - way too much to include everything and everyone.. Good times in good places with good people. Utterly brilliant.
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