Where next?

[Cumbrian Neil]

After a pretty successful trip out to the Italian Dolomites to do some Via Ferratas this past summer, I am looking ahead to another adventure. Does anyone have any ideas on where to go next that has some good culture, caves, walking, and stable summer weather?  I'm looking for something in Europe... North Wales (especially World's End) and the Mendips do not fit this description.

:

CN.

 

[graham]

I can think of lots of places with stable summer weather. Trouble is it's not very .... nice.

 

[SamT]

If you lovin the dolomites - then it HAS to be slovenia - in particular Triglav national park.

Via Ferrata - Canyoning - mountain biking - rafting - awesome hiking up triglav.

Oh and I think there are one or two caves just south somewhere. 

 

[paul]

If you lovin the dolomites - then it HAS to be slovenia - in particular Triglav national park.

Via Ferrata - Canyoning - mountain biking - rafting - awesome hiking up triglav.

Oh and I think there are one or two caves just south somewhere. 

I'll second that - Slovenia. Plus they largely speak English and prices are still relatively cheap!

 

[Cumbrian Neil]

If you lovin the dolomites - then it HAS to be slovenia - in particular Triglav national park.

Via Ferrata - Canyoning - mountain biking - rafting - awesome hiking up triglav.

Oh and I think there are one or two caves just south somewhere. 

I'll second that - Slovenia. Plus they largely speak English and prices are still relatively cheap!

Thanks gentlemen - do you kno wof any good resources that I can use?  Books??  Websites??

CN.

 

[badger]

national park ordessa and surrounding country, spanish pyrennes, would also have all the activities you are looking for

 

[SamT]

I think Ian Bishop (Keyhole caving club)  wrote an engish guide to Solvenia.

(Alt Tab - google)

ah - yes - here it is = http://www.keyhole.org.uk/sloveniabook.asp

The thing to do caving wise would be to stop at the speleocamp at Laze.

http://www.speleocamp.com/

Be aware that you need to pre book - and not just turn up out the blue like we did. (Frank albeit a bit confused was kind enough to just let us (me an't missus) stay a few nights though).

Good bases for Triglav based activities are the Soca valley to the north - we stayed in Bovec ( small town  with most amenities and a handfull off outdoor activities outfits, (mainly rafting and canyoning but offering via ferrata and climbing too)

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=46.332588,13.559103&spn=0.027558,0.05785&t=k&z=14&om=1

For ascents of Triglav and good access to the mountians awesome refugios/huts (called Doms in Slov) Try lake Bohinj)

http://maps.google.co.uk/?ie=UTF8&ll=46.278275,13.862514&spn=0.05517,0.1157&t=k&z=13&om=1

Lake Bled is really quite touristy - but very nice all the same. Ljubljana the capital is of couse and uber cool, chilled out laid back small city. Think prague but smaller and cosier.

(god - I sound like Im on one of those travel programs).

 

[Cumbrian Neil]

Thanks SamT... did you fly into Venice, Italy??  Or is there somewhere closer to the area??

CN.

 

[Cumbrian Neil]

national park ordessa and surrounding country, spanish pyrennes, would also have all the activities you are looking for

Do you have links to this area??

CN.

 

[Cumbrian Neil]

This is a wee photo of one of the routes we were on in the Dolomites.  There is a reason why I cave... you can't see the bottom : ).

 

[SamT]

looks like the toffana ?? or where you in the Brenta group.

for Slov we flew into ljubljana but I guess you could do Trieste or Venice.

 

[badger]

national park ordessa and surrounding country, spanish pyrennes, would also have all the activities you are looking for

Do you have links to this area??

CN.

I will try and see what I can dig up as I basically only organised the transport side, so whilst down there just followed others who had organised the activities, the caving info we found out was by asking people down there as we could not find anything written.

 

[Cumbrian Neil]

looks like the toffana ?? or where you in the Brenta group.

for Slov we flew into ljubljana but I guess you could do Trieste or Venice.

You're right... the ridge on the lower left of the shot is the col between Punta Anna and Toffana.  Quite airy!

 

[Leclused]

What do you think of France.

Area's like : Herault or Aude contains a lot of caves and in the summer the weather is excellent.

A good link to a very active club there is the following blog http://exploscm.canalblog.com/

To see some photo's of several caving trips in that area ==> http://www.scavalon.be/webalbums/Herault-Aude%202006/index.html

But be aware, a lot of the caves are locked so you need te get in contact with the local cavers. But they are mostly very helpfull.

BR

dagobert (Sc Avalon - Belgium)

 

[hoehlenforscher]

Me and the missus did the toffana route back when in our inocence we knew nothing of via ferratas. Consequently we didn't have harnesses or cows tails of any sort ... those traverses were fun! One thing about it we were about twice as fast as anyone else and got back down before the thunderstorms started. Thats a fantastic part of the world. If you want something a bit closer to home then the Vercors is a wonderful destination. Will second Slovenia too with a base at Speleocamp Laze. Picos de Europa and pyrennees? Freinds have been there but I haven't so can't comment from experience. Why not try and tag along on one of the summer alpine trips if you want to do some original exploration. Or winter in the Hirlatz Cave if you're willing to porter dive cylinders for 4 days!