2027 overseas meets

There are three overseas meets under consideration for next year. We need to find out whether they will be viable so you are being asked to indicate your interest. There is no definite commitment at this stage but we don’t want to go to the stage of booking accommodation until we have an idea of how popular the meets will be.

In the booking section, for each meet there is a box for “intend to go” and “interested”. If you select Yes for “intend to go” you don’t need to select the “interested” box and vice versa. There is a questions/comments box for anything further you want to say.

Cala Gonone, Sardinia 17-24th April 2027

Cala Gonone has long been established as one of the main sport climbing areas in Sardinia and as such attracts many international visitors. Nestled along the rugged coastline of Sardinia, this picturesque seaside town is a paradise for rock climbers. With its towering cliffs and crystal-clear waters, Cala Gonone offers a wide variety of sport routes across the grades to suit climbers of all abilities. The majority of the climbing here is single pitch sport routes, offering many different styles from slabs, steep walls and fierce overhangs on hard limestone rock.

There is also some multi-pitch climbing to be found in Cala Gonone. Grotta dei Colombi crag has fully bolted multi-pitch routes up to 210m long in the F6b to F6c grade range. La Poltrona and Biddiriscottai are both popular crags where all the routes are fully bolted across a wide range of grades.

Cala Gonone offers spectacular mountain and coast walking and scrambling in the Gennargentu National Park, ranging from accessible coastal paths to demanding inland peaks including Sardinia’s highest, Punta Marmora, 1834m. There really is something for everyone here. Paddy Dillon’s Cicerone guide is currently out of print but can be readily obtained on Ebay. There is another guide, Sardinia Hiking Guide 2026 which is available on Amazon.

This year we had a very successful hotel based meet in Mallorca and there are several hotels in Cala Gonone which might be suitable. There are also some large villas so either option is possible.

Fontainebleau bouldering 5-12th June 2027

Fontainebleau is situated 90km south of Paris and can be simply described as the best bouldering area in Europe if not the world. The majority of the bouldering is to found in the forests that surround Fontainebleau, which makes for a magical and unique setting. The sandstone rock is of fantastic quality and the landings are generally soft and sandy. The bouldering sometimes requires brute strength, but that is rare, most of the time you need excellent skills in balance, footwork and technique. The unique circuits that have been developed here are colour coded, that lead you from boulder problem to boulder problem and there are literally thousands of them for every level of rock climber. From the yellow circuits for the inexperienced climber; to orange, blue and red circuits for intermediate climbers; and white and black circuits offer the top end bouldering experience. There are also many individual extreme problems outside of the circuits, generally graded from Font 6a and above.

This is a new departure for the Club and is aimed essentially at climbers. There is extensive walking in the area but it is predominantly within forests and may not appeal to many. Of course anyone who wants to try the trails would be very welcome, Tom Spencer is planning the meet and has suitable accommodation in mind.

Iceland 1-7th August 2027, The Laugavegur and Fimmvorduhals Trail

We are planning return to Iceland in 2027 to complete the magnificently beautiful Laugavegur and Fimmvorduhals trail. Members have a choice of either being self-supported and camp or make use of the huts at each stage of the walk. Camping is by a long way the cheapest option at around £20 pppn. Huts are quite basic and considerably more expensive. However, huts should be considered if you want to do the trail but don’t fancy carrying tents.

Laugavegur and Fimmvorduhals Trail is often described as on of the most beautiful walks in the world, and quite rightly so. The notion of ‘ice and fire’ can be witnessed frequently en-route. The scenery is quite incredible, rainbow coloured rhyolite mountains, magnificent volcanoes and remarkable features including Torfajokull Caldera and accompanying obsidian lava field. At the end of Stage 3 (Emstrur-Botnar) a side trip to the Markarfljotsgljufur Canyon can be taken, the canyon is breathtaking not only by its size but also the assortment of vivid rhyolite colours that adorn the canyon walls.

Whilst the trail is not technically difficult and is abundant with way markers, it does involve crossing rivers and small ice sheets. In addition, on the plateau there is little cover from changeable winds, the memorial cairns are a solitary reminder of potential harshness of the environment. At the planned time of going, the temperature will be a maximum of around 15 degrees centigrade. Nights can be cold, especially at Camp 1 (Hrafntinnusker – 1141m ASL) so a warm sleeping bag is recommended.