Adventure Diary

Not all those who wonder are lost…

Category: Hiking

Željava Air Base, Zadar and Pag island

Željava Air Base

Its felt like a very long 3 months since our return from Spain and I was in need of an adventure so I packed the van and headed south through Slovenia and Northern Croatia to the Bosnian border. The drive there was quite surreal and somewhat unnerving as this area was where most of the heavy fighting was done during the Yugoslavian war, and even though it was over 30 years ago, you still got the feeling of danger all around.

Vast open countryside with armoured bunkers along the roadside. Derelict buildings littered with bullet holes and still flying decaying Yugoslavian flags. Police cruising everywhere with roadside stops looking for immigrants and smugglers coming over the Bosnian border. This really was no-mans land and I was heading for the abandoned Željava Air Base, a relic from the cold war and code named Objekta 505.

This was a top-secret bunker concealed under mount Plešecica and at full capacity was large enough to hide up to 60 warplanes. There is a stripped out and vandalised C-47 transporter plane which you can climb aboard and two derelict runways which you can drive down which was quite a cool experience.

The bunker itself is a little creepy when you enter. The MIG fighter opening in the nuclear blast proof doors is very interesting but once inside its pitch black and even with a torch its still unnerving to walk through. This is still the external border with the EU and the area surrounding the airbase is part of the Balkan smuggling route for illegal immigrants, so you must be wary even with all the police presence. But a very interesting place to visit and recommended if you are in the area.

Zadar

I have never been to Zadar but heard many good things about the town and surroundings. I wanted to stay at the all year campsite for the main reason that in off-season you get to use the gym and spa in the neighbouring hotel. The campsite was relatively clean and tidy but it was nearly empty so that should not have been a problem. The hotel gym was basic but it opened at 7am and I used it every day and the spa was very much unloved but the sauna was welcome each evening after training.

The old town of Zadar was really very nice and you can spend a pleasant few hours wandering the streets and ocean front in the spring sunshine. The Organ steps being a lovely place to sit for a while with the sound of the waves gently playing out some soothing notes. I’m not sure what it would sound like if the sea was very rough though!

I had planned a week of cycle tours taking me far and wide but after the third day I was counting my luck that I was still in one piece and decided to put the bike away. The problem was that there were no cycle paths at all, no sidewalks on the seafront, and the limited off-road tours were bogged down after torrential rain the past weeks. But by far the worst issue was the abundance of road and construction works that was happening. New infrastructure installations and new apartments on every single free plot of land, it was quite amazing. But the nock-on effect was that cycling was quite dangerous as all the traffic was frustrated and impatient. So the time in Zadar was enjoyable but its geared toward the general and family tourist and not really outdoors people or cyclists.

Island Pag

Deciding to leave the campsite earlier than planned I headed to the Island of Pag. Also never having been here before I wanted to end my trip in good weather and hike the famous Island trail. I found this trail quite a few years ago when looking for off-road running races but I never got to run it and now my aging body unfortunately wont let me! So I thought that I would just hike it instead.

Arriving on the island at a beautiful sunset it was tough to keep your eyes on the road but after a far more difficult drive than planned I eventually arrived at my park-up as it was getting dark. Not knowing how amazing it was until I woke up just before dawn the next day.

I had parked on the headland near the small town of Metajna and there I stayed completely alone for the next three days. It was such an amazing location and in the off-season totally ignored by everyone. From my base I made two days of hiking all around the area covering every path and distant corner of this quite bizarre headland. The trails are just incredibly difficult to hike being sharp loose rocks and it really takes a lot of effort and a toll on the body but the plus side is that if you do see anyone you know that they really want to be there. And you are guaranteed that you will not run into your average unfit tourist on this trail.

I was so fortunate that in two days and over 40 km of naked hiking I experienced 20 degrees, no wind, and the most remarkable thing was that I did not encounter one single person in all this time. Just unbelievable. I also visited all of the remote beaches the highlight being Malin beach where I spent the majority of my time.

Here I just lay in the warm sun and listen to the complete and utter quiet and without exaggeration there were periods of time where there was not a single sound, not even a bird in the sky. Something I don’t think I have ever experienced before in such a place. The beach also has the advantage of having a natural fresh water Spring with pure drinkable water which is a real bonus being so far from anywhere and if my day there couldn’t have been any better, a dolphin decided just to cruise by as I was getting ready to leave. Thank you!

A really amazing location and if you love nature then a definite place to visit even though it is incredibly remote and very hard going but so worth the effort. I know that this beach is overrun in the summer with taxi boats dropping off the masses and causing havoc but in off- season you wont find anyone who doesn’t belong there. A real corner of natural paradise that is a worth while visit if you are on the island of Pag and a true naturists dream.

10/03/2025
Monte Lussari – Italy

With the mountain weather pretty stormy the last weeks in Austria we were desperate to get outdoors but struggling with choice. I didn’t particularly want to fight with the weather and I also did not want to repeat mountains just for the sake of it. So I looked a little further away for a change.

Having seen the classic pictures of Monte Lussari on Instagram I thought it was time to check it out. So after a little research on which path to take and how to get there as well as the weather forecast for the coming days we were ready to go.

The drive from where we live to Italy is pretty easy as it is straight freeway and on arriving I did not realise how large a ski resort this was so parking was easy at the foot of the slopes also.

The path was pretty much the only one from this location and also the most popular being used by all hikers and ski tourers so it was not quiet to say the least. But they had a lot of snow there and with the cold weather the path was actually quite pleasant and simple snow chains on your boots was more than sufficient for the whole hike.

It’s a pretty decent climb of 1000 hm over 6 km but you don’t really notice it as the gradient is almost constant except for a few places. The whole way up is unfortunately in the forest and you have no views but as you get near the summit the incredible scenery begins to show and the final meters are just outstanding.

The views from the summit in good weather which we had were out of this world. Really stunning in every direction and well worth the tough climb. When you do get to the top it’s quite a strange situation there. A small village with bars, restaurants, accommodation and the famous church landmark. Its quite surreal to find all this here together with all the fur lined coat and boot wearers who have made the trip up with the gondola for drinks and a meal. But nevertheless it was really a lovely hike and mountain.

Returning to the valley with the gondola we drove to Tarivisio and had just the most wonderful pizza. The Italians just do it better. Before returning home after a great day out in the mountains.

If you live or are in the area then maybe put this on your to-do list.

22/02/2025
Winter hiking

We are now deep into the winter and the conditions become more stable as it gets colder with less avalanche risk, so I thought I would share some winter tours of my favourite local (ish) mountains.

The mountains in winter can be a scary proposition for some but if you have good summer hillwalking experience, good fitness levels, the right equipment and most importantly, a good grasp and understanding of navigation (and I don’t mean just having the latest iPhone in your pocket) then you can safely enjoy the winter conditions and experience the mountains in a new season.

This is not a lesson in winter kit and mountaineering techniques as I assume that anyone who ventures into the mountains in winter without a guide is not stupid enough to go there without such experience and skill. But maybe some inspiration to try a new mountain or plan a new route or even just for you to see these beautiful places in a new light.

Bodental – 8,5km 590 hm

Bodental is a nice dead end valley located just off the Loiblpaß road from Ferlach. There is a small Ski Slope there and a really beautiful Loipe together with some guesthouses and holiday homes. Its more famous for the Meerauge, a small pond with lovely turquoise water, but apart from a nice photo theres not much more you can do as swimming in it, as most things in Austria, is firmly “Verboten”.

The hike that I prefer is an easy tour that takes you first up through the quiet northern forests of the valley on the Südalpenweg which after a little climbing brings you out on to the Ogrisalm. From here you have wonderful views of the sheer cliffs of Kosiak and Wertatscha to the south, before dropping back to the valley floor and following the Loipe back to the Meerauge and the car.

This is a relatively easy winter tour and unless there are severe weather conditions offers little exposure or technical difficulties. So a lovely morning or late afternoon option.

Saualpe – 19,5km 990 hm

The Saualpe is a group of rolling hills and quite a favourite of mine as it closely resembles the mountains where I grew up in Wales and where my mountaineering life was formed. They could almost be identical with the grassland, rocky outcrops and constant winds with free flowing mountain streams and dampness underfoot. But in winter they are a bit of a different proposition. The hiking is generally easy going but the weather can change very quickly with strong winds and low clouds. So with its vast featureless terrain and openness, navigation can be important.

In winter you can gain height with the car on the Lading Straße and park near the Alpengasthof Gießlhütte. From here you take the hiking path to the Wolfsberger Hütte (closed in winter) and then onto the ridge line at the summit of Speilkkogel. Then heading north on the Eisenwurzenweg 08 you pass the Zingerlekreuz and reach the summit of Gertrusk. Doubling back on yourself you get to the summit of Ladinger Spitz and then on to Sandkogel.

After enjoying the beautiful views and remoteness of these mountains in quite perfect winter conditions I headed back south/south east past the Offnerhütte and picking up the path back to the car park. A lovely remote hike on a mountain that has very good snow and ice conditions in the winter months, although the weather can be temperamental, so be prepared.

Koralpe – 12,7 km 610 hm

My preferred tour on this mountain first heads north from the car park at the ski lifts on the start of the 591 Wanderweg, passing the Poms Wasserfall before heading south through the forest bringing you to the open bowl under the main summit. This area is normally quite sheltered but as you start to climb this traverse can be very treacherous and not to be taken lightly.

The wind can be incredibly strong and combine this with low cloud and either soft snow or sheet ice (depending on the weather and wind direction the previous days) the traverse to the Großer Speikkogel can be very difficult and uncomfortably exposed. So experience of various winter conditions are really important to get you to the summit safely.

After a big effort you reach the summit where visibility can come and go in seconds but as the descent is on a graded ski piste there is no immediate danger except for the exposure to very strong and gusty wind conditions which is almost guaranteed on this summit in winter!

Petzen – 12,9 km 1715 hm

Climbing the mountain from the Talstation car park is a nice challenge in winter as there is snow and ice from the off, so firstly following the piste past the Mosthütte and at the bottom of the black run take the wanderweg on the south side.

When you reach the top of the steep piste continue across it with care to the path on the other side and then on to the blue piste to the top of the lifts then onto the wanderweg to the Kniepssattel. From here you would not believe that you are on the same mountain as the piste ends and the mountain starts to take the feel of a remote range. It’s a nice easy hike then to the summit at Kordeschkopf where you have beautiful views across Slovenia to the South.

Unfortunately you must return by the same way but I usually take the gondola back to the valley as the walk down the piste is so boring and hard on the knees.

Dobratsch – 18,5 km 1420 hm

I have been on Dobratsch quite a few times but mostly in summer and always from the Alpenstraße. A very easy walk and something nice to do for an evening stroll. But in winter I like to actually climb mountains so it was time for a new route up.

After some research I found the perfect track but I also found some links to a Hot Spring phenomenon that seems to appear only a few times a year and was near to where I was heading.

This Quelle appears just behind the town Villach and on the stream Maibachl. People have built up some stones to make a pool and from the photos of the previous years it seemed like a nice place to visit and try. But me being me I didn’t want to go there when it was overrun so I decided to go there first before I climbed, which turned out to be quite exhilarating.

I arrived at the location I found online around 5:00am. Pitch black and with no actual fixed knowledge of where this thing was or even if there was any water in it. So I stumbled around the forest with my torch for 15 minutes until I finally stepped in some water and then was immediately surrounded by clouds of steam. Still with only the tiny beam from my torch I could make out a pool of water and with the steam I guessed I was in the right place.

Entering an unknown pool without being able to see the edges or even knowing how deep it was or what was in there took a little bit of self discipline… But wtf eh… So I stripped off and took the plunge and I am so glad that I did.

It was -10 degrees air temperature and +25 degrees water temperature and it was one of the most exhilarating and energetic experiences I have had for many a year. Complete darkness, complete stillness in the forest, no distractions (apart from me trying my best to take photos!) and just lying in the water totally still and with only my breathing was quite beautiful and stayed with me for quite a while. The water is meant to have mystic energy and I am not sure if that is true or not but it didn’t half give me some power and appetite to climb the mountain later that morning.

After my amazing early morning experience I drove to Bad Bleiberg for some breakfast and then returned to Heiligengeist which was the start of my tour.

From here I had planned to follow the ski tour path but when I got there I didn’t realise that this was actually a prepared piste for them and not a real wilderness touring route and I could not believe the amount of people that were there at 8am on a Wednesday morning! So I quickly left that path and made my own way through the forest in beautiful deep, soft, unbroken snow in the general direction of the tour that I had planned.

Eventually I headed back into the trees and a very, very steep climb onto the summit plateaux. From here is a very easy couple of km’s until you reach the mountain hut.

Another few hundred meters further and I had to take off the snowshoes and put on my crampons as the ridge to the actual summit is incredibly treacherous at around 30cm wide and with hundreds and hundreds of meters drop on each side. Calm nerves are required but once over you are rewarded to be in a place that only one or two people will go even if there are hundreds of them back at the hut.

After my packed lunch and coffee and sitting enjoying the incredible views all around me for quite a while, it was time to return to the car in the same sort of general direction that I had climbed it earlier. A really tremendous day out.

Hochobir – 12,3 km 1090 hm

The Hochobir is probably my favourite mountain of the region in Winter. With no roads open to drive up and no ski lifts the people you meet up there in complete winter conditions are people who really want to be there and have made a decent effort to get to the summit.

The path from Schaidasattel is a tough one with always an icy start through the forest and then the probability of very deep snow on the plateaux before attempting the summit climb which could be anything from deep snow to sheet ice depending on the weather. Either way its a tricky ascent and when I was there recently I pretty much had 4 seasons in a couple of hours.

The wind always blows hard and the weather sweeps in waves so you can go from beautiful blue sunny skies to zero visibility in the matter of seconds but this only ads to the feeling of exposure and achievement.

I have climbed this mountain many times in all seasons and also camped on the summit often (diary entry). Its a beautiful mountain with 360 degree views and it really should be on your list of climbs if you love the mountains.

Summary

I hope that amongst all this is some inspiration for you to get out into the hills in winter, improve your skills, learn some navigation or even decide to take a winter mountaineering course. If you want some more detailed information about the actual tours then please feel free to get in touch with me.

Enjoy the mountains in winter but ultimately be safe and turn back if in doubt. The mountains will always be there tomorrow.

Sankt Oswald – DNF

I thought that I would just add this as an extra to prove that not everything goes to plan and not every time is always a great day out…

Yesterday I had plans to drive to Sankt Oswald above Bad Kleinkirchheim and climb the horseshoe. This is a really amazing hike and I wanted to get the full winter experience. The route goes first to Falkert – Steinnock – Klomnock – Mallnock before returning to the car via Brunnachhöhe. A full day and a big effort was required and I was very prepared as always.

I arrived there nice and early, checked the forecast which was for stable conditions but high winds, so lots of ice at the summit ridge and extra precautions with crampons and axes. No worries. But I didn’t feel right. I got cramp in my arm leaving the car which is a big sign to me as I know my body very well and thats not good.

I headed up the valley and everything seemed uncomfortable. I was not stable, my pack and clothes were annoying the crap out of me and mentally I was switching plans and routes as I was walking. Also not great.

So I took an alternate route which was half the distance which helped a little with my mindset and then after about 6 km and getting out of the protection of the forest the wind started to hit me hard. So I had some fuel and then tried to make my way up the main ascent to the ridge line.

After maybe another km I was not only frustrated with fighting the wind and difficult snow conditions but also fighting with myself. Which for me is a much bigger effort than fighting the weather or the physical effort required. So I made the decision to call it quits and return the same way.

It didn’t go as planned. I didn’t get my big day out. I didn’t get the energy from the mountains and outdoors. In fact I was left empty and low when I returned. But this is how it goes and this is life. You can try all you want and be as prepared as you can, but it just doesn’t always work out as you want.

Nevertheless, I still managed to get out and have a nice view for my lunch and I look forward to the next attempt.

17/02/2025
Costa del Sol

Getting back on track after our amazing weeks detour and return to Cabo de Gata, we headed south for the lovely out of season town of Nerja and found a beach side parking for a few days. From here we explored Nerja which at the end of November had a British retirement home feel to it. Much like a more relaxed and cleaner version of Benidorm. We also visited the mountain village of Figiliana and spent some nice time hiking the waterways high above this quaint village.

After enjoying some more time at our lovely parking watching the most incredible sunrises, we made our way a little further down the coast to Torre del Mar and naturist camping Almanat. We were not sure if we would stay but after walking around we thought we would give it a try even though we were very sceptical. As it turned out we should have gone with our gut feeling and just left and cancelled the booking.

The campsite was pretty awful to say the least. Still absolutely filthy after the high water where everything you touched or put down was covered with dirt and mud. Not their fault obviously but the entrance and all access roads around the camp were like a swamp. It left us feeling depressed and sorry for the state of this part of Spain..

The beach was like a bomb site with no real attempt to clean it up and even if you could find a spot amongst the debris you then had to put up with the inevitable flurry of activity around us when an attractive woman appeared. So we packed up and left there as soon as we could.

Driving further down the Costa del Sol we were heading for our final destination of the trip and the furthest south we would go. We wanted to visit Malaga and parked just outside Torremolinos and directly under the flight path! The car park did turn out to be a decent base though as it was close enough to walk to the train station and also near a Nike outlet where I finally had some new running shorts as Leela had sewn up my old ones too many times now on this trip!

Malaga was a nice city with plenty of room to move and a relaxed atmosphere. We walked to the castle, the marina and all through the old town. Unfortunately the one art exhibition that we wanted to see was closed on a Monday so we just walked the city and did enjoy the market and Christmas lights, even though they were not on in the middle of the day.

The city gave us a feeling that it is mainly geared toward the huge cruise ships that dock right in the centre. Even the market, where we hoped to have eaten, had a very structured menu. Not the vibrant chaotic locals market that we were led to believe and hoping to experience. The options for a cheap beer and nice Tapas replaced with expensive cava and a €15 bowl of paella that looked like it had been sitting there for three days! So we continued walking late into the afternoon before taking the train back toward the Costa’s and the parking lot.

We were hoping to have stayed at least another day there to take a look at the naturist beach nearby, but as the beach clean-up was progressing very slowly we decided to move on to have a last day together at a beach further south.

We found a nice little park-up very close to Cabopino naturist beach where we had hoped to enjoy. The usual unfathomable behaviour and cruising in the dunes on a Wednesday afternoon bringing stress to straight couples and single women is a constant irritation to us. But the sun shone and we tried to focus on ourselves.

Unfortunately we had to leave shortly after when a man walked around us 3 times within a couple of feet and then began playing with himself. I tried to be polite and then more threatening but I should have just called the Police. The outcome was the same as with all of them. Run away. They do not understand the extreme stress that they bring to people and they are so lucky that they don’t get themselves into more trouble than just a verbal exchange. We were jointly hugely frustrated with the day, the local people, and the area.

It was so sad as it was to be our final day together of the trip and it was spoiled by the state of something that we love so dearly – Naturism. Well of course not exactly the lifestyle of Naturism but the men (and it is only men) who are now using it as a foil to their terrible behaviour in ALL naturist locations that we have visited. Without exception.

We hoped for a fantastic last day together, but we were both left deflated with people so we had a few beers and watched an amazing sunset and night sky which cheered us up no end..

The next day was our planned official end to the trip as Leela was flying back to Austria first as she had to prepare to go back to work and there was lots to take care of, and I would slowly make my way back over the next days to return by Christmas.

There are always highs and lows with extended travel and this last week or so was definitely the low point of the trip. It was such a shame that this particular journey had ended a little flat, but what we had done, achieved, seen and experienced was just incredible.

Happy travels.

13/12/2024
Cabo de Gata

After our amazing time inland and in the mountains we returned to the coastline at Motril. This would be the week of Leela’s birthday but our plans of staying a whole week at the naturist camp Almanat would have to be put on hold as the campsite had suffered badly during the flooding a couple of weeks earlier and were still trying to clean up the mess. So we moved our reservation to give them some more time and changed our plans a little.

Leela’s only request was to be near the ocean and hopefully on a naturist beach, and by far the best beaches we had seen on this trip were at Cabo de Gata. So we made the couple of hours drive back up the coast to this incredible natural paradise once more, and with the weather forecast looking like beach weather all week, we were sure she would get what she wanted.

We spent a quiet night just outside the park before heading for San Jose and a few nights in this sleepy town, spending the days running, hiking and relaxing on the amazing beaches that run along this peninsula.

Next we moved to las Negras for a few nights and done pretty much the same in and around Playazo de Rodalquilar beach. Before returning to San Jose for Leela’s birthday and just an amazing day in 25 degrees, blue skies and still swimming in the crystal clear ocean at the end of November. We had a lovely meal in a quaint restaurant, a very seldom treat for us on this trip, and a fantastic time exploring this spectacular landscape.

Cabo de Gata really is a unique and amazing place to visit and we can wholeheartedly recommend it if you are active outdoors and a beach and nature lover. If you are a naturist it has the added bonus of having a few officially designated naturist beaches within the park. But with Spains liberal nudism laws and in low season, you can pretty much be naked everywhere as we were. From sunrise to sunset, on the beaches, at the van, and whilst hiking which was an incredible bonus and made the week unforgettable for us to feel so free in this natural paradise.

Happy birthday.

25/11/2024
Valencia

Leaving Catalunya we headed into the mountains surrounding Valencia for a week of hiking and searching for rivers and beautiful swimming pools.

The first stop after a tortuous drive was Fuente de los Baños in the town of Montanejos. This is a natural (luke) warm spring favoured by the locals of the valley and has magical youth capturing powers that we were both keen to try out! The pool is quite spectacular and as we arrived late in the afternoon after the sun had gone we pretty much had it to ourselves. The water was not so warm and the powers not so strong but a very enjoyable natural phenomenon to experience.

We found an incredible location to park for the night overlooking the village and were enjoying a bottle of wine when a psycho local woman started slamming the van and screaming at us in the pitch black which was quite alarming, and after calmly explaining that we were doing nothing wrong she drove off still screaming. Deciding that discretion would be best we left and parked in a lay-by on the main road, but it was our first negative parking experience of the trip so far.

We next drove cross-country on very picturesque and completely empty roads to our next destination of Calles. Finding a lovely parking spot next to the river we left the van and headed out to find the Roman Aqueducts for which this area is famous. The hike takes you deep into the mountains and high above the twin towns of Calles and Chelva until you get to the aqueduct and waterways. Its an incredible feat of engineering with deep walls, tunnels, and a very impressive bridge all hand worked in the middle of nowhere and in times when you cant imagine creating such structures. We followed these amazing waterways and dropped back to the very quiet town of Chelva with its labyrinth of crazy tiny streets and sleepy cats before following the river back to Calles for a deserved beer.

Next on our itinerary was the highlight of this area and a visit to the hilltop town of Chulilla with its gorges, oasis, and hanging bridges. The drive there was again testing but we found the most amazing parking once more and set off on our pre-planned and very long hike to try and see everything on offer in one day!

First heading out of town there are some outstanding views of Charco Azul which would be last on the days itinerary, and then paid the attendant the 1€ each to enter the gorge of Turia. This is quite an amazing natural oasis and almost looks like it has been created by Disney as it is almost too good!

The hike takes you back and forth across the river on high hanging bridges and wooden paths and follows the river to the end of the gorge where most turn back, but after a break we headed on to take a look at the Loriguilla reservoir and then the tough and exposed hike which brings you to Pinturas Rupestres.

These prehistoric 5000 year old cave paintings were first discovered in 1998 and even though natural decay has eroded nearly all of the frescos, it was still worth the effort to witness and to be so close to such amazing history.

Back on the path it was another decent hike to the village but after a break we headed this time back up the gorge to the truly beautiful Charco Azul and after a very hard 20km in hot weather we were ready to finish the day with a swim in this breathtaking location.

Moving on from Chulilla, the final water stop for this section would be the town of Buñol. This town is not famous for the natural pools but more so for the crazy Tomatino festival held in August each year where for 1 hour, 10 thousand people decide to throw tomatoes at each other and then wallow in the sauce filled streets before being hosed down and leaving this sleepy village to get on with its business for another year.

But we were there for the river and cave pools this time and although the larger of the two caves was closed for needed path repairs, we soldiered on to the upper cave which was just an amazing natural experience. As we were there on the Spanish National Holiday, it was a little overrun so we didn’t get in, deciding instead to follow the river back down and away from the crowds.

This turned out to be a great move as we not only saw some wild Ibex but also found some beautiful small pools to bathe in alone. Taking a look around Buñol on our return there didn’t seem to be any party planned for the evening and as our parking was nothing exciting we decided to move on for the evening.

Randomly picking a remote village parking which was midway to our next destination we arrived early evening to see that there were banners and plastic chairs placed along the main street so for sure there was something going on later. So we parked under the imposing Montesa Castle, had a quick beer, and headed into this tiny village to see what was going on.

The rest of the evening was a surreal blur of a few beers, wine, and tribes of Christians and Moors in full regalia, make-up, masks and horses all stamping through the town. Each tribe was followed by a marching band pumping out an incredible sound, and they were greeted at the end of the village by a blast of fireworks. It was quite an amazing spectacle and a completely random find where we were for sure the only foreigners there but welcomed in by a local family wholeheartedly.

Leaving through the main street and the clean-up operation the following morning, we headed to our last in-land stop for a while and climbed the 700m mountain road to Sierra Natura Naturist camp nestled deep in the mountains. Here we spent some lovely days in this quite unique campsite wishing that the weather was better so we could have stayed longer. It is quite a random collection of buildings and pitches laid out across the forrest, all surrounding the quite bizarre swimming pool. The facilities were spotless and the owners very friendly and together with the quite wonderful forest walks available we would really recommend a visit if you are in the area and want some complete peace and quiet in total nature.

Returning to the coast south of Valencia we found a perfect place to park right on the ocean where we stayed still for over a week and enjoyed the amazing sunrises each day and time on the wonderful naturist beach of Cullera. It was just incredible to be enjoying full summer days in the middle of October and we were making the most of this lifetime experience that we had given ourselves.

21/10/2024
Catalunya

After the excitement of Cap d’Adge we would have liked to have gone a little deeper into the mountains, but unfortunately the weather wasn’t in our favour so we decided to head to Cerét a little earlier than planned. This town has the museum of modern art as well as apparently the best street market in the whole of France. Quite a claim!

We arrived on a dank Friday evening and parked under the Devils bridge. The following day was market day so we set off bright and early to see what the fuss was about. And we have to be honest and say that this was definitely the best street market we both had ever seen. The quantity and quality of local goods and produce on offer was quite amazing. Everything you could want in home grown organic foods and grains, flowers, and some pretty decent clothing as well as a lovely buzz to the town.

After the market we went to the museum of modern art for a couple of hours of stimulation. Cerét is famous for housing a few of the so called greats including Picasso, Chagall and Max Jacob. They were attracted by the bohemian atmosphere and openness to male orientation. Although it didn’t fare so well for Jacob when the Nazis came rolling through. The works on display were very impressive as well as being very priceless and it was an enjoyable current instalment also.

The next days forecast was terrible but fortunately for us it was completely wrong so we went on a long hike to a waterfall which was overtaken by locals and continued deep into the forest and came across an amazing pool where we could swim and have our lunch in the sun in this secret natural paradise. Saying goodbye to a nice few days in the foot of the pyrenees we cleaned and serviced the van so that all 3 of us were respectable enough to head for Spain!

Crossing the crazy border towns of Le Perthus we headed for the Camper Aire of Montmeló, just a stones throw away from the F1 circuit. The park up was absolutely terrible. Full of rubbish, a service point drain full of human waste as the black waste was broken and total and utter morons pour their toilet cassette into the open drain. And a fresh water connection you had to disinfect with a pressure washer. But it was late and we wanted to visit Barcelona the next day so we just closed the doors and blocked everything out which is our way in situations like this.

The next morning we were on the train and very slowly heading toward the city, seemingly stopping in every town in Spain on the way. But after a slight backtrack from missing our stop we were emerging into the crazy Barcelona city atmosphere.

Covering over 26km in the day we pretty much saw everything we wanted and more. The city is really diverse and there is pretty much every cross-section of human there as well as every type of business that you could possibly want. We very much enjoyed the tiny streets, the seafront, and especially La Sagrada Família. Its worth the effort alone to walk around this incredible structure.

Returning back to the van after an exhausting day we were good for nothing and even the thought of making a meal was too much for us, so we had a cold beer and called it a night.

Leaving the filth of the car park the next morning we first had to find a clean camper service and then headed for the beach. This would be our last day together for a couple of weeks as unfortunately Leela had to head back to America to sort some things out once more. So we found a lovely naturist beach near Calafell and spent the day in the beautiful sunshine whilst getting sandblasted in the process as the wind was still haunting us.

Leaving Leela at the Airport again was not easy and the next few days I was a little lost so I just stayed where I was to work out a new plan for myself. It really was a lovely place with an amazing seafront and a wonderful Naturist beach where I enjoyed to run each morning and swim in the afternoons. I also managed a well needed hair cut with Abdul, the charming yet ever so slightly menacing local Moroccan barber!

The next days were spent in the quiet and picturesque hillside town of Prat de Comte in the Serres de Pàndols-Cavalls national park where I done some hiking, visited La Fontcalda (not so) hot springs and rode the impressive Terra Alta bike way before returning to the coast.

Finding a safe and very nice place a stones throw away from Playa del Torm, a quite amazing naturist beach, I stayed still for the best part of a week. Just running, hiking and enjoying the freedom of nature at this incredible beach before driving back up the coast to pick up the returning Leela from the train station so that we could be back on our way together.

We did take a detour to get four new tyres for the van which were much required and with new running shoes on, we then spent some lovely time back at Playa del Torn together which brought an end to our Catalunya adventure.

09/10/2024
Provence

Cold, wet, windy, unfriendly and frustrating. Not words that I was hoping to describe this beautiful region of France. But unfortunately the truth of our time there.

After a busy and adventurous two weeks alone hiking and biking through the Italian Alps I finally picked Leela up from Milan airport and we made our way to Provence to look forward to some relaxed time in amazing weather and equally amazing naturist camps.

First we visited le Petit Arlane near the small town of Valensole. The day we arrived the weather was decent and still warm but then things started to immediately unravel. We had a stormy night with heavy rain but nothing that was alarming and in the morning having breakfast whilst in the van, we heard a loud crack and looked out to see that the very expensive Thule awning had collapsed. On closer inspection we saw that the support leg had completely sheared off and the awning had dropped and in doing so bent the upper swing arm and sheared off the roof mounted connection. Quite a feat in itself to cause so much damage and thus rendering it completely useless.

The rest of the day was spent trying somehow to retract it back and make it safe to drive and then beginning the insurance claim and source a replacement somewhere along our travel plan. A lot of stress that we could really have done without…

We left that campsite immediately the following day as the people working there were just unhelpful, unpleasant and the camp not much better. We booked online at Naturist Camping Verdon for a few nights as we thought we would have more chance of a replacement if we headed south and after a decent drive and arriving in very windy conditions the receptionist said that they were full. Explaining that we had booked online and had a confirmation did not move her and in a very polite yet completely arrogant manner told us to bugger off. So another unfriendly French campsite owner.

After another re-think we drove back up to les Lauzons naturist campsite after calling and reserving first and arrived whilst everything was shut for a very extended lunch. Waiting patiently we were eventually taken to a terrible pitch whilst perfectly nice ones stood vacant and told that was all they had. Take it or leave it. A pattern was developing here, was it our Austrian number plate? Surely not.

So we parked and then found out that there was absolutely ZERO phone or internet in the whole camp unless you bought their satellite wifi at a cost. Normally this would be perfect for us but as we were waiting for phone calls and E-mails to organise the insurance and replacement awning this was a large problem. I did manage to receive an email on their terrible wifi to say a company could fit a new awning the following day so we just spent a few hours at the camp and left once more first thing in the morning feeling let-down now by three different sites in the area.

Having the awning fitted the next day where the workers took very little care of our beloved home, we were able to take a short hike around the very nice Pénitents mountains. A strange stone outcrop appearing out of nowhere which has quite a tough and exposed circular walk up and over the top of them. And finally after some decent exercise we felt much better and spent the night in the ghost town of Malijai where we had a quiet evening by the river.

The next day we drove south, hopefully for the last time, and found a naturist camp just outside the Provence Capitol of Aix. It was rustic, natural, very unkempt and the owners were already D-mob happy as they were closing the camp in a few days. Thus they were also very unhelpful, although polite at least, with little facilities open and no provisions or food on offer. They even laughed at us when we asked for a Pizza from the flyer on the desk. But we had 3 nights there in vicious cold and wind and completely unable to enjoy the camp or surrounding countryside.

We tried our best to ride to Aix and take a tour nearby but the constant 70 kph winds were just battering us and the van relentlessly. We even tried to go in the pool but that was pointless and going to the shower was like taking a walk in the Artic so we mainly just hid from the terrible weather unable to enjoy any of the delights of the area.

We were dreaming of two weeks of beautiful Provence sunshine, lavender, naturism, bike rides and laying by the pool. But instead we got one week of stress, problems, atrocious weather and very unhelpful and arrogant campsite owners. Thanks Provence, that was not what we were expecting. Maybe we will have better luck next time.

17/09/2024
Dolomites – Part II

Reluctantly leaving the Passo Giau I was aiming for a relatively quieter area of the Dolomites for the next days but arriving at my planned park up I found that it had been taken over by construction workers. So after a re-think I decided to call the campsite that I had pre-booked for the weekend to see if I could arrive a day early.

Palafavera

Camping Palafavera is a very old and basic camp but clean and very cheap for these parts. I needed a camper service anyway so it served its purpose for a few days and its also in a pretty good location I found out later.

Arriving in the afternoon I just sorted the van out and the next morning I was on the trail early with a beautiful hike to Rifugio Coldai and then on to Lago di Coldai which is a wonderful place for a stop before returning the same way to the camp.

After an hour break I took the bike and made my way down the pass to Pecol and then the mountain bike trail to Rifugio Pian del Crep, stopping at the picturesque and very cold waterfalls of Gavon picol and Gavon Grand on the way. Both waterfalls had deep enough pools to get into and the fresh mountain water certainly wakes you up! Returning to Pecol on some great forest MTB tracks I then made my way back up the pass and back to the van as the evening storms were coming in only getting a little wet on the way.

The next day and with bad weather forecast for the next week I was on the bike very early. First to Rifugio Col dei Baldi on some severely steep tracks before descending through the picturesque Coldai Alm and back to the camp. A short and sharp bike but perfect to get back before the bad weather.

Driving to Rifugio Marmolade Castiglioni I found a nice spot for the van and hiked the quite steep trail to Rifugio Luigi Gorza the highest I have been on this trip at 2600m. This vantage point gave incredible views of the Marmolade Glacier opposite and after a long lunch I made my way back down before the afternoon rains came.

Getting back there was so much commotion with a family of travellers arrived nearby who had at least 8 uncontrollable huge dogs that were howling constantly at every passer by. This together with more dogs and a now full and partying car park, I decided that I would not be able to enjoy the rest of my day there and moved on to my next destination.

Driving over the extremely challenging and completely chaotic Porodai, Sella and Gardena passes, I eventually and completely exhausted arrived at Santa Christina camper stop.

After a surprisingly good nights sleep considering there was a waterfall behind my head and the van was on a 10% slope even with the ramps, I was up and out the door at 6:00am for what would be the toughest hike so far on this trip.

Seceda

Seceda is one of the most famous mountains in the Dolomites for its unique jagged and angled profile. 90% of people take the cable cars there but there are the 10% who toil up this arduous track. And as I was currently parked 9km away from the summit as well as being 1300m below it, I should get my skates on.

The trek up is remarkably steep in parts and mostly boring until you reach the Alm. And in the early morning light it really looked spectacular, which was more than could be said for the actual mountain in front of me which looked quite uninspiring! This was playing with me as I had put this mountain as number one on my list of hikes and I was feeling a little let down. But the true majesty is only visible when you reach the summit and view it from the side.

It really is an incredible sight and thanks to the hard shift I put in I made it there just as the buzzer for the lifts went off meaning I had 10 minutes of truly magnificent peace and quiet in this location completely alone.

This peace was immediately undone by the 100’s of selfie-takers touching up their make-up, lipstick and straightening their hot-pants before swarming over every spare inch of sacred ground. Which signalled my time to leave and I very carefully make my way back to base camp for a well deserved cold beer…

Seiser Alm

The next day was a bike trip to the Seiser Alm. Lots had been said about this place so I was excited to see it for myself. Heading down the Valley to Oresei you take the very small mountain road directly to the Alm. Unfortunately there was a road closed sign at the bottom but as I had already ridden this far I decided to just try and if I didn’t work out I would just return the same way. As it happens there was no chance to ride a good 2 km section but as I was so early and the workmen had not arrived yet I just pushed and carried the bike through the construction site, jumped a fence, and continued on my way. No-one would ever know…

Getting to the Alm after a very tough climb, I rode around for a while taking in the scenery before heading on a MTB trail through the woods and eventually back to base. I read a lot and saw a lot of photos on Instagram about this place but to be honest I felt a little let down. Don’t get me wrong it’s extremely beautiful but after the previous day I maybe would have liked a little more reward for the extreme effort to get there. Perhaps if you drive there or used a motor-E-bike, it would be worth it. But on a real bike it’s really not worth that type of effort. But at least there was another 1200 meters of climbing in the legs.

Leaving St. Christina after a couple of days I was on my way to the final destination of the mountains. To ride the number one on the list of European road climbs that I have not yet done in my life. And I don’t have many left to climb. The famous Stelvio pass.

Stelvio Pass

Knowing that the climb would be long and also that rain was forecast around 2pm I was on the road by 6:45am as I wanted it done in the dry. The cars and motorbikes are crazy and unpredictable with dry roads and just life threatening to cyclists in the wet. So from previous extensive experience it was important to keep myself as safe as is possible on these mountain passes.

Setting off from the climbs starting point of Spondinig you have only a slight gradient until you pass through Prato allo and then it begins to ramp up through Ponte di Stelvio and Maso di Fuori. By the time I reached corner 45 I was already in my lowest gear and thinking that this was maybe going to be too much for me after only 10 days of hard exercise in the last 8 months. But the views of the 3900m Ortler glacier were distracting me from the next 44 corners!

Continuing to constantly increase in elevation and steepness you reach the Franzenshöhe hotel and corner 22 which is where the real climbing starts! Now beginning to find a nice rhythm I was thinking that I could actually make it. And apart from a slight blip at corner 8 where I had to stop and stretch my knee, I comfortably made it to the summit. But my joy was short lived as you are met by complete and utter chaos!

Honestly it was terrible. Hundreds of motorcycles, cars, people, sausage stands, tat stands, loud music, and general disrespect for the mountain. I had a very quick turnaround, a photo at the summit post, and then immediately dropped back down a few hundred meters away from it all. It is so sad to see how people behave in such incredible environments. It’s bad enough that they treat these mountain passes like their own personal race track and how there are not more fatal accidents truly amazes me. In the 5 hours I was on the road I saw only 2 ambulances but at least 50 near misses.

Positively it was nice to see many roadies making their way up as well as a few idiots on real mountain bikes so it was not only me. But I think that I may have been the only one carrying a full chicken curry in his rucksack for lunch! And after thoroughly enjoying this feast I made my way back down but now wearing what looked like winter hiking gear except for the shorts. I am so glad I took everything with me as it was an absolutely freezing 28 km descent.

Getting back to the van and after 56km, 5:30 of riding, and an elevation gain of 1810 meters, I was good for nothing. But an incredible final day in the Italian Alps. Now I will make my way to Milan Airport to pick up my beautiful girl on her return from America so that we can head to France and finally be together again.

France here we come.

06/09/2024
Dolomites – Part I

Finally the time had come to be back on the road and the departure time had finally arrived for both of us. Unfortunately we were heading off in completely different directions, and continents…

To begin our trip Leela was heading stateside for two weeks and whilst she was there I would make my way slowly to our rendezvous point of Milan Airport through the Dolomites in Northern Italy.

So I finalised the apartment in a state to be left alone for the best part of 5 months and got the van ready. It was loaded to the max and after a visit to a weigh bridge I found out quite literally to the Max. But it was gleaming in the sun and patiently waiting for me to get my fat arse into the drivers seat again.

Cortina d’Ampezzo

After a long drive I made it to a ski lift car park about 10 km outside Cortina d’Ampezzo which would be my first base for a couple of days. The following morning I was up and raring to go.

First was a bike trip down the Passo Tre Croci to Cortina and after a look around the town which more resembled a building site as preparations were already well underway to host the 2026 Winter Olympics, I made my way out and up the very steep climb to Rifugio Mietres and on through some beautiful woodland and back to the van. The views in every single direction no matter where you are in the Dolomites are utterly indescribable so I won’t bore you on every tour. You can see yourselves from the photos.

Taking a break and putting the bike away I was feeling very good so I thought I would chance my arm for a first short hike in nearly 8 months. Donning my new fangled knee support I headed out up Monte Faloria keeping to the forest road to be as safe as possible if I needed to turn back. Hiking along I was feeling very little to no pain so I continued through the rain and ended up at Rifugio Faloria which was an amazing feat, although I still had to get back down which usually caused all the problems!

Sitting a while on this majestic view point high above Cortina you had the most amazing views of the mountains. I could also see from a distance a storm coming my way so it was time to head back down. With my earphones on, which were not drowning out the thunder all around, I made it back to the van in one piece and only a little wet.

Waking early the next day I was out on the bike making my way back down to Cortina and then up the road climb to the ski station at Pie Tofana and on to Lago Po’Druscie. Heading back down to Cortina a little later I was still left with the daunting climb back up Passo Tre Croci and after a tough first km I was beginning to find my bike legs again. Slowly… Heading up I passed 2 E-bikers and managed to hold off a group of 5 Ironmen until the last km when I was running out of gas.

Now completely exhausted from my day on the bike I was good for nothing except a shower and a sit down with a cold beer. But I couldn’t relax for long as I was back on the road and very excited to be heading to Passo Giau.

Passo Giau

The last time I was there was in 2012 to watch the Giro d’ Italia and I woke on the morning of the race with 4″ of snow covering the van, so I was hoping for better weather this time! I found a lovely flat and relatively quiet park up and took a short walk to the col. It was late afternoon and the amount of people there was really quite amazing. So I took a few photos and milled around for a while before returning for an early night.

The following morning I was on the trail at dawn and heading back up the col and deep into these incredible mountains toward my planned destination of Forcela Ambrizzola. It was a very difficult climb to Forcella di Giau but I think that the sublime early morning beauty took my mind off it as I seemed to be at the top in no time at all!

Walking down this majestic alpine scene after already covering over 6km and with my destination still quite far away I decided not to push my luck as going back down was going to be tough on the knee. So after hearing the Marmot’s screaming their alarm bells off in a distant meadow I decided to try my luck with some wildlife photography!

Not ever having seen one of these furry creatures in the wild didn’t put me off. So I wondered slowly way off piste until I saw some things scurrying in the distant scrub. And there they were, 5 or 6 just playing in the morning sun.

After locating the entrance to their Den I set the phone on a tripod as close to the entry as possible and then retreated as far as my bluetooth remote trigger would allow and waited. And waited. And waited. Then finally not one but two heads appeared to take a look around but they were way to cautious and retreated back to safety very quickly.

Calling it a day I turned around to see a much more inquisitive one watching my every move from behind me the whole time, so I set up station outside his home and waited. And after no time at all he was up and out and I managed to have my first wild experience with these amazing creatures.

I took one more detour to a remote location away from the gathering hoards and just lay in the sun for a while before returning to the path and the long hike back to the van. A truly exceptional day on the mountains and time to think about moving on. Where to next?

30/08/2024