Saturday 28 February 2009 - TGO Challenge Training - Austrian Style (1)

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'A Ritzy Shack'

Also known as 'The Austrian National TGO Challengers' High Level Training HQ'.

It's our home for this weekend, at 1295 metres, 47° 22´ 06.07´´ N,
9° 49´ 51.86´´ E.

Our snowshoes are ready for action and we promise to report back on the rigours of TGO Challenge training, Austrian style, on our return next week.

Have a great weekend...

The View from Col Rosa

Following Nick's comment on the last 'Dolomites' posting, I've run out of time to search for a 2001 trip image of the man himself on Col Rosa's Via Ferrata Ettore Bovero, so you'll have to make do for the time being, Nick, with this more recent image, looking towards Cortina during the ascent of Col Rosa in 2007. 

A wonderful spot.

This image was included in last night's well attended slide show for Stockport Walking Group.  Thank you everyone for attending.  We hope you enjoyed it.

Tuesday 24 February 2009 - Chaophraya

Sue and I enjoyed an excellent meal here tonight, unusually for us in the centre of Manchester.  The mixed starter was really very tasty as well as being a good plate full, and Sue's curry and my prawn special were both tasty, washed down with a nice bottle of Chilean sauvignon blanc.

A strange day, really, starting with the sadness of John Shepherd's funeral, and finishing with the witnessing of an incident on the tram.

Walks and Via Ferratas in the Dolomites - an Illustrated Talk on Wednesday 25 February 2009

Sue and I have prepared an hour long talk for Stockport Walking Group this coming Wednesday evening.  It's at 8 pm at

Hazel Grove Civic Centre in the Norbury Room
London Road
Hazel Grove
SK7 4DF

Admission is £1 (and includes tea), free on your first visit.
After the meeting we adjourn to The Grapes public house.

We hope to see some of you there.

We take this opportunity to provide some links to places of interest to anyone wishing to visit this wonderful part of the world:

Visit Dolomites - a site for tourists
Cortina's website - it includes links to descriptions of individual Via Ferrata routes, as does
our planning page for a trip in 2007, at the foot of which is an entertaining diary entry from 2001
Our trip report from July 2003
Our trip report from July 2006

Collett's - an experienced operator in the Dolomites, with good accommodation

Italian railway information
More information on Italian railways

Cicerone Guides:
Walking in the Dolomites - by Gillian Price
Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites Vol 1
Via Ferratas of the Italian Dolomites Vol 2 - both by Graham Fletcher and John Smith
Treks in the Dolomites - Alte Vias 1 and 2 - by Martin Collins and Gillian Price
Shorter Walks in the Dolomites - by Gillian Price

Maps are available from:
Stanfords
The Map Shop

Providers of Insurance (essential):
Snowcard
BMC

The web cam from the ski jump just south of Camping Dolomiti (Cortina)

Weather Information:
Venice
Cortina

If you notice this posting, and are going to the Dolomites with Collett's in June (21-28), say hello to us if you happen to be in the Auberge at Arabba!

Yearning for Summer

After a rather grey week here in Timperley, the snowdrops are in flower and Sue has tidied the garden, trips have been planned, a slide show produced, business matters dealt with, and various projects have seen a little progress.

But we yearn for colourful summer days like the one (9 September 2007) when this image was snapped near Hartington in the Peak District.