Zauberwald, Avers, CH

Half-term, what to do?
Anja is busy with the PHD; a bunch of Guys from Reading Climbing Centre went to font two weeks ago on a pre-arranged trip, during term-time; the peak looks soggy and warm.... The solution? Head over for a week-long half-term trip to the Swiss Alps, to Magicwood. Make that an early birthday present for the up coming big 3 0.

Fly to Milan Bergamo with Ryanair, bouldermat checked in as hold luggage. Train to Tirano and stay there the night before heading up the impressive UNESCO Welterbestrecke
Bernina Express. Awesome way to see the Alps in pure warmth and comfort. Arrive Thusis and two busses, via Andeer, to arrive in Magicwood. Next time I would probably fly to Zurich or Basel or even Geneva I think. 


Encouraging first day
Arrived Magicwood and caught up with a couple of German lads, Bjog and Farid, who were off to add a low start to a couple of problems that they had mistakenly started too high on during a previous trip. I asked if I could join and went along for the ride. Day 1 resulted in two font 7Bs, Schrotti and Hageltrauma, one of which a flash (although with a shared start so not a real flash). Not climbed V8 this year so good first day, and looking hopeful for climbing something harder for the first time!

As I had rushed to catch the bus transfers and trains the whole way, I'd managed to arrive in Magicwood with no food or gas for the stove. Bjog and Farid offered me a meal, which I accepted, before heading over to the fire pit to join the other campers. 

Soggy biscuits
After this encouraging first day, things turned soggy. People who'd been there for the weekend left, meaning the campsite became somewhat deserted. The cloud came down, the wind died down, leaving the forest very very soggy indeed. I climbed again with Bjog and Farid the following day, but after out speedy warm up on a couple of classic 6Bs, it began raining so we retreated to the Bruno boulder to try Supernova 7C, which remains dry in light rain, due to the overhanging rock. Good session but kept coming unstuck on a crux foot swap. No tick for any of the 3 of us.

The sogginess continues
The next few days stayed wet and for me turned into a mixture of: trying Supernova in the wet; going up to Edelweiss hostel to catch up with other climbers staying at the Gasthaus; going to bed around 8 or 9. In amongst this, I had an awesome, dry day climbing with Dorethea from Frankenjura and Thomasina from Canada along with her daughter Cedar. Really inspiring people, Thomasina and Cedar on an extended climbing trip, Dorethea down from Bayreuth; all climbing very strong indeed. Had a play on Kechenmonster a 7A that's going on 7B... Failed on the same move and moved on to give the girls the opportunity to go on with the day. Dorethea claimed to have been trying the problem for the last 7 years! After that, I joined them for a play in Foo Fighter and managed the first two of 3 crux moves. All good. Finally, I returned to Supernova, given the prima dry, cold conditions and managed to get all the moves. Still no tick however!

Soggy sog sog
The remainder of the trip taught me something. If it's dry and you're getting all the moves, man up and get on with the send. For the rest of the trip the cloud descended, and didn't leave. Apart from a quick pull on Foxy Lady (8A) which felt strangely do-able, nothing else occurred. No more ticks.


To Milano
So off to meet Anja (Anja's friend currently living in Milan) for a night on the tiles (quick wash in the train loo) before returning to the UK, to Reading with a lift from my Anja, who managed her first trip solo in the car, all the way round the M25 to Stansted!!!

Things to take away from the trip:

- the kindness of strangers is all good!
- if it's prima conditions, keep going, take a rest and go for the send!
- climbing hard is slowly becoming a reality