A second seasoner here at Full On Italy, Conor is one to be ready with a quirkily mischievous smile and some ridiculous banter on the ready. Prone to yelling taxi at the first hint of a dropped glass, stumble or slip, there’s never a dull moment with this Auckland lad around.
When not giving it 100% here in Italy you might find him somewhere deep in a canyon, on Motutapu Island or possibly teaching cycle safety to hordes of young folk.

Now working for Outward Bound on Ullswater in the Lakes District, Rob Brown was once a foreigner in our fine country of Aotearoa. Colleague, co-shit stirrer and adventurer while working in the Lewis Pass at Boyle River OEC for a period of time between stints with NOLs in the States. Always up for a mission, it’s ever a pleasure to catch this sarcastic boyo.

I’ve been on the ground here in Italy for two weeks now and here onsite at Full On Italy for a week. Several days of exploring Naples, Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast whilst catching up with the Folks rounded off what had been a pretty diverse, exciting, draining and all round awesome month of travel and adventures.

As I boarded the train to Assisi from the bustling and chaotic Roma Termini there was a strange sense of familiarity and of going home. As the train rattled off towards the heart of Italy and cityscape gave way to rolling hills, olive groves and hillside towns presided over by castles and cathedrals, I came to realise two things.

Firstly that I was truly excited about arriving in Assisi and getting into the season ahead. And secondly, how exceptionally luck I am to be engaged in meaningful work. Where even after a fantastic month of travel I could be excited and eager to get stuck into work and the season ahead!

Evening walk home

Not that it’s been all pizza, vino and lying in the sun. Since arriving we’ve had a fairly intense five days of setup, preparation and training. Followed by two days of programme with their fair share of challenges to overcome, including some wild weather, strong winds, scorching heat and the always possible and hard to read thunderstorms. All this has served to showcase the remarkable interdependent culture here in the crew.

Training day on the Tower

Despite the hurdles it’s been a great start to the season with refreshing opportunities to watch the football (let’s not mention the recent results), drink Spitz in gardens bars, wander the winding streets of Assisi and smash large amounts of Pizza with the crew as the sunsets!

View from Pontone, Amalfi Coast

Amalfi Town, Amalfi Coast

A little different from my other portraits, this image is of a young street performer crafting bubbles in front of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.
Unlike some performers who are clearly out there solely for the money to be collected from passer-by’s, this tattooed and pierced young man sporting a heavy metal shirt, happy constructed bubbles with a small half hidden smile.

Enjoying and intent on the simple act of creating.

Ether way I hope you enjoy! As always feel free to like, comment and share.

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Lady of many alias’s, Cat was a resident of Bath St Hanmer (therefore colleague and flatmate) and party to all the pranking, chaos, hilarity and general shenanigans that went along with living and working in Hanmer. As the ways of the outdoors work, having not seen her in the flesh for a while, it was recently a pleasure to convene in Spain to climb and adventure under the Spanish sun.

The Team

And just like that. It’s done. The wheels lurch into space and flight ZB 0517 to Manchester is sucked into the air, signalling a true and final end to this Spanish extravaganza.

A week ago we coiled our ropes for the last time, packed away our gear and left Finestrat and the climbing part of our journey behind.
Four epic compadres then became three for a final few days but now this chapter is done, with only one of our team holding the fort in Barcelona for a final 24 hours.

To put things simply, this could well have been the best trip yet.

Don’t get me wrong, there have been some truly epic adventures before. Blasting around Hvar Island (Croatia) on scooters and boats, stunning vistas in Chamonix, stormy conditions around Mt Cook and getting ruthless Spanish style at La Tomatina.

But to have so much goodness crammed into one trip, consistently having day after day of great experiences surely lifts the bar to a whole new level.

Costa Blanca

But then again how could it not have been, when you combine the perfect elements of great friends, fantastic climbing, sun and the pulsing, life lived dry and raw country that Spain is some things just are just destined!

The last three weeks have been consumed with eating great food, climbing route after long brilliant route of fine Spanish Limestone, soaking up the Spanish countryside getting off the beaten tourist track, danced till the small hours and living this journey fully.

Off track

Privileged with great company – though being the only ‘clear headed’ male among three females has its intriguing moments (I’m sure I’ll pay for that comment later) – and being in a country that is quickly becoming one of my favourites, it’s with a feeling of fullness tinged with sadness as I watch Barcelona recede below the plane window.

However as the city slips away I definitely get the feeling this won’t be my last visit. Spain round three? Why not!
Either way, a trip full of highlights with more takeaways than just photos.

Lastly but certainly not least. To the team; thanks again and hasta luego. It will always be a pleasure.

One to remember!

First light @ Finestrat

Landing back on terra firma, pumped out and with an aching elbow from a from a long, sustained and crimpy 6c and a final short and steep 8m climb (shortest climb I’ve done in Spain, 20+ meters seems the standard!).
Tired, chalky hands untie the rope and just like that, it’s done.

Over. Finito.

Sadly our epic two week Spanish climbing trip is over, finishing up with a day climbing on cliffs below the castle in Guadalest. Luckily the whole Spain affair is not quite over yet. Tomorrow we swap our climbing gear and attire for our city slickers get-up and head to Barcelona.

There’s been so much goodness going down in the last two weeks I’ve only been able to skim the surface in regards to photos and updates. I’m looking forward to sorting through the images and endeavouring to put together a few posts of the highlights. Many that there are!
Here’s a few to get started. I hope you enjoy.

On route at an at that stage unknown climb in El Chorro

Rest day on the Mediterranean

Sliding up some polished ground at Sella

Going ‘way back’ to school days Freya was one of the Unlimited outdoor eders’ that began adventuring in the outdoors at an early stage. Sticking with it to go one to work for Great Barrier OPC and Full On in Wales. Always a pleasure to undertake a mission with she’s been one of the four brilliant elements of the Spain climbing team.

View from Sierra de Toix: Costa Blanca

After multiple days climbing great quality long routes on varied limestone features, fighting off the heat and rejoicing in any shade or breeze that came our way the decision was made to head to the area of Sierra de Toix. A rocky buttress set high on a small peninsula overlooking the touristy glam of Costa Blanca’s seaside apartments and pool bedecked villas, Toix offers a wealth of multipitch routes. Both on the rugged buttress as well as rising up the cliffs from the sea. These ‘adventure climbs’ offer a bit of a change from the awesome but straight forward single pitch sport of the area.

Freya seconding the top pitch of Dedi (6a)

Freya and I deftly knocked off two enjoyable routes. First a two pitch 5+, then a great route with and easy 5+ first pitch followed by a steep but straight forward 6a pitch (the climbing being straight forward, not the route finding!). While we were revelling in the routes in a relaxed fashion, Sarah and Cat were getting into the true spirit of an adventure climb: a two pitch route turning into four pitches, abseils leading to nothing (no anchors to fix the next abseil to the ground) and finally the only option being to lower off a single ringbolt midway through a pitch

A lunchtime peruse of the guide book revealed a climb to epic an opportunity to pass up. Welcome to Pirates Cove and Parle. 60 meters high Pirates Cove is an open seacliff cavern accessed by an intimidating 55m abseil through a hole in the cavern roof. Free hanging for most of the way the abseil landed us on a rocky ramp than leads a short way down to the final dropoff to the Mediterranean below.

Abseiling through the roof into the cavern

Committed the only way out now is to climb. Rising from the cavern floor to the exit hole, Parle is an epic three pitch 6a+ set in the most phenomenal location. On limestone quite unlike any other I’ve climbed on, you rise up on visually worn and spaced out bolts through fantastic positions and wild exposure to the cliff top above.

Although technically straight forward, Parle (as the name may suggest) is not a climb to be underestimated. The first pitch takes you over easy (5+) but steep ground on great holds made greasy from the salt air. From a belay stance on a rock bridge above the void the middle and crux pitch (6a+) climbs up on good but hidden small holds on steep, faceted rock to a short hand traverse and a hanging belay. The last pitch, although not as hard as the previous pitch (the pitch going at 6a) involves a rising traverse on very spaced bolts with exposed step overs, past bulges pushing you back out into space and a final heart pounding move over the heart of the abyss to reach the easy last few meters to the exit.

All in all a great and must do adventure in territory you wouldn’t usually find at 6a+!