S-MAX Extreme

Week-long via ferrata tour

matt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:58:11 +0000

MONTH: August 2009
ORGANISER: Exodus
WHERE: Dolomites, Italy
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: For just over a grand you’ll get a week-long trip that incorporates some of the most stunning via ferrata routes in Italy and peaks nearly 3,000 metres high.
CONTACT: Go to exodus.co.uk or 0845 863 9600

Beginner-level climb

matt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:57:50 +0000

MONTH: July 2009
ORGANISER: Self-organised
WHERE: Dolomites, Italy
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: The 150-km Alta Via 1 is a public footpath linking many of the most famous vie ferrate in Italy. Also known as Dolomite High Route 1, it crosses high peaks and beautiful scenery, but is never too testing.
CONTACT: Go to dolomiti.org

Andorran trip

matt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:57:28 +0000

MONTH: June 2009
ORGANISER: The Adventure Company
WHERE: Andorra
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: This British travel company offers stunning via ferrata trips in the Pyrenees. And since it’s Andorra, there’s the added bonus of tax-free shopping.
CONTACT: Go to adventurecompany.co.uk or call 0845 609 0837

Austrian expedition

matt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:56:39 +0000

MONTH: May 2009
ORGANISER: Highpoint
WHERE: Dachstein, Austria
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Among the superb vie ferrate that snake across this region of the Austrian Alps is the Johann Route – 800 metres of vertigo-inducing mountain climbs.
CONTACT: Go to mountainguides.co.uk or call 01931 713115

Docksta excursion

matt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:56:18 +0000

MONTH: April 2009
ORGANISER: High Coast Center
WHERE: Docksta, Sweden
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Sweden’s most dynamic via ferrata will see you scampering across the mountainside against a stunning backdrop of Nordic forests.
CONTACT: Go to highcoastcenter.se or call 0046 613 40500

Dolomite tours

matt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:55:40 +0000

MONTH: March 2009
ORGANISER: Collett’s Mountain Holidays
WHERE: Dolomites, Italy
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: This holiday company organises guided hikes along some of the oldest vie ferrate in the world, and offers accommodation in some of the most picturesque villages in the Dolomite mountain range.
CONTACT: Go to colletts.co.uk or call 01763 289660

Paragliding sessions

matt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:55:21 +0000

MONTH: September 2009
ORGANISER: Air Adventure Paragliding
WHERE: Devil’s Dyke, West Sussex, England
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Devil’s Dyke is a huge, V-shaped valley on the South Downs and is hugely popular with paragliders. Most days when the weather’s good you’ll find plenty of kindred spirits of all abilities.
CONTACT: Go to airadventure.co.uk

Pilot lessons

matt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:54:59 +0000

MONTH: August 2009
ORGANISER: Flybubble Paragliding
WHERE: Lewes, East Sussex, England
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Flybubble’s chief instructor, Carlo Borsattino, has more than 5,000 hours of flying time in over 30 countries under his belt, and teaches everything from tandem flights and one-day lessons to full ten-day courses.
CONTACT: Go to flybubble.co.uk

Paragliding school

matt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:54:33 +0000

MONTH: July 2009
ORGANISER: Snowdon Gliders
WHERE: Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: This Welsh school has been training paragliders for over 15 years. Three-day elementary courses will have you soaring on thermals around the mighty peaks of Snowdonia.
CONTACT: Go to snowdongliders.co.uk

Pilot courses

matt — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:53:55 +0000

MONTH: June 2009
ORGANISER: Escape Paragliding
WHERE: Keswick, Cumbria, England
WHY YOU SHOULD GO: Paraglider Jocky Sanderson, who flew tandem with Andrew Marr in the recent BBC series Britain From Above, runs paragliding training camps all over the world. In early June he teaches elementary pilot courses in the Lake District.
CONTACT: Go to escapexc.com or call 01768 771442