Searching for Tufas Along the Amalfi Coast

For the next month, we are staying in Sant’Agnello, a place famous in the 18th and 19th centuries as a place for Bourbon princes and Russian millionaires to escape the “crowds” of Sorrento. The region still attracts the rich and famous, and it’s easy to see why: a dramatic coastline rising high above clear, blue-green waters; richly coloured, ornate buildings; charming shops;[…]

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climbing at Jerzu, photo by Ulysse Richard

Last days in Tertenia

We left the house early to walk over to the Wednesday market. The sky was blue-blue, but the air was especially crisp and cold, perhaps only 5C. Based on the forecast, we’d been wondering if it would be too hot to climb at southwest-facing Quirra, but that morning it seemed unlikely to be a problem. We could see our breath[…]

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Photo by Thomas Tucker on Unsplash

In search of comfort food

Ulysse declared that he needed pizza. On a hard climb the day before, he’d had two fingers in a snug pocket and had not fully extracted them before trying to make a big, powerful reach upwards. I heard the crack from where I belayed 20 m below and then he slumped onto the rope, cradling his right hand. At first,[…]

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sky over Quirra Sardinia

A wind by any other name

In case you are imagining that while you are shivering through winter, we are lounging on a Mediterranean beach, umbrella drinks in hand, think again. It is January, after all. On average, January is the coldest month in Sardinia (highs of 14C), with the fewest hours of sunshine per day (4), and a mediocre amount of rain. We’ve been able to[…]

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