Three planned Moroccan ultrapeaks have been climbed, leaving two to go. So, we’re doing a big Northeasterly loop along the Atlas Mountains, and Adrar Bou Nasser is the most suitable mountain for the next climb. We get up early, drive to the trailhead, and leave the car at the end of the unpaved road. The…
Irhil M’Goun
We start in Said’s home valley, in the village of Arousse. Said, his brother, and a helper with two mules, Rockinstraw and myself, all walk up a rough road next to a river. The road is rising gradually and passing through a few farms. The valley turns into a canyon, and at some point we…
Aghouri
Our main objective today is the Irhil M’Goun ultra summit. But this is a long hike, and we will be staying overnight in the refuge de Tarkeddite. Before arriving at the refuge, Said and I will take a 2-hour detour to climb bonus p600 peak Aghouri. In front of the village, there is a large…
Jebel Toubkal
The world’s 36th most prominent mountain is Morocco’s highest mountain, the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, and the nearest higher mountain is more than 2,078 kilometres away. There’s definitely more than one reason to climb it. A guide is compulsory, but it is not very clear why it is needed. Everywhere there are wide,…
Tinmal Mosque
We’re on our way down from Jebel Igdet, our first trip ultrapeak, and it might not even be lunchtime. Jebel Toubkal is not too far away, so we have spare time. Said offers us a tour of one of Morocco’s older and more important mosques. It is not operating as a mosque at the moment,…
Jebel Igdet
The westernmost ultra-peak of the Atlas Mountains. There are certainly enough reasons to climb it. We get up early in the morning and drive to the village of Arg. We leave the car there, quickly prepare, and start the walk. For a couple of kilometres, we follow a trail trod by locals and mules. On…
Lobo
The main goal for the next few weeks is to target ultras in Morocco and the Spanish mainland. I stop in Madrid on the way; it’s only 2 p.m., and my next flight is tomorrow morning. The plan is clear: find the mountain. Of course, I found it. There is one more P600 mountain, just…
Old Photos of Vilnius
We love to walk, even at night, and tonight was no different. We ventured out at 2am and decided to take a stroll around the city centre. At the end of Didžiosioji Street, where it meets Pilies Street, in a square I noticed a street gallery with some very interesting photos of old Vilnius, most…
Poznań 2023
The journey from Brussels to Vilnius is long enough to make you tired. There are several solutions, one of which is to stop somewhere in the middle and explore. Poznań in Poland is an ideal place; it is halfway between Brussels and Vilnius, it is a very interesting and beautiful place, and its hotels and…
Frida Kahlo
During our walk through Brussels, we visit the Horta Gallery (covered passageway), where we see the exhibition “Frida Kahlo – The Life Of an Icon”. We enjoy original films, video projections and digital installations on the walls, ceiling and floor. It smells a bit commercial, especially the ticket price, but in the end it was…
Saint-Sauveur Station
Lille-Saint-Sauveur is a former freight station in Lille that was converted into a leisure and exhibition space in 2009. Since then, the station has been managed by the City of Lille to host cultural and leisure activities throughout the year. We had an interesting time exploring the ecology related art installations.
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France, close to the Belgian border. It is the capital of the Hauts-de-France region and the prefecture of the Nord department. With a population of 1.5 million, it is the fourth most populous city in France. Nicknamed the “Capital of Flanders’, Lille has a turbulent history from the Middle…
Kemmelberg
The Kemmelberg is a hill near the village of Kemmel in the Belgian province of West Flanders. It is the highest point in the province. About 2,500 years ago, a Celtic community of the Hallstatt culture settled on the Kemmelberg and had trade relations with the Romans. I left my car at the monument to…
Hotondberg
The hill has a nature reserve at the top and is the highest point in the province of East Flanders It has been included in various cycling events such as the Tour of Flanders, Omloop Het Volk, E3 Prijs Harelbeke and the World Championships. I park my car in the hotel/cafeteria car park and walk…
Kortrijk
Kortrijk is an old and beautiful Belgian city in the province of West Flanders. With a population of almost 80,000, it is the capital and largest city of the judicial and administrative district. Historically, Kortrijk has always been an important industrial centre, with its flax and wool industry linking it to France and England in…
Beerzelberg
The Beerzelberg is a remarkable natural feature in the Putse sub-municipality of Beerzel in the province of Antwerp. At 51.60 metres, it used to be the highest point in the province. However, as of 2010, the Beerzelberg is no longer officially the highest point in Antwerp due to the remediation of the Hooge Maey landfill,…
Groot-Valkenisse
Groot Valkenisse is a beautiful hamlet in the Dutch province of Zeeland, between Zoutelande and Klein Valkenisse. It was formed from two centres called Valkenisse, Groot being larger than Klein. The dunes in Groot Valkenisse are the highest point in Zeeland, with the highest dune top being 54 metres high – making it the second…