Range Castile Ranges
After successfully climbing five ultrapeaks in Morocco, we arrive in Madrid, get in the car, and a couple of hours later, we stay in the village of Hoyos del Espino, which is reasonably close to the trail. Pico Almanzor is the first of three planned peaks in mainland Spain. Good, we have a plan; we…
Range Northwestern Atlas
The last of five planned Moroccan ultrapeaks is located right next to the Mediterranean Sea. So it feels like a resort: warm, dry, with lots of pine and cedar trees. It is likely that this climate is also very suitable for hashish, with practically all the fields planted with lush vegetation. The fields are irrigated…
Range Northwestern Atlas
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…
Range High Atlas
We start in Said’s home valley, in the village of Arousse. Said, his brother, and a helper with two mules, John 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…
Range High Atlas
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…
Range High Atlas
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,…
Range High Atlas
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…
Range Castile Ranges
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…
Range North France-West Rhine Area
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…
Range North France-West Rhine Area
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…
Range North France-West Rhine Area
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,…
Range North France-West Rhine Area
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…