Mark the Mountain Guide school talks

I was back in the UK last week touring some schools in Hertfordshire talking to the children about how I wrote the books, about mountains and avalanches.

On Monday I was in Islington and then in the evening I was a guest of the Mayor of Chelsea & Kensington. I was there to discuss how I could potentially help support the Mayors chosen Charity Help for Heroes. I offered to present a lecture about how Don Planner and I climbed Mt Blanc. Don was a soldier and the first ever blind person to stand on the summit of Mt Blanc.

Majorca Rock climbing

Half term was spent on Majorca. Naturally we took our rock climbing gear with us. Even Jane who hasn't climbed for a while.
Our friends Jeff and Faerthen flew in from the US to join us.

The last time I was there was 20 years ago. I was told that there had been a lot of "development" since then. Well I didn't see any. I was not impressed. The Majorcan climbing was not climber friendly. Access was made tedious - for example at La Gubia climbers were directed up a dried up river bed full of huge rocks when just to the right there was a perfectly good "private path"

The main belays were shabby too with single bolts. This is just unacceptable.