Serra da Estrela - Our Backyard

Serra da Estrela - Our Backyard

By Daniela and Paulo

Serra da Estrela: Trekking adventures in Portugal's highest mountains.

Star Mountain

“Serra da Estrela”literally translatesto “Star Mountain”, and is the highest mountain of continental Portugal. This beautifulgranite massiflocated in the eastern-center of the country, is the only place with established winter climbing routes, both mixed and ice.

We consider Serra da Estrela as our backyard! This privilege means that we can leave our front door already equipped with mountain boots, and the harness on!

Yet, this “Winter” has been one of the worst winters ever! Up until recently, just a few cold days with snowallowed some climbable conditions. and we took the chance!

With a very shy presence of ice (to say the least) we managed to climb a few ice routes, always protecting (like we are used in Serra da Estrela) with a few short ice-screws – the rock is always a few inches from the surface of the ice. Good fun anyway!

Living in Serra da Estrelameans we can have all the climbing spectrum in a short period of time. On the day after that good ice climbing day, we were roped at the base of arock project just half an hourfrom the ice cascades.and half an hour from our front door! This time we opened a new four pitches aid route and, in the end, the rock project became just another. project! A free climbing one! We left the place feeling we needed to work out a little bit more on our pull-ups before dreaming of freeing this brand-new route.

Once more, we went home with that amazing thought: “Where in the world can we do some good ice climbing and, in the very next day, just a few kilometers away, rock climb, wearing light clothes?” We are pretty convinced the answer is: “Very few places!”

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“we just want to go and climb big and make a statement for the everyday dirtbag climber” Fed up with reading the same old stories of the procl...
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Bouldering at Fairhead

When it comes to climbing over in Northern Ireland, chances are you'll have Fairhead on your 'wish list'. At 5km in length and over 100m of vertica...
February 19, 2019
Alps Massif Ice climbing trip

Alps Massif Ice climbing trip

Well this was to be one of the most action packed weekend I’ve had without falling off or injuring myself. Despite having a 20 hour drive at the st...
February 06, 2009
Winter Wonderland: The Rob and Ramon Show

Winter Wonderland: The Rob and Ramon Show

Winter has arrived early in Britain this year, and with a vengeance. A lot of people have been able to get out and climb early season routes, but f...
January 06, 2011

Getting back into the swing of things

I have found, as I am sure that many do, that a new phase in life can leave one a little unsure of how things will pan out. Having had complication...
February 28, 2013
Juniors at Font

Juniors at Font

A couple of weeks ago a few members of the junior climbing team made it out to Font. The team experienced sun, snow, rain and sub zero temperatures...
March 03, 2010
Sport climbing in Ceuse

Sport climbing in Ceuse

A camp above the white cliffs, mayhem through Paris, a night in the hammock and we are finally settled in with the Rig 7 tarpaulin set up with the ...
July 08, 2011
In the Middle - Climbing in Ireland

In the Middle - Climbing in Ireland

This short video is a compilation of footage shot over the last few years. It showcases many first ascents and repeats of the hardest routes in the...
February 28, 2013
Back to Trad

Back to Trad

When you grow up in the British climbing world you hear a lot about the traditional climbing. The desire to go out and climb great clean lines is b...
May 22, 2012

Wirksworth Winter Bouldering Aggregate

The winter bouldering season is drawing to a close and one hopes that all those hard earned points were worth it. If not for the scraps between poi...
February 27, 2014
A short tale of adventures in Wales

A short tale of adventures in Wales

Easter break means one thing for climbers that pretend to be students, not overdue dissertation work not revision for fast approaching exams and de...
July 13, 2012
Classic week on the Ben

Classic week on the Ben

I am just parked up in the Lidl car park in Fort William in the camper having just cooked up a nice wee chilli and even had a shower! I have a bit ...
February 19, 2013

Warming up for ROCfest

There is just over a week to go before Rock Over Climbing in Manchester put on their annual ROCfest bouldering event. I have not been before, but I...
January 23, 2013

Sensory Overload

Travelling the UK for about six weeks sampling the wide range of trad climbing and enjoying it all from the comfort of a van. Only a days drive fro...
June 17, 2015
Magic Woods Road trip

Magic Woods Road trip

Last month I went to Magic Woods with James Garden and Neil Amos. This bouldering mecca is located in Switzerland, close to Chur. Being amidst the ...
August 30, 2012
Euro rock trip

Euro rock trip

My bags are packed to bursting, have I got everything? 2 days have passed since the weight of A levels was lifted mercifully from my shoulders. The...
June 29, 2011
Climbing in Val di Mello - Italy

Climbing in Val di Mello - Italy

So the Monday after the BBC’s we were all packed up and off on the 21-hour journey to the well dreamt of Val di Mello. My Dad and Karl drove throug...
September 09, 2008

Steel Koan M13+

The big adventure in our trip didn't materialise. Helmcken Falls was as black as the devil's soul, and no ice to be climbed or challenge to scare o...
February 27, 2015

So summer, so good

So I went over and led the thing, no big fuss. I moved efficiently despite being a tad nervous. I took my time, no need to rush, I savoured the gor...
August 20, 2014
M12 Mixed climbing

M12 Mixed climbing

Virtually no low level snow has made a couple of trips up to the Breitwangflu easier than normal partly because no skis are needed and partly becau...
February 17, 2011

Hard graft & blunt picks

Up until now, Scottish winter climbing has always been an spectator sport for me. Something you watch in social media from the comfort of your home...
March 01, 2016

Easter Down Under

The view as I walk up flat rock is different to any I have seen before, an unbroken expanse of flat wasteland all the way to the horizon, broken on...
August 30, 2017

Three 8's

My plan is to climb all three in one year. Back in April I spent two weeks in Kalymnos knowing this would be a good time to kick start the challeng...
June 07, 2013
Wakhan Dream

Wakhan Dream

Alan Halewood - freelance Mountaineering Instructor (MIC) won a PipeDream 800 sleeping bag in our Sweet Dreams competition last year. His dream was...
October 04, 2010

Paul and Alison take on the Dam Wall

I am one of them team working here in Alpkit's UK factory making bike luggage, bouldering pads, duffles and more. I put my passion for the outdoors...
September 08, 2015
The "Goods" bootcamp

The "Goods" bootcamp

Winter has finally arrived, time to dust off the ice axes. I have to admit I’ve been putting it off as much as I could, the summer has been way too...
December 29, 2011

Cragweek

It's the question that all of us dread: 'so have you been getting out much?' In fact, not all climbers dread this question, just the ones who feel ...
July 13, 2017

Wake up, Rack up, Man up

As if I needed reminding, that's what I read on Justin's van, written on the plywood panel, whilst sipping my cup of tea. Wake up. Rack up. Man up....
July 01, 2014

Uskedalen icefall climbing calling

Most people don’t know that I’m a secret Scandinavian*. I’ve never been particularly inspired by the arid scrub of hot countries, drawn instead to ...
October 26, 2016
The big soaking

The big soaking

Returning home last Sunday, I was determined to go back to Antsey's Cove really soon. Feeling that I'm going well, I knew if Cider Soak was going t...
May 08, 2013

Ridges through the Sky

There is something truly magical about being up high in the mountains, following the line joining the highest points with the ground dropping away ...
March 02, 2018

The Rise of Erin

The poem When Erin First Rose is a beautiful homage to Ireland by the famed poet William Drennan. In Drennan's words, Ireland is the Emerald of Eur...
July 28, 2017

The Red Gold

Red River Gorge is know for its richness in oil, single pumps dotted around sucking out the black gold. But there's other gold to be found in this ...
April 27, 2017

Euro Training Camp

I've never spent a single Christmas in the UK, it's always a good chance to either get some winter sun in Spain or some early ice or skiing in the ...
January 09, 2015
An inch but a Mile

An inch but a Mile

The European youth cups press on, two more rounds down and I am now ranked 4th. The 3rd and 4th European Cups have been a close affair but not clos...
July 26, 2012

Italy- Dolomites

Back in September Dan and I headed to the Dolomites. The plan was to do some alpine classic rock, enjoy the mountains, look for new lines, maybe ...
November 06, 2013

Himalayan Adventures: Shan-Ri - Part 1

Himalayas 2018 In the last 10 years our Himalayan adventures have been based on mountains off the beaten path, normally virgin peaks or unexplored ...
December 06, 2018

Muzkol: Tajikistan 2015 Expedition

Muzkol 2015 Expedition – Tajikistan In 1940, a Soviet military officer visited the Muzkol range’s AkBaikal valley, gazed up at the five peaks of th...
October 12, 2015

Scottish Winter and a bit of tooling!

I thought it was time I wrote something about the climbing I have done outside, because so far I have only spoken about competitions! The past coup...
February 16, 2015

Slate, sunburn and snacks

There’s a lot of pressure sometimes to do epic stuff every time you get a few days off work, but you don’t have to fly or cycle or run across the w...
July 26, 2018

Salbit Westgrat - Alpine Training at its Best

Salbischjen, a very pointy 2900m granite mountain situated near Andermatt in the Swiss Alps. I’m not sure when I first heard about the climbing th...
October 19, 2018

Third Time Lucky: Soloing the Aiguille de Moine

Soloing Aiguille de Moine Earlier this year I decided to solo a peak called “Aiguille de Moine” which sits at 3412m within the Mont Blanc Massif.It...
December 18, 2018

Photo perfect

Sometimes it's okay to feel not okay, I think. Photos are an easy way to make life look always perfect. Since beginning this adventure I have had s...
August 17, 2018
Alps 4000ers - weeks 1 and 2

Alps 4000ers - weeks 1 and 2

Introducing Anna Wells. We love the Alps and for Anna Wells it will be true Alpine Dreamin' at its best as she heads out this summer on a quest t...
June 17, 2013
Factory Diary Week 1

Factory Diary Week 1

Exciting news from the AlpFactory; this week we finally, actually, properly start production (albeit tentatively - baby steps)! On Friday we finish...
January 18, 2012

Ant and The Whale

Dom Bush has been making films for us over the last 4 or more years and what links many of these films is that they are not showy, if anything verg...
November 17, 2018
CWIF 2012

CWIF 2012

The Climbing Works International Festival, CWIF has a big reputation for a UK competition, world class route setters at one of the biggest boulderi...
March 19, 2012

Black Friday

I wake up to my alarm. It’s 4pm on Thursday afternoon and I’m in the middle of a string of nightshifts. I quite literally roll out of bed, put some...
December 06, 2017

Lip Project

A few days later we were driving again in the dense Welsh rain. Are we going climbing, really? Yes, drytooling will sort you out in the grimmest da...
January 05, 2012

10 Things To Replace A Chamonix Climbing Season: Anna Wells In Lockdown

Like so many other people around the world, the Covid-19 outbreak has had a huge impact on our lives. After a brilliant winter season in Chamonix, ...
April 09, 2020

Gipsy Anniversary

If you have to choose between climbing and writing, even if you like to share newly opened routes with the world. you always go climbing! .and so o...
July 12, 2018

Sport to Drytool

I have just returned from my latest adventure: three weeks enjoying island life on Malta, whilst doing a placement in the Accident and Emergency de...
November 06, 2015

A bloody long way North

A bloody long way North Driving from the South of Norway to the North of Norway is like driving from the south of Norway to Italy, it’s a bloody lo...
August 05, 2019

The 'Unrepeatable' | Ice Climbing in the Serra da Estrela

Story written by our Alpkiteers Daniela Teixeira and Paulo Roxo Unlike last year, this year we do have winter in Serra da Estrela. The East Face of...
January 26, 2021

Five Ben Nevis Ridges in a Day

Ben Nevis is well known as the highest point in the UK and is highly revered among climbers due to the limitless potential of winter and summer obj...
June 13, 2019

Winter 8000 - Climbing the world’s highest mountains in the coldest season by Bernadette McDonald

Read an exclusive extract from the book 'Winter 8000, Climbing the world's highest mountains in the coldest season' by Bernadette McDonald.
August 06, 2020

Seven Climbs - Finding the Finest Climb on Each Continent by Charles Sherwood

This is an extract from the book 'Seven Climbs - Finding the Finest Climb on Each Continent' by Charles Sherwood. Available on Vertebrate Publishin...
July 14, 2020

Winter ridge climbing in Glenshiel

As I eagerly assembled my kit the night before our adventure, I realised that I was packing very similar things to a day of "fast and light alpinis...
January 18, 2021

Taking on the Three Peaks Challenge

3064m and 37km with over 10 hours sitting on a bus and a great big dose of sleep deprivation, it really is a big day out!
July 13, 2022

5 days, 5 climbs by Daniela and Paulo Teixeira

In this Covid-no expedition year, we were eager to have some days not thinking about anything else than. to climb. It is restriction time here in P...
November 20, 2020

The First Ascent without Supplementary Oxygen

What you are about to read is an exclusive extract from the book "Kangchenjunga" by Doug Scott, which can be purchased here from the Vertebrate Pub...
May 24, 2021

Ama Dablam | An Alpkit Long Read

Deciding to climb a peak in the Himalayas for the first time wasn’t quite a 2020 New Year’s resolution, but it was about as close as I normally com...
January 13, 2022

Climbing in Santa Luzia Walls

Thanks to our wonderful friends and Alpkiteers, Daniela and Paulo, who sent us this story of climbing in Santa Luzia Walls. It was the year.well, I...
November 24, 2022

What Motivates Me To Climb | Part 1

Introducing one of our Alpkiteers, Kumbi Kariwo. She doesn't climb to be the best. She climbs to be her best. Here's how her journey started, what ...
January 04, 2023

Return to Paradise Post Injury

This is a Daring Deed written by Alpkiteers Daniela Teixeira and Paulo Roxo. Whatever hits us hard in life, it always takes longer to solve than wh...
October 05, 2022

Chasing Ice

Ramon's an Alpkiteer and old friend of Alpkit. He took the campervan on a trip this Christmas, and told us all about his trip. Christmas is a time ...
February 03, 2023

Rope Soloing The Old Man of Stoer

My favourite thing about climbing has always been the friendships, bonds and memories that form through extraordinary shared experiences. Climbing ...
October 12, 2023

The Grit List - An ode to friction

The changing of the season has me rubbing my hands together in anticipation for the return of perfect gritstone conditions (it’s not just to keep m...
October 22, 2024

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