UKH

Hi all
I am planning to visiting the Alps in August to go climbing for the first time but trying to figure out where I want to go and how to get there is proving tricky. At the moment I’m lining towards diving out from Scotland in my van but as it is only for two week the time and effort is making me unsure but on the other hand get around and accommodation would be easier. Any suggestions on where to go and how best to get there would be great.

In reply to tom dean gately:

Crucially you don't say whether you'd be driving on your own, or climbing on your own, or what style and standard of climbing you're after. If you're driving on your own from (say) central Scotland it'll probably take you 2.5 days minimum each way if you're to avoid dangerous fatigue, so over 30% of your holiday time. Most UKC folk would advise you to fly to Geneva and base yourself in Chamonix: readily accessible, a huge range of quality climbing in a compact area, so no need to have your own transport; lots of Brits to climb with; you can get by with minimal French.

There's masses of information on the Forum about travelling to the Alps and about Chamonix as a base, just use the Search facility.

In reply to tom dean gately:
Birmingham to Chamonix is easily doable in a day and a half on your own with stops every couple of hours. So two days from
Scotland. With a van you can kip in one of the many minimal facilities motorway stop off areas on the French side (they don't have 2 hour limits like in the UK, at least not in the minimal facilities ones). Easily £500 return for fuel, tolls and ferry / Eurotunnel (probably a bit more for a van) so flying is usually cheaper but you can't take as much stuff and will have to pay for accommodation, so it can be a false economy. Also much better to have your own transport in the Alps, it's doable without in Chamonix but if the weather is poor you'd want to be able to move on.