After a busy first day at the excellent Westin Abu Dhabi, I’m told that we’re taking a coach to another hotel for the evening meal. I expect the worse and stupidly don’t take my camera. I’m practically kicking myself as we pull up to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix circuit and discover that we’ve a delicious outdoor buffet overlooking the track! Interestingly, the track is full of cyclists, that are actually just locals making great use of the unused circuit.

I take a few snaps with my phone, which is better than nothing, but with the night sky and the bright track lights, it’s impossible to capture how spectacular the setting really is. In any case, it’s a lesson learned: Always bring my camera! And if I’m in Abu Dhabi again – bring my bike!

After the conference on the second day, I’m treated to a packed itinerary to soak up a bit of Middle Eastern culture. It starts with a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, which is absolutely huge and brilliantly white, reflecting the sun so brightly that even with my shades it practically blinds me. The design is excellent, with symmetrical arches everywhere, deliberately framing another beautiful part of the mosque. It was only completed in 2007, so it’s completely unlike any of the historical mosques I’ve seen before. Interestingly, the floor of the mosque is made of marble that is cold to touch, despite the intense sun.

The next treat is southeast into the desert. It doesn’t take long to reach the edge of the city: The landscape just suddenly goes from buildings to desert, and the further we drive, the bigger the sand dunes become. About two hours later we reach what I can only describe as a luxury sand dune resort! It’s very picturesque, even if it is very touristy with its swimming pool and cocktail bar!

I jump into one of the 4x4s and I’m driven at incredible speeds up and down the dunes. It’s great fun and very similar to being on a roller coaster. The sun is low in the sky and unfortunately I can’t stop for photos (although I do snap a few through the window), but it’s thoroughly enjoyable.

The plan was to watch the sunset from one of the dunes, so I sprint up the sand (an ultimate workout!) but unfortunately I reach the highest point too late and miss the sunset by minutes. Running back to the resort, there’s a dinner buffet followed by a hilarious belly dance show as the dancer (who has a surprisingly large amount of skin on show!) shows off her skills and tempts the audience to join her on stage! It marks the end of a short trip that gives me a glimpse of what the UAE has to offer. Whilst impressive, it does have a very superficial ambience that’s driven by the huge amount of wealth across the country. I can see why it’s popular for expats, but it doesn’t feel like the historical Middle East that I loved so much in Jordan.

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We arrive in Betws-y-Coed in the afternoon and enter a bar to grab some food. Suddenly, a huge coach pulls up outside and about 30 enormous rugby players pile into the bar. It turns out to be the official Tonga rugby team, who are also visiting Wales for a few international fixtures! They’re accompanied by coaches, girlfriends and masseurs, and it all seems completely out of place in this rural Welsh village!

All is going well until we get a note from our guide who has fallen ill. It means we’re left to do the climbing on our own, so we pick the Main Gully which is supposed to be an easy scramble. Under normal circumstances, it’s a relatively straightforward route, with loads of foot and hand holds, but the heavy rain over the last few days means that everything is wet and slippery. Despite this, we make good progress until we suddenly reach what’s described as the ‘infamous chockstone’. It’s a rather large slab of rock which is taller than me, with few places to get a decent grip. With a guide, we’d be roped up and I’d quite happily shuffle up the rock. However, if I slipped, I’d fall about 30m off the side of the mountain. There’s also no guarantee that the climb gets any easier, and I certainly don’t have the skill to climb down the chockstone, even if I made it up. Reluctantly, we turn around and make our way down the gully. It’s a shame as I’d really like to have made it up, especially as I’ve yet to see the Cantilever Stone, a famous rock that practically defies gravity and balances near the peak.

It turns out to be a very short day of walking. We can’t find a decent camping spot around Lllyn Bochlwyd (it’s practically like a swamp, so a dinghy would be more appropriate than a tent!) so we get closer to the base of Mount Tryfan and pitch the tent there. It turns out to be a great spot, with the stove on full blast and my favourite Welsh summit in the background!

Whilst the weather hasn’t been amazing, we’re still exceptionally lucky. The moment the tent is up, the pressure suddenly drops and we’re practically deafened by torrential rain. Incredibly, we wake in the morning and the rain stops just as we’re having our morning coffee!

It ends up feeling like a really short weekend, but it’s still been fun and I’m sure that’s not the last I’ve seen of the Glyder Fach chockstone!

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It’s an odd structure that doesn’t seem that interesting at first glance, but from an engineering point of view it’s quite fascinating. It was a huge project that was completed in the 80s, and today is still the second largest moveable flood barrier in the world. Even more interesting is the number of times it has been used to protect London from flooding. The stats tell a worrying story: In the 80s it was used four times, the 90s saw 35 closures, and there have been 75 closures between 2000-2010. Perhaps Al Gore had a point…!

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There’s a day of Austrian shopping and a few good meals, but there’s also time for a wander through the local Slovenian wood. Despite the poor weather (the clouds seem to have followed us from Italy) I manage to take a few photos of the great variety of trees that are capturing their last rays of light before Autumn. It seems apt, as my summer holiday ends and I return to the UK.

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We start with Cima de Meso, the second highest peak of Monte Cristallo, which (unlike the highest) can be climbed with the help of via ferrata. It’s probably the hardest climb we’ve done, but I’m now more confident and find it quite easy. Just one person beats us to the peak, so it means that the route is quiet and we can move at our own pace.

The views at the peak are fantastic. Despite the slightly overcast day, it’s possible to see for miles and it’s nothing but mountains in all directions. We retrace our steps but half an hour later we start passing some other climbers. It slows the pace considerably, as each time it requires one person to position themselves while the other pretty much climbs around them. Most people are quick, but some (about as confident as I was a few days ago!) are much slower.

We reach the rifugio just before lunchtime so there’s enough time to bag one more peak before we return to the valleys. It starts with the famous ‘cliffhanger bridge’, used in the Sylvester Stallone film which was set in the Rockies. My inner child comes out as I play around, acting out one of the scenes from the film!

The route to the peak of Cristallino d’Ampezzo is actually very easy, but the cliff edges are very dramatic and make for some great photos, even if the clouds are starting to come in. It’s therefore unsurprising to see a couple of professional photographers and a small group of attractive models showing off some new clothing. However, it’s comedy gold, as the models clearly aren’t used to being in the mountains. They look nervous and uncomfortable, especially one girl who keeps tripping over her own feet. As I pass her, she clips onto the via ferrata and then suddenly mutters, “Oh no! I’ve chipped a nail!” I catch the eye of one of the photographers and we both burst out laughing! Adverts in climbing magazines always look so impressive, but I don’t think I’ll look at one in the same way ever again!

The route does get slightly more interesting for the final few metres to the peak at 3,008m, and the views certainly justify this final climb. However, as our trip through the Dolomites is reaching its end, the weather is changing and dark clouds start looming. We quickly make our way back to the rifugio, for another big plate of spaghetti, which essentially marks the end of my first via ferrata trip through the Dolomites.

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We climb in the shade so it’s a magnificent moment to climb over the ridge, into the sunlight and onto the summit. There’s one other person on the peak, but she’s quiet and keeps to herself, so it’s another beautiful few minutes standing on the top of another mountain (which is only 51m lower than the highest peak in this range) with the amazing views in all directions.

The return to the rifugio is relatively quick and we pick up the rest of our gear and make our way down into the valley along the 115. Reaching Misurina, there are suddenly ‘bus tourists’ everywhere. To be fair, it is actually a lovely spot with a beautiful lake at the base of the mountains, but the sight and sound of traffic soon has me yearning for the solitude of the mountains.

We catch a ridiculously slow bus to Rist. Rio Gere, where two-stage gondola takes us up to Rifugio Guido Lorenzi at 2,932m. The first gondola is relatively modern, and the ski piste is clearly marked below. The second is made up of small pods that I’m told haven’t been replaced since the 1960s, which doesn’t fill me with confidence! As I’m dangling high above the rocky ground, I feel like I’m being transported inside an old world war bomb shell!

The rifugio’s setting is jaw-dropping. It’s perched on a ridge between two peaks, with a wooden decking that surrounds it, offering guests a 360 degree view of the Dolomites. The welcome is friendly and not even the noisy table of Americans can ruin the tranquil environment.

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We pass them about halfway along the 112 and quickly make our way down the rocky track that leads south to Rifugio Città di Carpi. Here, everyone seems to be speaking Italian and even the young waitress doesn’t speak much German. It’s strange that just a few kilometres can make such a difference, but it seems like we’ve just crossed an imaginary border into the real Italy.

Susanne’s huge portion of cake doesn’t help her on the slow ascent back up the mountain, but soon enough we reach the crossroads where an unmarked track leads us to our next objective: Forcella del Nevaio. It’s a relatively easy scramble, but once again there’s rockfall everywhere so we have to be careful on the uneven ground, making sure that we’re avoiding loose rocks. The view from the top is one of the best of the trip so far. We’re right in the middle of the Cadini mountain range and the jagged peaks rise all around us. With three valleys in three directions, it’s also like standing on another summit and certainly worthy of another jump!

On the north side, there’s a glacier that looks small, but as we descend from the col we realise that the majority of it is hidden under the huge mass of rocks that have fallen from the mountains above. It’s like an iceberg with the most dangerous part hidden from view and we have to be careful navigating over the rocks to make sure there isn’t a crevass looming below.

It’s already late afternoon so we return to the rifugio, where we’re rewarded with a glorious sunset and a hearty Italian dinner.

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I must admit there are some tense moments for me. One section requires a climb down a wet rock face, and even though there’s a metal ladder bolted into the rock, my large bag means every movement has to be done considerably slower, as a slip would mean I’d still fall a few metres before the lanyard tightens and brings me to a sharp halt.

Further south, there are a few sections that again put me into slow motion. The path is cut out of the edge of the mountain and even though I could quite comfortably run along it, I’m conscious that all it would take is a trip or a loss of balance with my heavy bag and I’d be another statistic in the Alps.

At Forcella de Rinbianco, the path splits in two, so we head south and complete the final ascent over the huge boulders that lead up to Rifugio Fratelli Fonda Savio, which perks on the gorgeous col half way up the Misurina mountain range. The sun is ridiculously strong, so it’s a joy to sit outside and reward myself with a Radler, my newly adopted favourite trekking drink!

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Fortunately we can leave half our gear at the rifugio, which will make the climb easier. We trek along the 101 to reach the col between the Tre Cime (Drei Zinnen) and our objective. It’s a wonderful location with stunning views in all directions and gives a new perspective on the enormous Tre Cime that dominate this landscape.

Turning east, we start the climb over the little rocks and reach a small, but flat, ledge where a tunnel has been blown out of the rock. These are found all over the Dolomites for use during the world wars, so it’s an odd feeling to scramble through them, thinking of the stories each one has to tell.

At the end of the short tunnel, our first via ferrata appears. An iron cable is attached to the rock face, bolted in every few metres. There’s a narrow ledge on which to traverse, which under any other circumstances I’d have no problems getting across. However, the huge cliff edge plays on my mind and I’m taking extra slow steps, carefully gripping the wall so I don’t have to rely on my safety harness!

Quite soon it becomes second nature to clip onto the iron cables and we’re traversing quickly across the western side of Mount Paterno. We negotiate our way onto the east side where the views to the south are spectacular, even with the intense sun in our eyes.

Soon the via ferrata ends and we’re faced with a steep scramble up some very loose rocks that lead up to Forcella del Camoscio. It’s easy to see how the Dolomites have been shaped over the years; every peak has a huge amount of rubble at its base. The rocks are delicate and they’re falling regularly, which doesn’t reassure me as I’m climbing the narrow gully!

From Forcella del Camoscio, another via ferrata leads up the vertical eastern side of Mount Paterno and although it requires some climbing, it’s relatively easy and a great way of gaining some confidence on the rocks. Better still is the view from the summit, which at 2744m (just 255m shorter than the highest of the Tre Cime), is truly spectacular. There are quite a few people on the peak, but the atmosphere is relaxed and there’s plenty of space for everyone to enjoy themselves. We’re still incredibly close to the border and since this mountain used to be part of Austria, it’s nearly all German-speakers around me, which does feel slightly odd at my first Italian summit!

We choose a longer route back to the rifugio, which takes us further east and around the south side of the mountain. There’s more via ferrata and a few excellent view points, including the beautiful Lago dei Piani, which makes it worth the extra effort in the strong sunshine.

After a typically Austrian meal back at the rifugio, we repack our gear ready for tomorrow’s slog towards the Cadini di Misurina mountain range.

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Lunch at the rifugio is absolutely rammed with people: Not far south is a relatively gentle path that leads here from an easily accessible car park. It means that loads of ‘bus tourists’ arrive with their trainers, handbags and inability to eat spaghetti without a spoon! Fortunately, they disappear soon after lunch and the tranquil mountain setting resumes.

We explore the surrounding area, including the nearby Sasso di Sesto and Torre Toblino. There’s a short via ferrata that leads to the peak of Torre Toblino and although it doesn’t seem too difficult, Susanne and I decide that it’s best we start with a simple via ferrata so we can get used to the equipment. We therefore walk north along an unmarked path to get a higher view of the Tre Cime. Despite being so close to the rifugio, it’s incredible how easy it is to become unstuck on the mountain, and it’s understandable how so many people could get lost, especially at night.

We retrace our steps and return to the Rifugio and I can barely stop myself from constantly looking out of the small cabin window. The mountains are simply sensational and I’m eagerly anticipating tomorrow’s first ascent!

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