- achleiten wand -
So what do we do when we aren’t mountain biking and have a bit of spare time. Obviously, we find another adrenaline packed sport! Today, Manu’s cousin a very experienced climber and his partner took us over to ‘Achleiten wand’. There was a twenty minute hike up to the climbing 
area, my mind kept on looking at the singletrack and thinking ‘I’m sure we can cycle this!!’ but unfortunately it became steeper and steeper with a 30m drop, far too close to the track. Not only that, but it was one of those singletracks that is just at an awkward angle that isn’t fun to mountain bike on. Simon put me on my first route, a 6+ something or other, which was damn near impossible (apart from the fact I’d just witnessed Simon go up it in less than 5 mins, fixing the line for me!!). It was fun but I just didn’t have the strength in my arms and my technique was shocking – all in the hands – when I should have been using the legs more. Daft really as my legs are relatively strong with all the cycling that we do. When I finally reached the top with a couple of falls and a fair amount of heaving me up the face, they tied me off. I’d taken the ‘big’ camera with me and spent the next half hour photographing the others trying an overhang. Fantastic fun and an interesting change from the mountain biking. If you fancy trying, it is possible to hire a qualified climbing guide for the day. There is another stunning area nearby that its next to a 40m high waterfall that cascades over the side of the rock face, with a view of Ellmau in the valley below.
