The club were based at the Hotel Les Amandiers in Tafroute for the week, a lovely spot on a little hill overlooking the town. 

Sunday

After meeting at breakfast the team divided and had an orientation morning buying provision, getting cash and visiting the carpet shop at hotel maroc, where Mohammed told us about carpets and guidebooks. It wouldn’t be the last time we were urged to buy one during the week’s stay. 
 

After a scenic tour around the back roads of a village to get to Taska Road crag, Jared, Emily, Greg and Izy arrived at the car park for the but Jared got immediately stung by a bee so we had a hasty retreat to sort it out. 

Team Jared then headed to the painted rocks and decided to avoid the Google route and ended up on a different off-road adventure. Despite saying the one place he didn’t want to climb, on arrival Jared headed to the main crack route and kitted up. Lead Azules de Vergara (HVS 5a) with a growing party of spectators from other tourists to local children. Greg enjoyed seconding too. 

Team Jared then headed back via Tagtout crag for a quick sport climbing in the shade.

Sue and Jo had spent the exploring around town, including walking to Dolphin Peak, but the route looks scrambly and they’d set off in trainers so they turned around. 

Andy and Phoebe, Colin, Craig and Emma - headed to Taska Road South Dome to climb Silk Road 5c. Andy also got stung by a bee, it later transpires to be a common occurrence at the crag. It was agreed by all to be a great route which was appropriately bolted. 

Everyone then also climbed mittleweg (4c) and best of all Emma led her first ever climb, not just outdoors, leading a pitch on Krumelkante (3c) Well done Emma!

Monday 

Colin and Craig headed off to Tizgut Gorge - it turned into an epic adventure when they climbed twice the length the guidebook suggested, and then had a descent through a thorn bush gully. This lead to fairly scratched legs. 

Andy and Jo, Emma and Sue headed to the painted rocks and explored around the area.

Emily and Izy had a day in town, and had a good wander about the market and shops.

Jared and Greg went for a second attempt to climb at South Dome and ticked off Starlight Express 6a. Good climbing but bolts well spaced and the first pitch was harder than sundown on sunset slab according to Greg. No bee attacks involved.

After the worlds biggest portion of couscous Izy went for a sleep and Emily, Jared and Greg walked up Lions face summit, for a view across town. 

Cathy, having arrived last night, climbed with Liam and mark at Elfodne, ticking off Northwest Buttress and Road 96.

Tuesday

Colin and Craig + Andy, Phoebe and Emma- palm tree gorge. Jared Emily and Greg also arrived later. 

• Greg led Emily on rum keg VD 
• Colin led Craig and Emma on rockin zebra VS 4b then Andy led Greg and Emily 
• Andy led Cathy and Phoebe on traders vic S then Jared lead Emma to retrieve a nut 

By then the group had started to head further into the gorge heading for the shade 

• Colin led Jared and Craig up Farouk’s fundaments Vs 4b
• Jared lead up Jerad HVS 5b - a fantastic effort on a difficult line which apparently felt a bit like a don whillans route. Greg seconded equally an awesome effort given the gear placements! 
• Andy led up jarrad mvs 4b followed by Cathy, Emma and Phoebe 
• Colin led craig up howzat vs 4c and then Andy led Emma

The climbing was declared over with Jared’s comment of having broke a toenail so his day was finished. 

Sue and Jo walked 7.5km from the hotel to Napoleons Hat and back. They declared it a lovely walk, which adventurously included walking through a tree with bees. 

Wednesday 

Today was market day for the team.

After exploring the markets the team drove to Ait Mansoor oasis for a walk. Its an impressive gorge, with palm and olives in the valley, a perfect place for a hot day and an adventurous drive.

Thursday 

Today the Team headed to Elfodne. Emily walked 7.5km back to the hotel via the Blue Rocks and had a casual afternoon.

Jared and Greg climbed northwest buttress and the first pitch of Marble Arch, and picanto.

Colin and Craig climbed north slab first pitch and then road 96, picanto (Colin) nutcracker (Craig)

Andy, Phoebe and Emma climbed nutcracker which was a bit run out betweeen bolts, and then north slab first pitch and then road 96.

The day was successful despite a pollen attack which led Phoebe to cough till she was sick (causing Craig to wonder which route was safe from potential vomit or Andy’s coughing) and then Andy had a coughing attack on route and returned to the hotel with swollen eyes.

Cathy headed out with Team Liam and Mark to climb at Black Rocks but a retreat happened at lunch due to the heat. 

Friday 

The team were subdued at breakfast with Andy still suffering from coughing and puffy eyes, and a general lack of energy in the group. 

Eventually we settled on a drive out to Alkatine Crag favoured for it being roadside and in the shade.

• Sue spent the day drawing at the crag and Phoebe sunbathed still feeling ill. 
• Jared soloed diffs and then traversed the crag bottom before teaching Emma about nut placements.
• Greg led Emily up Bolero, Airdrop, Korma and The Major Oak.
• Cathy led Emma up the major oak, Korma and airdrop
• Craig led Colin and Jared up Korma
• Colin lead Craig up Cute Fuzzy Alien Creature VS
• Colin lead another VS then a HS with Cathy and Craig 

Saturday 

The journey to the airport was divided with a bit of climbing with some of the group and a slightly more than scenic drive to the Agadir Inoummar, a building above a river gorge which the local people used as a bank to store their grain. 

Team KMC had a great time in Morocco and it was declared somewhere the club would definitely return to. Hopefully next time the weather would be less hot to allow bigger routes and mountain walks. 

If you’ve clicked here it’s because you’re already thinking about escaping in the autumn and seeking sunshine instead of gloom and rain. 

You’ve come to the right place - as the KMC are off to Morocco! 

We will fly Saturday to Agadir and hire cars to drive 2.5 hours to Tafraoute - a popular place to rock climb. Here we will climb, hike, relax and enjoy the sunshine! 

We will stay at the Hotel Les Amandiers, which is approx £30 a night for a double room. The hotel has a pool and is the only one to serve beers. 

THE IMPORTANT BIT:

If you haven't already expressed interested to me as per the original promo deadline of end of March, then you're still more than welcome to come but you need to book your own room at the hotel. 

You're also responsible for booking your own flights.
we can sort sharing car hire costs when we get there - on a quick glance it should cost us £150 per car (plus fuel). 

So assuming you share a room and there's 4 to a car, it should be about £350 plus cost of flights. (Though I can't promise the currency conversion won't change that cost!)

THE FUN BIT:

If you want to find out about the climbing : https://www.climb-tafraout.com/climbing.php

On quartzite - https://www.climb-tafraout.com/quartzite.php

On granite - https://www.climb-tafraout.com/granite.php

https://www.climb-tafraout.com/favourite-routes.php

There’s lots of bouldering too, and don’t worry it’s possible to hire mats! https://www.climb-tafraout.com/bouldering.php

Hiking info here https://www.climb-tafraout.com/walking.php

I'd love you to come, even if all you want to do is hike, swim and relax. :-D