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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February 01, 2011
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
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

Majorca DWS trip

Well with summer coming to an end and not getting much sun it was a time for a trip away, the plan was a deep water soloing trip to Majorca for 7 d...
October 07, 2009
Mello Blocco Air and Energy

Mello Blocco Air and Energy

Hmm, my first impressions on seeing the valley. Well, since I had never been to a large mountain range before, the excitement of seeing such an ove...
May 30, 2006

Monday is Climbing Day

Monday is my one definite day a week to climb. Sure, I sometimes may be able to get a sneaky bit of extra baby sitting in one evening or even bring...
August 16, 2013

Mountaineering in Bolivia

The first time I set eyes on the snowy spine of the Andes was on a flight to Chile way back in 2003 and have wanted climb in them ever since… Fast-...
March 11, 2019

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

My Piano

This last couple of weekends Nesscliffe, the secluded Shropshire sandstone crag, has seen a whirlwind of action by Britain’s best trad climbers. Ja...
October 17, 2017

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 s...
July 12, 2018
New trad route in Oeschinensee, Kandersteg

New trad route in Oeschinensee, Kandersteg

On Monday we went up to have another look at the unclimbed line we spotted after our retreat from “Buch Dich”. The good thing about the line is tha...
February 08, 2011
No Fondue!

No Fondue!

After the initial flip upside down he kept falling. W.t.f.? Am I actually holding the ropes? I remember trying to take in slack to stop his headfir...
March 03, 2011

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

Push the Button

Two weeks playing on rock, warmed by the Spanish sunshine, was the reset button I needed to start getting motivated again for the rock season. In t...
March 11, 2014

Red Bull Drytooling Event at the White Cliffs

This month, the Red Bull White Cliffs event took place on the Isle of Wight. It involved scaling 90metre highoverhanging chalk cliffs using axes an...
October 22, 2015

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...
October 05, 2022

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

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

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

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

Scrambling to a New Summit

Alpkiteer and co-founder of Every Body Outdoors, Steph, recently summited Tryfan - her first scramble. Here's her story. Tryfan was not a challe...
November 07, 2022

Scratch & Win

The parting line in my last blog was that my elbow injury seemed to be on the mend. Well, since then I acquired another elbow injury on the other a...
January 29, 2019
Searching for ice on the Ben

Searching for ice on the Ben

So on Thursday evening me and the Captain (Alex Dalton) set off to beautiful rainy and warm Scotland for a smudging of ice climbing. Problem i...
February 09, 2011

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

Serra da Estrela - Our Backyard

Star Mountain “Serra da Estrela”literally translatesto “Star Mountain”, and is the highest mountain of continental Portugal. This beautifulgranite ...
February 27, 2019
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

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

Sheffield Schools' Bouldering 2017

Friday 31st March was the day for our annual Sheffield Schools' Bouldering Competition at The Mini Works in Sheffield, organised by Links School Sp...
April 06, 2017

Sheffield Schools Boulder

The Sheffield Schools bouldering competition is a fun, inclusive competition, offering the chance for a large number of school children to experien...
May 04, 2022
Social Ice Climbing

Social Ice Climbing

When I casually mentioned to friends and family that Alpkit were taking me to the Ice Festival in January and that it would involve a bivvy at arou...
January 19, 2009

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...
December 18, 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

Craic and Cracks: part two

There are so many things to love about Canada. It is a progressive, forward-thinking country both socially and politically, it has true wilderness ...
June 12, 2017
Stanage in Spring

Stanage in Spring

And then. we went in the car to stanage i knew what i was to do and then we walked up to the crag with the smell of sheep in our noses ...
May 18, 2005

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

Structured chaos - The unusual life of a climber by Victor Saunders

What you are about to read is an exclusive extract from the book 'Structured Chaos' by Victor Saunders. To see more books we love and books that ca...
February 02, 2021
Summer in February!?

Summer in February!?

Blue skies and sunshine; it seemed too perfect. The first time out for ages and we were off to Beeston. Upon late arrival we quickly mounted the co...
March 05, 2008

Tea and tooling

Saturday morning 7 AM. The world was silent, the nation slept soundly in their warm beds, all that is apart from a small group of climbers awaking ...
November 13, 2014
Bouldering Team Crush at Font

Bouldering Team Crush at Font

Becki Hall, Hannah Beresford, Gracie Martin, Luke Tilley, Edd Mowbray, Billy Rydal and Tom Bonnert were part of the team that accompanied me on my ...
March 01, 2010
Team on crushing form

Team on crushing form

It’s been a busy two weekends for Team Crush, with two boulder comps and the British team trials. It began with the Alpkit bouldering league, Round...
December 15, 2011
Team Sky Ropes

Team Sky Ropes

A crack team from Alpkit GHQ headed to Thornbridge Outdoors in order to see what they could throw at them. The Big Shakeout weekend is all set to ...
August 30, 2011

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 Chamoni...
April 09, 2020
The Alpkit Bouldering League 07/08

The Alpkit Bouldering League 07/08

Well the Alpkit Bouldering League has come to an end for another year and we’ve been more than happy to give some support again. Thanks to Derek an...
February 12, 2008

The Ascent of Nanda Devi

Posted for Vertebrate Publishing - to mark the re-release of H.W. Tilman titles H. W. ‘Bill’ Tilman was one of the greatest adventurers of his t...
December 07, 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

The Climb

As I pulled onto my first rock climb in three months, I felt a surge of energy and happiness as my body rediscovered the joy and simplicity of movi...
October 08, 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
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

The Mountain Path by Paul Pritchard

You're reading an extract from 'The Mountain Path' by Paul Pritchard. Available to pre-order here. "Eggshell ice. That’s what climbers call the br...
September 20, 2021
The Perfect Combination

The Perfect Combination

The British weather has been typically grim recently; this is beautifully demonstrated by the heavy shower outside my window right now. However...
May 29, 2008
The Red

The Red

Tones of red, yellow and green, glowing through the misty air of Kentucky, The Red is pretty. Red River Gorge only came into my radar in 2008 when ...
October 22, 2012

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

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 Shining Mountain by Peter Boardman

What you are about to read is an exclusive extract from the book 'The Shining Mountain' by Peter Boardman. To see more books we love and books that...
February 09, 2021

The Tarn Gorge - Ardeche Adventures

The Tarn gorge The lesser known sister of the Ardeche and rising from the same mountains, the Tarn cuts a 500m deep gorge into the limestone of sou...
June 16, 2015
The training starts here

The training starts here

It was something like 18 years ago when I was first drawn into the giddy world of climbing. Early trips to the Peak District with Andy Simpson and ...
June 03, 2009

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...
January 26, 2021
Tomahawk M10+

Tomahawk M10+

You’ve gotta love climbing. And you gotta love Switzerland. Climbing takes you to stunning places that otherwise you wouldn’t know or even bother. ...
March 03, 2011
Training for the World Cup

Training for the World Cup

I’ve been out in the Alps now for 5 weeks and the time is flying past so quickly. We are currently at Bremgarten near Zurich getting some training ...
July 21, 2008
Travelling Monks - Arco

Travelling Monks - Arco

The rock climbing in Arco is similar in that you can; boulder, attempt short sport routes of every angle and style, “Trad” climb on long routes or ...
August 20, 2005
Travelling Monks - Kalymnos

Travelling Monks - Kalymnos

This must be paradise. We had even travelled through purgatory with a cramped flight next to the toilet queue and a cold night on the beach chairs ...
November 10, 2005
Troll Wall - A (very) short story

Troll Wall - A (very) short story

My hope by finally writing this up is there is a little catharsis for me once it’s finished. Never have I been more disappointed in my life than b...
March 17, 2011

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
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

Visions of Climbing

Back at the Big Shakeout 2018 Scavenger had their pedal powered sewing machine, The BiSewcle’, rigged up and passing volunteers all added their eff...
December 19, 2019
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

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

WCS 2015

We were delighted to support the Women's Climbing Symposium back in October 2015. The aims of the symposium are to connect, inspire and develop wom...
February 03, 2016

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

White Goods 2013

As hundreds of outdoor folk flooded to Kendal for this years film festival an especially picky bunch of climbers opted for the alternative attracti...
November 18, 2013

Winter climbs

If you believe that the most ephemeral things are precious, then winter snow in Serra da Estrela is one of the most valuable things on the planet! ...
December 14, 2020

Winter climbing in Portugal - Part 1

250m of ice climbing in Portugal… “Wait a minute! Did I read Portugal?!” It’s March, I’m sitting here still hopeful winter will return. Hope is nor...
May 18, 2021

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
Youth Climbing Series 2012

Youth Climbing Series 2012

It’s another year, and another series of the Youth Climbing Series, more commonly known as the BRYCS. It’s an awesome competition that gets the up ...
March 06, 2012

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