During early May 2014, I spent some glorious days rock climbing together with Alan Silva at Mt Arapiles in Western Victoria.  Mt Arapiles may be unfamiliar to non-climbing folk. However to rock climbers it is world-famous with over 3000 routes established on this amazing rock formation.  I will let the photographs speak for themselves to show the wonderful time we had sampling Mt Arapiles more well-known climbs.  We climbed a number of the ‘classic’ routes with names such as “The Bard, Muldoon, Syrinx, D-Major, The Trapeze, D-Minor & Piccolo”.  Mt Arapiles is around 3.5 hours drive from Melbourne and well worth a visit even if you are just going for a walk to enjoy the view.  All photo credits are to Alan Silva & Grant Rawlinson.

You can click on each photo to enlarge.

The plaque located on a small crag when you enter Mt Arapiles

Checking out the guide book before we start climbing

One the main crags at Arapiles looking beautiful in the sunlight. The rock glows a beautiful orange color when lit by the sun.

Admiring the view from halfway up ‘The Bard’

Enjoying the rock with its fantastic friction and great handholds

Sometimes we need to take a step into the unknow even if we are unsure where it may lead.

Summit! After completing the route ‘Trapeze.

Alan Silva on belay on ‘The Bard’

Late afternoon sun lights up the way on a route up the Organ Pipes

This land abounds in natures gifts of beauty rich and rare

Loving the sun and the view from ‘Syrinx’

Its always nice to find street signs 100m vertical metres off the ground

A comfortable belay with a wonderful view

Bloody hell – we are only half way!

Alan Silva doing what all good climbers do on wet days. Catching up on reading and fluid intake.

Rounding the final traverse with 140m of air under my feet on ‘Syrinx’

15m to the summit of Mt Arapiles

Wet weather wander up Mitre Peak.

We stayed in the National Hotel in the small town of Natimuk, nearby to Arapiles

View down from the Bard to other groups of climbers enjoying the vertical craziness

What are you looking at?

Alan Silva summits Mitre Peak in the wet

Alan Silva on lead nearing the 7th pitch of Syrinx

Alan Silva enjoys the view from another great belay spot

The postcard shot & my favorite photo from the trip. Alan Silva, a great guy, in a great location with a great view. Thanks Alan for showing me this beautiful part of the world!