Our base in Marrakech new town - the Hotel Les Trois Palmiers
Detail, door at the Hotel Trois Palmiers
Chandelier, Hotel Trois Palmiers
Preparing ourselves for the trek to begin
Mosque
Time to load up the mules !
Abandoned berber dwelling
Looking abck down the Ourika Valley
Steve - good to be back in the mountains !
Tough roads in the High Atlas
Carolyn dwarfed by the mountain scenery
Preparing for our first alfresco lunch.
Dry and barren mountains ...
.. and verdant valleys ...
... oh, and lots of these ...
The first of many Berber villages
Steve takes a breather in the shade of walnut trees
Mules (and muleteers) are still with us ...
The valley opens out
Another typical Berber village - ancient , crumbling houses, pristine mosque
Towards sundown. Job well done - time to eat !
Making camp at the end of our first day trekking.
Day two. Looking back to camp.
A quik stop at the Gite for water and supplies ...
... then onwards and upwards ...
Lots of ancient junipers on this trek
Heading for the first pass
... up and up ...
Quite a good climb so far
Phew - almost there ...
'Flat Brownie' looks happy with our progress ...
Hicham and Nick. Keep going - almost there ...
And relax - you made it !
Not a bad panoramic view. Definitely woth the effort.
Flat Brownie looking very fresh compared to Maureen ...
... and a whole lot happier than Nick !!
What goes up ....
Hicham demonstrates how good he is with kids.
A long way down to our lunch spot ...
... but it's much easier going after lunch.
Day three. Surprise, surprise ... an early morning climb.
Nick.
A stop for beers and icecream ... not !!
Steve, Carolyn and Flat Brownie
Looking back to the valley bottom, telephone masts and observatory.
Approaching the highest ski lift in Morocco
Congregating at the view point ...
... to get our bearings ...
... and pose with 'FB'
Our goal(s) for later in the trek ...
Toubkal and Wanoukrim
Our first 'sumit' group photo - Adrar N'Oukaimeden (3257 metres)
Heading down for a spot of lunch
Steve L taking in the view at our lunch spot.
.. and what a view it is !
Our Gite nestled down in the valley
Almost there ...
A few views from the terrace ...
...
...
...
Irrigation in action
Propspect of a long walk down the valley
Berber village ahead
How green is my valley (bottom !)
Colourful school
A nice riverside location for lunch.
Maureen agrees ...
... and 'Young' Colin seems happy with today's offering
Traversing the red 'moonscape'
An interesting rock 'face'
The final descent for the day
Derek
Camping under the walnut trees - a noisy night ahead !
From valley number one ...
.. up ..
... to the pass ..
... then down we go ...
.. accross the raging river (who needs 'crossing sandals' ??). Andy ...
... Steve ...
... and Maureen
... then back up ...
... and up ...
... and up ...
... to reach the final pass. Then - yes, you got it ...
... down into the third and final valley for the day !
A welcome stop for lunch.
An early morning departure
Typical old Berber buildings
Local resident
Another steady climb
...
Amazing colours in the mountainside
Flat Brownie enjoys a mint tea ...
... as do Mo, Nick, Colin & Steve ...
.. and Andy & Hicham.
Encamping at the Refuge
Relaxing after a hard morning's walk
Setting off for the afternoon stroll to the waterfall
Where's the waterfall, Nick ?
Hicham has found it
...
Climbing higher ... into the clouds ...
... feeling small ...
... and insignificant ...
... and deep in thought.
Nick finally gets his ''swim.
Early morning cloud down in the valley
Burning off now ...
Heading uphill ...
Towards today's pass
Oh boy. What's that I see ahead ...
Woo hoo! Freshly-squeezed OJ !!
The route down ... but first ...
... time to relax ...
... before another climb ...
.. to admire ...
... the stunning views ...
Wow !!
Up again - just a little way ...
... for an even more spectacular viewpoint.
...
...
A spot of lunch, and Colin is out for the count.
The bustling metrolpolis of Imlil beckons
Relaxing at the Gite at Aremd
..
Looking back to Imlil
Heading up to base camp - Steve leading the way
... and everyone else falling in line
First sight of the shrine
National Park rules - no swimming !!
The shrine - apparently a fairy lives here ?
Colin shows great interest in the mule's diet
Heading up to base camp
Approaching Toubkal base camp
Views from base camp
...
Relaxing before tomorrow's climb
The ascent of Toubkal begins. . Sunrise, and Colin is almost awake now !!
A break as the sun continues to rise ...
... but we still have a long way to go.
Still heading up to the second col.
Higher now - getting colder, and time to get our crampons on ...
..
Carolyn - doing her own interpretation of the 'Sir Edmund' .
We have gained a lot of height ...
... but still a long way to go ...
Looking back down from the col.
... and looking up, the summit beckons
Group photo, Mount Toubkal, 4167 meters
Flat Brownie on top of Morocco ..
... and flying the flag.
Arty-farty summit shot
Admiring the view. "That's where we were last week ..."
Heading back down to the col
OK - crampons back on !
.
Look out - mad men alert !
Crazy swiss men approaching. Taking mountain bikes up to the summit !
Looking back up to the first pass ...
... and taking a breather.
Back down again. Carolyn looks reflective ...
... as do Mo and Colin ...
Happy guides - everyone back safely !
Following day.
Still climbing
The boys hold hands - Carolyn is doing it for herself
he summit is in sight
Getting ever closer
Almost there - crampons on for the final snow field - and still looking good
The summit of Ouanakrim, 4088 meteres. Special 'Mobot' for our Mo !
Hicham & Steve
... or is that the summit over there ... ?
A mountain-top panorama from the second summit
.. and to happy guides !
... and clients !!
..
Derek concentrates on the tricky bit ... carefully watched by Hicham !
Back at basecamp - with lenticular clouds.
Finally back to civilisation after a long day.
Presentations to the crew ...
... and one final group photo.
Our last day walking - in-and-around Imlil.
..
Looking down on Imlil
Meeting the crew on their way back home
Our last day in Morocco. A quick tour ot Marrakech...
Tyre recycling
The Tannery, Marrakech
..
Steve turns Tuareg
Incognito
Palm tree .... or is it ??