The Le Marche region sits north of Abruzzo, with Ancona as its capital and best known city. The guidebook features over 60 crags, but we were only able to climb at a couple and recce a few more in a brief weather window. Some impressive gorges and river-carved walls hint at plenty more to come back for.

Rio Vitoschio is hidden away from view up a tiny track (if you are cheeky you could pretty much drive up to the foot of the crag).

Impressive steep walls, either side of a gushing torrent – a bit too gushing unfortunately, testament to the torrential rain across much of northern Italy in the preceeding weeks. The stepping stone crossing was completely submerged and in any event the walls were streaked with seepage. One for a future visit.

Fosso dell’Eremo was a similar riverside crag, but had the merit of a bridge!

Another attractive crag, with a mix of steep tufas 7s and long routes from 5c to 6b on the wings with extensions for 40m 6bs & cs. Whilst the bridge solved the approach problem, the walls were mostly soaked…

… but we did manage to squeeze a YECTOYD from the day: Gino Politino, 5c.

The Gola di Frasassi is not quite Verdon scale, but not far off. The cragging options are somewhat restricted by access agreements, but Furlo looks worth a future visit, as does the area’s big tourist draw: Frasassi Cave

The Esino river gorge cuts through Monte Reveloni and there are upwards of a dozen crags spread out along either side, some easily accessed from a disused road that runs through the gorge, others (such as the namesake Falcioni) more of a traipse. La Sbarra is almost “belay from the bumper” accessible, but on a sunny Sunday had already attracted a crowd.

A bit further along, Chez Maxime looked a potentially grim spot on the map, immediately next to the Auto Strada, but this is actually buried inside the hill at that point, and only pops out briefly to cross the gorge on a viaduct.

The crag is just around the corner, and remarkably not blighted by road noise (although also busy with weekend climbers).

Dietro la Bandiera, 6a, was a stiff but fun corner. Gladio,

… and Le Pippe di Pippo were both good, long 5cs and not really any easier.

Radio Bernada, 6b+, is pretty much a full rope length up this attractive pinnacle.

A bit of drizzle towards the end of the afternoon marked the end of our brief Marche climbing window, but not our recce. We couldn’t resist checking out La Pinta, the self-styled Climber Bar in Camponocecchio.

Sure enough, it was rammed with more E9 trousers and colourful puffa jackets than the sale rail at Outside. Literally standing room only…

… so we retired to the van for our post-climb beer instead.

Talking of which, base camp for our brief Marche mission was a really friendly Il Cinisco campsite in Frontone, near Genga. Within 15 to 45mins of the northern clusters of a couple of dozen crags.