Photos by Aylwyn

Can't wait to climb the thing!

This face stands out like a tidal wave in the landscape.

Starting point at 'Monk Rock'

Approach at 'Monk Rock'

Summit on Koraro Towers, 15th May 2012, 6:39pm local time.

The Koraro Sandstone Towers, 150 meters high, climbed in 4 pitches, on very little protection and our 'rope gun' Niels Tietze, followed by Nico Demus, Mathieu Thermes, and myself, May 15th 2012. We reached the summit at 6:30pm.

The rock hewn church Abuna Yemata Guh located in northern Ethiopia (Tigray) dates back to the 4th century. The church is sacred but accessible for tourists and pilgrims by a somewhat challenging scramble up a brittle yet polished sandstone wall. The church is in the bigger tower to your right. Known locally as the Guhe Towers, we climbed the twin Pillars to the left of the flat on May 17th 2012.

The air is clean and the sandstone beneath our feet is warm and comforting. We left gear behind for rappeling: Two nuts, yellow extension rope and Karabiner.