[DaveyDave]

Heading to Chorro on Monday for the first time, and have heard that it's usually boiling in the sun around this time of year.
Typically, the walkway isn't due to open officially until just after we leave. How much of a pain in the arse is that likely to be?
Looking at the guide, it suggests desplo and in the gorge are the only places to go when it's warm. Not a fan of climbing in the sun, it does to me in 20 minutes what the same time in a microwave does to a once structurally sound bar of dairy milk. Is the walkway the only way to get to the shadier routes down that way? Ps. we won't have a car booo

[mrjonathanr]

Typically, the walkway isn't due to open officially until just after we leave. How much of a pain in the arse is that likely to be?
Looking at the guide, it suggests desplo and in the gorge are the only places to go when it's warm.

The good. Desplomilandia is a great collection of crags which arcs round so you can target shade at different times.

The bad. It's about 40 mins away from El Chorro by car.

Frontales gets some shade in the morning IIRC. You might be able to find shade up at Makinodromo at certain times..not sure.

The gorge is shade central. I can only think of the camino as a way of accessing it, bar the tunnels, but they're out of bounds nowadays. Why won't it be accessible??

[Will Hunt]

I'm not convinced there is a vast quantity of good climbing in the gorge anyway. Beware, many routes in poor repair and ill equipped (especially if you're the same bloke who is relatively new to climbing who was asking on UKC).
One of the problems you will have is that most stuff in the area immediately around Chorro faces the same way!
If you're staying in the olive branch then chat to others with cars and gently persuade them to give you a lift to Loja.
Same with Desplom but even if nobody else is psyched you can probably hitch there on your own anyway.
Archidona would be a good bet but has the same problem as Loja.

You may be able to chase shade in the Poema cave.
El Torcal is significantly higher so will be cooler (and also has lots of buttresses with varying aspects so shade will be easier to come by).
If you're desperate to get to the gorge then make some enquiries about how exactly it is closed. If they've just removed the via ferrata access from the start of the tunnels then you may be able to get through the tunnels/over the hill and approach from the Polvorin area. This may not be feasible. If they've been working on it then expect them to have it on lockdown.
If all that fails then get to crags with trees around the base (los cotos) and seek shade between attempts, take lots of water out with you, wear a floppy sun hat, and remember that only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

[Will Hunt]

Typically, the walkway isn't due to open officially until just after we leave. How much of a pain in the arse is that likely to be?
Looking at the guide, it suggests desplo and in the gorge are the only places to go when it's warm.

The good. Desplomilandia is a great collection of crags which arcs round so you can target shade at different times.

The bad. It's about 40 mins away from El Chorro by car.

Frontales gets some shade in the morning IIRC. You might be able to find shade up at Makinodromo at certain times..not sure.

The gorge is shade central. I can only think of the camino as a way of accessing it, bar the tunnels, but they're out of bounds nowadays. Why won't it be accessible??

Walkway has received some funding to do it up and then it into a tourist attraction!

[SpanishJuan]

so will it now have glass bottom sections instead of gaping holes in the concrete? I'm really glad I went along it years ago although my wife might now be tempted to go now!!
Does this mean climbing above the walkway will be a no no due to people walking underneath with prams?

[DaveyDave]

Beware, many routes in poor repair and ill equipped (especially if you're the same bloke who is relatively new to climbing who was asking on UKC).

Not me, but noted.

Yeah, I checked and climbing above the walkway isn't on anymore apparently.

Will have to put on my nicest face and biggest thumb for desplo everyday then.

[Will Hunt]

Don't rule out the other stuff entirely. Unless you really suffer with proper heatstroke then you'll probably be ok on the frontales if you take the proper precautions. The climbing there is too good to miss. Isn't the whole point of going to Spain in winter to see the fiery orb in the sky?

[slackline]

El Torcal is significantly higher so will be cooler (and also has lots of buttresses with varying aspects so shade will be easier to come by).

I found it to be quite confusing to navigate round too.

[abarro81]

ICRC the stuff in poema cave gets shade early and late. As others have said, blag a lift to desplom, Loja, archidona etc too

[J_duds]

"Caminito del Rey: Spain reopens 'world's scariest walkway' in the Gorge of Gaitanes that claimed five lives":
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/caminito-del-rey-spain-reopens-worlds-scariest-walkway-in-the-gorge-of-gaitanes-that-claimed-five-lives-10099059.html

But it doesn't actually say when it will open!

[mrjonathanr]

If you're desperate to get to the gorge then make some enquiries about how exactly it is closed. If they've just removed the via ferrata access from the start of the tunnels then you may be able to get through the tunnels/over the hill and approach from the Polvorin area. This may not be feasible. If they've been working on it then expect them to have it on lockdown.

I believe you may be open to very hefty fines for trespassing on the railway nowadays and security guards have been stationed at the entrance in the past....

Rather than posting here and getting potentially out of date info, why don't you contact the Orange House and get it from the horse's mouth?

[Motown]

Really not that too hot at this time of year. Not a fan of excessive heat, but never struggled on Easter breaks. Admittedly, I've been puntering around, but don't think heat should be too bad. More often it's been rain that's taken a couple of days climbing away.


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[slackline]

"Caminito del Rey: Spain reopens 'world's scariest walkway' in the Gorge of Gaitanes that claimed five lives":
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/caminito-del-rey-spain-reopens-worlds-scariest-walkway-in-the-gorge-of-gaitanes-that-claimed-five-lives-10099059.html

But it doesn't actually say when it will open!

Yes it does...

However, his great-grandson, the current King Felipe, is expected to cut the ribbon on the new Caminito when it opens to the public on 28 March.

[J_duds]

http://www.caminitodelrey.info/en/4759/com1_md3_cd-22390/malaga-county-council-open-caminito-path-before-easter-after-having-invested-euros
says it opens: "open round Holy Week which is celebrated from 29th March (Palm Sunday) to 5th April (Easter Sunday)"
and entrance is free with tickets available online.

"At this stage it isn’t known what, if any, implications/restrictions the re-opening of the walkway will have on the climbing in the gorge itself." http://www.climber.co.uk/news/latest-news/el-caminito-del-rey-set-to-re-open-before-easter.html

[mrjonathanr]

Camino is now open