[Fiend]

Okay Bluebrad and I are hatching some sort of plan to go sport-climbing in mid-December. We're on the same wavelength of being after something a bit different i.e. not the usual Costa Blanca euro-lime fare etc etc.

The initial concept was Antalya, however I've through Tenerife and Madrid into the mix. So it's like this:

Tenerife:
+ Different rock type (big bonus for me), very promising climate at that time of year, should get good deals, can use my half-dozen words of Spanish to good effect.
- Climbing not as highly rated as some other places, climbing beneath volcano could be cold, uncertain information.

Madrid - Pedriza + Patones:
+ Climbing looks really great in both areas, different rock type, very easy to get flights, can live on Chorizon the entire trip.
- Weather promises to be cold and relatively wet - is this likely to be totally the wrong month for it.

Antalya:
+ Comes highly rated, Olympos down the road looks good, different culture, benevolent weather at that time?, can live on Haloumi
- Rock not very inspiring in topos, looks like pretty average euro-lime stuff, don't speak Turkish etc.

Any thoughts on this?? From looking around, Madrid would be my first choice for climbing (the topos in the Patones guide looked really nice rock). But I think it's going to be just too cold and grim. So failing that, I'm probably tending towards Tenerife, partly for the climate, and mostly for the novelty of sport climbing on a different rock. Antalye, the topo photos didn't get me rad and syked, although going to Turkey would be kinda cool...

[BB]

Fiend,

Long time reader, first time poster.

I'm not very well informed about Antalya and Spain, but i can offer a few pointers on Tenerife:

The majority of the climbing is in Arico gorge and much of it is seriously overhanging. There's plenty of friction, very little polish and it's normally very quiet. Be aware though, that at this end of the Island and at this altitude the weather is frequently cloudy with lots of moisture in the air and strong winds. Hence all the wnd turbines. Luckily the gorge is sheltered from much of the wind. Parking is quite limited and i recommend parking on the bridge if you can as the other spots are very uneven and might do some damage to the underside of your car. (hire care essential btw).

Up at the volcano, it will be much colder. I went once and it was 20 degrees colder than the coast. Down jackets are a must up there! I had to retreat after the cloud closed in and the wind blew us off the crag. Lovely colour rock though and in good weather it'd be lovely. It's a long old drive on very slow, narrow roads to get there too.

The rockfax topos are for finding the crags, but are a bit out of date now. You can get a guidebook in the climbing shop in Santa Cruz, if you can find it (i couldnt!) or you can also buy it in a bar in Arico village. It's quite a modern looking one on the opposite side of the road to the phone box.

If you're used to Kalymnos grades then be prepared for a shock. Much of the climbing is graded quite hard!

Hope this helps

[Palomides]

I'd say Tenerife. Weather will be great, the climbing is different from "standard euro-lime" and there's easily enough for a good week: 3 days at Arico (welded volcanic tuff - nice to climb on), 2 days at Las Canadas (iron-hard soldified ash wierd stuff), 1 day walking up the volcano (the highest mountain in Spain), and/or 1 day driving round trying to find one of the other crags that turns out to be shit. After one trip you'll probably feel that you've "done" tenerife and never need to go back.

Good chance of cheapish deals, but be aware that it's a long flight (compared to the rest of Spain).

Central Spain can be grim on a stick in December.

Antalya looks good (I haven't been), but the climbing looks very similar to the Costa Blanca etc.

[magpie]

From those three, I'd say Tenerife, for all the reasons mentioned above.

But I think it's my duty to inform you all the cool kids will be on the Costa Blanca 

[Fiend]

Costa where??

We could fit you into a suitcase if we squeezed hard enough, I reckon...

[magpie]

Costa Blanca    Or do you mean where on the Costa Blanca, in which case were based near Murcia.

I don't need squeezed into your suitcase (it can be done, it's been previously tested) I have my very own plane ticket, I'll let you carry my rope if you want though, save me having to lug it over.   

[butters]

But I think it's my duty to inform you all the cool kids will be on the Costa Blanca 

There's cool and then there is Fiend - he hit new levels of cool at Brimham last Wednesday!! 

bluebrad

[neil h]

Hey man, get your arse to tenerife, its tops, the climbing is tops, the people are tops,

I spent a couple of years on and off, wrote the guide, climbed pretty much everything, if yo need info you know were to come.

I would def recomend it, good bouldering, fantastic routes, good night life.


here are some tasters, of me when i was younger  aprt from the one with the beard, thats local hard boy walter

[Fiend]

Arseburgers, Bluebrad may have to withdraw...

Anyone for a Tenerife trip in December 

[neil h]

if you go drop me a line, will give you a copy of the guide