[Paul B]

Although at first it looked like it could be a bit epic; the new rope was coiling around anything and everything it all went fine. We topped out as the light was beginning to fade absolutely knackered.

 

[Jaspersharpe]

Excellent. Well done Nat!

[Paul B]

can anyone enlighten me as to whether or not the MP stuff in Val di Mello is bolted or not?

Thanks
Paul

[neil h]

i


some of it, buy a guide book, it tells you a lot, we did some fully bolted big stuff there

[Paul B]

I will, If I go... but at ~30 Euros a pop I take my time!

[neil h]

I will, If I go... but at ~30 Euros a pop I take my time!

I can scan you a couple of pages if you like

[Paul B]

Thanks for the offer Neil. We went all trad for a week...

[Johnny Brown]

its pointless taking a rack, she just hasn't got the experience for it.

Glad to hear you've seen the light Proper climbing, who'd have thunk it?

[Paul B]

we had a bit of a minor epic on the last day... see if you can help t'other thread. (Here was me thinking that the trad thing would limit the shit I get from you) 

[Paul B]

Ok, so its becoming quite clear that we can't go everywhere we would like to in the time we've got left (10 weeks  ). The last couple of weeks will be lost to coming back up to the UK via Cresciano and inevitably Font. Currently we're just about done in Buoux. I was hoping the collective knowledge of UKB might help us sort out the Best from the rest from the following list. Naturally I think El Chorro and anything further South of Valencia will be cut just to save wasted time driving, but what else? Thanks for any help offered.

Albarracin
Alquezar
Baltzola
Cavallers
Cuenca
El Chorro
Margalef
Montanejos
Montsant
Montserrat
Riglos
Rodellar
Santalinya
Sella
Siurana
Terradets
Tres Pont

[SA Chris]

Given your timescales, I wouldn't bother going any further south than Northern Spain / Barcelona / Madrid

On that basis you could also remove Montanejos and Sella at least (and possibly others, my Spanish Geography aint that hot). As nice as they are it's just bolted limestone. I think your choices are going to be weather dependant too - might have to look for lower lying and south facing venues if colder weather sets in, I think a big cold front is forecast to sweep in this week, not sure how far south it will go.

[Stu Littlefair]

Given the time of year I'd drop Cavallers. Could be very chilly.

Montanejos is horrible (or perhaps just not everyone's cup of tea, if your cup of tea is badly bolted, undergraded, vertical horror shows and a mental refugio owner then go for it).

Sella is miles from your other destinations, as is Baltzola. There's also a fair chance Baltzola will get wet in the next few weeks and stay that way all winter.

I know nothing of Cuenca, but opinions are divided between great pockety climbing and old-school drilled gnarl.

Ditching the southern venues leaves many many high quality venues in Catalunya/Aragon. I'd go for these.

My plan - drive to Terradets, stopping at Tres Ponts for a day on the way. Spend a few days at Terradets (not much easy stuff for Nat), interspersed with a trip to the multipitch at Vilanova de Meia. I recommend Musical Express - well bolted, mostly 5+ with a couple of moves of 6b. Once bored of that, head to Rodellar and stay there until Nat has ticked the easy routes. Then go and base yourself in margalef and spend the rest of the time climbing here (lots for both of you) with day raids to siurana, santa linya and montsant as appropriate. On the way home, stop at montserrat for something a bit different.

Get your topos here

http://picasaweb.google.com/Grendel.Mic/ReseAsPirateadasRessenyesPiratejades

Climb at Rodellar until it gets wet or Nat ticks all the easier stuff.

[SA Chris]

Montanejos is horrible (or perhaps just not everyone's cup of tea, if your cup of tea is badly bolted, undergraded, vertical horror shows and a mental refugio owner then go for it).

Was not my bag either. You left out chipped and sikaed to death. I was there in 1996 and he was a bit mental then. Plus it was bitterly cold in March and snowed.

[Stu Littlefair]

Two  then for Montanejos. Last time Jules was there the refugio owner wouldn't let them consume their own food and drink within site of the refugio, and followed them around to make sure they didn't copy the topo!

[Bonjoy]

Stu's plan sounds pretty spot on, but i'd suggest Rodellar is better to go to before Terradets as the former is shadier and more prone to winter seepage. Don't leave it too late going to Rodellar or you might end up not being able to climb on the best bits due to wet tufa. You've already left it quite late.

[ChrisC]

Two  then for Montanejos. Last time Jules was there the refugio owner wouldn't let them consume their own food and drink within site of the refugio, and followed them around to make sure they didn't copy the topo!

I don't want to defend the place too much - it was mostly too grey and vertical and distinctly lacking in the orange pockety stuff.  However, the refuge has changed hands from the days when Ernesto (sp?) ran it.  The family that own it now are Swiss and were really friendly.  He took pity on us offered to let us shower there when he found out we were dossing in woods near by.  Top bloke, and a very chilled feel to the whole place, just a shame the climbing wasn't that bit better.  (Looked good for mid grade multi pitch, and loads of 6's etc)

Sella/Costa Blanca is ok, but I can think of other places I'd rather go first if time were limited, other crags in the area like Forada are worth going to also...  I think it only took about 3.5/4 hours to get from Barcellona --> Costa Blanca so its not as far as you might think. 

The Costa Dorada region and Rodella/Teradets area sounds a much better plan, with the Costa Blanca being a bad weather last resort option - its about 1000m lower than Siurana...

[Jaspersharpe]

Never mind all that, update your blog Bennett.

[Paul B]

Jasper - I just saw the spitting image of you at Buoux, he looked a little girly 

[Paul B]

it seems like the RHS of the small grotto at volx has collapsed and climbing is currently "interdit" - danger of death stuff.

Thanks Stu/Bonjoy, that sounds like a plan.... if we can we'll slot in some Riglos action and maybe a weekend raid to check out Penninsula at Albarraccin as it looked pretty amazing when I was there in April when the pesky bird ban was in place.

[Jaspersharpe]

Jasper - I just saw the spitting image of you at Buoux, he looked a little girly 

 

[chillax]

If/when you make it to Rodellar and have to eat, get the Lasagne at the Kalandraka Refugio. That shit was amazing   

[Paul B]

thanks for food beta, currently using the wifi right there... the coffee isn't that great 

Went to Tres pont for a day, had an amazing time and felt absolutely on fire. The next day we climbed at Rodellar I felt like microwaved shit. Rest day today.

Thankfully I've been informed this is the driest Rodellar has been in a long time so we haven't left it too late.

[Bonjoy]

Excellent. Hope you have as good a time as we did.Go do Adios Pepita at Piscineta, 40 metres of monster pump in the most amazing setting, with a very nice swimming pool in the river below.

[Paul B]

Duly noted. I think kings of metal will be high on the list... wasn't really feeling the love at the crag the other day lots of strange staring going on but maybe I was just having a grumpy day.

The place is packed full of superwads, girls onsighting 8b's casually, one girl who's gone from 7a to 8b in a year and an unknown bloke who keeps flashing really hard stuff.  A few sheffield faces are out here too which is nice.

[Bonjoy]

Kings of Metal is excellent. My favourite one on that sector was Mal D'Amores.