[Marky]

Thinking of going to Terradets/Vilanova DE Meia Xmas/New Year. Anybody any recommendations for accommodation? Tried Emailing the refuge (info@promoturpallars.com?) but no response - does anybody know the current rates and if it will be open 26th Dec-4th Jan? The only other accommodation I can find is Terradets Hotel but far too pricey!

[Paul B]

There's a climbers bar + reffugio in Vilanova but maybe Stu's post on Spanish accommodation on the Margalerf thread might be of use? (although I've checked and it seems not).

It might also be pretty chilly at Vilanova, we were there in Nov last year and the descent side of the crag was covered in snow which made it pretty dodgy. It was also very hard work getting out of the van and climbing as it was bitterly cold.

[Marky]

Cheers yeah did try Stu,s link but it did not bring anything up apart from the Terradets Refuge and Terradets Hotel. Thought Vilanova would be ok - does it not face South? Heard about the climbers bar/refuge in Vilanova but cannot find any contact details?

[Paul B]

Like I said, it was cold. Aspect isn't the only thing that dictates this. If you do go I'd maybe suggest carrying the odd bit of kit as some of the easier pitches sometimes get a little sparse. The climber on the route next to us found this out by snapping a hold and then his arm in the resulting fall. I think just a few small cams (0.25 0.5) would have worked well but thats just my 2p. The bolts are awesome in places, red, yellow or green!

[T_B]

We stayed in Santa Engracia, above Tremp. Bit of a pain driving up the road every evening, but a nice setting. It will be cold mind. We were there in November and it was -9 in the valley the day we left. That said we were climbing in tees on Les Bruixes.

http://www.holiday-villa-select.com/property.php?id=487

[Marky]

Thanks for the link looks great! How long did it take to drive to Vilanova and Bruixes from there? Ok so Vilanova could be cold but bruixes should be ok in the sun? - what about the other multi pitch stuff on Sector Smoking - ok in the sun? What,s the drive up like to the place above tremp -could it be dodgy if it snowed?

[T_B]

Probably 25 mins to Les Bruixes. Villanova is quite a bit further and hard to find/easy to get lost, as one of the roads is tiny and unsurfaced. Not sure about other climbing venues at Terradets. Les Bruixes is good in the sun, though not sure if Tufas seep in the middle of winter. Yes, the road would be a problem if it snowed. It's steep and there are loads of hairpins.

[Bonjoy]

Personally I wouldn’t go to Terradetts at that time of year. I was there at the same time as T_B the other year as part of a road trip and it was nice in the sun. However it got rapidly colder after then and we were soon forced elsewhere, it really was hideously cold. And I think the refuge shuts during the coldest months. The problem is that the crag is in a huge valley with big hills on each side and as a consequence although the crag points south it only gets the sun for a limited time in the middle of the day. As you get more into winter the sun drops lower in the sky, gets more obscured by the valley sides and this window of sunshine gets smaller and smaller. There are other sunnier crags in the area but not really of the calibre of Bruixes in the 7b-8a+ range, except for Santa Linya which would be perfect at that time but is rather hardcore (the quality doesn’t really kick in until 8a).
We moved on to Montgrony which is a bit further east. This is perfect for mid winter, infact mid winter is the only time you’d want to go there due to the sunny aspect. It’s at a slightly higher altitude to Terradets but sits on top of a hill so catches every drop of the winter sun. It’s one of the most beautiful places you could wish to go and has a great refuge cum restaurant under the crag. Rockfax do a down loadable mini guide and there is a more uptodate local guide available which includes a bunch of other local crags some of which look really good. There is a very broad spread of grades with high quality stuff from easy to 8c, including a few proper soft 8as which is always nice on holiday  . The routes tend to be shortish for spain at 20-30m and there are lots of tufas. Given the big name euro wads we bumped into i'd say I’m not the only person who rates it as a winter destination.

[Marky]

Cheers for the info - that does not sound too pleasant.  Maybe a rethink is needed. Where is the best place to fly to for Montgrony and any info on accommodation would be good?

[Bonjoy]

It'd probably be Girona/Barcelona, but there may be an airport closer. There is a good refuge litterally under the crag also some accomodation in the town which is a couple of miles away down the hill. Stu Littlefair has stayed in a place in the town and may have useful info. There is also a free barn up behind the refuge, but is super basic and would be very cold.

[Stu Littlefair]

This is the place we stayed near Montgrony; http://www.fondaxesc.com/engl.html

Total winner of a hotel, the owner/chef is fantastically talented and the breakfast included home made pastries, jam and little medallions of chocolate. If my (googles) catalan is any good, it looks like he's just been awarded a michelin star. We stayed just after they'd set up so got a great deal (€40/night for a double room), but it looks like their prices have gone up!

Jonboy's got the cheaper options covered; the refugio is pretty good. There is actually the monastery/hotel at Montgrony itself of course. http://climbinspain.com/where-to-stay/hotel-montgrony-montgrony/

[Marky]

Thanks Stu for the info. Yeah that hotel looks a tad pricey now but will check out the refuge.

[Marky]

Anybody know the up to date Email for the refuge at Montgrony? Tried totimats@hotmail.com but they must have changed it as the Email bounced?

[maggiej]

 Try casamauri.wordpress.com

[BenF]

Try casamauri.wordpress.com

Second that.  One of the best places I've ever stayed and going back there for a fortnight next weekend. 

[duncan]

Thread revival

Heading this way end of February. Any updated suggestions for a team of 4-5 for 5 nights?

[Wood FT]

Thread revival

Heading this way end of February. Any updated suggestions for a team of 4-5 for 5 nights?

Stayed in the refugio at the (now open) train station once, was very cold and the water pipes were noisy as hell when someone had a shower.

Maybe that's changed but when we went back the year after we stayed at Nic Durrand's refugio in Abella De La Conca ~30 mins away

http://abellaclimb.com/info/the-place/

It's nestled in a beautiful village, which is an ever expanding venue in itself, and Nic with his family are very psyched hosts. I'd go back here.

Probably places in Tremp if you check air bnb

[Paul B]

Thread revival

Heading this way end of February. Any updated suggestions for a team of 4-5 for 5 nights?

Casa Mauri?

[James Malloch]

Thread revival

Heading this way end of February. Any updated suggestions for a team of 4-5 for 5 nights?

Stayed in the refugio at the (now open) train station once, was very cold and the water pipes were noisy as hell when someone had a shower.

Maybe that's changed but when we went back the year after we stayed at Nic Durrand's refugio in Abella De La Conca ~30 mins away

http://abellaclimb.com/info/the-place/

It's nestled in a beautiful village, which is an ever expanding venue in itself, and Nic with his family are very psyched hosts. I'd go back here.

Probably places in Tremp if you check air bnb

Didn't stay there but Nic's place looked nice when we visited the crag there. Really nice guy too.

We stayed 10 mins away in one of the local villages, got a cheap AirBNB but the place was slowly falling apart. Might be worth having a look at what's local on there?

A few people we met stayed at Hotel Terradets but they wish they got a local apartment instead. I think it was the lack of atmosphere/restrictions rather than the actual accommodation though.

[jwi]

I have not been to Bruixes this winter, but it's been the site of my bh's winter siege both last winter and the winter before.

There are plenty of cheap hotels in Tremp, and before we usually stayed in one of them. The one we used to stay in [Hostal la Canonja] is about 30 euro for two people per night, but it's not on booking.com. I don't think booking in advance is necessary. Tremp has plenty of resturants, cafes and bakeries.

Lately we have mostly stayed in Fonda Can Fasersia in Pobla de Segur. Very cheap, something like 25 euro for two people per night, breakfast included. It's on booking.com. They have a small communal kitchen as well.

Pobla de Segur further up the valley is about the same distance from Bruixes as the Abella Refugio, but it's a much nicer drive. Abella is quite social, and Nicolas is a nice guy. We're usually working when not climbing, so the social scene + not too great wifi makes it a third option kind of place for us.

We used to avoid the refugio at the train-station in Cellers at all cost. High price, cold rooms and bad hygiene. They closed one or two years ago, but I think I heard someone saying that they'll open again...

There is also a strange refugio in a former catholic monastery in Talarn (look for Alberg de Talarn on booking.com). They apparently have a communal kitchen now, and they can make decent vegetarian food if you ask them a bit ahead of time. The rooms have bad sound isolation. We tried them twice, but prefer the longer drive from Pobla.

[duncan]

Belated thanks to contributors. Booked Casa Mauri. Training for Tufas.

[duncan]

Didn't get to try my tufa skills but Casa Mauri was a great recommendation. Amazing position up in Santa Engracia: what a view to wake up to! Very comfortable, very clean, and high quality accommodation. Jane was an excellent host. A considerable incentive to visit the area again.