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Mallorca in July (Read 3203 times)

GazM

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Mallorca in July
June 12, 2019, 01:06:19 pm
Sounds like madness, but we've been invited to Mallorca in early July with a week's free accommodation so can't turn it down. It's mainly a family holiday with young kids but we're hoping that the dad's will be able to slope away to climb a few times. I now July is probably the worst possible timing for climbing on the island, but c'est la vie.

I'm imagining DWS will suit us best. Having flicked through the latest rockfax guide I'm wondering if we'll need a rope, harness etc to access many of the classic DWS crags, or are they scrambles/downclimbs? Which crags have the easiest, least faffy access? Luggage space will be at a premium so if we can get away without all that clobber that would be great.

Will Hunt

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#1 Re: Mallorca in July
June 12, 2019, 01:42:33 pm
Cala Barques is easy access. No tomfoolery needed. There are normally some bits of old rope/rope ladders that assist in pulling out onto low-level ledges, but check that these are in place before you commit, and know where your alternative swim out it (of course). You might have trouble with parking on the access road to the beach (have a search on here for threads passim). If you're going in July it sounds like you need to just find somewhere in the shade. Metrosexual and Hercules face south-west so should be OK in the morning. Might of the Stalactite is a friendly lowball traverse across one of the caves which is absolutely mega (Adventurous down-climb into the unknown. Swinging around on huge jugs dripping from the roof. Mid way rest sat down on a huge stalactite Jump into the sea off the finishing ledge.). I think it might be deep enough in the cave that it'll be in shade around midday (don't hold me to that!).

Coops_13

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#2 Re: Mallorca in July
June 12, 2019, 02:33:23 pm
Yeah loads in Barques that will be fine, that cave is so steep it rarely gets any sun. Instead of jumping off the finishing ledge, finish up one of the many routes above which are so so good.

RE parking, the walk down from the main parking isn't too bad, fairly flat most of the way

scragrock

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#3 Re: Mallorca in July
June 13, 2019, 09:44:09 am
Hey Gaz
I have bouldered and DWS in Majorca a few times now, PM me for details { i bought a small boulder guide for Santanyi you could borrow}

Coops_13

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#4 Re: Mallorca in July
June 13, 2019, 02:42:42 pm
Speaking of bouldering, I did this above a rucksack with a close spot:

SA Chris

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#5 Re: Mallorca in July
June 13, 2019, 04:34:23 pm
Why were you spotting a rucksack? :)

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#6 Re: Mallorca in July
June 14, 2019, 02:56:39 pm
Where on the island are you staying? If on the West then there is an safe, very accessible little DWS venue in Santa Ponca. Topo below.

https://27crags.com/crags/santa-ponca

If North East around Porta Pollenca there is bouldering in boquer valley but obviously that will be pretty much first or last thing only in July. The mega classic Xampingo is just about ok without a mat, the rest really do need a mat unless you're very bold.

SE of the island you're laughing.

GazM

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#7 Re: Mallorca in July
June 18, 2019, 08:13:16 am
Thanks all, Cala Barques was sounding like the place to go, until I just saw this on the other channel:   https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/crag_access/access_cala_varques_mallorca_closed-706184
Ach well, plenty of other crags so I'm sure we'll find something.
We're staying in Cala D'Or in the SE of the island, so we're well located.
Thanks for the boulder knowledge from folks, but the prospect of bouldering in >20°C temps is not appalling so think I'll leave that for now!

Will Hunt

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#8 Re: Mallorca in July
June 18, 2019, 09:28:26 am
I wouldn't necessarily give up on Barques/Varques. I'm sure I read a forum post somewhere saying that someone had walked in along the coast path from Cala Romantica, which would be about 3Km, or in other words, the same distance to walk as from the original parking described in the Rockfax (in a layby on the M4014). You should have no problems doing that and it's definitely worth the walk.

GazM

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#9 Re: Mallorca in July
June 18, 2019, 11:54:36 am
Good knowledge Will, thanks.

GazM

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#10 Re: Mallorca in July
July 14, 2019, 08:15:11 pm
Just wanted to follow up this thread in case its of use to others in the future.
Back from the week in Cala D'Or and as expected it was scorchio.  I did manage to get a few short visits to the most local DWS crag of Cala Sa Nau but can't say I was particularly successful.  To avoid the heat of the day (and accusations of anti-social behaviour on a family holiday) visits were confined to early mornings, between 7 and 9 am and one evening session.  I'd wondered if evening would be less greasy after a day of drying in the sun and it was in places but not in others.  However, I did manage a last-ditch evening visit to Cala Mitjana on my own and the Rich Bitch cave was dry enough so I did the easy routes on the RH side - great fun and a tiny taste of the fun that could be had.  I wanted to do the harder routes and Illuminations round the corner but on my own it felt like asking for trouble when no-one knows where you are so I bailed.

Not sure what the moral of the story is really, other than the very obvious one that July is not the time for primo connies.  But if you're pushed, evening did seem better than morning as the sun had baked off some of the smeg. Hasta luego!

 

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