[shark]

Having a road trip in our motor home that is based around Sonia running a marathon in Paris on the 10th August then another in Dingle (SW coast of Ireland) on 7th Sept so will go to Font via Dover then probably down to the Pyrenees then cross from Bilbao to Rosslaire then after Sonia has done her run in Dingle then head around the coast to Larne to take the ferry back home via Stranraer.

Any beta or offers of hooking up en route very welcome

Sonia is ok to belay me so suitable sport venues for that time of year would be great along with must do places to visit and things to do en route.

My impression is that there isn’t much climbing of note in the South of Ireland so would like to hook up with someone for Inishmore, the Burren or Fairhead for the second week in September.

Ta.

[SA Chris]

Sounds like a great trip. Presumably you are taking bouldering kit? Can she belay you on single pitch trad? Guess abbing to clean would be a faff.

That crossing from Bilbao to Rosslare has a reputation for being a bit bumpy, hope you both have strong stomachs.

[shark]

Yes. Single pitch trad would work too but she would need a refresher. Be good if I could hook up with someone to climb the Naranjas de Bulnes. Yes would be taking mats - Duncan has suggested Targasonne. Also suggested Rumenesin Asturias for sport

Thanks for the heads up about the crossing.

[SA Chris]

Pretty sure there is a fair bit of bouldering down that way, but not got guidebook to hand. Our surf  / climb road trip that way involved a lot of Guinness

[andy popp]

I've done Santander-Plymouth (not exactly the same route, obviously) and it was delightful. Entirely the luck of the draw on the day I assume.

[seankenny]

. Also suggested Rumenesin Asturias for sport

Thanks for the heads up about the crossing.

Teverga and Quiros are also good in Asturias. We also went to a crag up in Leon which I liked. It’s a very beautiful area but maybe a little rainy (visited in May, might be drier in Aug/September).

[stone]

I think I remember a couple of TV programs about amazing food in Basque country. Perhaps this was one of them https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0007f1f .
There was a cafe that only sold Spanish Omelette but apparently the world's best, and a steak restaurant that used hand-picked retired dairy cows and again was supposed to be world beating whilst extremely basic.
 

[andy popp]

Simon, you need to get in touch with Patta.

[chillax]

Good bit of trad and bouldering in Kerry. Theres a lovely little trad crag right beside Dingle called Dunsheen head https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/dunshean_head-10391/#overview. Lots around the Gap of Dunloe outside Killarney too.

You're obviously aware of Ailladie and Inis Mór already. Lots easy to moderate trad further up the coast in Donegal if thats your bag. Muckross is hard to find in good condition, but is cool and very unique if you do. Gola and Owey islands are also pretty special experiences. Theres a new(ish) bolted crag up near Fair Head called Garron Point thats mean't to be good too. Sounds like a great trip!

[chillax]

Oh, forgot to mention Portsalon! Tucked away, fairly epic seeming bolted wall with a few very hard routes https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zvQLtygis3G_6ON5I35KgtiUbdoHNPM8yqFS9vbkkm0/edit?usp=sharing

[shark]

Simon, you need to get in touch with Patta.

Only if I’m really desperate..

[blaciqui]

Just for the record, Rumenes is not in Asturias; it's actually in Cantabria (the same comunidad autonoma as Santander). Rumenes is located in el desfiladero de la Hermida, a really nice place with hundreds of routes. However, it's worth noting that the road is currently being resurfaced/repaired, which can be a pain to drive.

I think the main decision would be how far west you are willing to go. Places like Teverga and Quiros, and the majority of the locations described in the Roca Verde guidebook, are quite far from Bilbao, the Pyrenees, and Targassone. El desfiladero de la Hermida is a little bit closer (around 2.5 hrs from Bilbao). Closer to Bilbao, you have an awesome place called Ramales de la Victoria (Cantabria). I also know that there is a lot of climbing in the Basque Country, but I cannot recommend any specific areas as I haven't been there myself.

I moved to Santander a month ago and I don't have much information on this area of Spain yet. However, close to Santander (1hr from Bilbao), you have the area described in this book (https://rocodromotreparriscos.com/guia-valles-pasiegos/), which is pretty cool too. The Miera valley is an awesome place and not well-known at all. I have both that book and the Roca Verde one(including the Hermida), but I'm currently on a work trip this week. Happy to take some pictures if they would be of any help, and you can use them when you are in the area.

Naranjo de Bulnes, also known as Urriellu, is also on my bucket list, so I would definitely be down for climbing there and probably for climbing around the area as well!

[shark]

Hi Blackqui

Thanks for the info. Are any of the crags mentioned shady? Partnering up for the Naranja de Bulnes would be awesome 

[T_B]

I had a trip to climb on Naranjo del Bulnes last week of August. It was mixed weather and we did a fair amount of driving around and climbing on valley sport crags. I don’t remember it being particularly hot. On Urriellu we got good weather but I was leading in a lightweight down jacket (chilly wind). This was 2012 and the issue we had for the valley crags was a lack of info/guidebook. There was good climbing at El Bosque (Asturias) west of Bulnes and we also went to a crag in the Basque (Araotz), which had an impressive wall of steep 7s and 8s. I didn’t think much to Teverga, but only had two days there.

[T_B]

I’ve also been to Targasonne, which is an interesting area but tricky temps in the summer and the rock is brutal. Cool place to go if you’re into running with Font Romeu up the road and various pros cruising round the woods.

[jwi]

Bielsa?

[moose]

Bielsa?

Don't think he'll be available for belaying - he's in the USA, managing Uruguay in the Copa America.

[blaciqui]

Yahman!

Rumenes is in the shade from 2 pm. Some of the walls in Ramales are shaded pretty much all day. But I wouldn't be too worried about the sun or the high temperatures. I've been here for a month, and I don't see much difference from Edinburgh weather! Well, I might be exaggerating a bit, but the weather in this area is far from the typical Spanish/Mediterranean ideal that many people imagine.