[Fiend]

Will it be deadly cold / shit weather?

Spanish guide seemed to indicate it was 45 minutes from Barcelona - is that about right?

Recommendations for accessible areas with F6b - F7a pitches? Decent single pitch?

Any other beta?

[saltbeef]

not been, it is very near to barca. i reckon it may be tres cold, based on siurana around same time of year.

[bigphil]

I went a few years ago though never climbed there so the only help I can be is to confirm that said guide is about right about how far 'tis from Barca.

[Fiend]

Cheers for those little tips.

Had a look in the incredibly annoying Jingo Wobbly farce last night and after 1/2 hour deciphering managed to work out it was about 1000m ASL, about the same as Costa Daurada then hmmm.



Anyone else got any good information - on Monserrat OR on other places to climb near Barcelona (have got the Rockfax PDFs already...)??

[Bubba]

They used to have a webcam, but it's down - it might have had some archived images but I can't find them.

I've only been there in more summery months but I imagine it could get quite nippy up there.

This page says:

The recommended seasons are early spring and autumn, since the summer is normally too warm and the winter is often cold.

It might be worth trying to contact the campsite - if the same guy is running it as about 15 years ago ( ! ) then he's a climber who speaks a bit of English too.

As for single pitch, there's shit loads to go at around the Monastry/campsite, and higher up as well. From micro-routes to bigger stuff.

Also multi-pitch from a couple of pitches up to big walls.

It's an amazing place, and one of the weirdest climbing experiences I've had on the conglomerate.

There's other stuff nearby too - the campsite guy took us to a steep limestone sport crag in the valley below Montserrat and I'm sure there'd be loads more - you'd need a car though.

[Fiend]

Okay chaps, need a bit more help here.


Accomadation either in Monserrat or around Barcelona, preferably west/south Barcelona?? We're planning to do a bit at Monserrat and a bit at the Barcelona crags, obviously there will be some driving involved, we need to find accomadation that provides a good balance between those areas.

Any recommendations with links would be most appreciated  :wink:

[Fiend]

Help anyone? Please?

[Bubba]

I don't think there's much accomodation at Montserrat itself - it's a monastery, and there's not much else there. It's not a village or anything.

There's the monsastery hotel, the campsite (which I've read may be shut until Easter), a refugio higher up. I slept in a cave for a few nights which was ideal at the time, but not much use in February.

There are villages some way down the road. Bear in mind the road is like an alpine pass and takes a while to get up and down.

Don't know anything about the Barcelona crags, sorry.

[hongkongstuey]

I don't think there's much accomodation at Montserrat itself - it's a monastery, and there's not much else there. It's not a village or anything.

we stopped in a guest house at the village at the bottom of the hill (Monistrol de Montserrat) - pleasant place, can't remember the name i'm afraid. I'd recommend this if you're staying there a few days - it'd be a pain to go bak and forth.

have to say, although it's an awe inspiring place, the 'feel' of the bits of rock i saw didn't inspire me to climb at all (slippy crimpy limestone)

[Alun]

Fiend, I'm not sure if this is too late for you now.

Montserrat in February is cold, but no colder than an average day on the grit and usually much sunnier. I was there last week, and when the sun's out it gets surprisiingly warm. Your best bet to make the most of the warming sun is to head to the south face - there is a relatively new guide 'Montserrat Cara Sur' which you can get off cordee, which is excellent and understandable even with basic spanish.  The guys who produce many of the local guidebooks have a website here www.onaclimb.com , which is all in catalan unfortunately, but if you wade through it you can find all sorts of interesting topos and photos.

I can give you some other information about climbing in the area if yo mail me - I have been researching and visiting quite a bit recently as I intend to move to Barca this year!