Finger friendly Euro Sport - end of March

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Rocksteady

Hotter than the sun!
Joined
Aug 8, 2007
Messages
691
Location
London
I'm looking for a fly-drive sport climbing destination for a 4-day long weekend hit at the end of March. Unfortunately I'm nursing an A2 pulley sprain/part tear (hurt it in early December, not bad but not getting better too quickly either).

So ideally nothing too crimpy or with particularly tweaky pockets. I'm operating in low 7s at the moment, my climbing partner will want high 7s to go out.

Any recommendations welcome, appreciate may be a tricky task and maybe I should just sit around with my finger in an ice bowl sulking instead.
 
El Chorro might be a decent option. It has a pretty good range of 7s both high and low, and is a fairly short flight. Most of the ones I found there were steep long and had decent holds. Not sure how warm it might be in March.
 
I don't think El Chorro fits the bill for high 7s, there are a few good ones but its very sunny and will be hot in March.

End of March in Spain, I think you'll definitely want somewhere with access to sun and shade, even in Catalonia. Tres Ponts and the Lleida area has a good mix of aspects, but you might end up driving around a bit as there isn't really an obvious base. Not far from Barcelona either.
 
Desplomilandia just north of El Chorro
Fantastic cliff that's north facing for the heat, usually good weather, 10m walk to have lunch in the sun, good variety of hold types and loads to go at in your grade ranges.

Only downside is that it can get busy if you've got a set route you want to get on, but if you're flexible there willl always be something good to try.

Find somewhere to stay north of the gorge if you can, driving round each day gets tiresome.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/desplomilandia-2497/
 
Thanks for replies all. I'v been to Lleida twice and agree some areas would fit my requirements. Have been to El Chorro before also - definitely good but suspect it would be a bit hot at end of March, especially Makinodromo. My dad raved about Desplomilandia, will add that to the short list.

My climbing partner is not keen on Asturias due to being rained off there for a week in the past.
He is talking up Chullila. Any thoughts about this as a venue? I had heard it was on the crimpy side but I've also seen loads of tufa routes etc so if we went there suspect I could pick my battles.

By the way wadpoint for @Fultonius as his 3x a day gentle finger activation made an almost instant difference to my pulley, thanks for the recommendation.
 
I think there are definitely crimps involved at Chulilla. I have been but was ill most of the week so haven't actually climbed at the good sectors (Oasis area). It's mostly vert/ slightly steeper than vert, a bit like l'aparador at Siurana but with more tufas. Probably suits your requirements pretty well, nice town, good bar, lots of suitable Airbnbs.
 
There are plenty of tufa routes in Oasis, on the right side, which is in the shade most of the day. Enough for a week I'm sure. There are also some non-tufa routes on the far right hand side that are not particulary crimpy iirc. The routes on the central orange wall and the left part (balconcita? I think?) are however all crimpy.
 
Leonidio/Kyparissi? Lots of very finger friendly crags and a good time of year for it.
Yeah I'd be going to Leonidio in your situation (plus it's awesome full stop). Though maybe a bit far for a short trip? I probably wouldn't be going to Chullila, all the better stuff I've tried there was pretty crimpy.

OTOH, end of march is a long time away, and nearly 4 months from your injury? I'd be pretty fucked off if it wasn't better by then!

Also, 4 days isn't long, almost all the big crags will have enough finger friendly stuff for that short a trip if you pick carefully.
 
Leonidio/Kyparissi? Lots of very finger friendly crags and a good time of year for it.
Agree with Duma on going to the Peloponnese. It is a bit further to fly to Athens (maybe?), and it takes quite a bit of time to drive to Leonidio, and even more to Kyparissi, iirc?
 
Yeah fair point - 3.5 hours drive from athens to Leonidio and just over 4 to Kyparissi.

It's a shame that driving around Athens is such a nightmare as otherwise that would be great for a short weekend trip, but driving to and from crags through Athens each day would be so stressful it wouldn't be worth it imo.
 
Yeah fair point - 3.5 hours drive from athens to Leonidio and just over 4 to Kyparissi.

It's a shame that driving around Athens is such a nightmare as otherwise that would be great for a short weekend trip, but driving to and from crags through Athens each day would be so stressful it wouldn't be worth it imo.
Yeah, we looked in the guidebook and it seems like there is a lot around Athens!

Some friends of mine got Aris Theodoropoulos's Greece sport climbing guidebook and just drove around for a week+, climbing at a new sector every day, and they had a great time.

Addendum: Argh! Why are all printed guidebooks always out of print? I do not want to use an app. I want something that is better.
 
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I'm looking for a fly-drive sport climbing destination for a 4-day long weekend hit at the end of March. Unfortunately I'm nursing an A2 pulley sprain/part tear (hurt it in early December, not bad but not getting better too quickly either).

So ideally nothing too crimpy or with particularly tweaky pockets. I'm operating in low 7s at the moment, my climbing partner will want high 7s to go out.

Any recommendations welcome, appreciate may be a tricky task and maybe I should just sit around with my finger in an ice bowl sulking instead.
Another vote for you finger being fine by then. Google that black diamond finger rehab article, and get a fingerboard involved..
 

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