...ROCK CLIMBING, SCRAMBLING, MOUNTAINEERING AND HILLWALKING IN NORTH WALES...GUIDING, COACHING AND INSTRUCTION
Sierra De Toix is a long thin ridgeline just south of Calpe. It has several main climbing areas all of which have worthwhile rock climbing. Whilst there is some trad the majority is well-equipped sports climbing. Toix Oeste has several main areas the most popular is…
Guadalest is a beautiful climbing area set around the mountaintop village of the same name. It’s castle-like looks that command the top of the Guadar Valley has made the area popular with tourist. There are several museums in the area and plenty to explore after…
Situated above the stunning hilltop town of Finestrat, The Puig Campana dominants the area and its sheer face is an enticing magnet for many rock climbers. Whilst there are any number of excellent routes on this face, it is the main central ridge that is the most popular.
As a trad rotue it is more fitting to give this route british grade of around VS/HVS. Whilst in the main the climbing is VS or below there are a couple of challenging pitches and moves. The lack of fixed gear add to the rotue because you need to be route finding on your ways and whilst the mainline of the Central Rib is easy to follow it is the detail of how you go about this that requires time.
As such some teams who are able to climb that grade on bolts start to eat up time as they look for the easiest route. To me this is more of an alpine adventure as even when you have climbed the 9/10 pitches to the top you are still left with a exposed and challenging descent off right into the main gully. It is this descent that some people stuggle with especially if you are close to getting benighted or indeed it is dark. So slow teams really should take torches as it would be impossible to move without them.
The route and crag in general is extremely adventurous and is truly a gem in the Costa Blanca. It is a one of the greatest chalenges when it comes to multipitch climbing, perhaps only behind some of the routes on the Penon D’Ifach.
The rock climbing in Alcalali is one of the highlights of Costa Blanca circuit. It seems that everyone visits here at some point in their trip to the area and rightly so. The area around Ainee, Ceder No Ceder is a real focal point for most…
Situated near the town of Sella, the long and winding road that leads to this crag is a little pot-holed and requires a gentle approach. Although the saying goes the best 4×4 by far is a hire car right?! The main crag offers a whole…
The Range offers something for everyone. It has small routes from Diff to E7. Some are solid others are loose. Since the release of the Gogarth South Guide, there has been a lot of development in this area. Since discovering the area our head coach has run a few courses here and we have managed to do a couple of new routes with our clients whilst working.
As such it is a real gem of a place, the Stanage-on-Sea if you know your way around and where the good rock is. Being so small and with easy access, it will no doubt become more popular as reputation grows.
Whilst still on Holy Island, Rhoscolyn’s cliffs are much smaller in scale. However, they are just as complex and often just as demanding. The ease of access to many of the cliffs and the less committing nature of the climbs has made climbing here really…
As such there are many areas of the Main Cliff or Gogarth Bay. Each has its own character and feel. Often defined by the complexities of the approach. With nearly all areas requiring a abseil approach or some form of exposed scramble to the base.…
The cliff itself has several buttress and ramps that all have slightly different feels due to the change in angle and nature of the rock. The left-hand ramps offer a few easy routes like primrose slab, Stairs and Teenage Kicks. Whilst the alcove has many great single pitch classics but can be busy down with groups.
The central and most commanding area has King Bee crack a ferocious HVS that is a real pump fest for those not used to the steepness. The classic Katana, E4 is also here as it Bran Flake E2. As such this section offers the best climbing but the grades can keep the crowds away.
Over on the right is the classic routes of Black and Tan and Tension, two must do VS routes, both with something of a sting in the tail. The HVS of The Brothers is another excellent but demanding route, whilst the E1 Breaking the Barrier offers thin and slightly run-out climbing that is popular as people first E grade experience.
All in all this crag offers a wide cross-section of climbing grades, although it can be exposed to the wind. If you don’t want to commit to abseiling into the sea cliff then this crag really does offer an alternative, as does the Range area with its shorter routes.
As such The South Stack area is pretty varied. As even whilst Castell Helen is home to some great routes from VS to E2 on steep slabs/vertical walls. There are also two massive overhangs with extraordinarily hard routes going through them. The Easiest is Kalahari…