Last week we welcomed back Nicola who brought two friends with her to show them what climbing in Spain is all about. Wow did we get lots done in a week!
It all started at the local crag of Alcalali. This is a brilliant venue and a suntrap, making it ideal for cooler days.

Ben was new to rock climbing so we guided him through the basics of tying in, belaying, lowering, and movement on rock.
Joe was already a competent indoor climber with some outdoor experience. Joe was able to offer support to Ben during the learning process, and progress himself onto more challenging climbs at the same time.
This is Nicola's 3rd visit to us here in Spain and she is climbing a fair amount back in the UK too, so was certainly feeling confident and capable. Her aim was to be leading 6a cleanly by the end of the stay.

At the end of day one at Alcalali everyone had climbed around 7 routes, up to 6a and all were rightly feeling pretty chuffed.

For day two we moved on to the Bovedon crags of Gandia. There has been a lot of recent development here so many new routes can be enjoyed. We worked our way through about 7 more climbs here, up to 6b today too. Abseil and multi-pitch skills were covered during the day too.

For day threee we eased off the harder routes and had a mountaineering day at Toix.
The Toix ridge is a wonderful climb with big exposure along the knife edge arete. The sky was beautiful and clear, the sea calm, the rock warm, and the climbing excellent. A fantastic day out and a nice rest for the fingers and feet given the easier nature of the climbing.

Day four was back on the steeper rock, this time a long multi-pitch sea cliff route. Sonjannika is a beautiful 6 pitch rock climb in one of the finest settings in the area. I climbed with Ben, his first mulit-pitch sea cliff adventure! Nicola & Joe alternate led, whilst Kate & Kim also alternate led. For added interest we finished up a harder final pitch, Moorhuhn Winter Edition at 6a provides even better climbing than the regular finish to Sonjannika, wow is that even possible?!

Day five saw another change of activity, this time Via Ferrata. We began on the small installation at Albir, this gave a good introduction to Via Ferrata before we headed off to El Cid and the longest Via Ferrata in the area. El Cid is a big mountain and the Via Ferrata runs up the cliffs on its Northern side. It's an imposing sight and can feel quite tiring due to the amount of ascent. The team cruised up it really quickly. We enjoyed wonderful 360' views from the summit plateau before an easy walk back down. A long and satisfying day.

Day six and the final day so let's make it count extra! This was to be a 2 crag day, starting at Pena Roja (Lliber) where around 5 routes were done, all around the 6a / 6a+ range.
We finished the day back at Alcalali for more 6a leading by Nicola and Joe and a 6a+ finish for the team.

Great progression from everyone, tired muscles all round, and happy smiley faces too.

It's been a pleasure to welcome Nicola back and introduce Joe & Ben to this amazing place, that is Costa Blanca.

Thanks to Nicola, Joe, Ben, Kate, and Kim :-)

​Mark  

Now that the storm has passed, it's time to get back on track and enjoy some amazing activities here on the Costa Blanca.

For a nice big day we decided on 2 via ferratas, both a little south of our base here in Llosa de Camacho, so makes sense to link them into the same day.

First up is the Penya del Figuerta near Relleu. This has been recently installed, so all shiny and new. The route is short enough to be done in a couple of hours round trip, so handy if short on time but still looking for an impressive itinerary. The terrain is steep for most of the way, with the steepness terminating on a narrow ridge which is then traversed to reach the abseil station. Stunning views of the Puig Campana, Ponoch, Xanchet, Castellets, and more all add to make this a really great trip.

A quick lunch break was followed by a drive south to Petrer and the mountain of El Cid. Here is a big Via ferrata, currently the longest in the area. Winding its way up the steep north face of the mountain, this trip has plenty to interest climbers too as thought has been given to set the staples far apart for much of the journey, thus meaning the rock must be used to gain height. The route weaves an intricate line up the crag and goes all the way to the summit of El Cid. Yes it was chilly up there, but wow the view is well worth the effort.

Thanks to Kim, Edd, Jules, Lynn, and Sam

​Mark
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​After a few days of single pitch climbing on the local crags here on the Costa Blanca, it was time to climb something a little bigger. Rachel was coming back to stay today so we decided to show her the fabulous Sonjannika climb on the Morro Falqui sea cliffs near Moraria. We took a direct line up the route making the whole trip a grade 6a+ with outstanding positions throughout.
I’ve done this climb many times now and each time it gets better, such a brilliant place. Ann & Joe were with us on this climb so I was able to get some nice photos of them as they climbed behind us.
Thankfully this route doesn’t appear in any guidebooks so it’s a quiet venue and free of polish (long may that remain). If you do choose to climb here please be considerate to local residents and wildlife as access agreements for the nearby Deep Water Soloing (DWS) are fragile.
 
Today we had admin duties in Alicante and the forecast was for some dampness in the air. So we packed some Via Ferrata kit and planned to check out the big ferrata on El Cid. The weather turned out just fine and the via ferrata was excellent, with loads of sections without staples allowing for a more climbing feel to the day.
The total ascent is about 300m and terminates on the summit of the mountain. This is a place to pause and fully enjoy the splendid views on offer, it seems like the whole of Spain lies below, spreading out like an eternal patchwork carpet of colour.
An easy descent on a well maintained PR route makes for a quick return to the parking area, perfect.
For more information about the via ferrata check out our ‘Guides and Information’ page on the website.
 
 
If you’re looking for an action packed holiday or short break here in Spain, give us a call / email and let’s make it happen. Rock climbing, mountain walking, scrambling, canyoning, and via ferrata.
 
Thanks
 
Mark