It's been a hectic and hugely fun week for us here. We welcomed back the Hewett family and friends for multi-activities and adventures and all things rock in Costa Blanca :-)
Now with 2 small babies, activities were going to need some flexibility from all sides, so I had lots of plan b's (even more than usual) this week.

As a gentle warm up we all enjoyed a walk to Les Arcs, to see the dramatic rock arches above Castell de Castells. This was followed with an afternoon of Rock climbing at the Viudes crag near Tarbena, which we had all to ourselves.

For Monday things got a bit more exciting, with a descent of the Barranco del Pas Tancat, near Bolulla. Having only fairly recently discovered this amazing place I was keen to share the experience with others and knew it would be enjoyed by the team. To allow for childcare to work out we ran 2 trips during the day so everyone got to experience the canyon.

Tuesday was to be an adventure day on the mighty Ponoch. We scaled the mountain using the in-situ Via Ferrata to quickly and easily gain height. This activity can be enjoyed by anybody who is fit and has a head for heights. It's a lot of fun (see the photos) and has a fast pace to it.

Wednesday was spent at the nearby crag of Alcalali. This crag typifies Costa Blanca sport climbing, with well bolted, top quality climbs looking out over a stunning valley and within 5 minutes of the car park. Good climbing progression shown by all and Edd giving us a finale on a long and sustained 6c, top effort!

Thursday saw a last minute change of plan as 2 more friends joined the group. Jenni & Francie were keen to have an adventure rather than go rock climbing with the others. So after some discussion and along with Lauren too, 4 of us headed back to the Ponoch Via Ferrata to scale this huge mountain. Smiles all round at the top, well done all.

Friday has arrived all too quickly and the last day of their holiday :-(
So let's make the most of it and get back out on the rock. This time to another fairly newly developed sport climbing venue near Gandia. Ultra sharp rock, closely spaced bolts, sun and shade, and superb views over Orange groves to the mountains beyond, there's a lot going for this place. Everyone excelled, with some impressive leads, especially so from Jules and Charlie. The babies were able to play in the shelter of a nearby cave (it was a very hot day), so enjoyed shade and cooler temps as well as watching some impressive locals on the super steep routes going through the roofs!!

Friday night is music night at Emilios Bar here in Llosa de Camacho, and the fantastic Gas Monkeys were playing tonight. Really good music until way passed my bed time. The early morning flight didn't seem to deter anyone from keeping the barman company until rather later ;-)

Sad to be saying goodbye to these beautiful people once again. Safe travels all, and especially so for Edd & Charlie who set sail for the Falkland Islands in a few days time!
 
Mark & Kate

​Maybe you're looking for an activity week and would like to get off the beaten track. Or want to escape the UK winter and find warm sunshine. If so, get in touch and let us take you on some adventures

It's been a real pleasure to introduce Andzelika & Eugene to the amazing activities on offer here on the Costa Blanca.
The week began with a single pitch sport climbing session on the Echo valley crags followed by an afternoon in the nearby canyon for an introduction to the world of canyoning, Costa Blanca style. This makes for a lovely introduction to the area, has constantly beautiful views, and finishes on a summit looking out to sea, perfect or what.

Our second day out together was somewhat more 'full on' with a descent of the finest canyon in the area, Barranco Del Infierno. The scenery in this place is quite magnificent and has to be seen to be believed. Starting from the mountain village of Fleix we walk on good trails to reach the start. About 10 abseils and 2 via ferrata sections complete the descent amongst ever more inspiring scenery. An epic day always to be remembered.

After such a long day out in the barranco, day 3 was to be a little shorter, with less walking, but no less excitement. The Ponoch mountain lurks behind the seaside resort of Benidorm and is home to a 500m rock face, the largest in the area. On this rock face is installed a Via Ferrata of around 230m and this was todays objective.
It's steep, strenuous, and a heads for heights helps rather a lot with this one. Is it scary, yes. Does the adrenaline pump, yes. Is it loads of fun, yes. Is there a huge sense of achievement at the top, yes.
We have found Via Ferrata to be very popular and widely enjoyed. It's a great workout too.
Once at the top, there's a multi-stage abseil descent for which we used a stacked abseil system for additional safety.

By day 4 muscles were aching a little more so we opted for a relaxing day cragging at Murla crag in the Jalon valley. We ticked 5 routes and spent a fair bit of time enjoying the view of the almond blossom down in the valley bottom.

Day 5 (Thursday) started with just a splash of rain, thankfully not enough to wet the crags. We had a visit to Cala Testos via the canyon descent. Brand new ropes have now been fitted here to aid descent / ascent to the beach. Then it was time for a fun climb. 'Coming Out' a 4+ route on the nearby Morro Falqui crags offers something a little different. Climbing into a cave before emerging through a hole and out onto level ground, brilliant fun.

Day 6 was another cragging day. This time at nearby Toix crags. Here we climbed 8 routes from grade 3 - 5+. This is a really lovely setting above the sea and Mascarat gorge.

Before heading home on Saturday Andzelika & Eugene headed off to the Jalon market to find some bargains and momentos of their visit to the area.

And all too soon, the aeroplane comes to take people home. All we can say is, come back soon.

Thanks for visiting us Andzelika & Eugene, and thanks to Kate, Kim, Ann, and Joe for help and company throughout the week.

Below are a few photos from the week:

Mark

The climate here on the Costa Blanca is about as good as it gets. Warm sunny days, low rainfall, and sheltered from harsh  westerly winds. And of late the weather has been behaving particularly well with near perfect conditions every day, split or what!

We've been making the most of these great conditions and have enjoyed a few big adventures.

Segaria ridge:
A few weeks ago I completed a traverse of the western section of this fine ridge: ​www.mountain-journeys.co.uk/blog/segaria-ridge-traverse-part-2  --  and now was time to finish it off by climbing the eastern section in full.
A short walk under the steep eastern face leads to rough ground and the initial traverse pitch. This is easy, but exposed and it's nice to have a rope on. Once in the notch it's a case of follow the wide ridge until an abseil station is reached (20m). More easy climbing leads out of this deep notch along more of the ridge to reach another significant notch. Here it's necessary to climb leftwards along a platform (not to the right as described by Rockfax) below very steep ground, as this eases (about 10m) follow a ledge system back right towards a fixed rope and belay above. From here easy scrambling leads to the summit cross.
Soon after this is a very narrow section of ridge, this is really exciting. Once beyond this the ridge widens considerably and easy scrambling and walking remain to reach the wide col. We turned left (south) here and headed back to the car.

Puig Campana:
The plan was to repeat Epsilon Central (HS) on this massive crag. However, even though we started out early, there were already 3 teams on the route, and 2 more teams arrived shortly after us!! Plan b, a slightly easier route called 'El Moro' (Severe). This is about 350 - 400m and contains a fair bit of scrambling too. We had the route to ourselves which is always nice. We didn't have the base of the route to ourselves though! Goats, a whole;e herd of them, came to see us. They particularly liked our climbing kit. It was a privilege to be so close to these animals and for them to clearly not be afraid of us. A beautiful start to the climbing.
About 10 pitches later we arrived at the top of the route, briefly considered a summit dash too, but thought better of it as our water supply was by now very low. The descent into the huge gully was easier than I remembered it, thankfully.

Toix Este - Horst:
This is a favourite of ours and a route we've done many times with many people, it's always a pleasure. Starting high above the sea and with views across to the Penon, it's a wonderful setting. The 1st pitch of climbing is the most difficult, but the rest of the route (4 more pitches) are still very worthwhile and on super sharp rock that's nice and solid. The route terminates at what looks like a small quarry. Walk left here (looking in) to gain the continuation ridge above, this leads up to the Mirador at about grade 1.
From the Mirador it's easy to finish off and head to town for a beer. Or, why not walk to Toix Oeste and climb Cilber up to the Toix ridge and finish with a full traverse of this, again finishing back at the Mirador. Then you've really earned that beer!
On this occasion we cut it short and called it a day after the Toix Este route.

Via Ferrata - Ponoch:
A regular trip for me, a re-visit after 4 years for Kate, and a first time for Leanne. Much fun was had by all on this metalled, vertical playground.
Cloud rolled in and shrouded us, but later cleared to show the full scale of Ponoch. Note to self - must get more routes ticked on this mountain.

Magical Mystery Tour, Toix sea cliffs:
A magical expedition to a dramatic sea cliff. The 40m free-hanging abseil sets the tone for this serious adventure. Whilst the initial climbing is easy (about grade 2), this soon changes and the challenges come thick and fast.
As with all the very best routes, the hardest pitch is saved until the end, with 40m of grade 5 and only about 6 bolts protecting the whole pitch, keeps things interesting that's for sure. A simply brilliant route.

Thanks to: Kate, Leanne, Joe, Ann, Kim, and Susie for joining in these adventures.

​

For a week Helen, Ian, and Rowan have been here with us on the Costa Blanca enjoying warm sunshine, warm seas, hot rock climbing, and so much more. Yesterday morning they left early to return to the UK. Hope you all had a great time and to see you again soon.

Day one was an afternoon climbing season at the local Toix crags, just to get a feel for Spanish Limestone and what it has to offer. The weather was typically warm and sunny.

Day two we split into 2 halves. A morning on Ponoch completing a long Via Ferrata on this amazing mountain. This is a great way to experience a huge rock face without the need for advanced climbing abilities, so suitable for a wide range of people. There are 2 abseils to get back down again (and lots of scrambling) and this helps keep this as a half day activity.
After lunch we headed to the nearby Echo Valley crags for more single pitch Limestone heaven. Helen led 4 routes back to back and was clearly feeling in tune with the rock.

For day three we headed out as a group of 5 (Helen, Ian, Rowan, Kate, and me), ok, 6 including Don, and went to the hidden beach of Cala Testos. To access this beach involves scrambling down a canyon for about 45 minutes. Some sections are tricky and have fixed ropes in place, but wow this place is well worth visiting.
Helen & Kate enjoyed a dip in the sea, Ian was a bit more hardcore and swam around 2km and all the way to a completely different beach. Rowan checked out the bouldering and Don relaxed in the sun. All in all a rather pleasant morning.
Oh, and Don got to experience his first abseil, not sure it's his thing!
We finished the day with a short climb on the nearby crag of Morro Falqui. A very unconventional route called 'Coming out' which climbs into a cave with the climber then emerging through a hole in the Limestone pavement, an absolutely awesome route.

Day four being new years day we had another beach based day. This time for some bouldering at the Les Rotes venue near Denia. The super rough Sandstone on the beach is really great for building technique and strength. The beach is sandy here too and most landings are good.
After lunch me & Helen climbed a multi-pitch route at Toix, whilst the others had a chilled time back at the villa.

Day five saw us heading to the depths of a canyon. Barranco de Paret on the Sierra de Bernia has loads of abseils, the longest being 40m, great scrambling and views to match. This kept us busy until early afternoon. A really nice thing about many canyons here is their ease of access, making them doable during just a morning or afternoon.
We then spent the afternoon back at the Echo Valley crags for a handful more routes, with Rowan leading most things at Echo 1.5

Day six and we're back at Toix for more single pitch cragging in the sunshine. Helen climbed 8 routes up to 6a and Rowan led 5 routes making for a busy day for both. Quite a few others were at the crag making the most of the great weather again today.

Day seven took us to the beautiful Jalon valley and Murla crag. Final activity day and a day of pushing the limits a little more. Helen climbing 8 routes yet again, including 2 leads, and Rowan leading 6 routes including 4 x 6a's - nice one.
The Jalon valley is still a favourite of mine, and sitting at this crag looking out over the valley it's so easy to see why, a stunning place.
Homeward bound tomorrow, we hope to see you all again before too long.

Mark & Kate

​

Two years ago we welcomed Edd to Spain for a fairly last minute introductory rock climbing holiday. Each day we climbed a lot and generally had loads of fun. Last December Edd was back, this time with his sisters and friends. Needless to say we were delighted by this and much fun was had. The theme was still rock climbing, but canyoning and scrambling were enjoyed too.
This December the team were back for more. All now climbing really well and leading trad routes back in the UK, I knew the itinerary was going to need to be pretty special so got to work on making plans for great mountain adventures.

Day 1: Arriving around lunchtime, there wasn't much time for climbing, but we did squeeze in a visit to the local Toix crags and this proved to be a perfect warm up for the holiday.

Day 2: We visited Font d'Axia crags in the Jalon valley area. A lovely quiet crag with loads of great routes from 4 - 7a, so a good range. Everyone climbed loads despite the heat of the sun wilting us at times. And even the 7a saw an attempt!
During the day we looked at multi-pitch climbing skills too, in preparation for a sea cliff adventure tomorrow. Everyone led climbs today and much improvement seen by all. Awesome day!

Day 3: A serious undertaking today, we were heading to the Morro Falqui sea cliffs near Teulada. Our sights set on the 6 pitch 'Sonjannika' which climbs the full length of this impressive cliff. A canyon descent starts the day, then a short scramble to reach the base of the route. With 6 of us on the route, careful time management was crucial for safety and success, thankfully everyone worked hard to keep the day flowing smoothly. I climbed with Jules who was fab company all day. We all met up on the big ledge above pitch 4, here we enjoyed lunch overlooking the sea :-)
As with many brilliant routes, the best is saved until last, and pitch 6 doesn't disappoint. Long and with several tricky sections and a traverse to finish the pitch off, this is excellent in every way. There were a fair few tentative moments on that final traverse, but everyone kept their cool and climbed it well, often finishing to applause from those already at the top. A big and awesome day.

Day 4: An easier day today, with a visit to Jalon market during the morning to buy some Christmas gifts to take back home. During the afternoon we headed for the beach at Les Rotes. Here we swam in the warm sea and enjoyed some beach bouldering. A nice restful day.

Day 5: Another 'full-on' day. We began with a long Via Ferrata on Ponoch. This brought many smiles and much laughter all round. The weather wasn't being so kind today though, with cloud swirling around us for much of the ascent, although this did add to the atmosphere. The clouds cleared briefly when we were at the top and this provided us with big views of the mountain and surroundings. A multi-stage abseil took us easily back to the base.
During the afternoon we went cragging in the nearby Echo valley. With everyone going so well, we almost climbed the whole crag out during our fairly short visit, top effort.

Day 6: Bernia ridge traverse - big day out! An early-ish start for this one saw us walking in before the sun had warmed the air, this allowed a speedy start. We geared up at the 'Forat' then began our ascent to the ridge. A few nerves amongst the team today, especially so once the scale and location start to register! Once on the ridge we were in the sun and pleasantly warm. Movement along the crest soon came naturally to all, and the exposure soon a normal part of the day. Still, concentration levels stayed very high throughout for everyone, big space below the feet tends to have that effect!
We cruised the ridge, the abseils, the climbing section, and then to the descent. Scree run fun, why not? This is a super rapid way to loose height on the northern side of the ridge. Within only about 50m everyone was looking comfortable with the terrain and much laughter could be heard, for this is brilliant fun.
We made it back to base in time for coffees, cake, and beer at the Bernia restaurant. Another awesome day.

Day 7: Yesterday had been a long mountaineering day, and muscles ached a little this morning. So our plan to go cragging to Gandia fit the bill perfectly. The sun was out again, the rock warm, the routes fantastic. Everyone climbed the worm hole route of 'Pequeno Saltemontes' which is so much fun, and made even more so if your name is Lauren or Edd ;-)
This very much became a day of consolidating leading skills for most, with both Jules & Nicola really excelling and ticking loads of routes on the lead. We almost had to drag ourselves away at the end of the day, still so much to do here.

Day 8: Last day for the team and a trip to Aventador crag. This is home to a short and very steep Via Ferrata and that's what we started with. The weather was overcast and cold when we arrived, but thankfully this soon changed to blue skies and sunshine :-)
Jules enjoyed the Via Ferrata so much she went up it again, taking Kate with her. Nice one.
A fine selection of routes were climbed on the main crag, a little multi-pitch action too, and a quality 6a lead for Lauren. Nicola & Edd spent time placing trad gear to help plug the gaps between the bolts. This is a good way to become proficient at this and carries less risk, win win.

Where did the time go, why do you have to go, we'll miss you all so much

Big thanks to: Edd, Lauren, Jules, Nicola, and Richard - an absolute pleasure