​Day 3: Sonjannika, Morro Falqui – A change from single pitch sport climbing to more commiting things on big sea cliffs. This 170m 6 pitch beauty gives some of the best climbing in the area. Whilst still being a bolted route, the bolts are very spaced so more care is required with both route finding and body position and technique. I climbed with Kerry and Kate climbed with Joe, we all alternate led, with joe & Kerry leading us up the crux pitch to the top. There were 2 climbers ahead of us, but apart from that it felt like we had the whole crag and coastline to ourselves. The top is reached all too quickly, but at least we left it until afternoon to start so we enjoyed the setting sun as we topped out.
 
Day 4: L’Ocaive crag – Tired muscles and fingers today and a late start had been planned. L’Ocaive is within walking distance of our house in Llosa de Camacho and visible from the terrace. Dismissed by many climbers as either too hard or simply unattractive. Neither could be further from the truth. The huge orange cave is the centrepiece of the crag and is indeed mega hard. The big grey slabs to the left offer more amenable climbing from 4+ and whilst they do appear vegetated, the rock is clean, solid, and provides some excellent routes. The crag stays in the shade until around 2pm so is perfect for warmer days. We ticked 4 long routes from 4+ - 6b. Starting late allowed us a late finish too and a sunset at the crag, which is beautiful. 

​Day 5: Bolulla Raco Roig – The final climbing day of the trip and realistically needed to be a rest day, but that’s never going to happen on the last day, right.
So instead we opted for a high crag with more of a walk-in to reduce the amount of climbing time to a sensible level.
You may be thinking, why go for a longer approach walk with so many roadside venues in the area. Anyone who has visited Raco Roig will already know the answer. 25 minutes of easy walking along a mountain track and we’re in the most magnificent setting, arguably the finest single pitch crag setting in the Costa Blanca with stupendous views into the canyon, of the Bernia ridge, and out to sea. But what’s the climbing like I hear you say. Immaculate limestone with friendly spaced bolting. Joe ticked his first 6b in Spain! But it was the long, sustained 6a+ he cruised that was the highlight and best single pitch route of the trip ‘Sinfonie Fur Simi’. A 3 star route through and through. Beware the sharp rock up here, we’ve already painted some of it red!
As the sun moved across the crag and shade quickly followed, we ran away in time for coffee & cake at the Coll de Rates.
For the last night out and a special treat we made the short journey to Castell de Castells and the amazing food of Mirco & Paula at their restaurant ‘Castell de Ines’. We can’t speak highly enough of the food and passion to be found in this restaurant, simply unique. I’ve been to Ambleside’s finest restaurants over the years and none come close for overall experience. Don’t just turn up and expect to be fed though, booking is essential.
 
With winter fast approaching, some will be turning their thoughts to snow and ice along with the vagaries of Scottish winter. Others will be missing the rock. For anyone looking to experience rock climbing, mountain walking, canyoning, ridge scrambles, or via ferrata, and would like some sunshine & warmth mixed in, why not get in touch and let us put together an itinerary to suit you.

Big thanks to Kerry, Joe, Kim, and Ann for joining us this week :-)

​Mark & Kate  

There’s some amazing rock climbers in the world, we hear them talk about grades that for most of us might as well not exist. Those of you who know me will know I’m no grade chaser, in fact it’s quite the opposite, grades don’t matter. Or do they?
It’s the people, the location, the atmosphere, the moves, the exposure. That’s where the enjoyment of rock climbing comes. I’m certainly sticking by that and always will.
The saying goes, ‘the best climber is the one having the most fun’. I think is an important quote to remember. Never mind what you’re red-pointing or on-sighting, just enjoy the being.
Over the last few months I’ve witnessed great joy from a climber lead a grade 4 sport route and another climber kick themselves about not cleanly leading a 7b. One was happy, the other not.
 
However, these numerical grades exist so we can measure ourselves against others and ourselves. We can keep track of our improvement, if we want to.
So where’s this all going? Well, I’ve decided to start pushing myself a bit harder in a bid to improve my personal climbing.
 
Currently being a pretty average climber and have operated around the 6a+ sport / HVS range for a few years. Some of the people I’ve climbed with in recent months have been operating well above that level, so the opportunity was there to have a go at some much harder climbs. How were they? Much harder of course! Often not enjoyable, but usually there was an element of fun lurking in there somewhere.
Having seconded some of these routes, I thought why not try leading harder climbs? What’s the worst that can happen? Failure!!!
But anyone who ever tried can never be accused of failing. Not trying is the failing. But having a go and not quite managing it, that adds to our experience and development.
So whilst at a local crag yesterday, I picked a route that would offer a massive challenge, an overhanging 6C. Oh dear!!
 
To protect from a ground fall, the 2nd bolt was pre-clipped, but after that I was on my own. Looking at the route prior to the ascent I thought maybe I was mad! But I began to program my brain to accept what was about to happen, this route would be climbed, I wouldn’t fall off, all would be well, and it would be fun.
Pulling through the low bulge felt brutally hard and I did fall a few times. However, once on the upper wall things began to flow much better and very soon I was clipping the lower off, success.
 
Feeling pretty chuffed, I decided to see if this was a fluke, so picked out another 6C, this time the route overhung even more, the initial moves looked quite improbable and this time a fall, even with a pre-clipped bolt, would have probably meant a ground fall or very close. But I wasn’t really thinking of that, I was in ‘the zone’ and this route would also be climbed, this time in better style with less falling.

Something that's especially relevant when pushing harder physically, is the necessity to warm up properly beforehand. Spend a few minutes stretching and doing some more gentle exercise, this will help prevent strain injuries.

And remember, It’s the people, the location, the atmosphere, the moves, the exposure. That’s where the enjoyment of rock climbing comes. A classic 'diff' on a Gritstone edge, or mountain 'v'diff' in the Lakes can and so very often do make for fantastic routes and the best days out.

Thanks for reading

​Mark

We had the pleasure of introducing Ivan & Adam to the fine crags of Toix and Alcalali this week.
The lads had been searching for a flexible and low ratio course in Spain and having looked at a few, they thankfully chose us.
Both already leading single pitch sport climbs back in the UK, they were keen to progress their skill set to include multi-pitch climbing, thus opening up many more routes.
We began nice and early at Toix crag, on the upper placa area which is home to many fine multi-pitch climbs. As neither had abseiled for some time, we spent some time going over abseil techniques from an intermediate ledge only a few metres up one of the routes. This started to build confidence straight away, and now it was time for a climb.

Starting with a 4+ called 'Lara' I led up on an independent rope whilst Ivan & Adam alternate led each pitch of the 80m route. The climb went very smoothly, and at each stance we covered stance management, belay set ups, and belay techniques. By the time we reached the top, the sun was upon us and it was definitely time to take on board more fluids.
A stacked abseil of almost 60m got us safely back to the bags in one go and a well deserved lunch break.

Now wanting to up the pace, we moved onto 'Anto' a grade 5 with a very sustained upper pitch, this feels more like 5+ for sure. Adam got the hard lead and cruised it, although I think both were feeling the strain after that mega pitch. They set up their own abseil descent this time, complete with prussiks and in a stacked set up for additional safety.

For the remainder of the afternoon we moved onto the shorter climbs of Toix far Oeste, where Ivan led a 6a. Having now been out in the sun all day, it was time to call it a day and head for home. Another lovely day on the Toix crags, high above the sea.

The following morning I met up with Ivan & Adam again, this time for a canyon descent of the nearby Barranco del Parent. This is a mere 10 minutes from where they were staying in Altea.
This barranco is progressive in that the longest abseil is right at the end, so plenty of warm ups.
Wanting to build on the abseil skills learnt yesterday, Ivan & Adam took it in turns to set up most of the abseils and more relevant skills and techniques were covered.
The temperature was near perfect as there was sufficient shade in the canyon, thus making for a very pleasant morning.

After a leisurely siesta during the warmer part of the day, we all met up again at Alcalali crag in the Jalon valley. It was time to push grades and think about energy management whilst on steep terrain!
A few warm ups got the blood flowing and then it was on to overhanging territory with some proper muscle flexing moves on offer.

Thanks for a great couple of days, hope to see you both in the Lakes this summer and maybe back out in Spain over the winter.

If you're looking for a tailored climbing or multi-activity course either in the UK or Costa Blanca, please get in touch, we'd be delighted to help. None of our courses are 'off the shelf', everything will be designed so you get the most out of your time with us. Ratios are always very low too, 1:1 and 1:2 is the norm with us. 

​Mark

Escaping the city for a weekend of adventure is now a well established activity and rightly so. Friends Joe, Seth, Hanan, and Matt were doing just that, coming over to the Costa Blanca from busy London lives. 

I'd been out with Joe a few times previously, and knew he'd be looking for challenging climbs of an adventurous nature. We had just the itinerary.
Day 1 - this was a fairly gentle introduction to sport climbing on Limestone. We covered multi-pitch skills and abseiling as well as plenty time climbing and enjoying the rock of Toix crag near Calpe.

Day 2 - BIG day out! Today we headed over to the Morro Falqui crags to climb the brilliant Sonjannika sea cliff route. 6 pitches of climbing heaven, on super sharp rock that will have fingers tingling for hours / days afterwards. I teamed up with Matt & Hanan and we set off first. Joe led up next, with Kate & Seth cruising up behind, these 3 were hot on our heels the whole time. This proved to be the perfect route for this team, with everyone feeling fully challenged and pretty shattered afterwards, result.

Day 3 - with tired muscles and aching fingers we opted for a chilled out day of single pitch cragging at Murla in the Jalon valley. Hanan, Seth, and Matt all led their first outdoor routes today and take away with them the skills to continue to do this safely on sport crags anywhere. Taking the scenic drive via Col de Rates to Alicante airport brought this action packed long weekend to a close. Four satisfied & tired climbers headed back to London, until next time.....

Big thanks to Kate for all her help with this, and to Joe, Seth, Matt, and Hanan. Hope to see you all again before too long.

​Mark

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

More absolutely fabulous days have been enjoyed here in Spain. Rest days were shunned in search of more adventure and how much could be crammed into a few short days. Never enough time.

On Sunday everyone completed a full traverse of the Toix ridge. Our variation on this includes a multi-pitch climb of around 250m starting from Toix Este. So this is a very big extension to the day, and well worth it. The climbing is mostly straightforward, but the whole time the atmosphere builds as we climb higher and higher above the sea.

After lunch at the Mirador, we continued our journey by venturing onto the main Toix ridge. This begins with more straightforward climbing, leading to a scrambling section which is extremely memorable. Narrow and space below your feet come to mind. Everyone did really well on this mentally and physically challenging day. Photos of this day are below.

The star of these days for me was without any doubt the 'Magical Mystery Tour' on the Toix sea cliffs, Calpe.

Only 1 of the team had abseiled before, so we engineered a practice session into the day. This was essential as access to the sea cliff is by a 40 metre free-hanging abseil!!! So a warm up to this was needed. The practice session and the real deal all went without hitch, with everyone arriving in the big caves at the bottom of the abseil looking and probably feeling a little awe-struck.
The temperature on the cliff was high, with no wind, full sun, and reflection from the sea, everyone was soon feeling hot and bothered.
No worries though, for this is an awesome place with plenty to occupy one's thoughts!

Straightforward scrambling soon leads to the climbing, but the transition isn't at all gentle, suddenly there's a 30 metre drop straight into the sea and you need to step over the void to make the move, spicy it certainly is.
From now on the climbing is continually interesting and the crux is fittingly near the top. Everyone emerged triumphantly at the top of the cliff, relieved, elated, inspired, refreshed.
A wonderful experience.

Photos from the sea cliffs are above.

And the final day of the course had to come, sad times indeed.

We spent it well, with a visit to Toix TV for some quality single pitch cragging with beautiful views over the coast and to the mountains.
Routes in the 6's were being cruised by all, and some very smily faces as a result (and aching muscles). Some sensational leads by both Edd & Lauren on 'Gufelwufel' (5). This is at the top of the grade and both cruised this on lead. Really pleased with this and the smoothness of transition from indoor to outdoor leading for both, well done.

Photos below show Genevieve on Gufelwufel, and below again is the view from the crag.

What a place to climb. What a week has been had. All in the company of such lovely people.

Thanks to: Edd, Nicola, Genevieve, Lauren, Jules, Chris, Kate, and Kim. You made it a fantastic week.

We've had a fabulous few days of adventure, taking in so much wonderful scenery along the way. Even our rest day was rather action packed!

On thursday we spent a day in the Val de Gulabdar (or Echo valley) where we climbed during the morning and ventured into the nearby canyon during the afternoon. The canyon was damper than expected which led to exciting times for our wheel-spinning feet. Nevertheless it was good to be in the shade offered by the deep gorge.

Friday was the big canyon day! The awesome Barranco del Infierno. This is a very special place, full of atmosphere, and challenging until the very end. Everyone did really well and emerged from the canyon in time for a late lunch and time to reflect on the magical place we had been.

Saturday is market day in Jalon, so we all went to market in search of bargains. A few were found that's for sure.
The day was not without activity though, for a visit to Murla crag was in store for the afternoon. We climbed around half a dozen routes up to 6a. Both Edd & Lauren had more time on the sharp end too, leading a good pitch of 4+ - top effort.

Thanks for for these great times.

So we're back out on the Costa Blanca, and yes it's very sunny as is so often the case.

After the 35 hour drive from Ambleside I was feeling a little worse for wear and a rest day was in order, so me & Colin had a day by the pool and did some shopping.

Saturday came and the crags were calling, but still wanting to take it easy we opted for single pitch on the Toix crags of Calpe. A good afternoon was enjoyed climbing straightforward routes with a few thought provoking moves here and there.

On Saturday evening a few more friends arrived and on Sunday we had a team day at Murla crags in the Jalon valley. Having visited before but not climbed on this crag I was super keen to try it out. Although short, the routes pack a punch, many with slight overhangs right at the start!

Deb & Graham ticked a load of routes in the 5 to 6 range. We enjoyed a few 6's but today was far more eventful than that. Anna & Colin both led their first ever sport climbs, top effort from both.

The sun beat down on the crag all afternoon, the warm Limestone, sharp to the touch and providing plentiful thought provoking moves gave us a delightful day of single pitch 'cragging'. This is what the Costa Blanca is so good at.

The photos below give an idea of the crag and what we were up to. The first is Anna going through the process of what to do at a 'lower off' on a sport climbing crag, this was in preparation for her first lead of this kind. All went very well.
The second shot give an overview of this part of the crag - short but sweet.

Tomorrow Anna, Colin and another friend Kim will traverse the Bernia ridge whilst myself and Jill are on walking duties with Don, circumnavigating the Bernia with a visit to the Fort along the way.

We have good availability for January. So if you're thinking of escaping the UK weather for a few days or a week, and would like to try 'sun rock' or 'multi-activity' please do get in touch.