Blog Posts - Mountain Journeys - Guided Walks

Mascarat gorge, Calpe

17/2/2021

#mascarat-canyon-calpe

The various bridges spanning the gorge

I've often thought about what it would be like to descend the Mascarat gorge, but until recently not thought much more than that. Always heading somewhere else instead, whether it be climbing at Toix, or on the huge Mascarat crags that tower above the gorge.
Well, recently we found out that this canyon had been equipped for descents. Shiny new bolts at every turn, always sounds appealing.
So with friend Steve I set off to see what it held in store. After a false start and lots of bush-whacking, we eventually found the correct approach path, which was quite unusual......starting with an abseil from the roadside crash barriers from the main road! This was rapid and worked very well and within minutes we were deep in the gorge with thoughts of main roads now miles away. We had entered a peaceful haven.

A short abseil led us to a dilemma. The following abseil is equipped to be done as a diagonal and very dynamic abseil, or a straight down. We opted for straight down and this worked well, despite me getting wet feet, Steve faired better with a better jump over the pool.

Another short abseil led us on to a bigger drop of just over 20m and with glorious golden light. This is certainly the main event and should be savoured on a warm and sunny day.

Easy and interesting walking took us under the various bridges and back to the roadside where an easy walk leads back to the starting point.

For a morning out in the Calpe area this is hard to beat, it packs a lot in.

Back to mountaineering tomorrow and a blog post will be forthcoming on it shortly after.

Thanks for reading folks.

Mark

#long-abseil-in-mascarat-gorge-calpe

Golden light in the Mascarat gorge

#mascarat-canyon-descent-calpe

Steve on the 2nd abseil

Introduction to rock climbing - Sierra de Toix

30/1/2021

#rock-climbing-holiday-spain

Enjoying the perfect Limestone at Sierra de Toix

Today I've been climbing with a friend at Sierra de Toix crags near Calpe.
Sophie has climbed a little indoors and enjoyed some of the North Wales scrambles, but today was to be the first time climbing on real rock. What better place than the beautiful limestone of Sierra de Toix. One thing everyone who visits these crags has to say, is the view is wonderful. Sophie agreed. Sea, rock, and mountains dominate the view in all directions.

Having climbed here many many times over the years, it was very nice today to be climbing newly bolted routes, all Kindly put up by Andy Hedgecock - thanks Andy :-)

After going through knots and tying in, we looked at movement techniques and the mechanics of sport climbing. Not going deep into any technicalities as this was all about simply being on rock and enjoying it rather than an intense learning experience. An abseil was included too, and after I think 4 or 5 leisurely routes we called it a day. The crag was quiet, maybe 3 other teams at the most.

Great to be out on rock, in the sun, by the sea, and introducing others to this wonderful sport. And as Sophie is now keen for more, next week we may be aiming for the sea cliffs of Candelabra del Sol.......

Spring / summer is closer than we all realise. Why not make some plans for a visit to the Lake District and we can organise some amazing activities for your visit. We'll be back in Ambleside soon and looking forward to welcoming you all.

Thanks for reading, stay safe & well.

Mark

#outdoor-activities-costa-blanca-spain

Another blue sky day, perfect for rock climbing

#climbing-sierra-de-toix-calpe

Distant views to Benidorm from the crag

Dreaming of rock climbing.......

28/1/2021

#climbing-course-instructor-ambleside

Big sea cliffs of Costa Blanca

Blogs have been sparser than usual this autumn / winter. Somehow they feel less relevant, sometimes it even feels wrong to write. With so much going on in the world and so much of the population in some form of lockdown.
We were lucky enough to escape to Spain in mid-October, when it was still allowed and okay to do so. Kate would usually return to the UK around Christmas time to see family, but not this year. And now we are stuck here, although I'll admit it doesn't feel at all bad to be stuck on the Costa Blanca. Restrictions here have tightened, but exercise is permitted with one over person. This can be climbing, walking, mountaineering, running, cycling, swimming, or whatever. Of course it feels right to be particularly safe and stay well within our limits and that is what we are doing. We do fit in the occasional adventurous route though and that has been rather wonderful.

Recently, such an adventurous route was shared with friend Mick. We climbing Diedro UBSA on El Peñon d'Ifach in Calpe. This is a 9 pitch HVS route with bolted belays and bolts on all crux sections. Having climbed the route previously, 4 years ago now, I felt confident in us managing a good time and no dramas. And this was the case.

We started climbing around 10.30am and alternate led throughout. This style of climbing brings maximum efficiency to belay changeovers. We moved at a steady pace, never needing to rush and always enjoying the stupendous surroundings with rock and sea everywhere.
I think it's pitch 7, there is a diagonal abseil. This is an unusual feature mid-climb, but very cool. From the lip of a massive cave we descend about 10m to reach the next belay stance ready for the next pitch. From here there's only a couple of pitches left, but by now we were hot and tired. So even though we were well beyond the harder climbing, this all felt quite intense, and all the more memorable for it. The final pitch involves puling through an overhang and after hundreds of metres of climbing already in our arms, it feels mega wild. Fantastic!

Easy scrambling leads to the summit where many seagulls and cats congregate and try to snatch any food, unattended or otherwise.

A good path leads back into Calpe in about 45 minutes. Giving time to wind down and reflect on the days climbing as the sun goes down.

Despite us feeling that sense of adventure that a big climb brings, everything felt comfortable and controlled. For even though we both have the skills to self-rescue, now is very much not the time for such shenanigans (indeed is there ever a time for it).

Having not climbed a big route for a while, I felt very sore and sorry for myself the following day, but soon enough had fully recovered and ready for more.

Next week could see us on a big route again. If the weather is just right, if restrictions allow, if we feel totally good about it, it will happen. If not, we will wait for the right time.

Climbing, hillwalking, and mountaineering are my life and livelihood. For those of us working in this environment it is important to keep skills current by continual practice. But we understand too that many who venture into the mountains purely for recreation, it is highly important to continue as much as is allowed. If you're in a place where it is allowed and it feels the right thing to do, one should surely go for it. Simply keep in mind to be especially careful and avoid unnecessary risks.

We really really hope to see many of you in the Lake District this season, with fingers crossed for an Easter opening. For many, 2020 was a year to discover more of the UK, we had record visitors to the Lake District and this was wonderful. Remember what an amazing place it is and do visit us again during 2021. We are taking bookings now and these are completely flexible to keep in line with any restrictions that may come into place. We also operate a fair refund policy.

Thanks for reading folks. Stay safe & stay sane.
All the best.

Mark & Kate

#penon-calpe-rock-climbing

Sunrise beneath El Peñon d'Ifach, Calpe

#outdoor-activities-costa-blanca

Pitch 8 of Diedro UBSA on El Peñon

Cresta del Maigmo

31/12/2020

#cresta-del-maigmo-ridges-of-spain

Kate enjoying the fine positions along the ridge

Well what a strange year 2020 has been. This time last year I'm sure none of us could have imagined what lay in store. It's certainly been a rollercoaster ride for us, with many ups and downs. It does feel good to be at the closing day of the year, we hope for much better times ahead, for everyone.

Typically, we have been trying to get out in the mountains as much as possible. Yesterday that involved exploring the Cresta del Maigmo ridge climb. This lies between the towns of Castalla and Agost, a little inland from Alicante. The mountains here are very quiet, empty in fact, despite their dramatic beauty.

Our planned route proved to be very accessible, only a 10 minute walk to reach the first rocks. We then had around 700 metres of increasingly exposed ridge to climb and scramble over. Due to the exposed nature of the terrain we remained roped for much of the route. As is normal for mountaineering routes, there are a few loose rocks here and there, but the majority of the ridge was nice and solid, giving brilliant scrambling throughout. Views in all directions are fabulous, with a mix of dense pine woodland, mountain, and Alicante city in the distance.

At a maximum grade of IV and mostly nearer to III, this makes for a good first ridge climb. There are plenty of escape options and it would be easy to vary the route to make easier / harder as desired.

The descent route proved quite tricky, although it is possible to take a regular walking path to the 'Balcon de Alicante', which would be longer but more straightforward.
Our chosen descent involved a steep gully, exposed traversing, and scree chutes. It all added to the adventure and we wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Happy New Year everyone. Thanks so much for checking out our blog and thanks too for all your good company out on the hills, in the gorges, and on the crags. We are very much looking forward to seeing you all during 2021 :-)

Mark & Kate

#costa-blanca-ridges-cresta-del-maigmo

The ridge as seen from the roadside

#mountaineering-days-spain-and-lake-district

Wrapped up warm to keep the chilly wind at bay

#volvo-xc70

Back at base after another fine adventure

Barranco del Curt O Pas de Bandolers

26/12/2020

#canyons-costa-blanca

Neil descending through the V-groove

Today we managed to have a big adventure, exploring an area just below the mighty Bernia ridge. I think it was. couple of years ago now that Neil mentioned fancying a look at this canyon lying deep in the hillside. With many other things going on it has taken until now for us to get around to having a look.

The wait has been worth it. Well, with a name like 'Pass of the Bandits' this was always going to be a bit special.

Not sure what any of the canyon would be like, we wanted to start right at the top. Doing this involved crossing some unpleasantly sharp and rough terrain, but all in the name of research, so worth it.
The initial descent was okay, but no more than that and thereafter followed a walk of around 700 metres, some of this was pretty sharp too. Knowing this, we would miss out the initial section in future as it is very easy to join after abseil number 2.

5 more abseils followed, each being through more dramatic rock architecture than the last. It feels like a laser has cut through the rock to create this amazing V-groove. The final abseil is the longest at almost 50m and leads to the base of a huge scree slope. This forms the start of the fun return route.

All 5 of us out today know the Sierra de Bernia well, but this was a first into this canyon and we all thoroughly enjoyed the experience. A quiet, wild, landscape with staggeringly beautiful rock scenery. Being able to interact with such a wilderness is such a privilege.

If you're planning a trip to the Costa Blanca and looking for an adventure, we can help make that happen. It may be a canyon you'd like to try, or maybe some rock climbing, a via ferrata, mountain running/walking, or a ridge scramble.

We realise it may not be this winter, but we are in the area every winter season, so remember us for next year too.

All the best
Mark

#barranco-del-curt-bernia

The final and longest abseil

#bernia-ridge-outdoor-activities

Looking back at the walls we descended

#outdoor-activity-guide-costa-blanca

Steve & Lucy tackling the return scramble

Costa Blanca Climbs - new guidebook

23/12/2020

#costa-blanca-climbing

The newly published guidebook

This is a short review of the newly published guidebook 'Costa Blanca Climbs' by Roberto Lopez.

The important thing to realise is, this is a sport climbing guidebook. There is no trad / semi-sport climbing featured. So if looking for bolted routes in the Costa Blanca region, read on.....

It doesn't take long to realise this is a very well researched guide, with a huge range of crags contained within its 655 pages. Below I've listed a few good points and not so good points.

Pros:
Excellent photos - there really is some outstanding photography that is sure to inspire the reader to get out on the crags.
Well laid out - it isn't uncommon for locally produced guides to be less well thought out and difficult to navigate. Not so here, it's a breeze. I'm very familiar with the Rockfax format and this has a similar feel.
Well researched - as mentioned above, Roberto has clearly put in the time and effort to bring together a very fine and useable book. Plenty photos of local climbers in action too.
The quality of materials and production appears to be high, feels like it will last well.

Written by a local climber and available for sale in local climbing retailers. So buying this will directly contribute to the local climbing economy.
An extensive volume, with 655 pages. Think Bible size ;-)

Cons:
Big and heavy - 655 pages does mean this thing is heavy! Too big for taking to the crag, more of a coffee table read and take photos on a mobile to take to the crag.
I find the aerial photography for topos a little confusing. It may be I'm simply not used to this. Virtually every crag has a drone topo, feels a bit over the top (no pun intended).
Approach times are very optimistic - maybe they are based on running times! 15 minutes to the top of Magical Mystery Tour for example. That isn't going to happen, it's more like 25 minutes and that's for those who know the way.
Lack of multi-pitch - there are a few multi-pitch routes featured, but not many and those that are tend to be in the higher grades, think 6c and upwards apart from the exception of Morro Falqui. This is a shame as there is so much multi-pitch in the lower & mid grades.
No trad - yes it is a sport climbing guide, of course there's no trad climbing featured. Still this feels sad, as magnificent mountains like Puig Campana and Ponoch (Ponoig) are completely absent as a result. These are the 2 most amazing climbing areas in the region and are world class (they even offer sport climbing). In my opinion they should have been included, even if only a few routes.
Lots of excellent crags/or parts of crags are missing. These tend to be crags offering low-mid grade climbs.

Who is this guide for?
Visiting climbers operating at 6b+ and above looking for purely bolted routes and predominantly single pitch. This is where the guide excels. And it really does excel, let that be clear.
For those operating up to 6a+ and / or wanting some multi-pitch and trad, the Rockfax guide offers more, even if it is a few years old now.

Thanks for reading, I hope it's been helpful.

Merry Christmas everyone, hope it's a good one despite the strangeness of the year.

Mark

Exploring the canyons of Costa Blanca

9/12/2020

#canyons-of-costa-blanca-cucales

Exploring the Cucales barranco

For a while I'd been put off visiting the Barranco Cucales due to the need of a car shuttle to make it viable. Well, after some further research, I realised that this was simply not necessary. In fact, it would be more awkward with a car shuttle between start and finishing points.

So today, along with Steve and Rob, we set off in search of the entrance. Thanks to a handy gadget Rob had we were on the scent straightaway. Then it was just a case of follow the cairns towards the riverbed.

A number of straightforward abseils took us through increasingly impressive terrain. Almost all the abseil stations have been recently re-bolted with 2 bolts, this was very reassuring. The main event was a 23m abseil through a slot with staggering rock formations.

The canyon began to open out and soon we located a tiny path leading up to the access track, only about 5 minutes walk back to the parking area.
All we saw all day were birds of prey out looking for food and a solitary farmer tending to an Olive grove (well, we didn't actually see the farmer, but could hear the chainsaw)!

Around 11 abseils in a tranquil environment with quaint villages nearby and Benicadell ridge as backdrop. This is definitely a place we'll visit again.

For more information or if looking for a guided day in Spain or the Lakes District please do get in touch.

Thanks for reading

Mark

#barranco-cucales-costa-blanca

Steve marvelling at the scenery

#benicadell-from-catamarruch

Benicadell ridge looms large behind the mountain top village of Catamarruch

Bernia Ridge

3/12/2020

#mountain-guide-costa-blanca

The wonderfully sinuous Bernia ridge

It's been quite a while since our last blog post. I suppose it hasn't felt appropriate, given the restrictions the UK has been placed under leading to a general lack of ability to travel.
I've been back in Spain since late October and Kate arrived a few weeks later. I'll firstly talk a little about how the journeys were for both of us, as quite a few people have been in touch for general advice on this.
I travelled here before restrictions on travel were in place in either Spain or the UK, so had no issues, the journey was like any other really (well, apart from some technical issues with a newly bought bike rack, but that's another story).
For Kate, there was more anxiety as travel restrictions were back on here in Spain and lockdown number two loomed in. the UK. The Guardia Civil (national police force) here are not to be messed with, they have a reputation for being harsh and are generally feared by the locals. So best steer clear. Easier said than done when the government announce travel restrictions and a ferry is already booked. Kate went for it anyway. Ensuring the car was well fuelled up before leaving the UK meant only one brief stop between Santander and Jesus Pobre. There were no road blocks and thankfully she was not stopped and checked by the Police, so the journey was completely incident free, phew!
Still, it was far from an ideal situation and not what we had wished for. Stress levels were certainly high. Currently the restrictions here have eased markedly and travel is straightforward, although of course it's best to check the official channels if planning a trip to Spain, or anywhere else for that matter. For those who use Facebook, there's a very useful page operated by Police officers called N-332. Up to date information can be found out easily on there.

Now back to the adventure stuff.
We have been taking it easy here and being extra careful in order to reduce any risk of injury, just like at home during the summer. But there have been some fantastic days out had. A big climb on the Puig Campana a few weeks ago, some via ferratas, mountain runs, lots of cycling, and days out with the camera trying to capture the perfect shots for my forthcoming guidebook 'Costa Blanca Mountain Adventures' - due to be published about this time next year.
And this week a traverse over the Bernia ridge with a couple of climber friends. This time was a little different though. A friend had suggested an alternative starting point that was much further East. I have always shied away from this idea as plenty have simply become lost in the sea of rock. But thought it worth a go with the additional information I had gleaned.

In short, it was well worth the extra effort. What an amazing adventure. Whilst it would be fine to nip up to the East summit from the regular starting col, a better way is to go through the tunnel under the ridge and walk towards the coast before meeting the ridge above some vegetated slopes. Once on the rocky crest a few red blobs of paint mark the way. There are a couple of additional abseils, although it would be feasible to down climb these if confident / competent on the terrain.
We caught up with a group of 5 once on the main ridge. Some rather odd rope tricks were being employed, so we decided it best to get ahead of them asap. As we were flying along this was easy. We reached the descent col and had a quick chat about whether to carry on to the main summit or not, but all feeling tired and the interesting sections now behind us, the decision was unanimous, let's go down here and be back in the valley in time for coffee and cake.

We really hope some of you can make it abroad for some sunshine this winter. If visiting the Costa Blanca and wanting advice about current logistics and restrictions, please feel free to get in touch. We can give advice about mountain routes too and will be happy to arrange days out in the mountains during your visit.

Thanks for reading, I'll be sure not to leave it so long again until my next post.

Best wishes all

Mark & Kate

#bernia-ridge-traverse-costa-blanca

Arriving at the Eastern end of the Bernia ridge

#bernia-ridge-calpe-costa-blanca

Descending from the East summit

#ridges-of-costa-blanca

Along the crest of Bernia

Yorkshire 3 Peaks

16/10/2020

#yorkshire-3-peaks-ingleborough

Ingleborough summit, now on the home straight

Last Sunday we were joined by Helen, April, and Amy. All were keen to have a go at the mighty Yorkshire 3 Peaks. At 40km and almost 1600 metres of ascent, this isn't one to be taken lightly.
All were clearly fit and used to being in hilly terrain, so this was going to be speedy.

We set off in the dark, but soon the head torches were packed away as the first glimpses of sunlight allowed us more of a view. We made it to the summit of Pen y Ghent just in time for a glorious sunrise, that definitely made the 4.15am alarm call worthwhile.
The long stretch to Ribblehead passed by in a blur, speedy as we were. There was a tea van by the roadside so we stopped for a rest and a brew, that tasted wonderful, a real tonic. A long and steady ascent to Whernside followed, the path was by now quite busy and this slowed our pace a little. A strong and chilly wind blew across the summit ridge but we found shelter by the dry stone wall and enjoyed some of our lunch.
Two down, one to go! Once off the summit the temperature warmed considerably, I think it may have been t-shirt weather for a while, which was nice. The lower slopes of Ingleborough are home to some amazing limestone pavement making the scene all the more wild.
The ascent of Ingleborough is also extremely muddy and slippery, we had to go very carefully on much of the ascent. The terrain improved once on the broad ridge and even becomes rocky again near the summit.

As can be seen in the photo above, views from Ingleborough were far reaching and we absolutely had to spend some time taking it all in.
Home straight now and about 7km of relatively easy walking leads back to Horton-in-Ribblesdale. After such a big day it does feel like a very long 7km, we were all feeling pretty knackered. We were also feeling very happy to have ticked off this mega day and enjoyed some wonderful conditions.

We spent about 11 hours out, never rushing, and taking in the views the whole time.

Thanks to Helen, Amy, and April.

Mark

#yorkshire-3-peaks-walk

Perfect conditions for a big walk

#pen-y-ghent-sunrise-walk

Sunrise from the top of Pen Y Ghent

Fun filled weekend of adventures

5/10/2020

#adventurous-activities-lake-district

All smiles on Jack's Rake

This weekend I've been out with Julia, Barbara, Vicky, and Ruth. It's now around 10 years since I first met Julia, and since then we've met up each year for big mountain days and challenge events in the Lakes and Snowdonia. This weekend was due to be something similar, but with a poor weather forecast for Saturday I decided to suggest some alternatives to mountain walking. The idea of canyoning went down rather well, and the plan amended so that Saturday would see us heading into the wild waters of Church Beck in Coniston. Abseils, pool jumps, climbs, swims, and scrambling make up this fun filled descent. An amazing amount of fun was had by all.
Jack's Rake was the plan for Sunday and the weather came good for it. A rapid walk up to Stickle tarn gave all a good look at what lay in store on the big cliffs of Pavey Ark. All gave the thumbs up so we blasted over to the base of Jack's Rake, here we donned helmets and set off up the narrow channel. Fun scrambling that is at all times engaging and with exposure building all the while. We made swift progress, but did occasionally stop to admire the views.
Once at the top we clambered over rocky outcrops to reach the summit of Pavey Ark. Then it was on to Harrison Stickle and Pike O'Stickle before returning to the valley via Martcrag moor.

Such a great weekend, see you all next year :-)

Mark

#jacks-rake-pavey-ark

Top of Jack's Rake

#outdoor-activities-near-ambleside

Waterslide in Church Beck

#fun-days-in-the-lake-district

Big fun on a wet day