Ponoch Via Ferrata
Yesterday we had the pleasure of introducing Julio, Jenny, and Jackie to the delights of Via Ferrata. For this we went to the magnificent south face of Ponoch / Ponoig, which lies a short way inland from the bustling tourist resort of Benidorm.
The amount of rock on Ponoch is unbelievable, as is the scale.This means that few venture onto the epic climbs weaving up the crag. For most these are all day routes, arduous, and come with plenty of adventure! To the right of the crag is a via ferrata, one of the finest in the region. It allows access to this impressive crag without the big commitment of the trad routes. Roughly following the line of an old E1 trad route, it covers plenty of steep terrain and the exposure is completely wild, but it's all very fast.
After gearing up, we enjoyed an easy approach walk of only about 20 minutes, a blast up the route followed by some scrambling down to reach the abseil station. 2 abseils, each of no more than 30m and touchdown back at the base of the crag. Easy walking leads back to the parking area. A leisurely 4 hours, including plenty of breaks, photos stops, and simply enjoying the views.
Big thanks to Julio, Jenny, and Jackie. Also to Kate for helping.
For full details of this and many other mountain adventures in this region check out our New Cicerone Guidebook 'Costa Blanca Mountain Adventures'
Mark
