UKC

Knowing next to nothing about sport climbing in Europe, I'm looking for a bit of inspiration for a potential climbing trip either in March/April or in the summer. The requirements are:
- Enough routes at 6a and under to keep me busy for a week or so
- Multi-pitch routes would be HIGHLY desirable
- Being easy to get to (by flight) would be an advantage, but isn't essential
- Not needing car hire would also be useful

Other than that, I'm entirely open to suggestions for both spring and summer. I was in Ailefroide last summer and found that pretty good, but would like to experience something new this year (and ideally less slabby).

Any suggestions?

In reply to tehmarks: Croatia would be a good bet. In particular thinking of Omis/Brela area. Lots of well protected sport routes. great easy slabs, multipitch stuff, sea and beach. what more can one ask for? BUT it'll be too hot to climb there in the summer, so go there in spring!

In reply to tehmarks:

Kalymnos. Well developed, lots of venues, good time of year to visit. Cheap.

In reply to tehmarks: If it is summertime then the Dri Horlini in Saas would keep you busy for a few days, spectacular mountain setting, right beside one of the most delightful huts in Switzerland too:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=3077
Lots at under 6a, including plenty of great multipitch routes around the F5/F5+ mark. Cheap flights to Geneva, train to Visp then bus up the valley, no need for hire car.
Only downside is general expense of Switzerland, but if you are savvy this doesn't have to be crippling. The huts give BMC discount and are pretty good value really.

In reply to tehmarks: Malta and Gozo

In reply to tehmarks:

Some good suggestions there, thanks guys. Croatia is winning at the minute I think. Kalymnos loses on the multipitch front, and Malta/Gozo loses on the - well - sport climbing front (at least according to climb-europe.com, which suggests that a vast majority of the climbing is trad).

Switzerland could also be a good call - it's an area I was eyeing up already, but I didn't get as far as buying a guidebook and was struggling to piece together the limited info I could find online.

My other original thoughts were El Chorro (ruled out because I think I'll enjoy it far more once I'm comfortably operating at 6c or above) or southern France (Les Calanques or thereabouts).

In reply to tehmarks: check Kalymnos for ''wings for life '' ''wild country''
multipitch routes on Telendos max 6a+ , 250-300metres , spectacular view in the Aegean sea. As for single pitch around 6a ...nothing too say ...its probably THE place for 6as ( and higher ofcourse ) .very well bolted routes , lots of venues to keep you busy for months, several beaches at proximity to relax after climbing .

In reply to matiamallia:

As magical as Wings For Life looks, that's only two multipitches which are comfortably within my grade. Also, Kalymnos looks a bit awkward to get to and around - with the water and islands and all?

The Costa Blanca also looks like a potential candidate.

In reply to tehmarks: El Chorro, Spain. Loads of routes in the range you want. Land at Malaga airport and you can get a train there and once in the village all the crags are within a short walk. The is a bunk house at the Refugio, in the village centre and good camping also in the village centre and cheap (If you are in a group of three or four or more) cabanas for hire on the campsite. Enjoy where ever you end up!

In reply to tehmarks:

Kalymnos:

Enough routes at 6a and under to keep you going for a LOT longer than a week. And virtually all vare ery well bolted, so you may be tempted to try something harder. And plenty of these are less slabby than Ailefroide.

Admittedly not a lot of multi-pitch but certainly more than the two on Telendos.

Ryanair flights to Kos start late March (and from there it's only a 25 minute ferryboat ride).

There's only around a thousand routes you could easily get to without transport from Masouri village. And with a scooter, 2300.

The downside to Kalymnos is that once you've been there you will find it harder to visit other venues.

Have a good trip, wherever you end up.
Carl

In reply to tehmarks: Actually with regard to Malta and Gozo theres been hundreds of new sports routes developed in the past few years

In reply to tehmarks:

Somewhat closer to home, we had an excellent week in Orpierre last year pretty much all around 6a with a good mix of single and multipitch, steep or slabby.

In reply to tehmarks:

There's a new Rockfax guide to Ariège, in the French Pyrenees. http://www.rockfax.com/climbing-guides/all/france-ariege-2012/
By your criteria:
- There's enugh routes at 6a and under to keep you busy for a month never mind a week.
- There's multi-pitch crags all over the place - at least 10 crags with 3+ pitch routes, quite a few of 7-10 pitches and even 30-pitch monsters on the Dent d'Orlu. Quite a few of these have routes of 6a or below.
- Toulouse (Easyjet and many others) is a little over an hour away by car and also easy by train. Carcassonne (Ryanair) is a similar distance but not so easy by public transport. If you base yourself near Tarascon most of the sport crags are within 5-10 minutes drive.
- A car makes life a lot easier but isn't essential. We've had a number of guests who've got around by hiring bikes, then there are quite a few good crags within half an hour or so cycling distance but with a car the choice is better still.

Rumour has it there's some nice places to stay too

In reply to tehmarks:

A lot of great options there, I have a few options of when to go - either a super last-minute trip in March with my girlfriend, a trip in Easter or a trip some time in summer. I think I'll make a decision closer to the time depending on which of those works out, based on what's cheapest and what time of year it is...

Thanks all

In reply to tehmarks: yes it is difficult to get there , but getting around when on the island is no problem. Probably worth going for 2 weeks minimum or you ll regret doing all the trip to this magical place for just one week.

In reply to tehmarks:

Another vote for Croatia. Someone has already suggested the Brela/Omis area, but if you're mainly looking for multipitch routes, you should consider going to Paklenica (not that far from Brela anyway). Most of the routes are well equipped, but you do need a set of friends and/or nuts for some of them. Check the guidebook

In reply to matiamallia:

You sit on a plane for four hours, 5 min taxi ride and 20 mins on a ferry - is that really 'difficult'?


Chris

In reply to tehmarks:

You could try Aleroide for a summer venue. Loads of multi pitch 6a and below. Once you're at the valley campsite you can do without a car. Could be a bit tricky getting there without one, though its doable, there was even a recent thread about it.

In reply to Sheffield Sam:

I was in Ailefroide last summer and found that pretty good, but would like to experience something new this year (and ideally less slabby).


Chris

In reply to tehmarks:

And I got there without a car

Croatia's definitely winning, I think I might have to invest in the guidebook (even if somewhat put off by the description of the fixed gear on the Paklenica multipitches elsewhere online).

In reply to tehmarks: Although you will need a hire car to get the best of it, Costa Blanca really fits the bill. Absolutely loads of 6a and below, and really good routes too, enough multi-pitch to keep you busy for a very long time. Cheap flights, accommodation, and food, what more could you want.

Mark

In reply to tehmarks: you can always browse here for more of an idea - although it only covers omis and not the surrounding crags... http://www.climbingomis.com/

In reply to tehmarks: If you do end up going in summer and want to avoid getting cooked in Spain or Greece then the Swiss Valais option is comprehensively covered in this new guidebook:
http://www.bmcshop.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=6576
Like all things Swiss it isn't cheap unfortunately! In addition to Dri Horlini mentioned above there are 98 other crags in the area, loads of multi pitch (over 250 MP routes in the guide) and lots at 6a and below. Brunegg in the Turtmanntal looks like a truly awesome crag, around 200 bolted routes, with well over half in the requested grade range and lots of multipitch, choice of steep, slabbly, walls ...and within easy walking distance of a roadhead and an Alpine Hut.
If you are tempted by the Swiss option then research the transport options, depending on how much you move around and how long you stay buying a discount Swiss Card or similar can save a packet (discounts on trains, buses and cable cars).

In reply to Chris Craggs: Ok its not as straight forward sometimes. More realistically you drive few hours to the airport , then you wait couple of hours to fly (same for all destinations), then you sit in the plane 4hours , then in the taxi 5 minutes on Kos island , then 0.25-numerous hours for the ferry as long as there is one (funny flight time arrival, weather ) then you are on Kalymnos . It's a whole day trip.But its definitely worth it.