UKC

Heading down to Costa Blanca shortly and thinking of doing the Bernia Ridge again. I've done it the usual way - East to West a couple of times but heard it can be done West to East but obviously by a slightly different route to avoid climbing the steep abseil. Can't find any kind of description in that direction and wondering if route finding may be tricky. Anyone done it?

In reply to Crammy:

You could do it East to West again, but this time walk backwards, as your thread title seems to suggest. You get the different views but can still use the same description. (He says, helpfully).

In reply to Crammy:

I havent done it but know that you can go straight over the top instead of the abseil and
walk up the side so i guess it should be reversible but no experience

maybe try emailing the orange house ?

In reply to lithos:

Funny, Rich Orange did this with a client last week and I said why don't you do it in reverse one day!

His reply was it would be nails but that he would give it a go and write an article about it for the website.

I will give him time off next week and find him a willing partner! lol

Sam Orange

In reply to Crammy:

Like you I have done it East to West a couple of times.

I have read somewhere a description that says the steep abseil can be a 6c downclimb. Last time down the abseil it looked a lot harder than 6c with no gear. I had a quick look back and the best option of gaining the abseil point notch is probably by a detour on the North side and over the pinnacle. Not actually done it but try there first.

There also looks a nice buttress to gain the West summit directly from the track rather than walking up the easy but devious path on the South side.
This starts just after you have walked through all the grazing cattle.
Take care, I have heard of at least one serious incident with them.

In reply to Crammy:
Let me know if you do it - I was looking at it the other day and want to do it there and back in the same go........

In reply to Rick Graham:


Just as we were descending a herd of these wild looking beasts crossed our path. They were quite scary looking and we gave them as wide a berth as possible - not knowing if we were being wusses or not!
What have you heard about them?

In reply to auld al:

I had to walk though the herd.

Took the precaution of picking up a couple of substantial rocks.
Joking about the size of the rocks in the pub that night, I maybe overestimated the size of rocks required as they felt over heavy by the time I had cleared the herd. I knew the bulls were impressed though as when I eye balled them they looked away.

I must have been lucky as apparently eye balling is not recommended and a walker was injured the next week in the same place. Third hand information so I do not know how badly.

In reply to Rick Graham:
Could have been nasty - a picture for the un-initiated

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TudancaBull.JPG

In reply to Crammy:

Thanks all for your responses.

We did it last thursday and it proved to be a good day out, although a tad commiting without really knowing whether it was possible and not enough daylight to return.
Points worthy of note:
Route finding on the first part between the main summit and the fins was a little tricky - just keep watching out for the red dots. They are visible in this direction but not always obvious.
Down scrambling on the approach to the fins is not too difficult (even though in the description it suggests grade 3). The abseil off the belay bolt (single) is about 20m to the ground direct but could be a bit shorter if you land upslope.
At the long E-W abseil the route finding is not a problem. there are few choices! Anyone who has previously done it E-W will spot the ramp running back up from the bottom of the abseil and instead of going down it move up onto the ridge crest, staying just on the south side of the crest and follow it round. It looks rather improbable with a few exposed moves but there are good holds all the way. As you pull around the end of the crest you are suddenly directly above the top of the abseil. There's a newish piton and some tat through a thread allowing a short abseil (about 8m) onto the platform at the top of the E-W ab. Best to gear up at the top of the ramp as there's not much room at ab point. After that we didn't use the rope again. The scambling up the further 3 short abseils is very exposed but not difficult.
We're not the fastest (nor fitest) on the hills but for comparison it took us 7.5hrs E-W last year and 8hrs W-E this year. That's car to car from the south side (no cattle involved).

In reply to Crammy:

Nice one.

Did you climb the buttress or walk up the path to the West summit?

Your description implies you only used the rope for the two abseils.
What grade would you give to the pitch reversing the E-W abseil?

Well done for doing the route both ways before anybody else on UKC and thanking everybody for their advice.

Wonder where the cattle are lurking now?

In reply to Rick Graham:

Thanks Rick.
We walked to the west summit - hadn't read your comments about the possible climb until later but if roped it would have slowed us down too much anyhow.
Correct - we only used the rope for 2 abseils.
The pitch round the E-W abseil is very similar to the pitches approaching the east summit - easy moves but very exposed. I'd say scramble grade 3. I'm sure many would be happy to do it in boots but I was thankful to have rock shoes.

In reply to Rick Graham:

noticed that big buttress but could only find that there was a line that went about H.V.S - would you know where to get info about it
thanks

In reply to auld al:

Just noticed it on the walk down, never seen any information on it.

I guess you will just have to be adventurous and go for a true on sight.

I plan to next time I am over there.

In reply to Rick Graham:

ok have to take a brave leader with me!