UKC

Hoping to book a last minute trip to Costa Blanca for some easy sport and relaxation. We've got the Rockfax guide and found few crags which look good in the 4/5 grades (Marin, Echo Valley, Sierra de Toix) but they are a little spread out, so I'm seeking advice on where make s good base and which crags have good repeat-visit value. We'll be looking to rent an apartment/cottage/villa rather than camp or bunk.

Marin caught my eye as it has an unusual wealth of starred routes at lower grades but it's a little way from other crags and lot much accommodation nearby, so maybe one for a day trip and stay somewhere nearer the others?

In reply to Oujmik:

Been twice and always stayed in Calpe. Obviously handy for Toix but the other areas are easy to get to too.

In reply to Oujmik:
I'd suggest staying in Calpe due to the easy access to the whole area. There is a good amount of decent stuff at Guadalest at those grades with loads of different bits so you could easily spend 2 days exploring the area, the arete at the left hand end is a quality route and very photogenic. L'Ocaive also has some decent routes at low grades at the left hand end. Sella is the obvious bet for low grade stuff, however a lot of the easy stuff on the lower cliff, such as Marion, is quite heavily polished so you need to be careful. Apparently the Orange House has recently bought a section of the upper cliff and that has been bolted up with a decent amount of stuff below the mid 6s.

In reply to Oujmik:

At those grades, you could spend a whole week at Toix and have a great time

In reply to Oujmik:

Benidorm

In reply to Oujmik:

Calpe makes a perfect base for a climbing / relaxing holiday in the region.

Toix is the best choice for good quality low - mid grade climbing near Calpe. There's single and multi-pitch there on a few different crags, so doesn't feel like you're going back to the same place. Development of new routes continues even at Toix too.

Also nearby are the Jalon valley crags of Alcalali, Murla, and Font d' Axia. All worth a visit, all can fill at least a day.

Val de Guadar (Echo valley) is well worth a visit too and definitely has repeat visit value.

Olta is really nice, with many of the routes on the south section being fairly new so nice and sharp. The walk up there is pleasant and views from the crag very good.

Sella is still easy to get to too, as are the big mountain crags such as Puig Campana.

Hope that helps.

Mark

In reply to A Mountain Journey:
Great, thanks everyone. Have found a decent looking place near Sierra de Toix for not much cash so hopefully we'll get out there in a few weeks. Is is necessary or worthwhile to have double ropes? I've always used a 60 single for sport before and it looks like most of the pitches are less than 30m although I guess some multipitch abs could be a faff on a single.

In reply to Oujmik:
For a lot of routes a 60m single is perfect. We've climbed most of the multi-pitches at Toix on a single 60m and with care it's ok for descents, just a bit slower due to the shorter distances.
Have mailed you some more info

In reply to Oujmik:

I seem to remember a few of the abseils at toix are not back down the routes but are obvious from the topo. This however didn't stop one party trying to ab a traverse...

In reply to Oujmik:

On our website we have a miniguide section to new areas that are not in the latest guidebook! You need to register to get password but takes seconds.

http://theorangehouse.co.uk/mini-guides/pdf-page

We are also bolting a brand new crag on the road to Sella so only 10 mins from Finestrat Village. Best way to get the very best info is on the facebook page of the blog!

https://www.facebook.com/The-Orange-House-267418710706/

Calpe is a nice base, have a good trip.

regards Sam Orange House

In reply to Oujmik:
Benidorm - cheap as chips, not bad out of season and fairly central if you're going to drive to venues like Mari ( well worth the drive btw!).

In reply to Dave Cant:

Problem with Benidorm can be parking as in the past few years they have made most spaces pay machine and not many apartments have car parks! Would mean moving all climbing gear from the car each night and a possible longish walk!

Poniente Beach area I would say is the best although the road is now one way only so that means a drive through town each time.

If it was me I would choose Calpe for reasons above.

Sam Orange House

In reply to Oujmik:

Thanks for the advice. We're booked into Calpe. Exactly how much we'll do depends on how my partner's dodgy back is holding up but we're hoping to get some good cragging in and probably head along the Bernia Ridge one day and the VF on another.

In reply to Oujmik:

There's plenty for you to go at at Toix, but for some variety without a long drive, try Font d'Axia and Alcalali.

In reply to Dave Cant:

I have just spent a weekend in Benidorm for an open water swimming event and in IMO it's hell on earth out of season as well. I really don't get the attraction of this place.

Calpe is not to bad, Altea is nicer. I you like it a bit more quiet you can find some great place really cheap a bit inland. Airbnb is quite good fro finding this sort of accomodation.
Staying further north opens up some great options in nice costal towns, but driving down on the motorway every day gets expensive and the national road is a pain.

In reply to Sam Mayfield:

loads of roadside parking in benidorm around the apartments up the hill just east of levante beach. Just got back and apartments really are cheap as chips, you'll get somewhere for less than a tenner each a night and you can eat out for between 5 and 8 euros. Its a lot easier to get full to full car hire now with the companies outside alicante airport too.

Calpe is expensive and exceptionally boring compared to the dorm.

In reply to Dave Ferguson:

That depends on what boredom means to you.
If good quality nearby crags, an excellent beach, and plentiful bars and restaurants for evenings isn't enough for you then yes Calpe may not be the right choice. And if you consider Calpe expensive, the places in Benidorm must be just above free!
I'll check out that parking area next time, often had trouble parking in the centre of Benidorm too. Whereas much of Calpe is free!
It's good to hear the car hire companies are slowly changing their ways.

In reply to Oujmik:

We are going to Calpe on Sunday for our third visit. Got a three bedroom , two bathroom , seafront apartment with indoor and outdoor pools, bar and restaurant....£5.80 per night each! nearby restaurant(Aquamarina) serves a three course meal with wine for 10 euros. Parking on the doorstep, supermarket next door. What's not to like? .....

In reply to Oujmik:
i have used Marin as a last day venue if catching the late flight home (it's 20 mins from Airport). you would be bored senseless if you stay there for a week.! so i would stay in the Calpe area where you've got Toix on your doorstep, Echo Valley about 20 mins, Font d'Axia same time the other direction as well as Alcalali and Murla, and that'll be more than a weeks worth. L'Ocaive would be worth a visit although a bit further to get too.