I just heard that the local authorities in Alicante and Valencia have plans to ban climbing at various crags and have started to chop bolts. I believe it’s an attempt to protect wildlife, birds and plants etc. Does anyone know exactly what’s happening and which areas are affected ? The limited info I have suggests it could affect some major climbing areas.
That conflates two problems. The first problem is with two specific crags (aixorta and one sector at Sierra helada) which were bolted in protected areas without permission. The Sierra helada sector has been debolted and aixorta is banned. The second problem is less clear. There is a plan/bill of some kind to designate several areas as ZOCs because of wildlife (plants and eagles if I understand correctly). My Spanish is not good enough to follow I'm afraid. Hopefully David will see this.
As far as I know this only relates to the new sport routes on Sierra Helada, just above Benidorm, and also Aixorta.
This is a real shame as these are both top class crags.
I believe the issue is that the bolting has taken place in national parks without any agreement with the authorities. I think with regard to Aixorta there may also have been an issue that hunters were not happy about the climbing.
In reply to Mick B, Jonathan Emett, nikoid, C Witter.
Thank you for your responses. Do you know if this affects Sella,Guadalest, Forada and Toix ? I also saw that it could affect Selinas, Alcalali, L’Ocaive and Gandia.......
