UKC

Hi All,

Me and my missus are thinking about going to Costa Blanca from 1st to 10th January. But I have a feeling that it will be too crowded and the crags/climbing spots will not have that sensation of being in nature. Maybe I'm wrong but I have the feeling that crags in Costa Blanca are so close to cities/villages that you can't feel isolated enough. Is that the case?

But, hey, Costa Blanca has everything else! cheap, convenient flights and you can get a lot of climbing done in 10 days. 

I was looking for a selection of crags in Costa Blanca -or a little bit further, don't mind long approaches or long driving- where we can feel a little bit more in nature and not in a climbing gym. 

I don't want to divert the attention of this topic but we are open to suggestions for another winter destination similar to Costa Blanca: nice climbing, sun, cheap, nature, not crowded. But we think that apart from Catalunya -We have already spent our 3 last vacations in Catalunya and El Chorro- not other destination can beat Costa Blanca

Thanks

In reply to blaciqui:

Have you been there before? Most of the crags are in arid landscapes but I did like finestrat for is Spanish feel and proximity to Puig Campania. And reconco is quite a nice crag..

The area is so huge you will probably not find that many climbers but many of the inland villages are full of expats. 

If it's isolation you are after I can't really help.

In reply to blaciqui:

Try Puig Campana, Vall de Guadar (Echo Valley) and maybe Las Cerezas or, for a very different feel, Serra Gelada.

In reply to blaciqui:

If you visit the roadside crags then yes, some will feel like a climbing gym. But as you say you don't mind a longer approach walk, then plenty of very quiet crags open up.

For big routes check out:

Ponoch/Ponoig - this has its own guidebook that's available locally, although Rockfax feature plenty for most. It is a massive piece of rock with lots to go at. Very peaceful.

Divino - another mega wall of rock that will be either very quiet or empty.

Puig Campana - some of the routes on here get a little more traffic, but lots do not and it's such a huge crag it would be difficult to make it busy.

Away from weekends also try: Las Cerezas; Barranc del Cint; Bovedon (Gandia); Aventador; Cabezon d'Or.

And for an easy day on a big crag try: Arista al Forat de la Forada in the Val de Gallinera. About Severe, 250m / 7 pitches and an easy approach / descent. 

HTH 

In reply to blaciqui:

I'd guess it'll be quiet since by January Spain will probably be in lockdown.

In reply to C Witter:

I believe Sierra Gelada is banned, along with Aixorta

In reply to blaciqui:

You are in for a surprise! away from the coastal areas the mountains are rugged and wild, after years of dismissing the area due to the brits abroad tag with horror stories from the likes of Benidorm have now been multiple times and love it.

In reply to blaciqui:

Without knowing you, I don't know how much is enough. When I started climbing, there was almost never anyone else on the crag (or in the valley, or probably the next valley either). Now I live in a highly popular UK climbing area and don't climb at weekends. So - not a lover of crowds. 

Today I was at Sella. Along with Toix, it's the most popular Costa Blanca crag. Beautiful valley. Apart from us, a mate cleaning a new route and another couple nearby. Hell, I can live with that. 

Mick 

In reply to blaciqui:

 Best trip I had to Costa Blanca involved staying in Benidorm. The old town is nice out of season.  It’s also easy to get to a large number of crags. 
 

There are plenty of quiet places away from Benidorm and Calpe. Any village in the area will be great. 
 

Like Jim I suspect that it might be in lockdown from the way the numbers are going at the moment .

In reply to Mick Ward:

Who remembers the Sun Rock guide from the 80s. A few scrappy pages and that was it. Great fun. 

In reply to neilh:

Pretty sure I had one of those? Used to jet off to the Costas armed with photocopies of a mate of a mate's topos gleaned from a bar somewhere in Spain. Later on, we got pages torn from Stumbler and Bumbler written by a certain Mr C Craggs (whatever happened to him?).

In reply to blaciqui:

Try Morro Carlos - Fantastic little isolated crag with beautiful views across the valley which I would say you're pretty guaranteed to have to yourself especially midweek. You can find a pdf guide on the Orange House website.

In reply to blaciqui:

Plenty of inspiration here for you to search - we've visited around a hundred crags on the Blanca and elsewhere in Valencia, and I bet we've been the only people at half of them!

https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/category/spain/valencia-costa-blanca/

This isn't a dig at Rockfax, more a recognition of their success, but if you want tranquility then it's worth exploring some places that aren't covered. Having said that, you'd likely be on your own at these spots that are in there, just to name a few... 

Leyva - https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2020/02/25/leyva-carnaval-time/ 

Bollula - https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2017/02/14/bolulla-raco-roig/ 

Cabezon d'Oro - https://rockaroundtheworld.co.uk/2015/02/19/cabezon-doro-3/

Cheers, Dom 

In reply to Lesdavmor:

I don't know for sure, but the last thing I heard was about bolts being removed (https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/rock_talk/climbing_restrictions_in_the_co...). I don't remember hearing anything about a ban, but perhaps I am just no longer up to date.

In reply to mutt:

We enjoyed Reconco a few years ago but be aware it’s quite high up and can get a bit chilly!

In reply to Lankyman: a supplement written by mr crags of this parish , fell out of climber  and rambler about a week after yet another cold wet rubbish winter trip to Scotland . Blue skys and sunshine ? Yes yes please . Wasn’t  There was a brief mention  of sella ? Photo copied topo from Bar ( I want to say Fermin but might be wrong ) and many a happy weeks bolt clipping were had . 

In reply to jimtitt:

What is that based on? Was planning to go then too

In reply to mike123:

I seem to recall two pull out
supplements. One for Mallorca and one for El Chorro? I might be mistaken though. I probably still have them tucked away somewhere thirty years or more later. Chris brought out a guidebook of sun rock clipping with UK trad grades (!) a bit later which I also toted around the crags. Happy memories.

In reply to blaciqui:

Thank you all for the replies!

I don't understand why I got so many downvotes. I hope I didn't sound too autistic, I just enjoy nature and prefer to climb in a nice and calm environment. 

In reply to blaciqui:

You might consider Tallat Roig (near Alzira), if N Costa Blanca is on your radar. We really liked it - the outlook is great, the walk up isn't too long, but enough to discourage out-and-out convenience climbers. We have been several times, and have mostly seen Spanish climbers there, and there weren't many of them. The rock and routes are really good.

Tallat Roig

In reply to Lankyman:

One for the Blanca and one for El Chorro irrc -  they started something!

Chris

In reply to mike123:

I think it was the Bar Ankla, near the port in Calpe. They had an old fashioned fax machine which they'd use to run you off a copy for a few pesetas - the only problem was that it was on thermal print paper so it disappeared over the course of a trip! Eh - try telling the youth of today that, and they won't believe it  

In reply to blaciqui:

Probably the militant wing [sorry!] of the 'What's Wrong With Crows?' community.

In reply to blaciqui:

Hi,

I've been living in the heart of Calpe for over 3 years and I regularly got to Toix, Olta etc, which are not far from Calpe. One might think that they are crowded at weekends, but you'd rarely have to que for a climb. Spanish holiday periods are to be avoided if you might feel you need to keep well away from groups learning the 'ropes', but even then, one can easily escape to a quiet part of the area. Costa Blanca is so big, you would find difficulty in experiencing UK type venues such as Tremadog/The Pass/Lakes/Nevis. 

I'm an avid mountain runner too and I rarely see other runners on the Olta or Bernia, where I see plenty of places to explore new routing on crags or butresses, trad or sport, in a fairly remote atmosphere.

I'm back in Calpe in early January for a few months, do drop me a line if you need any advice.  

J

In reply to blaciqui:

Your right you cant beat The Blanca for many reasons, the new guidebook 

Costa Blanca Climbs is awesome and has many new crags not mentioned before, you really dont have to try to hard to climba at crags in the most gobsnacking locations and to be alone.

1st to 10th does fall the Spanish Christmas on the 5/6th as Kings, but just avoid busy crags on those days.

Sam Orange 

PS we have free miniguides on the website theorangehouse.co.uk

In reply to blaciqui:

Rookie error.