UKC

Okay, so I've got five days at the start of March and I want to try and get out to Spain. Not much I know, but it's prob gonna be my only time off this year and I want to make the most of it.

Thing is, I'll prob be flying out, so looking for recommendations of places to go where the travel is easy (public transport once there) any recommendations of accommodation that's near the climbing will also be gratefully received.

Was originally thinking Catalunya, but now thinking Mallorca as it looks like it'd be easy to get around.

So yeah, any advice would be great, even if it's just to point me in the direction of sites which hold useful information

In reply to Phoebus:

The only one that is commony done by public transport in Spain ( that i know of ) is El Chorro.

Train from Malaga airport to El Chorro itself or Alora if there is not one that matches your arrival time. ABout 20 euros in taxi from Alora. If you stay at the Olive Branch they do a pick up service. Once there everything is walkable.

The only times i have been up North i have had transport.

In reply to Phoebus:

Montserat would be a possability by public transport I think. There would be the possibility of staying in the refuge or if money not an issue, possibly the monastry.

In reply to Phoebus: I'm often an advocate of public transport but with the exception of El Chorro I feel you're going to struggle without a car; some good venues in Mallorca are reasonable by bus (Sa Gubia, Valledemossa, Port de Soller, Cala Magraner with a walk) but you won't have the flexibility to move to a different venue if the chosen one doesn't work out - for example Sa Gubia is fantastic but if the wind funnels through the gap it can be positively scary. If you really can't get a car, Siurana is OK (hitch or walk from Cornudella, refuge / campsite when there), also San Llorenc de Montgai (harder routes though), Coll de Nargo, the refuge at Cellers - can all be reached without a car and have places to buy food. No doubt there are others.

In reply to silhouette:

Hey, sorry about the slow response, been absolutely snowed under in work for the last couple of weeks (done bugger all planning for anything else).

Thanks for the info... I could always try for somewhere easier to access (outside the UK) but where's the fun in that?

In reply to Phoebus: I too would recommend El Chorro, the local grocery shop is abit of a bump but everything you need is within walking distance. Would highly recommend the Arab Steps (it'll take the best part of an hour an a half to get to but) it's got some amazing climbing at the very top near the pinical with the best views in chorro! Hope you have a good trip

In reply to Phoebus: Just returned from a few days staying at the Orange house in Finestrat, Costa Blanca. The house is FULL of climbers and most people staying there hire cars, you would be pretty much guaranteed partners/lifts to crags for a few euros towards petrol.
If you fly to Alicante you can catch the bus to Benidorm and arrange pick up from there with Sam and Rich Mayfield who run the house (they both have profiles on here and are helpful and responsive to email). There are accomodation options for all budgets at the Orange House from camping to ensuite rooms, I opted for space in a shared bunkroom.
The climbing in the area is fantastic, as is the landscape, hope you have a great trip, wherever you end up headed for ...it is certainly worth making the effort to get away.

In reply to Phoebus: Catalunya and Mallorca would be difficult to get to the climbing areas without a car. El Chorro - easy to get from airport to the campsites, and enough climbing within walking distance for 5 days.

In reply to Phoebus: A 2nd recommendation for Costa Blanca. Speedy bus service to from Alicante - Benidorm. So many great locations to climb and lots of new routes being put up all the time.
Not stayed at the Orange House, but seems that would be a good option too. Just back from a month over there and only had a few hours of rain on one day, sunny every other day

In reply to A Mountain Journey: Costa Blanca does fit the bill.

In reply to Phoebus: You won't be getting the best out of Spain without a car but if you stayed in Calpe you would have the Penon, Mascarat Gorge and Toix areas all within walking distance.

In reply to Phoebus:

On a dirt bag shoe string, what would people consider a reasonable budget for a week to 10 days in El Chorro? Would be travelling as a pair if that makes it cheaper for finding accommodation?

In reply to Phoebus:

bumpity bump. Anyone got an idea for budgets/how much they spent?

In reply to Kemics: I'm also quite interested in this, thinking of going mid-february...

In reply to Kemics: for a week in el chorro in november i spent about £100 on flights, shared car hire and fuel between 4 at about £50 each, and stayed at the olive branch (in winter, this is 11 euros a night for bunks, although if you want to properly dirtbag it, they'll rent you one of those rubbish pop-up tents for 7 euros a night), self-catered so food was cheap, plus some beer tokens. it is possible to get there by public transport to save on car hire and many crags are within walking distance, but you'll need to make friends to go food shopping (easy at olive branch, where all the brits seem to hang out)