UKC

Hey guys!

I know this has been asked before but I'm hoping for up to date info

Headed out soon for a month in our van in costa blanca and I've heard some bits about some areas not being safe to park due to break ins.

Has anyone been recently who can recommend nice park ups or places to avoid?

Climbing around 7a to 8a between us and hopefully avoiding slabs!!! We're happy to travel about a bit as well!

Thanks in advance

In reply to Emilysaladfingers:

102 views Emily but no one suggested anything yet lol

Avoid parking on the N332 near Mascarat I seem to remember if you do the lower sections park down the bottom.

Sella I have never heard anything reported from the main car parks.

2 weeks ago some guests had stuff stolen from hire car in the Font car park in Finestrat, no idea if they left anything on show, I have a feeling yes as really thats what makes the scum bags then target your car.

Sam Orange

In reply to Emilysaladfingers:

Hi Emily

I have had lots of great van trips to S. Spain and love it there .... Never had a problem but I tend to stay well away from the coast and the more popular crags around Benidorm.
Also if a parking area has loads of smashed glass I go elsewhere. The places I recall for this are Mascarat and Orihuela.
Generally its hard to find good places to park up near the coast and Xalo Valley (that's because I like super quiet places and the coastal areas are much busier)

I don't climb as hard as you and like slabs .... so all my favourite places have far easier climbing.

Last year the biggest concentration of vans with climbers (I saw) where Albarracin, Chuilla, Gandia, Sella. There is a refuge with parking for vans at Guadalest and an informal van area in Montanejos

In general the parking for big mountain routes was usually very quiet and in general people/authorities seem relaxed with vans and we very rarely have a problem. The approaches can be a bit scary .... so really only useful if you want to climb alpine type routes!

Rockfax guide has very good instructions for finding many great crags - though there are more crags in the region not in the book. I think there is a new guide that has been written by a German climber who lives in the area.

If you drive across central Spain then Castilla La Mancha region seems to have a less friendly attitude to vans ... seem to recall having police visits at Ayna (a great series of crags). The police seem more accepting of vans in the whole Costa Blanca region.

have a lovely time

In reply to Mike Shamash:
Thanks Mike and Sam loads of helpful info there. Really looking forward to it now!
X

In reply to Emilysaladfingers:

There's a good van camping spot in Redovan (near Orihuela). It's the cemetery car park which is also the parking for Redovan crag, which is not in Rockfax but well worth a visit. All routes are labelled with name and grade. The car park is a bit slopey but ok at the top and the cemetery has a tap and a toilet. We spent a week there last Feb. Also useful for Pared Negra and La Pabcha. There's also a bar in Redovan where you can get a topo.

In reply to Alex Pryor:

Thanks alex I've only just seen this and we're on the ferry home but I'll write it down for next time!

Thanks to everyone for the help there we had a boss time, found amazing park ups almost everywhere we went. Some of the tracks are a bit intense in a van but we managed haha!

Costa blanca is great!