UKC

Booked our first climbing trip to Costa Blanca at the start of Nov and wondering if anyone would have any recommendations for best places to go in the 5 days we have? We're a group of 4 climbing from F4 to F6b+ and we're staying in Calpe.

I had these in mind Alcalali, Gandia, Vall de Guadar, Sella, Marin from reading the guidebooks but if anyone has any suggestions on where to go or where to avoid it would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Sierra de toix right on your door step loads to go at. Murla as well

Alcalali is nice.  I'm not a huge fan of the easy stuff at Gandia or Marin. I preferred Toix, Font d' Axia, Guadalest, Reconco and Montesa. Sella is good, but the easy routes near the car park are hideously polished - worth walking a bit further!  

The nearest places to Calpe are Toix and Olta, but Lliber and Font Aixa are at 20 min driving. Lots of different grades and with spectacular views.

Murla and Alcalali, are one close the other, normally there are more climbers there.

Echo 1.5 and Guadalest are also good places, Guadalest with more routes and possibilities.

For Multi-pitch, Penon de Ifcah is the destiny, in the same Calpe, but Toix is a very nice place for 3 or 4 easy pitches and close Calpe.

Puig Campana is classic 450m trad climbing with spectacular views to all the coast.

You can find topos in this website www.montana-mediterranea.com, click on "Croquis".

Enjoy your days.

David Mora

Mountain Guide

montana.mediterranea@gmail.com

at 6b+ Via Missink Link at toix is the best. But I recommend a bit of a margin on the 6a+ traverse....

PS Olta is good is well

Sierra de Toix for sure as it's on the edge of Calpe.

For longer routes that are also close head for El Peñon d'Ifach

Alcalali and Murla - routes are longer at Alcalali, but the short routes at Murla pack a punch and it's worth a visit.

If it's really warm, the shade of Segaria North crag is welcome. This is next to the Mirador. 

Or L'Ocaive - this is shady until early afternoon. So if temps are low go late in the day as sunset from the crag is pretty cool. The routes are really good.

Echo valley crags are good too, you'll find plenty to do there.

Las Cerezas (Cherry crag) near Castell de Castells is excellent too.

If you have a car Reconco is worth a look. It seems a long way away but its pretty much all on the motorway. Despite what I wrote below I really enjoyed it.

Watch out for how high it is though and maybe not go there if there are northerly winds(we outlasted even the locals in single digit temperatures last year)

The Puig as David said is a really good low grade trad route, my one bit of advice is to scope out the approach beforehand (wet weather option) as the rockfax guide is not quite correct.

Alcalali is nice, very little shade so take plenty of water etc there are shops on the way but nothing nearby.

Guadalest is amazing, one of my favourite areas, there are plenty of mixed grade sport routes to go at and if you fancy some lower grade trad there are a couple of really interesting routes at the lower crag (Esters chimney S4a- 4 pitches) easy but great fun!! (www.compasswest.co.uk) nb Lower crag is not covered by the rockfax guide, its less travelled but fun, some polish in areas.

Sella is great and accessible but as already advised the car park area is polished, but there constant new routing in the area so ask either Tony or Kristina at Costa Vertical and they can advise, they live in the house above Sella. Also The Orange house hostel in Finestrat (on the  way to Sella) is always worth a visit to chat with Richard and Sam the owners, they've been in the area for around 20+ years and Rich has bolted a considerable amount of routes at all areas (Font of knowledge) Parle 6a+ is his route and Magical mystery tour 5a , both in Sierra de Toix are popular, I've only done the latter so far.

Climbing stores- Decathlon in Finestrat or La Gruta in La Nucia........Lots of new and more current guides have been published in the last 12 months La Gruta stock them! Rockfax were out at the end of last season in view to updating their current guide so there is new stuff to go at that their current edition doesn't cover.

Either way, its a beautiful areas as soon as you leave the large towns it is anyway, enjoy!!!

You might find the grades at Reconco are "old school" and 6a+-6b+ is properly hard compared to many of the other Costa B crags...

Yes, it felt stiffly graded in the single digit temps.

We climbed Sierra de Toix this April and really enjoyed it.

my 5 days would inc Toix, Echo Valley(Vall de Guadar), Alcalali, Guadalest and Marin on the last day on way back to airport(if late eve flt home). or Font d'Axia

like the others have said I’d start with Toix, there’s shit loads of 4’s there, both on the main bit and going up the hill, admittedly some are very polished now, but in the main decent enough