UKC

Hello,

I'm off to Spain this month and staying in Altea. Couple of questions if anyone has been there...

Any recommendations on restaurants please at a reasonable price, especially tapas!

Also, the crag Altea seems to have a few comments about old bolts and missing anchors, has anyone been there recently please and know if the bolting has improved?

Lastly any suggestions on routes or crags would be great please anything from 6b up to 7b.

Thank you!

In reply to Chloe:

Recommend xef pirata in altea for tapas

In reply to Chloe:

Can't help you with your first two questions, but crags worth a visit in the area at your grade range include Castellet de Calp (short downhill walk-in to a shady crag with lots of soft-touches in the 7a-7b range), Alcalali (sunny, slabby, lots of 3 star routes from 6a-7a) and Forada (bit of a walk-in but steep, shady, hard routes on the north side of a fin of rock, and shorter, easier and sunnier routes on the south side). Pena Roja is also worth a look, and I enjoyed the one day I've had at Bellus. Hope that helps, and enjoy!

In reply to Chloe:

I have climbed at Altea col crag within the last 12 months and the slab within the last 24. I think the bolting on the slabs remained rather old and somewhat run out (although it was the evening we arrived and we were tired and not "in the swing".) The Col crag was better but I do remember a route with no lower off where it was supposed to be. I certainly think it is one of the less good crags in the area, but handy as it's close by. If you have a car, which to make the most of the area you will need, there's tonne's of good climbing in your range.....just grab the guide and go!

In reply to Stuart S:

Thank you for the suggestions! I looked at Forada but thought it would be too cold in January? Have you been there at this time of the year?

In reply to tmawer:

Okay thank you for the warning! I was a bit worried. I will have a car so should be able to go everywhere

In reply to Chloe:

Forada can be cold on the shady side of the ridge (particularly if it's windy) but my wife was climbing there a couple of weeks ago and it was ok. It'll be fine on the sunny side (as long as the sun's out) if you want some easier mileage!

In reply to Chloe:

Was on the south side of Forada recently and it was borderline too hot, so don't think you'll have any problems there. The north side will of course be a fair bit cooler.
The Echo valley crags are nearby to Altea and plenty there in your grade range. And as others have already mentioned, Alcalali & Pena Roja are both worth a visit, as is Font d'Axia.
The Rockfax guide will keep you busy with great crags for ages

In reply to Chloe:

A couple of years ago, Forada was too cold for me to try to climb anything hard ( ie. in the 7s). The wind was quite strong and it was January and it really felt Baltic. That was the only day I've had there and IIRC we bailed to Sella. As has been suggested earlier, Pena Roja is a good bet.

In reply to Chloe:


Como en Casa (google it and you need to phone/text first), up the hill, near the church. It feels as though you're in someone's house. Run by a lovely guy called Alfonso, who does everything from scratch. If you have his superb patatas bravas for starters, you'll probably be too full for anything else.

Mick

In reply to Chloe:
Climbed thereon Xmas day some years ago ,very icy roads and 6"snow on the approach track but had a great day on the south side in brilliant sunshine.The locals were making snowmen then taking them home in their cars mostly on dustbin lids .Quite a hoot .Forada that is .