UKC

What's the consensus on El Chorro on your lonesome in early November, meeting up with people out there and/or amusing oneself when no partner/s available?

Reasonable idea? If not, any suggestions?

Stay at the olive branch every chance of getting climbing partners. Finca also but not as many Brit

 It's the only place I've been climbing by myself about 8 years ago. I turned up at the olive branch hung out for a week and met lots of people and had a great time. I did the old style via ferratta one day and the other days did a few routes with their in situ guide Martin not sure if he is still around but I was happy to give him a few quid to help me out. If I'd been a more confident climber I wouldn't have had a problem finding someone to belay me. 

Phil

You'll be fine I reckon. Stay at the olive branch and talk to people!

I've been a few times, never had issues finding a partner at the olive branch, just have a beer and play some pool, cook some food in the communal kitchen and ask about. Easy. 

Me and 1 other are staying at Olive branch from Wednesday 14th Nov and heading back to Manchester on sunday 18th. 

Thanks to all for replies. Looks like a go--er, just have practice talking to people as well as power endurance.

gavjwp, that's the week I'm looking at heading out there, so could meet up if that works with you.

We'll be there 16-21st Nov, you'll be welcome to tag along with us

Hey Ardo! I'm in Almeria from 6th Nov until 1st Dec. I'll be taking my gear and looking to do 6b-7b sport climbs around Andalucia.

Would love to do some easy big wall but I need to learn how! 

I know of a couple of spots near Almeria but definitely need to go to El Chorro while I'm there so send me an email!!

Dave

Done it a couple times, very easy to meet someone to climb with at the Olive Branch in El chorro, or at  the Orange House in Costa Blanca.

Just chat to people and be flexible with regards to objectives, it'll be alot harder to find someone to spend a day falling off your project than a day running up loads of routes in the vertical playgrounds.

Talk to people and then have to belay them as well? I can probably manage one or t'other!

Seems like a few people will be out there early November, so I'll get my stuff booked and set up a climbing in Chorro thread closer the time.

Pm me for my mobile. Lets chat 

I'll be there from 1st of November for several months and don't have any climbing partners arranged so I'd be happy to climb with you at least some of the time.

Check your mail

It amazes me how many emails I get almost weekly, at The Orange House, asking if people turn up alone will they find someone climb with.

I really want to reply

a. well it depends if you are a nice person

b. are you a safe person to climb with

c. do you have no friends hence coming alone

d. general annoying so piss people off 

But instead I reply, "well in the 15 years we have been open I am sure most single climbers have always managed to get out climbing and generally had a brilliant time and made new mates!

Am I just a grumpy old cow, or does anyone else think the same lol 

Sam Orange

As I am shortly to quit work for an extended period and intend spending a couple of months in Spain. I have been following this thread, as getting partners who can swan off for a couple of months I think will be tricky. Therefore I was going to email you exactly this question. So, though I would not call you a "grumpy old cow", I would suggest that maybe you are not seeing other peoples perspective.

What I mean is how can I, in all honesty say that anyone will find anyone to climb with, its like when people say to me now whats the weather going to do in November.

The amount of emails with odd questions seems to have increased not decreased over the years

Can you walk to the crags from your place?

Can you tell me where I can climb in the shade?

Best one "can I come and stay on the 13th till the 21st, then dont give a month or how many people or what kind or room, I really do have to bite my tongue or really hold back on the keyboard.

I would have thought that with the internet at peoples fingers the questions would be less not more! 

Rant over....

They all sound like fair enough questions to me, as long as they're being asked politely. I've certainly asked similar when researching potential holiday destinations.

People are understandably a bit reticent about going on a climbing trip to southern Spain and then having no one to climb with.  Some people aren't as comfortable approaching random strangers for a belay as others (I have no problem with it but can see why others would). Surely its just par for the course in the tourism and hospitality industry.

FWIW, I wouldn't have thought posting on a public forum implying your clients are simpletons makes all that much business sense either. But hey, what do i know  

There's a group of us staying at the Olive Branch for my mate's 30th between the 3rd and 10th. I'm sure there will be people to climb with from our group.

I am sure people dont give a shit about how I come across on here, been running the place long enough to not really worry too much chuck about that! 

BUT I am not "implying your clients are simpletons" I do think lazy maybe, so dont do real research before they fire off an email which does take me time to answer and always polite even when I want to type "google it"!

I would have thought anyone wanting to come to the Costa Blanca would have a look at the crag location to see where they all are and if any walking distance to the village of Finestrat or Benidorm or Calpe?

Re a climbing partner question, maybe people should just phrase it "how busy are you with single climbers etc"

Would you like to do my job for a few weeks, as I think after a very short space in time you too would be amazed what peope ask.

Sam Orange House (

It strikes me that you need an FAQ page on your website, as if you keep getting the same questions, your website must not be doing its job.

Just a hint, you may consider searching UKC forums, ohh maybe from about 10 or 12 years ago for the famous Glencoe Bunkhouse thread.

Maybe see you some time next year, look for the bloke with a red nose, on his own

Actually, people do.  I really like the climbing around the costa blanca but avoid your place because the one time I stayed there (checked out after one or two nights) the atmosphere was awful.  eg. bollocking (volunteer basis) 'staff' in front of guests, complaining about guests' behaviour (within earshot of said guests!), etc. Also the plethora of patronising and rude little signs telling you everything you can't do really grated on me.    It's such a shame as you've got a great place there and in a good location.   I appreciate hospitality is very taxing and exhausting work but if you can't find any joy in it and it makes you impatient and miserable maybe you should do something else?

Good comments Ram and alot of the points you mention have been addressed and changed, like the signs that are now nice and hand drawn and with little pink flowers and smily faces, yet do you think anyone ever really reads them. The signs help to make the place run nice for everyone else but not sure what else we can do.  

I left running to place to other people around 3 years ago and I would hope if you ever return then the atmosphere should be fine, well I think it is anyway or we would not be full of repeat guests. 

Sam Orange

Case in point has just happened this evening, a couple from Canada would love to come and stay with us as they know they can access the climbing without the need of a hire car.

I did have an FAQ page on the website but removed it as no one ever looked at it.

The questions we get mostly now is about the climbing and surely I cant have that on my site, I do point alot of people to this forum and say "start a thread". 

Do the forums go back that far? You will not see me if you head back over as I now hide in Bulgaria and try to avoid real people, much easier that way. 

Sam Orange 

Back to the point of the thread, (so please take your squabbling elsewhere B-), thanks AAC. I'm only up the road, so will probably have a walk down as well as posting a thread on here.

Sorry. Hope you have a great trip. If you came back here and let us know how you went on, that would be great

fair enough!  Chorro's probably the easiest place in Europe in winter to find people to climb with.  As others have said, one evening asking about in the Olive branch, the Finca or even the old campsite area parking/van spot should do the trick.  Alternatively, just turning up at the popular crags like encantades or poema cave and looking for groups of uneven numbers/asking about should also usually work out.

Similarly I'm free roughly November 11th to 17th and no partner. Happy to meet anyone here or join group. Lead o/s 6b+ and generally keen to do volume at mid grades or be flexiblible, I just like climbing loads. I've plenty experience belaying and outdoor single and multi pitch sport. 

Hi, I'm in El Chorro without a partner from 3rd to 24th December, give me a shout if you make out out there and are need a partner.

9th to 17th of November for me. Looks like there are few people kicking about, so I'll start a partner thread before I jet out of the UK.

Unfortunately I'll be gone by December.

Great, thanks!