UKC

Me and a relatively inexperienced friend are going to be staying near Gandia, south of Valencia and about an hour from Alicante.

He doesn't climb much but does a lot of hiking. Can anyone suggest some ridges, scrambles, or via ferratas?

I'm thinking El Castellets, maybe Bernia ridge at a push, and there a Via Ferra called Les Marujes.

I've been to Costa Blanca before and have the guidebook but we're a little north of it. What would you recommend?

Las Marujes is good fun. The mid-section is very steep and needs care getting started.

There is another ferrata in Tavernes (same town), sorry can't remember the name.

Our blog has a few ideas: https://www.mountain-journeys.co.uk/blog/category/costa-blanca-ridges

The Mollo de la Creu ridge is worth a look too: https://www.mountain-journeys.co.uk/blog/category/gandia-climbing

There is a local guidebook covering ridges: Crestas y Aristas de la comunidad Valenciana by Joan Crespo Sempere - but I think it may be awaiting a reprint.

We have a multi-activity guide in the making but this isn't due out until early September.

Hope that's helpful

Might be a bit far from Gandia, but down in the Orihuela area there's plenty to do. Callosa de Segura and Redovan both have ferratas, both have two routes, an easier family/initiation and then a harder 'sport' route. 

For a relative novice, it's probably better to stay on the family routes, the sport routes are very exposed/difficult in places. (The overhanging descent into a cave at the end of Callosa is absolutely brutal!) 

Ridge walking, it's a very nice route linking all three peaks of the Callosa range, just a very long day! Then in Orihuela there's a couple of nice grade 1ish scramble up to the Cruz de la Muela, one involves crawling through a couple of tunnels (paso del gafo), the other a 'step' between two boulders at the top (paso del gato). 

Weather is getting hotter now, so its getting tricky to be on the hills outside of the early morning/evening but if you're willing to drive this far, then it's all worth it! 

There are several VFs in the area.  We did the Ponoch/Ponoig VF on our last trip.  It's long and very steep and exposed, with an abseil descent, so possibly not suitable for a novice without much climbing experience. There are some easier ones though.

The Castellats ridge is spectacular, and the first section before you reach the dragon's back is relatively easy. According to Rowland Edwards, to do the full ridge requires the ability to solo VS in order to make reasonable progress, but you can escape before the real difficulties begin.  However even the first section is very exposed in places and with bits of Diff/V Diff climbing and a couple of abseils.  Rowland compares it with Crib Goch, but in my opinion it's harder and definitely more exposed, and we were glad to rope up for part of it.  However most is just scrambling. I've found an archived piece I wrote about it here, although the original website is no longer available:

https://web.archive.org/web/20090817211350/http://www.hjcjones.freeserve.co...

It made a fantastic day out, but you'll have to decide whether your companion is sufficiently experienced for it.  The difficulties are at the beginning, so if they can get past that they should be OK with the rest.  If they can't abseil then you might have to rope them down the descents.

The Bernia ridge can be done in two sections, the western section is easier and makes a great ridge walk with some scrambling but no real climbing.

Last time I was there just prior to the pandemic, VF Las Marujes was closed due to anchor issues, and knowing what it is like I certainly didn't want to venture up if any anchors were dodgy.

Do you know if it is back in action again?

I feel Bernia is easier than El Castellets (assuming you mean the first section, El Realet). The climbing section which gives Bernia the higher grade is short, and if needed can be aided. The harder part is vertical, so the second will feel safer. 

El Realet is narrower and feels harder and more committing than the Bernia ridge, with the harder section being an exposed traverse, which an inexperienced climber might enjoy less. 

If you want to do both, i would start with Bernia, and if they enjoy that, then move on to Castellets.

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Someone above mentioned the ponoch (or ponoig) ferrata. There is an option to leave through the top, which i much prefer: i like getting to the top of things & removes the need for an abseil and so of carrying a rope.

I did Bernina with my B-i-L a few years ago and we both enjoyed it, he had no previous experience but was fit (it's quite a big day out). We did 4-5 absails (altho a few absails could have been down climbed), so make sure he's competent at absailing. The ridge is scrambling with one short rock pitch. The short climbing bit is from solid ground so not exposed.

It's also been a while since I was at Las Marujes, so don't know the current state. Just remember it being a fun, if short, trip.

Cheers.  Yes, I like it.  Great walk off.  And nice area in general.  I hope the VF gets back in shape sometime.