A day with the masses at Margalef...

After a few days of rain on Thursday and Friday we were both pretty keen to get out climbing today, and headed over to Margalef for the first time this year, to one of the very best sectors sectors there - Espadelles. Unfortunately it seemed like everyone in Catalunya had the same idea! I guess there aren't that many good sectors in Margalef which get the sun all day, so there's limited choice in cold weather - bring on the warmer temperatures!

When we first arrived there were only a few others there, so we had the pick of the routes and I warmed up on a 6b+, then 6c+ and a 7a+. It was pretty cold in the shade, so it took a few routes to get the blood flowing. Tash then went up the 6b+ too, but by now we'd been over-run by swarms of people of all nationalities, all shouting to each other while they started up all the easy routes, so we moved round the corner where the routes are a bit harder and there were less people.

I put the draws in the route 'Ximpleta' (8a) - one of very few tufa routes in Margalef and also one of the best routes I've been on there. I've tried this on and off over the last three years that I've been in Spain, but never really put any time in to it. For some reason I've also always found it really hard, with a power endurance start up the tufas to a good rest at a huge detached flake, then some classic Margalef pocket pulling which takes you to the redpoint crux. The crux is really strange and pretty damn hard I think, and consists of a really shallow slopey rounded mono hold for your left hand, but with a slight pinch with your thumb. You have to layback off this but then pull up and cross through with your right hand and udge up to an undercut sidepull way across your body and above your head, and is quite awkward to catch but once you have it the route should be in the bag. It's so strange, because from below the route looks like it'll be over when you get to this groove feature, but the holds turn out to be really disappointing at the crux, to say the least!

Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised at how much easier the moves felt than the last time I tried it (must be over a year ago now). So after getting the draws in I came down and had a quick redpoint. I got through the bottom section and to the rest in the middle, but forgot what to do at the pockety stuff above so fell here going for the wrong pocket. I reminded myself what to do then came down and had a rest before trying again. This time I got right up to the crux move but just didn't quite go for the move with enough conviction to catch the undercut. I did the crux move three or four times in a row just to work out the best body position, and then stripped the route. I didn't think I'd have enough left to have another decent go and, knowing that I'm not climbing too well at the moment, I wanted to save something for tomorrow. Plus the hole in my finger from the mono a few weeks ago is still opening up and bleeding every time I climb on pockets - annoyingly it's right at the crease so is refusing to heal! Still, I was pretty pleased with a new high point and happy that the route felt possible for the first time!

Some Spaniard on the lower tufa section of 'Ximpleta' (F8a), in between my goes.

We then headed back round to the easier sector for Tash to have a go at some stuff, but there were probably even more people by now, including several dogs and screaming children, plus a newborn baby! Considering how many people were climbing above them, I'm not sure this was such a great idea...

Tash climbed a bit round here, until we got fed up with the noise and crowds and decided to call it a day, and go home for sausages and mash! But I guess it's what you have to expect at a world-class sport crag in prime season on a Saturday! Tomorrow hopefully we can find a bit more peace up at Montsant...

The obligatory orange eating photo!

The strange Margalef landscape in the evening sunshine - great views on the drive out (and a dusting of snow on the tops from the last few days rain if you look carefully!)

And here's a little good news story I spotted tonight which made me laugh - happy man!

"A small town in northern Spain has decided to reintroduce the old Spanish currency - the peseta - alongside the euro to give the local economy a lift. Shopkeepers in Mugardos, a small fishing town in Galicia on Spain's northern coast, want anyone with forgotten stashes of the old cash at home to come and spend it. People are travelling into Mugardos from outside just to spend the old currency they never got round to converting. One man visited the local hardware store this week with a 10,000-peseta note he had found at home, and had no idea what to do with. He is now the happy owner of a sandwich toaster".