Welcome to a slightly different blog… From now on Ali will be writing a purely climbing blog and I’ll be covering the “other stuff”. So if you want the beta on his latest crushes click HERE, or read on for the more fluffy stuff from our travels and non climbing life...
Today we had a good morning's bouldering at La Riba - amazed at the quality of the area which has been recently cleared and developed. I'm not the world's keenest boulderer really but there was a good range of boulders to play on and just a really nice place to be, in the forests along the river - one problem was even by a waterfall!
We then went to the annual Medieval Festival at Montblanc, a town which prides itself on its medieval history and likes to go back in time once a year with street markets, parties and displays. This was our second visit but it was still an interesting afternoon, some great people watching in the street markets!
a giant mat enters the main La Riba bouldering area
Riverside beach bouldering on incredible pocketed rock - it's like an outdoor climbing wall
Medieval giant bread - almost big enough to have a boulder problem!
Medieval horses and knights by the city walls. The one on the far right was Ali's steed of choice
After our failed attempt to climb at La Riba last week due to the water level we made it across today!
Sector Xina
We went to a new sector up above the main cliff (sector Xina), where most of the harder routes are concentrated. This sector is particularly interesting as it was home to a few of the very first climbing competitions in 1988-9 when the likes of Jerry Moffatt, Simon Nadin, Ron Kauk et al competed. Some of the old legends! By the sounds of it the comps were held partly on the rock, where a few routes were manufactured for use, and partly on artificial walls. So many of the harder routes here have some chipped and drilled holds to remove obvious cruxes and create more continuously sustained routes. Despite the abuse of the rock the routes were actually really good, and it was quite interesting to think about the history of the place and the people who had been on these routes so long ago.
Since the torrential rain all day Monday and Tuesday the weather's been a bit frustrating this week. Forecasts have predicted rain most days which hasn't really ended up coming to anything - I guess that's a good thing?! Nevertheless we've managed to get out, and probably more than usual, as every day it was a case of 'making the most of it before the rain comes'.
Wednesday we stupidly opted for a 'quick drying' crag - La Riba - but underestimated the normally trickling river, which had become a completely impassable raging torrent.
Dry crag. Wet river!
We salvaged the day after a long detour to end up at La Mussara, which was a little too hot in the sun so shredded my tips on some crimpy wall climbs. Highlight of the day was a superb 7b called 'Noni' - a burly start on rock and features not dissimilar to the middle bit of Malham cove.
Thursday we were up at Siurana, where there were still plenty of wet streaks about. We opted for a new esoteric sector - Grau de la Covassa - up on the Siuranella cliffs. Turned out to be quite good. I had a go up a hard 7c+ there named 'Via del Cugat'. Had a decent redpoint on it but need to go back and finish it off.
Wetness at sector Solarium - route is 'Total Insanity' 8a.
Friday was another morning spent failing on the major project at Mont-roig. I still haven't managed to repeat the link I did a few weeks ago - not sure if this is to do with the dampness there's been every time since or if I'm getting weaker. Hope it's just the former! Anyway I did manage to do something new there - 'Atog allargada', given font 7a+ in the guide but I've learnt not to believe anything written in that! Felt the same as 'Parasiempre' extension so probably 7b/+ ish. Will be good to get to Font again in April to get a feel for how bouldering grades actually work again!
Not a huge amount of new climbing on it but thought I'd record it anyway.
Saturday it was supposed to rain again but as per usual it didn't really come to anything and there was even bright sunshine in the morning!
Autumn colours in the Priorat vineyards. Montsant in the background.
Dave, Paul & Sarah were planning to go to Montsant so we headed up to Raco de Missa to meet them. Turns out they only had the old Rockfax guide which has the most inaccurate approach description ever written. So they arrived just as we had to leave at 3pm - in fact, Dave didn't actually get there until we'd left, after a 3hr hike around the hills trying to find the crag! We had a decent day's climbing before the drizzle came, though were both tired from the previous three days. I managed to fill in a few gaps, on-sighting some superb low 7's that I'd overlooked previously.
Anyway, the latest long term forecast shows just a few more days of bad weather then it looks to be finally settling down to what we're more used to at this time of year - cold, crisp blue sky days perfect for crushing in the sun. Fingers crossed it turns out to be accurate...
