Peace and quiet at Montsant...

After the crowds and noise of Margalef yesterday, today was a welcome change! Setting off from the beautiful little Ermita de Sant Joan, and with a half hour steep uphill approach, it was guaranteed to put off the hoards - we didn't see a single person all day up at the crag! (although we could hear someone bolting some new routes over to the left).

The Ermita de Sant Joan with the crags in view behind (and a little girl having her communion photos taken)

Tash with a steep walk-in from the parking to the Cingles de Sant Joan crags (Montsant) at the top of the hill!

We'd been to this crag once before, last year in May when it was baking hot (we had a BBQ afterwards that time) and I'd forgotten how good it was. I started on a long 7a called 'Empentes i rodolons', which was a pretty average Montsant route, but after that every route I did was fantastic and a little different from the typical pocket pulling affairs. Next I did a 7a+ called 'Pell de gallina', which climbed an amazing tufa covered wall, but they were mini tufas like dripping candle wax, not the usual long drainpipe ones. And it made for some really interesting and technical climbing. After that I did a 7b which was completely different again. It was a totally flat and vertical wall with just a few horizontal breaks and some shallow pockets in between. It reminded me of a grit route, especially as the crux involved a high rock-over and lanking between some shallow pockets! I then finished off with two more routes which, again, weren't the typical Montsant fare - both climbing a mixture of pockets, strange thin flakes and crimps.

Tash also had a pretty good day, with a couple of hard fought on-sights, but stopped climbing when her fingers started hurting (she tweaked them a few weeks ago in Siurana).

As soon as the sun went off the wall, we headed down as it was pretty chilly in the wind. But I'm pretty keen to come back here, as there's plenty of on sight potential for us both, plus an absolutely amazing looking 7c+ which I'm VERY psyched to try!

Looking down at the crag from the top of the ridge.



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".

A faff-tastic few hours at Mont-ral...

This morning ended up being A LOT of faff for very little actual climbing. After a fairly late start, Xav came round to pick me up. We were still unsure of where to go, and neither of us had any real preference, but after a bit of umming and ahhing we settled on Mont-ral. We then decided to try the alternative way of getting there (via the long and windy road up past La Mussara instead of up the fast C-14 and then into the hills), which turned out to be a mistake as it took way longer - about an hour!

Then for some reason we opted to explore some different sectors, which meant parking in a different place. Unfortunately the guide wasn't very clear where to park, so we spent another 15mins driving around Mont-ral trying to find the right spot. Eventually we found it, but after driving up the narrow forest track we found a caravan parked up in the clearing where you're supposed to park - cue an Austin Powers style thirty-point turn to turn around and drive back out to park up at the end of the track. Luckily the path down to the sectors was easy enough to find!

So after walking down and checking out some of the different sectors we settled on a nice looking wall with some decent 7a's. After yesterday's debacle I learnt my lesson and warmed up on a good 6c! Then I did a very nice 7a just next to it called 'TKT'. All going well so far.

Then Xav decided to have a go at 'TKT'. Unfortunately he just couldn't do the steep crux moves on it, and spent a long time trying to get past the bulge. Eventually he gave up trying to climb it, but wanted to get to the top, so came down to the floor and fashioned a clip stick out of a branch. Then climbed back up to the crux, lowered some rope for the stick and used this to get the next draw in. Finally he got to the top, and I managed to nip up a good 7a+ before it was time to head back for work.

So not much climbing for me today, but I guess we did explore a few new crags. And at least I didn't have to redpoint anything!

Eating humble pie and hot pork sarnies

Today we went to sector Corral Nou in Siurana, on Tash's insistence, as she wanted to finish off a 7a project of hers from before xmas. I haven't really got a great deal left to do here, but that was a good motivator for me to try a small new sector called Ca L'Acorralat just round the corner that I hadn't been to before.

I've got too complacent at warming up on 7a's, especially in Siurana where the style of climbing suits me. And today it came back to bite me spectacularly! The first route I got on at this new sector was a supposed 7a. I should have known something wasn't right when there was a maillon hanging in the bolt at the hard looking bulge, plus someone had written "7aaaaaah ha ha ha" in chalk at the base of the route! But this wasn't enough to deter stupid old me and I merrily set off up it as my warm-up. I got to the aforementioned crux bulge with no problems, but very quickly came to a halt at some powerful moves following an undercut flake out left but with absolutely no footholds. I finally managed to work out how to do the moves, using the undercut flake with your left hand and some very small and unobvious sidepull crimps for your right and building your feet really high onto the ramp to then throw for a flat hold way out right. It felt really powerful and in no way what you'd expect to find on a 7a! The rest of the route was easy, so it came down to just those few moves pulling through the bulge. I came down and had a quick rest before setting off again for a redpoint, but forgot that I needed to bump my left hand up the flake before building the feet high before the throw out right, so it turned into two redpoints on a '7a'! I know I'm not climbing too well at the moment, but two redpoints for a 7a just isn't right. It has to be more like hard 7a+/7b? Either way it was a great route, and the crux moves, despite being hard, were really nice .

Next up was a 7a+ further left on the crag, following a really nice slanting flake/groove. The crux of this was at a section of the groove where it went really blank, with only one small slot big enough for a few fingers of one hand. It was essential to get the correct hand in the slot, which obviously I didn't do! So this turned into another redpoint :-(

I know the grades at these esoteric sectors can be a little off, with the rock being quite dusty and the routes rarely being climbed since they are first put up, but it's still demoralising having to redpoint 7a's. Oh well. I guess it's good to be knocked down a peg or two once in a while. They were good routes too, and at least I cleaned up the crag a little and added another maillon to my collection of crag swag!

After that we decided to head up to Corral Nou so Tash could get on her route. She set off up it not knowing if she was just going to put the draws in or have a proper go. Obviously she was feeling good, as she got through the crux with no problems and before I knew it she'd finished - only her second ever 7a! She looked so much stronger and more confident than the last time she was on it before xmas, which was really good to see.

Tash about to set off and crush her second 7a!

We celebrated with an awesome sandwich from the campsite, the same as we did for her last 7a. Hot pork and cheese baguette...mmmm...

Spanish omelette in a baguette for Tash.
Hot pork & cheese for me :-)
Perusing the new Prades bouldering guide (includes Siurana, La Mussara, Arboli and others)

Crag swag...

Prompted by finding another screwgate halfway up a route on Saturday and sorting out some kit this morning, I decided to put together the 'crag swag' I've found over the last few years just to see how much I'd managed to collect. This is stuff that I've found on routes that people have either dropped or left in place while retreating from a route that they couldn't finish. And this is the result!

I always take some of this stuff up long multi-pitch routes just in case something goes wrong and we need to abseil off, but thankfully that hasn't happened yet and I always tend to find more stuff every time we go out - hence this collection!

Crag swag from the last few years - obviously it's gone straight on the rack!



Panoramas and pocket pulling...

Today's destination was Roca de les Hores up at Montsant. We thought we'd be able to drive up to the normal parking for it but were halted by a rough bit of track right at the start so parked way down below at Albarca. This meant that what should have been a 20min approach turned into more like an hours slog uphill. But the views were amazing today as the strong winds meant that the air was really clear and you could see for miles, so it wasn't so bad.

Tash on the approach to Roca de les Hores with stunning views.

We had the crag to ourselves all day and thankfully the wind dropped so it was quite pleasant in the sun - t-shirts for climbing and jacket for belaying.

A sunny Roca de les Hores (note the sea on the right!)

I warmed up on a nice 6b on the left-hand end of the crag, which felt a little stiff with no chalk to follow. Then I tried a 7a+ called 'Mohave' that was a complete sandbag. It didn't help that the hard bit involved pulling on a pocket that dug into the hole that I put in my finger last week, so I very quickly sacked it off!

But the next two routes I did made up for the poor start to the day. They were two 7b's next to each other, starting off the top of a huge block, and were two of the best routes I've done at Montsant. The first called 'Mal de ojo' climbed a brilliant gently overhanging crack with plenty of laybacking on totally solid rock - so rare for a Montsant route! (I don't mean solid rock is rare at Montsant, but normally the crack lines are really loose!). The second, 'Xulu verdures', was completely different and just pure steep pocket pulling, but on a streak of the very best quality Montsant rock - totally solid dark grey pocketed limestone just like the Berlin sector in Ceüse!

Tash also had a good day, getting a few more 6b on-sights which she was happy with because she didn't use to get on with pockets at all! And also the routes feel a lot harder without chalk on them to follow.

Another successful day in the sun, and at least it was all downhill back to the car!

More orange eating, overlooking Siurana, the reservoir, Cornudella and in the distance the Mediterranean!

The Ermita de la Mare de Deu de Montsant, above Albarca.

Misty Mussara...

Originally we were planning to go away this weekend for some more multi-pitch action, but a final check of the weather on Friday afternoon didn't inspire us - lots of cloud around and the possibility of a bit of rain, so we didn't fancy long routes or camping too much! But with summer on the way and the days getting longer there's plenty of time for that in the next few months, so a few days around the local crags this weekend is no real hardship!

Today we decided to have a look at a different sector in La Mussara that neither of us had been to, and with a slightly longer walk-in (meaning it's not as easy to do during the week) it was perfect for a weekend day. The approach to the crag started from the refuge (amazingly positioned on the edge of the plateau with stunning views!) and involved some scrambling, bush whacking and lots of faith in the guidebook description, as it wasn't obvious where the crag was at all. How some of these crags were first discovered is beyond me!

Tash going down the rungs at the end of the approach.

The day started off nice and sunny and really warm so I was quite happy that the crag was shaded in the morning, but it became more and more cloudy throughout the day until we were surrounded by thick mist and it looked like we'd get rained on any minute. Thankfully it stayed dry and we managed to tick most of the crag between us.

I climbed all the good looking routes at the crag, including a 6c, 6c+, four 7a+'s and a 7b and Tash filled in the easier stuff. Most of the routes on the main wall involved climbing into and then out of a nasty blank scoop, which usually made the crux of the route. The first few routes like this were quite interesting but after a while we started to get a bit tired of it!

The most noteworthy routes were Marejadilla (7a+) which climbed an amazing steep wall/arete on some weird tufa-like shark's fins of rock that you had to pinch to make progress! And then the final '7b' that I did. This one had a desperately thin crux involving undercutting a break with really high feet to reach and then pull on a shallow mono, with some more tough and technical climbing to finish. A great route, but a total sandbag at 7b!

The view looking out from the crag through the cloud down to the plains below.

Eating oranges outside the refuge at La Mussara at the end of the day - this morning it was an amazing view from here down to the coast!