Success at Mont-roig

We returned to Mont-roig today. It was super hot, even at 10am when we first arrived but thankfully the best sectors are in the shade (though I might not be so grateful for that in the winter!). After warming up on the easier of the roof sectors I moved on to the best bit of rock at Mont-roig - Pandora's Box.

The long-term project still remains a project but today I managed to do the easier left-hand start to it - Parasiempre (font 7a+). There isn't that much of any real quality at Mont-roig but this is right up there with some of the best problems I've done anywhere. It would be a classic even somewhere like Font I reckon. [It'll be waiting for you in February Matt!]. And Tash was on hand to get a quick vid - this was actually a second lap on it 'cos she missed the start first time round so it's a bit sketchy at the end! Good training though I suppose ;-)

Poc a poc as the locals say...

Well there were no miracles overnight in terms of strength gains or Tash's back recovering but bit by bit we're starting to get back into the groove. Today we went to a few of the Arboli crags - first Can Mansa to warm up on a 6b, and I also managed to scrape my way up a 7a which I was quite pleased with!

Next we moved on to L'Obaga - a north facing crag overlooking Siurana village. We'd actually been here once before on one of Tash's first ever visits out to see me when we were 'courting'. Back then I was going a lot better and I'd ticked some of the best lines of the crag, but there were more decent routes to be found today (including a brilliant 6c+) and I also spied a few harder things to come back for.

Rest day tomorrow then some boulder crushing on Wed methinks...poc a poc we'll get fitter...





View out from L'Obaga over Siurana village, a very low reservoir and across to Cornudella and Montsant

With Tash's back still playing up and the temperatures remaining in the high twenties it's been a fairly quiet week on the climbing front. Today we got back out to Siurana and had another fairly relaxed day just trying to get back into things, without pushing it too much right away.

First stop was a strength & fitness test for us both on a very familiar route at El Pati sector, which was still in the shade when we arrived - Viagraman (7a). This is the route I used to warm up on every day when I was working Kalea Borroka, and which towards the end wouldn't even get the blood flowing as I was so fit and familiar with the route. It was also one of Tash's first 7a's. Today it got me pumped! I still managed to get up it, and every move felt as familiar as it did two years ago, but I had to actually put some effort in to get up; something I wasn't so familiar with! A sign of how much training I'll have to put in to get back to my previous level.

After warming up on that, and Tash succesfully top-roping it with a few rests (just happy that she can actually climb again!), we moved on to Siuranella East which was coming into the shade. The left-hand side of this sector is a place I'd never climbed at before, but it turned out to have some absolute gems. Actually some of the best of the grade in Siurana.

'La marca del sorru' (F6b+) *** - incredible flake finishing with some jamming and laybacking where the crack narrows

'L'angelet' (F6c) ** - nice pocketed lower wall leading to the awkward layback crack

'Turbo-lover' (F6c+) *** - stiff crimpy crux pulling through the bulge leading to the steeper headwall on good pockets and hidden edges

Tash surveying old stomping grounds. From L - R El Pati, El Cargol tower, Primavera.

I finished off the day with a lap on another old favourite - 'Lo deje to blanco' (7a). This one I actually fell off last weekend at the end of the day (the first year I've done that after a period of no climbing, so another sign of my current weakness). Thankfully I got up it ok today!

Tash's back seems to be recovering so fingers crossed we can get out more from now on...

Mont-roig boulder crushing!

With Tash's back still giving her problems, meaning that climbing and even belaying weren't possible, we decided to head out to the local boulders at Mont-roig so I could climb and Tash could have a hobble around (as well as being on photo duties!). It's somewhere that I'd been once before but couldn't really get psyched by - the rock's quite soft and sandy and most of the problems are bum-scraping sit starts!

However, luckily there are a few worthwhile sectors with more solid rock and some pretty decent eliminates and link-ups and also one totally independent fridge-hugging prow problem on perfectly clean and solid rock. The best thing is that it feels pretty damn hard so it'll be a good training project, and only ~10mins from the house!



The "hanging church" at Mont-roig.



A bit of bush-whacking in between the problems!



Some of the amazing features in the rock - a sign of the durability of the rock here!













Honeycomb rock at one of the good steep sectors - luckily the rock here is actually solid!







Awesome steep roof with plenty of eliminates and link-ups.



New project - cool prow line (Contracorriente)



Hard moves in the middle of the traverse.

 

Final fridge-hugging moves.



Relaxing in the sun before heading off to work.



A humbling and painful weekend!

The high temperatures and even higher humidity this past week have delayed us getting back into climbing like we wanted to, but this weekend we had high hopes for a return to our usual crushing! Sadly, this wasn't to be...

Saturday we visited a brand new crag to us - Tartareu - up north of Lleida, which hadn't been top of our priorities in the past due to the concentration of lower grade routes, but given that we haven't clipped a bolt for the best part of 3 months I thought it might be a good time to check it out!

Here I did half a dozen routes from 6a - 6c+ before it was game over through pump and painful fingers. Not exactly my finest day's climbing and hardly worth the 4hr round trip(!), but we've got to start somewhere I guess. And at least the crag turned out to be better than I'd expected and somewhere worth coming back to.



Tartareu - mediocre Spanish limestone at its best!



After a bit too much wine to celebrate/commiserate our first day back on the rock Sunday wasn't exactly an alpine start. The temperatures had magically dropped overnight though, with a fresh breeze blowing, so we stayed local and headed up to Siurana.

After the first route Tash's back was giving her serious problems and she could hardly move (after she slipped and jarred it at the dusty crag yesterday?). So that spelled the end of her climbing day! I did a handful of nice routes I hadn't done before, but was finding the 6b+'s hard enough. Thankfully Tash's back was now hurting just belaying, so I was able to use that as an excuse to go home for a beer :-)

Highlight of the day was definitely driving on the brand new Borges del Camp bypass which reduces the Montbrio to Siurana run by over five minutes ipso facto giving us a whole TEN minutes extra crushing time at the crag!

Hopefully we can make use of this early Christmas present and actually start crushing again...or at least walking in Tash's case!

Back in Spain - Pica d'Estats circuit

After several weeks of relaxing (and eating!) in the UK and a long drive back to Spain we were keen to get moving again! It’s still far too hot and humid for climbing locally so we packed up the rucksacks once more and headed to the Pyrenees, a new area for us around Pica d’Estats, for a few days walking.

Starting off through the meadows - check out Tash's new bag!



Gettting steeper as we headed up the first valley

Our first campsite after a 4 hour slog!

Our first glimpse of Pica d’Estats 3,145m – the highest mountain in the Catalan Pyrenees. It's actually the one on the right hand side even though its neighbour look higher!

Descending past many lakes and the local inhabitants!

Our next campsite under Pica d’Estats – Tash avoiding looking at tomorrow’s steep scree ascent!

The border crossing

The very windy summit of Pica d'Estats!

Video taken from the summit of Pica d'Estats (3,145m) - highest in the Catalan Pyrenees.

...followed by 700m of steep descent...

Tash's new barbie fleece!

Looking down to the popular refuge below our campsite

A shady start to day four!

Helicopter delivering to the Refuge - I want that job!

The photo doesn't do justice to how steep this actually was!

Facing yet more steep scree...

...down to more lakes. It was too hot and the water too tempting – I had to jump in! It was a bit cold.



Trying to respond to a significant text message - Tash had just become an Auntie!



Building a kitchen from local materials

Sainsburys Beef Curry for tea – mmmmm!

The last of the afternoon sun over our campsite

The final day’s ascent, an hour of boulder hopping up to the col...

…and over the other side down to the Romedo Lakes

The final lake – Romedo de Baix

Starting the descent back to the car – it’s a long way down!

Looking over to where we started – you can see the path going up the valley to our first campsite.

Then it was home to a very hot Montbrio – time for iced tea!

Return to the UK and wedding bells!

We spent several weeks in the UK following the end of our road trip, and when I'd finally got over the 'Naranjo bug' we decided to announce the good news that we're now engaged! So the next few weeks were busy with celebrating and visiting friends and family - first in the south and then up north - and also doing as much planning for the wedding as possible. We also managed to tick off most of our 'UK must-do's' that we can't get in Spain (fish and chips, good curries, proper beer and cheddar cheese to name a few!). Needless to say there wasn't much climbing done in between all that.

Tash's 'climber-friendly' bling

One of many nice meals to celebrate our engagement - here on a visit to Tash's Nan in Dudley.



Tash taking inspiration from the Kettlewell scarecrow festival.

Picking Damsons in Tash's garden.

Jam making...my new obsession!

And some quintessential British experiences - ferret racing...

...and duck racing at a country fayre in Kate Middleton's home village. Sadly there was no sign of Pippa :-(

And finally...the end of an era. Saying goodbye to my beloved red hoodie and gaffa taped grey climbing trousers. RIP. Keep an eye out for next season's new climbing clobber!