Jobs a Good One

It has been a busy five and a half weeks, but the task is pretty much complete - apart from a trip up to Gandia. Well that and a few bit and bobs around the Calpe area. The weather has been great, a bit warm at times but fine, and generally the cliffs have been pretty quiet. The forecast for Easter is a bit unsettled, hopefully that means we will get a rest.
I have taken 23 gig of photos - and that excluding all the ones that have already been dumped, which totals just on 2000 images - good job I am organised!
We called in at the bookstore in Calpe today and picked up the new guide to Murcia. I looks great and includes quite an array of cliffs I have never heard of - great, one more place to add to the list!

Busy On the Blanca

I wasn't sure whether six weeks would be enough time to photograph all the cliffs on the Blanca, the last version took eight visits spread over a year and a half. In the event it has gone better than we could have hoped for, 10 days left and couple more trips needed to complete the job.
It is easy to get blasé about an area that we have been visiting for 25 years, but the fact is the climbing here is great and so is the climate; it remains a spot-on destination for a HotRock holiday - long may that continue.

Fame - and Fortune?

Almost week now in Calpe and it has been great to be back, gorgeous weather, some good climbing and a lovely pad overlooking the town with a distant view of the Penon.
It has been pretty warm (22C) and many of the crags are remarkably busy, especially the ones with a good array of easy routes.
We have had a couple of trips out to photo the magnificent South Face of the Penon and were surprised to see it totally deserted.
We also called into the book-shop in Calpe looking for a guide to the Murcia area. Once he knew who I was the owner grabbed me and insisted I signed the Blanca guides he had on the shelf, apparently he sold seven copies in one day last week - maybe we can afford to stay out a bit longer.

Palm Tops

After two excellent weeks at Novelda it was time to move down the road about 30 km to 'the big house' for the RockFax/UKC jolly.

As the team were arriving latish Saturday we got some staples in and started to explore the local area. It is very different to the Elda area, markedly warmer down here at sea-level and with palm trees everywhere.

The first days venue was Reconco, a bit breezy but excellent, many routes ticked. The keen team relocated to Penas Roges but we headed for home - no point in over doing things!
Wednesday: Dave Gregory arrived early after a 6:00 am flight, and we nipped up to Marin to do a couple of easy multi-pitch routes to open his account. It was pretty hot up there!

Life's a Beach

So far the crag photograph/climbing has gone pretty well, so we decided a rest day was on the cards. We headed to the seaside and walked a couple of miles along a magnificent beach, there were a scattering of folks around (including a few old fat guys with no clothes on) but all in all it was pretty quite considering that
a) it was glorious
b) it was Saturday
c) it was a local holiday.

This is five minutes from Alicante airport - very nice too.

Back to work tomorrow.

Spain Again

Almost four years gone and we are back on the Blanca. Last time was the 1st of our 'Winters Away' - we spent three and a half months at Denia, it certainly gave us a taste for getting out of the UK for the dark months.
The current Blanca guidebook will sell out in about a year's time so we thought it a good excuse for revisiting the area where it all began - an amazing 24 years ago - and getting a heads start. I did six routes at Marin that I hadn't done before which was great; though any fitness - and thick finger skin - that I developed on Kalymnos has long gone!

New Boots and Panties

Three weeks to the day since we got home and today was only the 2nd time the sun shone! Time is getting pretty tight for the final few crag-shots for Peak Limestone, but the forecast better, we might make just make it - Dovedale and Chee Dale beckon.
I needed some new rock shoes so popped over to Outside. Stanage was pretty busy but the Burbage area was mobbed. In the end I couldn't decide between the Evolves, 5.10s and Mad Rocks, so I bought them all! I also picked up a copy of the new Stetind Area guide - interesting stuff.
A couple of nice days helped, excellent light and early starts means most of the crag shots are in the bag now. Paddling the river in Cheedale was a 'cool' experience, I got some strange looks!