Guadalest and an Accidental Tourist

I have climbed at Guadalest a lot over the past 14 months - but this time Sherri wanted to show me the 'other-side' of the place. Two and half hours of wandering around the shops, cafes, museum, old houses, castle ramparts, the cemetery - and I have to admit it wasn't an unpleasant experience. It must have been an amazingly isolated place to live back in the days of horse drawn transport and I bet the 1644 earthquake rattled the windows, that was when the huge blocks we climb on the west side of town were formed.
Quite a spot and busy for the middle of the week in the middle of winter - I bet the hoards who are bussed in from Bendorm enjoy it! Oddly when you are climbing here there is no indication of the melee on the hill top!

Gone fishin'

Had another walk along the never ending beaches to the north of Denia, as exhilarating as ever, there was even a small surf up. We returned just in time to catch the fishing fleet arriving home so called in for a look. There was quite a buzz on the quay as the 20 or so boats arrived in quick succession, and we joined the milling crowd of people out get their tea and interested tourists. There were a few bigger fish amongst the catch, but they were few and far between, the vast majority would best be described as tiddlers - quite a sad sight really. Maybe the Mediterranean and the North Sea have already gone the same way, though I suppose that as long as a living can be scraped, they will keep going out.

Peace descends!

The crowds have gone, and we have slipped easily into a working regime (always keeping half an eye on RockTalk), interspersed with walks in the local area. Mind you Colin arrives back tomorrow!
Lovely warm days and cool nights - perfect!
Knocking Brimham into RockFax format has been interesting - but its getting there!

Older Timers

Dave Gregory arrived on time, as did the sunshine, Toixes West and East, as well as Font d'Axia, were the first three venues, pleasant routes (with one notable exception), a bit of checking and of course good company. Getting behind with the guidebook work but there will be time to catch up.
And its snowing in Sheffield!
Montesa was as good as ever, if a bit windy and busy, with it being the weekend. A bemused local came over to Dave and asked in Spanish - "How old are you?" to which he dutifully replied (also in Spanish) "I'm 72 - and have been clmbing since 1949" - the guy was well tickled!

Montesa and Toix

Last full day for Team UKC so we had a ride over to the great little crag at Montesa, as with the rest of the week, the weather was best described as mild (and a bit damp)! Not to be off-put we made the most of the gritty texture of the rock, and Alan cracked off the three driest routes including storming the classic of Sense titol 6c+. Myself and Mick dangled. Oddly there were no locals to be seen anywhere - and back in Denia the sun shone!
Sunday was 'airport-day' so the lads set off early to Toix East. A recent report of closed roads and rotted bolts proved
unfounded, so they did a quick three routes before the inevitable (!) rain started. They headed for the plane we returned home to sort the place out before the next arrival - Dave Gregory on Tuesday.

I must go down to the sea ...... again

Ever since Alan and Mick arrived (the UKC cabal) the weather had been cool, cloudy and showery - typical! We decided to make the most of the day (rain forecast for later which caught the team two pitches from the top of Diedro UBSA on the Penon, though no worries - a leader did emerge!) and headed for the coastal path at Les Rotes. Thirty minutes along the coast is the Cova Tallada (the chipped cave). A scrambley descent leads to a rock bay near sea level, unimpressive at first site though a short traverse and cave entrance leads to the quarry proper.
An amazing place of great antiquity, with the whole headland is riddled with carved out recesses, my guess is that the gritty rocky was quarried for millstones, a couple of remnants lying in a the pools being part of my evidence. It might make a good bouldering spot!

Montgoneering

With our house caught by the evening shadow of the Montgo (2444') it is hard to ignore it, the big lumpy hill that is visible out towards the sea as you travel between Calpe and Gandia. We had been for a peek at the start of the track at the weekend and then it was heaving - today we had it to ourselves.
A good gravel 'road' heads towards the mountain, where despite appearances a reasonable path zigzagged up the face before heading out right to outflank the band of cliffs. Back left to the narrow ridge where the views opened out to the south and onto the top, where a biting north west wind greeted us. When we had been on Segaria four days ago it had been 25 degrees, today was 12! The views included Ibiza 80 miles to the east and a looong way up the coast northwards.


A small walled shelter gave us enough relief from the wind to enjoy out butties and take in the panorama - superb.

Then is was back out of the wind and a steady descent, our pad was visible far below, still catching the afternoon sun.