Costa Blanca '16 '17

Hi There!


Well, it has become more or less our tradition to spend our time around Christmas & New Year to explore the Costa Blanca for some climbing.
We both love the variety of doing some Sport climbing with the combination of Traditional climbing and doing some adventurous Multi Pitch routes either traditional or bolted.


As we have encountered already many crags in this area there is still plenty of unknown for us to discover. The weather forecast was so bad and showed us huge amount of rain showers that turned the Costa Blanca region into a flooding environment. We even could not escape our house since the road was flooded making it unable for cars to pass.


Some of the crags that normally are reached thru a dry river bed were unable to reach since the river had become into "River Wild" and impossible to go thru. So we headed for some higher grounds.


We tried to push again our limits but not all succeeded.
Like, Destroyer in Los Pinos and Me Cago en el Amor in Lliber both 8a's, nevertheless big fun in some traditional routes.
New Crags we visited: Bolulla Raco Roig, Ambolo, Gata de Gorgos, Montesa, Castellets.

The Barranco in Bolulla area

View on Montesa from the crag

7b Viper in Bolulla

Vall de Guadar, San rappelling down to take gear out

Los Pinos

Sport climbing in Kalymnos 2016

It has been 5 years ago that we visited Kalymnos.

We bought the new 2016 topo and went off, time to catch up with the new crags! 14 days of climbing in stunning places with great views and beautiful weather. We liked it.

Lots of new routes with sharp holds, tufa’s, colognettes, caves, slabs, huge overhangs, uphill, downhill on sea side or mountain side you name it.

With our tiny scooter we visited new places, like secret garden (not secret since it was overcrowded) great style of climbing but too busy.

But also longsome places like E.T, Arginonta skyline etc.

One visit to Sikaty cave aiming for 45 degrees overhang called Morgan, super steep but well featured to have resting points.

We also tried to push ourselves as much  as possible, with routes like Helios on the North Cape.

In the afternoons we spend our time on the beach or swimming pool and in the evening we had great Greece diners.

We were glad to rediscover Kalymnos on pleasant way again. Definitely coming back.

7a+ Unicorn Arginonta Valley Left Cave

6c+ Frapogalo Secret Garden

Path to Sikati cave

7b+ Morgan Sikati cave (find the belayer)

Bouldering Fontainebleau

Last weekend we spend our long weekend in Bleau.
It has become a yearly tradition to have nice weekend with our friends doing some bouldering in the forest.
Like always we start with easy circuits and we see what will happen along the way.
We where treated with beautiful weather that gave us a splendid weekend.
The evenings were fantastic as well, with fire and some food.
Definitely coming back.

Zeckenloch Ettringen

We spend a day in Kottenheim Winfield in the crag called Zeckeloch. See blog in June

This time we started climbing some easy Trad routes right from Demenz that needed for sure some cleaning. After that we did some nice crack routes like Stipfel Gürmer, B.O.M and the fingery route Ulmer Grün. Please tape your fingers in this one.

If you visit this area please be aware that you check yourself on ticks, like last time we both had again some ticks that we removed after our shower. No problem just be aware.

Zeckenloch

Trad Climbing Bornholm

From our nice week in Sweden we travelled towards Denmark for Trad Climbing. Climbing in Denmark??? Yes it true, you can climb in Denmark! Even trad climbing. The special place to be is Bornholm, a small island on the eastern side. We already arranged our topo upfront and looked forward to Bornholm on the Rocks. We visited several crags, from quarries to coastal climbing. Although we had our boulder crash pad with us time was too limited.

Crags that we visited; Møselukken, Hammeren bruddet, Vang Bruddet and Randkløve.

Trad Climbing Bohuslän

This summer vacation we decided to drive an opposite direction than the usual way going south.


We decided to go North and make a small Scandinavian Tour to do some Trad climbing in Sweden and Denmark. With the very busy weeks behind us, we needed a relaxing stop in Denmark before going to Sweden. We had two good resting days around the Danish coast and visited Trelleborg the ancient Viking Fortress. To our surprise that week a big Viking Festival was going on with all people in ancient clothes and living in Viking tents. It was a wonderful atmosphere with a fantastic war battle on the open field with great sunny weather. 

Viking Battle Field at Trelleborg Denmark

We arrived in Sweden in Bohuslän area and drove around to find a place to camp. We found a nice place at Häller at a farm spot just next to the crag with superb view into the valley. The cows where our nabors. From here we drove to crags that we selected.

Our Camp Site at Häller

Brodalen: Rågårdsdal, Norra Ulorna.

Norra Ulorna

Hallinden: Hellerväggen

Our Hiking Path to Hallinden

San in the Trad route Pekkas Diplomtur 6b

Lyse & Brastad: Skälefjäll, Brappersberget, Svaneberget.







Jan being bitten by Granit Biten 6c



Steep vertical Granit Biten

San on Kyrkeråtten



Kungshamn: Kleven.



Kleven

We had a good week in Bohuslän, definitely coming back.

Rochers Des Grands Malades Belgium

This weekend no trad but some sport climbing in Belgium.
Due to my elbow injury low profile climbing and just having fun.


Peter and I went to Belgium to a new crag for me called Rochers Des Grands Malades.
The crag is very near to Namen and Beez where I have been multiple times.


The crag is nicely situated and has morning sun and afternoon shade.
It was quit and just some teenagers with their instructor were doing some via verata and some rappelling.
https://splice.gopro.com/v?id=3JwR4X512
Routes are most vertical, slaby and some have some small overhangs.
Nice but certainly not always easy.


Below some pictures of the crag.