Bielsa, oil leaks and back to work.

Bielsa,

Lynne and I had heard loads about this place over the last couple of years but never made the effort to go and check it out, the problem being that you have to pass Rodellar to get there.

Crag on the way to Bielsa,

Well, last week we went and found out that it is definately worth the effort, Imaculate rock covered in snaking tufas, Its basically like terradets mark 2. Well on the first day at the crag I had an amazing day, warming up on a 7a and then doing Joes Bar Team (possibly the best 7c in spain) I managed to onsight Highway 52 8b. This route is incredible, amazing quality and has a bit of everything just the way I like it.

The second day saw us back up for more, instead of climbing onsight I decided to have a go on an unclimbed project at the crag that the locals reckon will be 9a, the route is really amazing. Its impressive to watch french climber Manu Lopez throwing redpoints on the route in proper amuerte style. Definately looks like there is room for new routes. So with this new project potential in mind we headed back down to the nearest city to get some supplies to stay there for a week, when unfortunately we realised that the van had started leaking oil!!!

With only a week left before starting work and temperatures hitting 37 degrees we were reluctantly forced to return to the casa, to take the van to the garage and get stuff sorted out.

Well anyway I have another crag that I am super psyched to return to. Maybe next weekend if the van is alright!

BACK to work.........

So we are back and its a baking 32 degrees, I know I sound totally spoilt. How can you complain about sunny blue sky weather? Well I never thought I´d say it but you can. We actually went and climbed on plastic today, its the first time in a loooooonnnnng time and i´m battered.

With the temps set too stay like this I think I´m going to have to be a weekend warrior escaping to cooler spots and doing a bit of training during the week.

DESPLOMAT event is this weekend, should be a good laugh, deep water soloing over the swimming pool, boulder comp and big Fiesta!!!!

3 8cs in 6 days

Dani lopez aka biceps guy on Karma 8b at Lezaia.

Lynne swinging around on the awesome 7b at Lezaia.

Wei trying hard on Beldurra 8b.

Wei at the base of Lezaia, another mega locals crag.

Me on the tufatastic Gaua 8c.

Harrrry!! New haircut!!

Dani Lopez, crushing agur 8b at oñate.

Me on the mega tufa classic Honky Tonky 8c.

Great cross through moves on the mid section of Honky Tonky 8c.

The sun tickling the base of the wall and my feet.

Dani (de vitoria) sending txipolini 8b Apellaniz.

Ellie keeping herself amused with a little snack.

Me on Justolini 8c. First ascent (link up).

Another shot of me on Justolini, a cool short and steep buttress.




So, it´s been a pretty busy week, retreating from the crags in Asturias as I couldn´t get harry to the best crags as he couldn´t climb the via ferrata approaches. Oh well, back to the Basque country and Navarra where there is a real abundance of small locals crags that are really great and Harry friendly.

First on the list was Apellaniz, where we met up with Dani Lopez, a really strong climber from Leon, the guy is like a walking encyclopedia of spanish climbing with a book thick collection of hand drawn topos. Here I did a link up of Txipolini 8b into Justuri 8c (3rd go) , I tried the link up because the 8c is no longer possible due to a broken hold that has left a blank section of wall. Its great climbing combining steep power pulling to a crimpy headwall, Dani tried it with me too he thinks it´s 8c.

After a rest day retrieving the rope from a tree in Apellaniz we went on to Oñate, the original training ground of many Basque beasts including Patxi Usobiaga and Josune Bereziartu. There is an awesome photo of Josune in the old Basque guide crushing Honky Mix 8c+, the most ripped women that ever existed and the first to climb 9a!!!!

This crag has awesome tufa lines, what I found out is that this crag is a true locals crag with sand bags a gogo for warming up. Its meant to be a summer crag but the locals climb here in spring and autumn, the jungle conditions left me wimpering at the state of my hands!!! Really psyched to get Honky Tonky done, uber classic!! The following day we went back but the rain and humidity stopped play, so semi rest day.

On the road again we followed Dani to Lezaia a crag set in Navarra, it´s a super steep cave style crag where power endurance is the key. First day at the crag I jumped on a great 7b to get going and then got stuck into the 8c Gaua, It features kneebar intensive tufa squeezing to a powerful headwall. After two tries working out the trickery I did it 3rd go, some would call that first redpoint however I think thats absolute turd, a go is a go! Awesome route definately psyched to try more at this crag.

Today we are off to explore another local Navarra crag with routes upto 8c+, thanks to Wei for the info. However looking at the weather the temps are set to sore, might just have to whip out the speedos and get to the Playa!

All the photos by Lynne except the one of her of course.

Santa Linya Desploma't Climbing Event

DESPLOMA´T 2011 ,LES AVELLANES Y SANTA LINYA LA GRAN FIESTA DE LA ESCALADA.
ATENCION LO QUE SE AVECINA EN SEBTIEMBREACTIVIDADES PROGRAMADAS-COMPETICION DE BLOQUE-COMPETICION DE PISCIBLOC-DEMO EVOLV TEST (prueba por la Face los gatos Evolv)-FIESTA NOCTURNA CON DJ. Y ESPECTACULO DE FUEGO-ACTIVIDADES PARA LOS MAS PEQUES. ROCODROMO INFANTILPUENTE TIBETANO-INFLABLE ESCALABLE-PROYECCION DE PELICULAS-CONCURSO FOTOGRAFICO-EXHIBICION DE SLICKLINE-INSTALACIÓN DE INSTALACIONES PARA APRENDER SLICKLINE-ASISTENCIA DE ALGUNA DE LAS FIGURAS MAS PUNTERAS DEL MOMENTO....-CONFERENCIA SOBRE LA SOSTENIBILIDAD EN LA CUEVA GRAN DE STA. LINYA Y PROYECCION TURISTICA DE LA NOGUERA-Zona Shopping con Stands Comerciales-Y MUCHAS MAS SORPRESAS.........SORTEOS.......http://desplomat.blogspot.com/

Valdegobia, Spanish Malham.

The 7a+ at apellaniz that was a misprint in the guide actually 7c, thank the lord!

At first I thought these stone carvings were just for feeding the cows, only later did I find out that they were actually tombs!!!! Didn't get back in one after that.

These tombs are everywhere at valdegobia at the bases of many routes, there is even one carved into the crag about 10 feet off the ground!

First and only day at baltzola= rain, forced rest day.

About 300,000 euros worth of vans in the car park! I thought climbers were poor?!

Spanish Malham, Valdegobia.

Back from a quick trip to Germany, where I was at the enormous tradeshow with EDELRID. It was a really good experience, great to see the innovative new kit that those guys are producing and really appreciative of their support.

So we,ve had 2 days climbing at Valdegobia, this is a crag which is to my knowledge not well known in the uk or outside of Spain for that matter. However, I think that the brits out there would love this crag, suprisingly cool temps, crimps, pockets and tiny little footholds. It's set within a green meadow. Not suprisingly it is super popular for Spanish climbing families. So much so that the locals have nicknamed the main sector as "the playground". Some of the sectors are featured in the basque climbing guide but not all, there are loads of sectors with one more hidden quiet sector that is covered in amazing tufas!

The only downside to the area is that at the weekend it is realllllly busy, kids and dogs and cows out number the climbers ten to one. For me personally I don't like climbing when it is so busy, the atmosphere there wasn't the usual chilled, friendly spanish way that I have come to know and love. Oh well, all that said I did do some really cool routes,made some silly mistakes( not taking enough draws) and having to jump off the onsight of the 8b+ not knowing whether to laugh or cry, pleased to do the 8c yesterday, it's the quickest I've ever done one.

Today back to Apellaniz, and proj time for Lynne, venga amuerte!!!!!

Travelling amuerte with Mavis!

What a crazy week or so, returning to Scotland, buying a campervan (Mavis), catching up with family and friends, travelling south again on the karaoke ferry extrordinaire to Santander, to very, very slowly cross the Cantabrian mountains (bad map use) back to the inferno of Lleida, swimming, drinking, organising the Spanish dole and now Basque Climbing WOOHOO!!!!!!!

The first crag we have come to is Apellaniz, a small seemingly locals crag which is beautifully set in a lush Basque forest. Climbing here is a little surreal as you climb to an orchestra of cow bells worn by the huge cream cows that mow the grass at the base of the crag, making it seem as though it has its own private gardener.

Arriving to the crag without any guide or anything, we were warmly welcomed by the locals who gave us a guided tour of the crag. There are about 60 routes spread over three main buttresses. In general the climbing is short, bouldery and explosive on pockets and edges. The middle buttress is longer and has a more British limestone feel, white and blue with delicate climbing on slopers and undercuts.

Im so psyched to get back climbing, its been a while.

First day at the crag I did a classic 8a os, La Txunga del Txi and another 8a La Txunga del Gotzon 2nd go. Yesterday we returned to Apellaniz, warmed up on a couple of brutal 4 bolt 6's and Lynne did a 6b+ with a full on move off a mono!! I then go so spanked on a 7a+ that I had to check the guide to see if I was on the right route, as I knew that there was an 8b next to it. Unfortunately, I was on the right route!! With Lynne chuckling I wondered if it would go next red point, joder! Luckily, I shook my way up it feeling scared on the first pad mono undercut and smeary feet. Now I know why the Basques are so strong. Anyway, a couple of biscuits later I finished off the day by onsighting a really great 8a on the Garrapatta wall. Grades, what an odd concept sometimes.

We are resting today and tomorrow we are going to check out Valdegobia.

3 days to go!!!

Well, its HOT!!!!!!! So, we have been doing a bit of climbing at La Pizarra and sector Regina in the Terradets valley, which are the most shaded spots around, the only problem is that it has still been 28 degrees in the shade. Sweat and greasiness are at maximum levels, its a bit of a shame because these two sectors are truely amazing. I will definately be spending more time at these crags when we return from our summer ADVENTURE!!

With it being so hot this weekend we couldnt be bothered sweating our way up routes so we decided to go and do the via ferrata in Oliana which I must say is pretty spectacular, looking down on eagles swooping across the crags is really quite stunning.

On Sunday we went to Cavallers, a high mountain crag that is filled with granite. Cavallers is about 2 hours from our place in Santa Linya and as you arrive there you can feel the difference in the air, when you stick your hand out the window of the car you dont get the hair drier effec you do near ours. the scenery is reminiscent of Switzerland or Austria and grazing cows wander around the boulders in the lush valley meadow. Well, we didnt go for the sport or the trad routes, we went bouldering. At the base of the valley there is a beautiful stream that is surrounded by boulders and bordered by a thick pine forest. The boulders range from easy gentle slabs to impossible looking overhangs. This is somewhere we will definately be revisiting. The only problem with Cavallers is that there is no real topo, the good thing about it is that if you are psyched and you want to be the first to do new problems, there are thousands of new potential problems, just dont forget your brush to get the moss off the virgin boulders!!!!!

Well with 3 more days and then we are off on our summer trip, so psyched now, its just so difficult to decide where to go first!!!

And thanks again to FIVE TEN and EDELRID for there continued support.

Better late than never

Ive finally figured out to post a link!!! Thanks again to Joe and Colette for the video of Ciudad del Dios in the Santa Linya cave.

http://www.dpmclimbing.com/climbing-videos/watch/tom-bolger-climbing-ciudad-del-dios-9a

Only 2 weeks to go here before heading off for the summer, 2 months for climbing, climbing and trying to stop Harry scaring people.