Bouldering Abroad: Charlie and Tom in Iledia

This post was meant to go up many moons ago; this trip that Charlie and Tom took (without me, I'll add sans bitterness) was meant to be posted just after they got back. That was in April. August isn't too long to wait I suppose...

And with that, I hand you over to the ever charming Charlie.

Day 1

After a long drive the night before (mainly as a result of my misplacing my driving license) Tom had negotiated the hair-raising hairpin bends of the Pyrenean foothills. Our base was to be Santa Engracia 15km outside of the nearest town of Tremp. This was an ideal launch site for our many jollies in days to come. 

We allowed ourselves a lie in and didn’t get going much before 1pm. Usually this would have been a source of frustration but, due to an excellent forecast and travel weariness, there was no rush. Todays climbing was to be a gentle easing into the week with a short mooch to El Niu, a sector in the Collegats Area. These limestone slabs would provide the canvas for our grunting and inelegant renditions. Neither of us could claim to be experienced sport climbers so there were a number of disciplines that we needed to get our heads round, although none of them would take us far beyond what we have acquired from our time in the peaks and southern sandstone at home. The climbing was excellent with grades ranging from IV+ to 7b. Good footwork being the key as hand holds were not always forthcoming. The crags orientation meant that we were provided with shade from the heat of the afternoon sun and allowing shares in Nivea to remain stable (I do not tan well). An evening of eating and guidebook consultation followed.

Day 2 

We had settled on Sector Cine as our area of exploit for the days climbing with excellent recommendations from the guidebook. Promising unique rock formations that supposedly inspired Gaudi architecture in Barcelona we had high hopes. Unfortunately we were to be disappointed. The walk in was unnavigable with every turn seemingly herding us into a cul-de-sac of rotten, overhanging mudstone. Upon attempting a “direct” approach over said overhang, only to have a large section fall away, we thought that we should double back and find another way. The “20 minute” walking had become a 1.5 hour mission. Upon deciphering the maze of false tracks we reached the foot of the crag slightly deflated. We roped up and I set off onto a V+.

The experience we had had with the rock on our approach did little to inspire confidence in the bolt placement let alone hand or foot. I called it quits 1 bolt from the chains just below an overhang. Tom decided not to let my wetness quash his attempt and had a go. With loud expletives he managed the move that I had wimped out of and cleaned the route saving us from leaving equipment at the scene. After a few more routes we

decided that we were “not having a nice time” and retreated to the nearby El Niu where I massaged my bruised ego on some routes next to those we had scaled the day before.

Day 3

We decided to make the long drive to Cavallers right into the Pyrenees. Upon arrival we found that the road

was closed due to avalanche risk. This felt a little cautious as our trusty Fiat Panda’s thermometer was showing 27 degrees...we were scuppered. Having committed to the longer journey we had no choice but to call this a “rest day” ate our packed lunch and made for home.

Day 4

Having spoken to our host we took her advice and travelled south near to the village of Camrasa where there is a huge climbing area right next to a huge HEP dam. Keen to make up for lost time, we roped up outside the car and set up off the first route on the Mercant Estil sector. The pocketed limestone walls were a vast improvement on the fragile muddy conglomerate of El Cine in Collegats, as was the 1 minute walk in. After a few successful climbs we found ourself at the foot of “el dedo de Satan”. Due to its relatively diminutive height we thought that this could be done.... Its a 7b+. We assured ourselves that, with a top rope, there was no way we could fail. This was not the case I managed the first 3 moves with Tom only 1 further before we decided that perhaps this wasn’t “in our locker” This was a real eye opener at the terrifying ability of those that can wriggle their way up 50 meter 9b’s. We tackled what was my favourite route so far. Miss Linda (6a) was a 15m series of honeycombed rock face which cemented this area as the best outdoor climbing experience I have had.

Day 5

Undeterred by the abortive jolly to Cavallers we decided to make another long drive to Coll de Nargo. We arrived at a crag called Gegants which consisted of towering free standing spires which looked somewhat beyond our grade. Never the less we toiled down a dirt road which was a bridge too far for the mighty Panda. After a particularly european approach to parking (fuck it, here will do) we continued on foot to find some good limestone climbing which consisted of slabby sections with tough boulder like problems thrown in. This was enjoyed with a bizarre backing track of incessant bleating of the sheep heard grazing at the foot of the crag.

Day 6

Having has such a fantastic session on day 4 we decided to return to Camarasa which would cap off the holiday. We moved ourself along the crag around the routes we had previously scaled. As we tired the approach to the routes became a little less serious which lead to many of, what Tom would refer to as, “postures sexy”...

This at one point involved what is likely to be the first use of a “tree hook” (the arboreal descendant of a heel hook). We spent the rest of the afternoon pootling up 6a’s and V+’s and headed home for some grub and packing :(

Summary

This was our first taste of outdoor sport climbing which is remarkably different to those gritty trad offerings of the peak district. We found that once we trusted the reliability of bolts and suppressed the terror of re-threading the rope through the chains, we could start to really push our grade without the nagging doubt in that marginal wire placement in a crumbly crack. Lleida was a beautiful place with a huge range of routes for all abilities (despite what the guide books would have you believe. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

I would also recommend our accommodation which was very plush for the tiny cost and comes with its own, very knowledgeable, host and mother of one of the GB bouldering squad.

http://www.ownersdirect.co.uk/accommodation/p8001114?uni_id=2