The amazing spring weather continues, as does the galloping round to get all the required photographs for the up-coming volumes. It started Friday with a trip down to Willersley with Graham and Dan - the crag was bone dry and even catching the evening sun. Dan dispatched Great Corner then we move along to Cucumber Groove.
Next it was over to Harborough - Sara had just arrived and we tootled up to find Colin who had beaten us there by ten minutes.
It was a glorious evening and the crag was deserted, some pleasant banter and a clutch of routes, and of course the requist photographs. Then back to Willersley to collect the A team and a pint at Beeley on the way home - very pleasant!

That’s that then! Four months away and now it is back to the more mundane world of work - mind you the weather is nice! The hottest day of the year so far and a large, jolly team headed to Staden Quarry, a few others were already there as it is an ideal venue on sultry days.
Most of the classics were ticked in good style and on the way home we stopped at the Red Lion, Litton for a pint in the evening sun - summer has arrived!

Colin arrived (and Graham was dropped of - seamless organisation!) at Carcasonne, and through sunny at the airport, in the hills it was still a bit unsettled. We checked into base then decided to head for a couple of hours sport at Arabaux, a small but pleasant limestone crag only fifteen minutes drive from the pad. Eight excellent routes later it was back for a wind-down and an evening meal.
As it turned out it was a good job we did the routes as the next two days were wet and cold, with temeratures around five degrees and snow well down the hillside.
Good Friday was better - a good Friday in fact, so we headed for Sinsat, where we did three fine routes, kicking of with the two pitch outing of ** (5b+, 6a+) quality rock. Then it was the the three pitch classic of Skull Groove (4c,5b,5c) with polished rock and a few damp streaks adding to the fun. The final route was th 35m pitch of ** a sustained and tough 6a+. There was only one other team on the cliff and the outward views were superb. We headed back to the car as big clouds towered overhead and hailstones bounced - time for home!

For years I have been meaning to have a look at the miles of impressive cliffs that run north from Moraira. Alan James sent me a chapter of the new Deep Water Soloing guide, and one of the cliffs is only 12 miles from where we are stopping it seemed like the time was right.
We tootled over to the urbanisation Cumbre de Sol then followed the road down to super-impressive Cala Moraig.
Poking around found a wonderland of deep water, steep rock and old fishermen’s ladders and little concrete ledges. I spent a happy (gripping!) hour down near seal level. When I got back and checked the manuscript two of the routes I had done weren’t even described - fame at last!

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!

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.

Fancying something a little different in an attempt to rest tired fingers we thought we have a look at the recently installed Via Ferrate on the Ponoch. A twenty minute walk from the high parking gets you to the foot of a fine pillar, well equipped with metal-work and soaring skywards. There were a couple of teams ahead of us, but they were moving steadily so we set off in hot pursuit.

It was quite strenuous work, but the whole thing is very well organised, we didn’t have ‘proper’ via fearrata gear but managed well enough with a couple of slings each. A cool wind sighed across the pillar, and wraiths of cloud streamed off the summit of Ponoch, encouraging us to keep moving.

800 feet of ascent saw us at the top of the pillar (42 minutes!) where a horizontal path leads rightwards (the descent route from Via Valencianos) following a a good track and some signs. A looping descent gains the upper of two abseils, and a rapid return to base - excellent stuff.

After the unsettled start it has turned out to be hot and clear for for over 12 days now. Colin has been keeping me on my toes, with visits to El Picayo - a big crag over near Montesa, and Bovedon, a huge cave near Gandia with some of the hardest routes in the area - a venue only for the seriously strong!

I sent him up the Montgo yesterday so we got a rest day!

Happy New Year. Decided on half a day at Alcalali - it was hot and surprisingly busy, I thought all the holiday makers would have gone home by now but it appears not!

Did a trio of Richard Davies new routes with Colin on the sharp end - he (Colin, not Richard) managed to under-grade every one by a couple of notches which was nice, at least one of us is climbing well! All were excellent, good climbing and well bolted.

Then it was back to the pad to catch the last of the sunshine.

Colin’s flight was on time (after a 3:30am start), so it was the traditional approach of up to Sella to crack off a few routes, we did three for starters up to 6b. It was hot on the face, and the places was quite busy, sadly all the routes we did are suffering a bit from polished holds nowadays. Hardly surprising I guess, the place is so good.

After a buttie break we did Marion, its over 15 years since I first (and last) did this classic route, and I am pleased to say it remains as good as ever - at least it does once the first four metres have been done!

We topped out then abbed off and headed for home.