Cuenca and the Med

Albarracin came to an end with shattered tips, Steve sent to amazing lines to finish off his last days. I pulled as hard as I could to nearly get my project, but was only able to tickle the hold. But we left excited for the next stage of the trip; routes! Our first stop was Cuenca, 2 hours across the mountains this larger version of Albarracin perched on top of a limestone defile is crowded with a gargoyle strewn cathedral, inquisition court and multicoloured medieval buildings and courtyards. We arrived on an over cast day and after the half hour slog uphill to reach the old quarters was not in the mood to take photos. One thing that did put us in a good mood was the routes, 30 metre tower limestone cliffs, mainly slightly overhanging or very overhanging.

We started our mission the next day with the easiest climb in the sector to warm up on a 6c overhanging crack into crimpy headwall to finish. Then the main action a 30 metre gently overhanging 7b+, not a single hard move in it, but constantly throwing you long pulls, crimpy laybacks, slopey rails and plenty of pockets. Steve made it to the 6th bolt before his lack of route fitness showed and then bolt to bolt to the top. I was determined to beat his highpoint, but as I went through the slopers above the roof greased off and had to make do with only making the fifth bolt before going bolt to bolt to the top.
Cuenca
The next day we started on other side of the river with the warm up this time having to be a 6c+. Out main candidate for the day was a seriously overhanging 7b+ on deep pockets. Every pocket was good, with long dynamic moves between, it was incredible climbing, every move flowed, your smeared your feet on small edges and perfectly stabbed your hands from pocket to pocket with a bit of extra psyche for the deep mono just before the end. Steve went for the redpoint but couldn’t find the extra energy for the first crux dyno to a large pocket. I decided to try my fate elsewhere and have a shot at a 15 metre 7b I had tried the day before. The crux moves making up the first three clips and then a pumpy finally on slopers and long reaches of under clings. I fired off the first section fine, jumping out the crux to a huge jug the reaching through the slopey rail. I was getting so pumped, a month of bouldering had done nothing for my stamina. The final move was a torturous reach from a juggy under cling to a two finger pocket. It took me three goes off undercling to reach the pocket, each time climbing down to a slopey rest to try and get enough energy. But in the end I had climbed my first 7B cleanly!

That was the end of our stay at Cuenca, we had wanted to stay for longer, but are skin was still trashed after Albarracin and neither of us liked the idea of pulling on those sharp pockets anymore. An overzealous local official had also spotted are van parked up at night and taken our details and it seemed we would struggle to find somewhere to stay for free in the area. But there is one last bit of Cuenca to pass on, my best Tapas experience in Spain. It was recommended in the lonely planet guide so we headed into the new town to check it out. It was an old, narrow, mahogany lined bar and at 8.30 already bustling with locals, are table was only a foot of the ground. Our first round of drinks came with an aperitif of chicken soup and then a plate of fried eggs, ham, crisps, bread and salad. All on the house (although the drinks are slightly more expensive here). Our first bit of Tapas was Gaspachio Pastor, a game stew with hundreds of complex and different flavours; I can’t really describe it as it’s like nothing I have had before. Almost like a risotto, but with no rice. It wasn’t a bit plate, but we couldn’t have eaten any more. Our second choice was baby squid, they where char grilled and had so much flavour compared to the usual deep fried calamari or frozen options you get in the UK. Unfortunately being skint climber our culinary adventure ended there, but Cuenca is somewhere I will have to go back to.
Orpesa del Mer
So now we’ve given the climbing a break for a few days, to let the skin recover and muscle relax. We’ve found a beach north of Valencia called Oposa, which by Spanish Mediterranean standards is fairly undeveloped. There is even a forest covered hill which they haven’t been high rise flats on. Our van is parked up by the sea and we are just doing nothing.

The Climbing

I’ve tried to write a couple of blogs, the first was during a period of very heavy rain when we were confined to the van and bars of Albarracin. It had a pretty negative and whinge ring to it. It’s now been sunny for a week and so things are looking very positive. We’ve come up to our first months anniversary of sleeping in the van and Steve still hasn’t fulfilled his promise of spending most the trip bivied out.

What I wanted to write about was the climbing. There is a lot of stuff to climb here.

To start with are the roofs, there are so many roofs to yard your way across, but usually the problem is the top out, I regularly flash the 7B roofs and then get spanked pulling through the slopey mantel. There are plenty of 30 to 40 degree overhangs on positive crimps, slopers and rails, all require maximum body tension. Every move your feet swing out and are then forced back onto the rock. We have worked through almost all the 7A’s to 7B+ here, but are cut short at the 7C’s. There are plenty of 7C’s, but often they are hideous mantels, or crazy campus moves. There is almost nothing in the style of the 7B’s which we are climbing so well on. There are plenty of 8A’s which we have made massive progress on, but we just aren’t strong enough yet in our core and back to achieve the massive throws which almost always make the crux.

Steep Walls

Another technique you quickly master here is the foot cam; with so many horizontal crack and pockets, often at the start of the problem you place your foot in the hole and torque it, taking weight of your hands which crucially let you hold those small crimps and slopers. At times these can be a bit unnerving with a high foot cam and poor holds which if you ripped off would leave your leg stuck in and then probably broken. To prevent this you often need a very close spot and I’ve had to catch Steve in my arms a few times.

Sick Mantels

With less than a week left we are frantically trying to finish off projects. Steve who has spent most of the month complaining of poor skin and often cutting short our sessions on the rock has found a new wind and is pushing for his fourth day in a row climbing. I have a line which I am certain will go, but so far has eluded me and am resting up for a big effort tomorrow. Fingers crossed the rain holds off and we can finish those final problems.