17 Dec: Teesside – Alicante
Teesside Airport was a quiet stress-free start to the journey, Alicante likewise. Then began car-hire-hell.
What I learned:
- Ensure person whose name is on the hire agreement has a credit card
- Sort your own insurance before you arrive – this may be through the hire company but alternatives can be found much cheaper
- Let them do the loading €2,000 on your credit card to cover ASD (accident/ scratch/ damage)
- Then if they do actually charge you at the end you claim it back on the insurance you took out
- We failed on the first 2 so couldn’t risk 3 and had to take their insurance at €280 😮
18 Dec: Circumnavigation and summit of Puig Campana 1408m
19 Dec: Sella Crags
Happy Birthday mummy x
- Banco Impopular 5
- El torronet 5+
- Cartujal 5+
- Cul de sac 5, 5+ (2 pitches)
20 Dec: Espolón Central 4+ [13 pitches]
21 Dec: Alt de la peña de Sella 1160m
22 Dec: Reconco
- Espolón Aureli 4+, 5
- Pata Chula 5+
- Central 5+
23 Dec: Embalse de Guadalest
Easy 10km circuit of rezzy.
Went for tapas at half time but bartenders were preoccupied with a parking violation and getting high. The cerveza never did arrive but what the hell.
24 Dec: Els Arcs y La Xortá 1221m
25 Dec: Rincón de Placa 4, 4, 4+, 4+ (VS) – multi-pitch to picnic
26 Dec: Rectingle Alt 1360m Serra de Serella
14km walk not requiring sunscreen or sunnies but instead requiring all the spare clothes we had – quite fresh.
Watched a pair of Booted Eagles on the ascent, repeatedly climbing over a ridge, soaring, then plummeting into a high speed stoop.
27 Dec: Alcalali
Coffee uptown this morning for a change as they’re usually shut by the time we get back. Few shots of Finestrat.
- Bull Tucker Trial 5a
- Synmove 5a
- Hola Patricia 5c
- Hogwatch 5c
- Hogfather 5c
- Taschia Mitica 4c (Jenny)
28 Dec: Monte Ponoig 1163m
Bit run, bit scramble – ideal.
the full Castellets Ridge
29 Dec: El Realet Ridge 4+
30 Dec: Via de Polop 5, 3, 4, 5+, 5 (HVS)
Pissed off as I missed the last pitch, didn’t scout properly and finished up a disappointing scramble – pitch 4 made up for it I guess.
31 Dec: Bad lady no cramp ah my style, oh no, oh no, I’ve got to keep on moving. .
The PR15 goes right past her house but she say, ‘Privado’. We say ok and ended up with a better walk. Will report her if i can be arsed.
01 Jan 22: Bernia 1126m
02 Jan: Last Day – The Wasp 4, 3, 4, 4+ (VS)
louis hume 