Experience the splendour of climbing some of the best rock in the world whilst bathed in the glow of the Spanish sun.

The Costa Blanca has been renowned throughout the climbing world for many years with its mix of perfect weather all year round and the excellent spread of climbing available for all grades, from beginner to expert and beyond.

What the price includes

• 4 to 7 Night's accommodation in Villa Moraira
• Breakfast each morning
• Airport Transfers and transport within Spain
• Technical equipment, harnesses, shoes
• Activity Instructor fees
• On-activity insurance

What the price does not include

• Return flights to Alicante
• Personal travel and additional adventure insurance
• Personal equipment and supplies
• Additional meals in Spain
• Any extra costs you may incur if your flights are delayed or cancelled

Meeting you from the airport, we will provide all the transport you need to experience the spectacle of the abundant rock available along the coastline and further inland. Our base for the week will be the beautiful town of Moraira, 1 hours drive north from the airport of Alicante. This puts us right in the middle of the greatest climbing in southern Europe.

Each day we will break out from our base to find new challenge, sometimes only a few minutes down the road and on other days we will travel a little bit further to give you the best experience of what Costa Blanca rock has to offer. The experience will be tailored to the experience and capability of the individuals in the group and progress accordingly. Typically we will start with the basics of technique and rope work, moving through progressive stages to hopefully completing protected leads of routes by the end of the week. We can then return at the end of a good hard day to the comfort of our villa to unwind, rest those sore muscles in the pool, take on a hearty meal and prepare for the next day’s adventures.

This is an experience to a mountainous and rocky area and thus there is an inherent risk involved in such an activity. Whilst every effort is made to anticipate all eventualities and medical cover provided for emergencies, it should be understood that participation in the activities is at your own risk and with the acceptance of that inherent risk, shortening and/or termination of the experience is at the instructor discretion.

Statistics

Expedition Objective: Spanish Limestone Climbing

Number of crags visited: 5

Maximum travel time: 1.5 hours

Maximum group size: 12

Instructor ratio: 1-6

Course content

• Movement on rock and climbing techniques (e.g. smearing, edging, bridging, chimneying, rock-overs, jamming, crimping)
• Equipment
• Rope handling and knots
• Belay systems
• Use of belay devices (including holding falls)
• Selecting anchors
• Placing and removing protection
• Abseiling
• Crag awareness
• Use of Guidebooks

Strategy

Stating the first day at a popular local suntrap, we will introduce you to the social atmosphere of climbing. Finding your feet with the basic skills on easier climbs we will take it easy and just enjoy what we are doing and where! At the end of each day we will sit down and review the day’s progress and decide on the plan and location of the next day’s climbing. We have a wide range of climbs and locations to suit all abilities and will modify each day to maintain the challenge for each participant whilst maintaining their enjoyment. We will also take enough time in the program for and include a rest day mid week to allow weary muscles to recover. Take this rest day as your own free time to take in more of the area as you see fit or just lay on the beach, it’s up to! But then we will be back into the hard rock to continue your skills.

Preparation and Training

An experience of this type and in this environment is an exciting but a challenging prospect and as such we suggest a course of preparation and training. The experiences of the individual participants on the expedition may vary greatly, from an experienced rock climber to a complete beginner, so the level of preparation depends upon you. A generally good level of fitness will greatly improve the enjoyment you will have on the experience.  

Personal Training Plan

Being well prepared not only makes for a more enjoyable expedition but also a safer one. We can aid you in preparing for the experience, whether through helping you to create an individual training plan or just work on and develop a rock climbing skills to aid you along the way. We can suggest a number of short courses we run that may prove helpful in allowing you to understand what is to come, and enjoy the experience all the more.

Expedition Itinerary

Please note that this is an example itinerary, and is dependent upon team ability, local conditions and infrastructure.

Day 1: Arrive into Alicante

After arrival into Alicante, where we will meet you and bring you to the villa for the night. Here we will have a team briefing and you will meet the rest of the team and be able to get to know each other and ask any last minute questions.

Day 2: Sierra del Toix

Starting the day with a good breakfast, we will issue you with all the equipment you will need to climb for the week. We will then drive out to our first crag of the week, Sierra del Toix. This is just down the road from our villa on the other side of the legendary Calpe rock. Here we will begin to learn the basic skills and techniques needed to climb with safety and enjoyment.

Day 3: Salem

We are up early once again so we can be on the road to our next crag location. Going north toward Valencia this time, we will arrive at the rock amphitheatre of Salem crag in the rural orange grove hills, where we will review and expend upon the skills learned the day before. The climbing here is of the same type and grade as at Toix, however the closed atmosphere of Salem gives the challenge a whole new level.

Day 4: Gandia

We are back on the rock at the beautiful open hillside location of Gandia crag. With steeper climbs and over hanging routes, this area bristles with extra ordinary routes. Staying within your capabilities we will work on our skills and improve confidence then finish the day with some fun in the tube chimney climb.  

Day 5: Rest day

We have a rest day today to help your bodies recover and minds relax from the activities of the past few days. This day is all yours for you to do as you please. If you would like to see some of the local area, or alternatively you can spend your day lounging around the pool or on the beach. On this day there is also the elective opportunity to play with some abseiling skills in the dry gorge of Barranco de les Roboses.

Day 6: Sella

Today we are back into the climbing inn one of the most popular areas in the entire of Spain, the Sella area, in particular the El Cajon de los Cuartos crag. Here we will work on the basics of leading and introduce the element of exposure that is involved. However this is a stunning and comfortable location to do this.

Day 7: Participants choice day

Our final day’s climbing location is up to you and the group. We will return to your favourite location from the last few days and work on the leading, movement and rope skills over the last week and see where your confidence will take you. To finish the week, for those of a strong constitution and up for the challenge is the sea cave abseil in Moraira. For this you will abseil through open air finally dropping into the sheltered waves inside the cave where an instructor is waiting to bring you ashore. 

PLEASE NOTE: Please note that the above itinerary is intended as a guideline only all though every effort will be made to adhere to it, changes may be forced on it by weather conditions, transport failure or other unforeseen events. Please be prepared to be flexible if necessary.

Experience Required

Previous experience is not required for this adventure although a good level of self-motivation and general fitness is required. 

Equipment

All necessary technical equipment, harnesses and shoes will be provided on trip by Valkyrie Pursuits Ltd. Personal technical equipment and harnesses may be used by participants provided an accurate equipment log can be provided for the equipment.

Kit list

Clothes:

Good trainers (that you don’t mind getting wet), ccomfortable shoes or trainers for rest of the time, shorts, swimming costume, trekking pants, waterproofs, Jacket and over trousers, under wear, t-shirts, fleece jacket/ jumper layers (Evenings), sunglasses and changes of clothes for after getting wet and evenings.

Equipment:

Day sack/ rucksack, kit bag, basic first aid kit, water bottle/ Camel pack and sunscreen.

Other:

Personal items (towel, toiletries etc.), personal entertainment (books, iPod etc.) and small rubbish bags, carry out what you bring in.

Insurance

We carry full adventurous activities insurance of up to 10 million liability, covering you for emergency rescue and repatriation. However it is strongly advised that you should take out your own travel and adventurous activity insurance despite this.