Escaping for some guaranteed sunshine! El Chorro, Spain

The weather since the weekend has taken a bit of a turn, and has probably rained on the hour, every hour (except today). That's how it felt anyway, whilst trying to hatch plans for a climbing trip for the forthcoming ten days or so.  Staying in Scotland... cold and wintery over the next few days, the Lakes... warmer, but still rain forecasted, N. Wales... warmer again, similar forecasted rain to the Lakes, Cornwall... Could be quite pleasant, although with a bit of rain forecasted, and a 600 mile trip, is very hard to justify unless the forecast is near perfect, which it isn't quite.

So after much deliberation, we decided that the safest bet would be to head to sunnier climes, and in our case, the climbing mecca of El Chorro, in Southern Spain.  Getting from Malaga Airport to the El Chorro is very straight forward by publoc transport, and once there,  the climbing out in El Chorro really couldn't be any simpler. With a lifetime of climbing, both trad and bolted climbs, ranging from hard single pitch test peices through to some very adventurous multi-pitch routes, within walking distance of the fantastically run Olive Branch (which comes highly recommended, Mel and Gary do a great job of running the place!), and almost guaranteed sunshine, it's a sure winner.

So with temperatures forecasted to be in the mid 20s, oodles of climbing in very close proximity and great company, this promises to be an excellent trip, and hopefully set me up well for the trad season back in the UK later this month.

Here's a book review that I wrote a year ago or so, which should help inspire some of you to go and buy the book, and get out to El Chorro! 

http://kenapplegate.blogspot.com/2011/01/rockfax-guide-to-el-chorro-spain.html

Book Review: Rockfax Climbing Guide to El Chorro, Spain

Below is a book review I had published in Mountaineering Council of Scotland's quarterly publication, The Scottish Mountaineer in 2010.

Being predominantly a Scotland based climber, the series of Rockfax Guidebooks hadn’t crossed my path frequently, however last year, once the autumnal rains had set in, and the prospect of dry rock seemed a while away, I looked to get away, and so, with the venue of El Chorro chosen, all I could do was to wait until Rockfax printed their new guidebook to the area. 

Fortunately over the festive period, the guidebook landed on my doormat, and first impressions were quickly established.  I think I speak for a large number of El Chorro guidebook users, in that I really felt that one of the biggest flaws is the front cover.  The old cliché goes ‘you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover’, and whilst I’m sure the climber in question is overjoyed that she’s managed to gain pole position within the guidebook, it just misses the essence of what’s available in and around the magnificent gorge of El Chorro.

Despite that, and moving on to the all important content and layout, the guidebook reflects the hard labour, which Mark Glaister has poured into this publication.  The tried and tested layout of Rockfax, works well, providing just enough information about each route to still give a healthy degree of adventure.  The photo topos when combined with clear and simple maps, used throughout, enabled ease of route (and sector) finding, particularly when trying to navigate around the extensive Frontales crags.  A number of outlying crags are also detailed in the guidebook, allowing climbers the welcome change of scenery.

It must be noted that the greatest challenge found within the guidebook, for some, may well not be a redpoint attempt on Orujo, weighing in at a hefty 9a+ at Archidona, but in finding the 20 bulls, hidden, sometimes with ridiculous obscurity throughout the guidebook, something for those rare wet days…

If heading out for some winter sun, Rockfax’s El Chorro Guidebook should be high on any climber’s list, and having met plenty of local and international climbers out there, all using this guidebook, it would seem that this guidebook has become the number one choice.