Hiya SunRockers!
We’ve got about 20 signed up and I’ve now booked the accommodation, so here’s an update:
Dates: Saturday 3rd to Saturday 10th March
Accommodation: We’ll be staying at Xalet de Prades: www.xaletdeprades.com
This is somewhat like the place we stayed in Finestrat in 2017, in as much as it is a collection of posh wooden houses. We’ve currently got 2 of the large ones plus options on a couple of extras for flexible additions depending on numbers. We’ve also get dedicated use of a communal room for eating / meeting / socialising plus a bit of spa time included, and there’s a restaurant on site if we fancy a break from cooking (or indeed fancy sacking cooking all together!) Price approx. £130 for the week. In terms of location, this is pretty central: Vilanova de Prades 14mins; Cornudella 19mins; Arboli 33mins; La Mussara 23mins; Mont-Ral 33mins
Flights: Ryanair are currently showing £60 return Manchester to Barcelona on those dates – search skyscanner.net for more options
Climbing: The Sierra de Prades aka ‘Costa Dorada’ or ‘Tarragona’ includes iconic crags like Siurana, Margalef, Montral, Arboli and La Mussara amongst the offerings, see http://www.climb-europe.com/RockClimbingSpain/Sierra-de-Prades.html . With over 5,000 routes in the area, there are plenty of options, though it’s fair to say grades are a bit stiffer than Costa Blanca. Having said that, there are at least 500 routes in the 4s to 5s. Here a link to the area on UKC https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/map/?q=TARRAGONA&x=0.939&y=41.259&z=10
Next steps: We’ve got the ‘overflow’ houses reserved for another couple of weeks, so I could really do with firming up numbers before the end of the January. Beyond that, you’ll have to take your chances! Get in touch if you aren’t already ‘on the list’ and would like to join in the fun.
Meanwhile, here’s an amusing article from UKC to give you a chuckle (and some handy hints in preparation!): Sun-Rock Trip – Hints And Tips
That’s all for now – see you in Catalunya!
Cheers
Dom and Helen