Abella de la Conca now has around 300 climbs of all grades from beginners routes III to some of the hardest projects in the world 9a and above. Thanks must be given to pioneers like Pep Boixados, Jordi Pou and Gee who initiated climbing in the area.
Some sectors like Esglesia, Canyon Bajo, Font de les Gotes and Panorama are great for families as they offer very little walking, a flat base, and grades from III to 8a+
Forat dels Lladres (The Arches), Canyon Bajo, Costera and Gipsy Camp offer great summer climbing in north faces, high airy cliffs or cool pools to paddle in-between routes.
Sectors Voltor & Mur Blau and the beautiful but hard wall of Canyon Alto have plenty to keep you occupied in the winter months, their southerly direction offering perfect t-shirt climbing in December.
Some sectors are climbable all year as you’ll always find sun or shade at different times during the day like the Verdonesque sector of Congost, Panorama, Altiplano and Costera Pista.
There are also a handful of quality semi-equipped multipitch routes which are best climbed on sunny winter days.
The best guidebook for the area is the 2013 edition of Lleida Climbs. Abella de la Conca is ideally located as it’s equidistant from Oliana and Santa Linya making it not only possible to climb in Abella but also pretty much all of the crags contained in this guidebook within a 30 min to 1 hour drive. This makes for a perfect base if you want to try out a whole range of world class climbing crags. Information and topos containing new routes and grade updates for Abella de la Conca and some surrounding areas are available in the Eco Refugi.
When accessing the crag please stick to the existing paths and leave no litter or toilet paper behind. Human waste is now a major issue in many climbing areas in Europe PLEASE:
- Use the toilet before you leave home
- Ask at the Eco Refugi if you are caught short and need to use a toilet before you get to the crag
- Take a plastic bag with you and bag up and pack out your poo until you can dispose of it in an appropriate place
- As a last resort – dig a hole and bury it (a hole 20cm deep otherwise animals may dig it up and about 70 adult steps away from water).
- Under no circumstances should you burn your toilet paper. This is a serious fire risk!
For more information on how to safely dispose of human waste visit Trail Space
Forat Dels Lladres (arches)
20 vias 6a+-9a? (work in progress), overhanging, 20-30m, approach 20min via ferrata, not for dogs or kids, shade from 10 all day, spring, summer, autumn
Forat dels Lladres (arches)
Voltor
15 vias, 6b-8a, 35m, slab & vertical, sun all day, approach 8 min, autumn winte
Canyon
Canyon
12 vias 6b-8c+?,35m, overhanging, approach 10 min, sun all day, winter for top wall (though Klemen Becan sent 8c there on 5th June in the evening as it is in the shade), all year for bottom part.
Altiplano
30 vias at present 5-8b, 20-50m, approach 15min, sun until 18h makes it possible to climb all year (summer only in evening wind)
Congost Escut
Verdon limestone at Congost sector on a classic V+ and 6c of the sector
Canyon Bajo
15 vias 4+-7c+, 15m-27m, approach 5min, shaded crag makes it perfect for spring summer and autumn
Canyon Bajo
Congost Escut
30 vias, slab & vertical, approach 20 min, 5-8b?, spring, autmun, winter, shade after 15.00 in top right part of sector makes it possible in summer
Congost alto
4 semi equipped routes single pitch
Congost Maquis
4 routes from 6a+ to 7b+ but potential for another 50!!
Mur Blau
9 vias (work in progress), 30-50m, vertical, slabs & diedre, 6a-8b+?, approach 10 min, shade in morning (spring & summer), afternoon sun (autumn winter)
Moral & Panorama
15 vias 5+ to 8a+, 16m to 42m, slab & vertical, approach 0 min, all orientations for sun and shade, all year climbing
Font de les Gotes
7 vias 5+ to 7c+?, 25m, vertical, approach 0 min (100m from panorama sector), shade morning, sun afternoon, all year climbing
Esglesia
32 vias , 3 -7b, slab, approach 10 min, sun until 16h, makes it possible to climb all year (summer only in late afternoon)
Costera Pista
13 vias IV+ 8c+?,15m-55m, slab & vertical, approach 0 min, sun morning, shade evening, all year
Costera Pista
costera nort
22 vias, 15m 25m, vertical & slab, approach 3 min, shade all day, spring, summer, autumn
Costera alta
14 vias, 22m, overhanging, approach, 5 min, south but shade morning and evening, all year climbing
Canyon nort
4 vias, 7/8? summer, 18m, approach 10 min
Camping
4 vias 6a 6b, 20m, slab, approach 10 min, south facing but the river makes it a viable summer escapade
Costera Detras (Gipsy Camp)
15 vias, 15m-25m, 5+- 8b?, approach 10 min, North Face all year
East face (no name yet!!)
5 vias only approach 15 min, 6b+-8c+, 25m-60m