We’ve been visiting Calpe for almost 25 years, and whilst it was already well beyond a fishing village when we first visited, the extent of further development continues to surprise. In particular the number of winter visitors – big white motorhomes fill 4 commercial campsites and spill over into tolerated on street parking. It’s rammed!

Despite the development, they’ll never spoil Calpe’s crowning glory – The Penyon. It really is a magical lump of rock!

Our first refresher of Calpe climbing was a trip to Toix TV in the company of Keith, Chris and Anne – a south facing crag, high above the sea, with a concave and shiny white surface making the perfect solar concentrator and wind break. If it is going to be warm enough to climb anywhere it will be here. We basked in t shirts (or not) and shorts while later reports spoke of a biting wind and duvets. Grand day out celebrated with beers at the bar Arenal and a curry.