RockAroundTheWorld is back on the road, heading to Spain and armed with a box full of new guidebooks that Santa managed to squeeze down the chimney. First stop Castellón, to explore the new Costa Azahar guide.

Here’s a quick roundup of our first week, though TBH I could have sneakily re-posted my post from exactly three years ago and I wouldn’t have been far wrong. It certainly started off a bit Groundhog Day…

Rock hungry and windswept – climbing in Alto Palancia, Castellón

Just as in 2023, it was a tad blustery on the long ferry to Bilbao:

… and prevailing conditions prompted a dash to Valencia, where once again we were settling into Camping Navajas barely 48hrs after leaving home.

First day on the crag, and the sheltered suntrap of Sector Huajolotes at Jérica was the obvious temptation.

Here’s Helen on Konan el Bomber, V+

I was chuffed to open my 2026 6c account with Pebre Picant Picat, 6c+ a techy groove followed by vertical climbing the full height of the crag.

Throw in the gift of Los Chupipuntos, candidate for the easiest 6c+ in Spain (how do two 6bs followed by a 5+ merit 6c+ even if they do total 50m?) and my bruised ego is starting to recover from its Balkan battering.

Chilly once the sun goes off mid-afternoon but we resist the temptation to switch sides.

Another retrospective the following day with a trip to Teresa. Beautiful tucked-away crag, nestled in a tight gorge…

… with just the Griffon Vultures for company…

We’d remembered it as a suntrap, but failed to realise it was a wind-tunnel, so rather than sheltering us from the prevailing wind it funneled into an icy blast.

Helen on the excellent Sua, 5c

… and also did Dario N, 6c+, Si Gro Net, 6b, and Peluchin, 6a+ (should be +++)

Castellet: La Coma Alta

Breaking new ground, we headed up the coast to explore around Orpesa (the only open campsites being on the bleak coastal strip between Benicassim and Alcossebre). We revisited Castellet but checked out a new roadside sector: La Coma Alta. Very handy…

Okay rather than awesome, but 2mins from the parking and barely a stone’s throw from the AP7 it’s a it’s an excellent drive-by option.

Here’s Helen on Mi niña tiene un Pentium, 5+

I wrestled my way up a couple of great crack lines: Amenaciste…, 6b, and Soledad, 6a+.

La Botalaria

Heading deeper into the hinterland, La Botalaria is a real hidden gem, with an adventurous feel to it. It’s clearly visible on the hillside as you approach…

… but as you wind up the road to park at the Font, the road and the coastal sprawl are completely hidden from view and it feels like you could be a hundred miles inland, rather than a handful.

There’s a well-cairned path, supplemented by the occasional white or blue paint splodge, and evidence of some past grandeur in some splendid stairways through long-abandoned terracing…

As you near the crag there’s a handy blue “X” to avoid you going the wrong way. Or so you’d think. Turns out you DO in fact head up past the “X” (this is where the crag approach breaks off from a walking path)…

A couple of fixed ropes soon appear to reassure you that you are on the right track. The obvious orange wall is only partly developed and anyway it’s banned in the nesting season (presumably for the skriking Peregrines)

… and most of the climbing is tucked behind a series of pinnacles leaning away from the foot of the crag.

We sampled each of the main sectors. Not hugely impressed by the upper Plaza and Escondita sectors (which seemed little-travelled). Sector Clandestino (hidden behind the towers) was more to our liking, and both Padre Adoptivo, 6a+, and Adictos al Conflicto, 6a, were fun routes, with a frisson of fragile rock to add to the adventure.

Quarentagenario, 6b, was absolutely superb – a soaring corner crack (all very traddy) which would merit a 3* Pembroke E3. Rain arrived before we got to sample the Agujas y Jindama sector, but it’s worth noting that the bird restrictions only affect half a dozen routes (even though the icon appears on topos that cover a lot more). Here’s a track of the approach path and the main sectors – if nothing else, to help me to remember to ignore the blue “X” when we come back for more!

Torres d’en Domenec

We couldn’t ignore my almost namesake crag, probably only 15mins from the coast but inhabiting a different world. Picture postcard blossoming trees on neatly stacked terraces above a dry river valley. This is a crag of two sides, though only the south facing Penya Roca was of any interest on a cool, blustery day.

It’s a short, flat walk, as promised in the guidebook – you just need to make sure you start down the correct track (the continuation of the one from the main road – there’s a cairn if you look – rather than the broad terrace that extends beyond the small farmhouse.

The crag soon comes into view.

Not huge – a couple of dozen routes mostly up to 15m – but attractive enough.

There are quite a few routes that have been left as trad, following strong crack lines, which seems to be a theme of a number of the crags hereabouts. We’ve inexplicably left our trad gear at home (no, in hindsight I can’t imagine why either 🤔) so we settled for Malhumorat, V+, as a warm-up. It was pretty apparent that the crag suffers from “Stumpy Syndrome” – the habit for crag developers to over-compensate for short routes by giving them sandbag grades. I guess it could equally be termed “Puny Climber Syndrome”. Either way, initial impressions were duly demonstrated to be accurate. V+ felt more like 6a+, not helped by there only being 4 bolts in 15m.

Kutimanya, 6a+, was at least better bolted and followed a compelling crack line running 25m to the full height of the crag. Really great route, and less of a sandbag (maybe nudging 6b?)

Sadly rain stopped play at that point, prompting a retreat to the truck, but an afternoon burst of sun had us contemplating a two-crag day…

Murs

Just inland from Torreblanca, Murs is set on an idyllic green hillside. The line of crags, clearly visible on the drive in…

… is actually accessed from above, with parking P1, as described in the guide, in a large area that serves as a shooting range, or P2 a bit further along the track (bumpy but doable) courtesy of ClimbingAway.

A well-cairned path leads in a few minutes to the foot of the crag, and then skirts easily along the base…

We only sampled the first sector, only just getting the sun by mid-afternoon. Could be a handy spot for a hot day. Attractive rock, slabby to vertical, riven by cracks and corners.

We did El Jardin, 6a, which climbs better and easier than it looks. Pretty fair for the grade.

The sunny interlude ended before any further exploration was possible, but of the two crags I think we’re more likely to return for more Murs – sorry Domenec!