Roca Verde

Las mejores guías de Escalada Deportiva de la Cordillera Cantábrica. Sport climbing guides to north-west Spain: Asturias, Leon, Cantabria. Me contacten / Contact me: richie@rocaverdeclimbing.com

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You are here: Home / Climbing / James Pearson Guest Blog – Roca Verde Road Trip – Day 1 + 2 Eastern Asturias

James Pearson Guest Blog – Roca Verde Road Trip – Day 1 + 2 Eastern Asturias

January 22, 2020 by Roca Verde Climbing Leave a Comment

“Sometimes our trips are meticulously planned and sometimes they just happen, often at the whim of others. Our Roca Verde road trip was the latter. Touching down at night in late October to Santander after a week of work in England we were looking forward to a climbing break – but we hadn’t a clue what to expect – all we knew was that we had seven days guided round the region.  

Our good friend Richie Patterson, the author of the first English language guide to a block of north-west Spain he’d christened Roca Verde, had invited us; but we didn’t really know where we were going or what the area encompassed. We’d actually not climbed in Spain for a while as we are always looking to go a little ‘off-piste’ as the crowds and polish of the major destinations,  don’t really appeal. So when Richie promised unpolished rock, empty crags and plenty of great routes – we were intrigued enough to give it a go!”  James Pearson

Day 1 – La Hermida – Cantabria

Arriving in the dark, never gives a sense of the surroundings so it was a big surprise to wake up in an enormous, steep-sided valley. Not only because it was filled with huge crags but also because it was incredibly green, tree-lined and not at all ‘Spanish’ looking.

The Desfiladero de La Hermida marks the Eastern border of the mountains of the Picos de Europa and is the one of the major tourist routes into the heart of the mountains. Our hotel, La Cuadrona, a beautifully restored traditional building, was a bit further north, at the centre of the climbing in the village of La Hermida itself. Known as the climber’s bar the owners were incredibly friendly, used to dealing with foreigners and knew to provide the sort of ‘mountainous’ breakfast that it turned out we were going to need for the day!

How big?!? Carcalosa is really impressive…

I say that because Richie had arranged a bit of a treat, a visit with one of the busiest local equippers, Alberto Hontavilla, to his latest work in progress. A stack of exceptional routes in the huge cave of Carcalosa. Imposing and tufa-strewn it’s also situated on the ‘wrong’ side of the river and perched above a slope that necessitates a 45 minute hike. Braving the icy water we crossed and made our way up the hillside, marveling at the dedication needed to even create the path, never mind to slog with all the gear needed for equipping.  Secretly we wondered if this was not the beginning of just another of Richie’s ‘brilliant ideas’, yet as we pulled on the last of the fixed ropes and the full extent of the cave came into view, we realised it was totally worth it.  A deep, seemingly bottomless hole flanked on either side by steep, tufa covered walls.  Not at all the type of limestone we were expecting!

Alberto Hontavilla on his project

All in all there are around 50 routes from 6a and up to 8b, with many projects still to climb. Slap bang in the middle of the main wall is Dimensión Paralela 7c+ and the “tram line” tufas just have to be climbed.  At 40 meters long, it is an endurance marathon, and doesn’t give up anything until just before the chain.  At the end of the day we couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised!  Perfect rock, brilliant routes, friendly locals, and superb views.  Luckily for us, this feeling would become more and more common as the week went on!

Caroline Ciavaldini enjoying Dimension Paralella, 7c+

Day 2 – Poo de Cabrales – Eastern Asturias

A second giant breakfast eased our discovery that rain had fallen in the night – you don’t get to be green and lush without a little water. Our intention had been to head straight to Poo de Cabrales, one of the most well known sport-climbing venues around the Picos. But, worried it may be raining there too, Richie suggested a quick-hit at the roadside of Urdon just a few of km from the hotel, to do a couple of routes while the weather settled.   He swore Urdón had a climate of its own and was ‘almost always-dry’, yet with the roads still soaking and the mist hanging low, I wasn’t sure I believed him.  Happily the walk in this time was short, around one minute, and there were no rivers to cross. We climbed a pair of excellent wall climbs, 6c and 7c, on solid orange and grey rock, that despite the falling rain were in perfect condition.

Heading out of the valley from it became pretty obvious that it had been a localised shower as clear blue skies greeted us at the end of the half-hour drive to Arenas de Cabrales, a short hop from the crag. Grabbing some bread, chorizo and a chunk of the famously fierce Cabrales blue cheese we were soon in T shirts and marvelling at the views of Picu Urriellu from the car-park below Poo.

Caroline on Infiltrados, 7a, one of the amazing tufas which cover sector Chorerras, Poo de Cabrales

As we arrived at the crag it was immediately obvious why Poo was so popular. A ten-minute hike leads up to a compact little crag, with several sectors ranging from slabby to steep. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the magnificent Picos, Poo is one of the most visually pleasing crags of the area, and the climbing’s not half bad either.  There are too many good routes to choose a favourite, and on national pride alone I should really mention Englishmen, 7c, opened in 1991 by our friends Nick Dixon and Andy Popp.  However the most memorable route of the day, if only for the never-ending discussion of the grade, had to be Lord Byron, an intense and athletic 7c(+) at the Horóscopo sector.

You can check out James and Caro’s adventures in northern Spain in a short series of movies they made about the place: their Roca Verde Road Trip.
They’re all on Epic TV so here’s some links
Part 1 – https://youtu.be/n5bil2d1Br4
Part 2 – https://youtu.be/yq37n0zej9A
Part 3 – https://youtu.be/HQ6RheBVFog

 

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Filed Under: Climbing, climbing guide book, La Hermida, sports climbing Tagged With: Asturias, Cantabria, Climbing in Teverga, climbing northern spain, Cordillera Cantabrica, desfiladero de La Hermida, La Hermida, spanish climbing, sport climbing, travel, tufa climbing

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Nunca me cansan las vias de Bóvedas, Teverga porq Nunca me cansan las vias de Bóvedas, Teverga porque siempre algo para aprender o un amigo para enseñar una escalada preciosa de chorreras y líneas brutales.
Never get tired of the routes at Bóvedas, Teverga because the climbing is so good and there's always someone new to show the off to. Mick on the first pitch of Quién tiene la broca se equivoca, 6b+.
@roca_verde_rentals #rocaverdeapartment #apartamentorocaverde #sportclimbing #paraisonatural #climbing_pictures_of_instagram #climbingpassion #climbtheworld #klettern #desnivel #escalar #escaladadeportiva #asturias #rocaverde #spain #cordilleracantabrica #climbing_is_my_passion
Hay que sacar el calendario para recordar unos eve Hay que sacar el calendario para recordar unos eventos próximos y apuntarse pronto. Primero tienes el 4° Encuentro de la muyereda que empieza en Morcin, día 22 de Septiembre con unas charlas chulas y luego, con la inspiración a tope, la semana después hay el segundo maratón de escalada en Pelugano. Sigues @lamuyerada y @maraton_escalada_pelugano para más información. Y estoy muy contento apoyar ambos eventos con unos libros.
#rockclimbing #climbinglife #sportclimbing #paraisonatural #escaladadeportiva #asturias #rocaverde #escaladaenroca #montanas #morcin #pelugano #lamuyerada #maraton
Después de unas semanas parado por el tema de un Después de unas semanas parado por el tema de un dedo tocado volvemos para retomarla cuerda con unos amigos en Muro Techo. Y a pesar de la lluvia todo seco y como siempre mejor con unas nubes. 😉
After a few weeks off with a bad finger it's nice to get out again at Muro Techo with a few mates.
📸 Simon Webster on Fisioterapia, 7a.
#rockclimbing #teverga #climbing #escalada #escaladaenroca #paraisonatural #escaladadeportiva #asturias #rocaverde #klettern #desnivel #escalar @roca_verde_rentals #rocaverdeapartment #apartamentorocaverde
Cuando llegó la segunda edición de mi guía del Cuando llegó la segunda edición de mi guía del Desfiladero de la Hermida durante de la pandemia...
The second edition of my guide arrived during the pandemic...
#asturias #rocaverde #cordilleracantabrica #climbing_is_my_passion #klettern #desnivel #escalar #escaladadeportiva #Spain #cantabria
Padre y hijo en la misma vía...uno con éxito el Padre y hijo en la misma vía...uno con éxito el otro no ¿puedes adivinar quien llego a la cadena? . Dos ángulos de una día típica de Pingalagua, Teverga, Paquito el vacilón, 7c+, pasos exigentes entre presas malas 🤣🤣
Dad and son on the same route, one succeeds the other doesn't, can you guess which? A typically brutal route from the sector Pingalagua in Teverga, Paquito el vacilón, 7c+, is a series of hard snatches between poor holds. 👍👍
@ibbertsonjosh 
#rockclimbing #teverga #climbing #escalada #escaladaenroca #escaladadeportiva #asturias #rocaverde #paraisonatural @roca_verde_rentals #rocaverdeapartment #apartamentorocaverde
Josh Ibbertson @ibbertsonjosh probando El replican Josh Ibbertson @ibbertsonjosh probando El replicante, Pingalagua, Teverga.
#rockclimbing #teverga #climbing #escalada #escaladaenroca #escaladadeportiva #asturias #rocaverde #paraisonatural @roca_verde_rentals #rocaverdeapartment #apartamentorocaverde #sportclimbing
Probando el Dron #4k #mavic #mini3pro Probando el Dron #4k #mavic #mini3pro
La Bocandia, un sitio un poco olvidado pero una ve La Bocandia, un sitio un poco olvidado pero una vez vuelves es obvio que es un sitio con mucho calidad y un montón de vias chulisimas. Muchas gracias a Diego, @diegonaranjorivas y Pablo @cervezaasgaya por su trabajo tremendo en abrir el sector. Un sector que merece la pena especialmente si escalas en los séptimos, entre 7a y 7c. Sombra después de las tres. 
📸 David Rothstein en Yernes 13, 6b...
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#rockclimbing #teverga #climbing #escalada #escaladaenroca #paraisonatural #escaladadeportiva #escalar #escaladadeportiva #asturias #rocaverde #rocaverde3A #rocaverdeapartment #apartamentorocaverde @roca_verde_rentals
Hace un par de días en Sector Río, con condició Hace un par de días en Sector Río, con condiciónes perfectas, German @yasiesovuelvo encadenando Río bravo, 7c, sin problemas mientras lo grabó todo (con un teléfono 😱) Andrelo Hoc @andrelo.hoc En el video Germán hace la parte de arriba, (pillado por Cote @coteailva14) lo más dura de esta excelente vía: entonces si quieres hacerla a vista mejor que no mires el video 😉😉
Un placer conocer estos chavales tan motivados y muchas gracias por compartir el video. Espero que nos vemos pronto. 💪💪
Y si alguien quiere saber el teléfono es un Pixel 7 pro... 
(para ti @chileniia 😘)
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