We were slightly worse for wear after the ‘bonitada’ (tuna festival) in the village of Aciera (just under Quirós). As ever Spanish hospitality was fantastic so after about 4pm the next few hours were taken up with a proper siesta (2 hours sleep). After that we managed to get back in the camper van and drive the 10 short minutes from Quirós to park up at a busy Teverga.
The next morning the parking was, as usual, buzzing and there were a lot of climbers milling around ready to go…although as usual in Spain loads of them didn’t make a move particularly quickly. So after a quick coffee in the always friendly Bar Sobia we decided on Entecampos – almost the closest sector and still with plenty to do; even though we´d been there loads.
Starting on Nirvana 6b we enjoyed the cool fresh air after the previous days storms and marvelled how the crag was completely dry even after the near wash out of the Saturday. I then jumped on Diablo 6c, the short version and got a shock as it seemed hard than I remembered; fingery and intrictae it would be easy to fall of this neat little route.
For a change we the moved to the top of the sector: always empty yet with some of the best routes around. I had done Tijeruca 250 7a/+ before but the quality once again impressed. 35 metres, 16 bolts and a gently ‘leading you on’ feeling culminating in a pretty tricky move high on the route.
Mary did well on a top rope and my arms seemed as though they recovered / warmed up so I picked a route I’d wanted to do for ages – El último flote 7a+/b. Another long route, this time 28 metres, the start had always put me off – a decidedly thin looking tufa/groove which led to the steep roof and the superb looking tufa groove above.
Well the groove was a grim as it looked, super thin and a bit dirty I slapped for the finishing jug of that section very, very relieved!! Motoring through the roof I felt Ok but at the top of the tufa strewn groove the pump hit and form then it was ‘sh%t or bust’ to the top. Crawling higher and higher I though I was going to make it but confronted with the last move my arms failed and a desperate lunge for the top failed….
Lowering off i was both happy I’d got so close but pissed off that this was the first 7a+ i’d fallen off across the whole of Entecampos!
Still a great day out and as ever Entecampos delivers!!
