Spain - Balaguer

A large wall in a beautiful setting high above the Ager valley. Barranc de Grillons has mostly technical wall climbing on positive holds, including a few low grade routes. It faces due south and so can get very hot. Bolting is good. An excellent place for the winter sun.

An excellent crag of high quality rock in a beautiful location. Ager camp 300 has many slab type routes, that sometimes overhang. Bolting is excellent and the routes are up to 30m in length. The crag faces due south meaning that it can get hot, however the altitude ensures climbing is possible here in the spring and autumn when it is too hot in other locations. The left hand sector is described here, there are two further sectors a bit further right (looking in)

A small crag in a beautiful location halfway between Alos de Balaguera and the Noguera Pallaresa dam. The crag faces south, which is too hot in summer, and in winter, the sun does not get high enough over the narrow valley to warm the  rock. This leaves early spring and late autumn as the best months. The crag is  broken in places, however it does have some good routes.

Another easily accessible, well bolted crag. L'estret has sustained slabby routes on the left hand side and overhanging test pieces in the cave on the right. It is in the sun most of the day, so is best in winter or early / late year

The Crestes de Conill are a very interesting geological formation. Fins of rock, 50m high, that are not much thicker than your car, giving solid, slabby climbing. Conveniently one fin faces due south, the other due north, so you can choose according to the season and time of day which one you climb on. The south face, described here, has the easier routes, nearly all of them of high quality. Oddly there is  lot of undeveloped rock to the right and left of the routes here. Not sure if that is because the rock is of a poorer quality, or just because . . . 

Camaras is a large climbing area with excellent short and long routes. It does not get the sun until the late afternoon. Marcant Estill is just one of the many crags and is popular due to the many low grade routes, shade and ease of access.

A nice looking crag, situated at the top of a hill, the routes at Cubells are up to 30m in length and one of the few cliffs in the Balaguera area that give (relatively) low grade as well as mid grade routes. The routes are predominately wall climbing on good quality limestone. The grading is tough. The crag itself is beautiful with magnificent views over the Lleida plains to the south, and numerous vultures, falcons and other birds to see.

Os de Balaguer is a small gorge close to the village from which it gets its name. It has mostly technical climbing on sharp incut holds. The south side is enjoyable in winter, spring and autumn, the north side offers welcome shade from the sun on hot days.

Santa Ana is a major climbing area next to the large dam of the river Noguera Ribagorcana which forms the Santa Ana reservoir. The river acts as the border between Catalonia and Aragon. The true left bank of the river has climbing on excellent, rough limestone with two distinct cliffs. The Agulles Cara offers wall and slab climbing, with the additional attraction of getting to the summit of a detached pinnacle. It's south face gets the sun all day.  The left hand side of Paret del Vent is in the shade in the morning and provides several mid grade slab and wall climbs.

Cova Gran is one of the most important hard sport climbing crags in the world. Certainly if the density of one pitch hard routes is the measure, it takes a lot of beating. There are 20 or so routes of 9a and above. The climbs here start at 7b, where its nearby neighbour Futbolin stops. The crag itself is set in a very peaceful location (kids and families apart) and although south facing the size of the cave means that much of it is usually in the shade, and certainly late in the day. Many of the routes have in situ karabiners.

Futbolin is the unlucky little brother of the Cova Grana. Anywhere else it would be heralded as a great crag, here it is overshadowed by its more famous sibling. It has steep wall climbing with generally good holds, that offer the ambitious climber many excellent lines. Gets the sun after about 1pm. 

A long escarpment with hundreds of routes up to 25m in length. It faces east and gets the sun until about 1pm, although this varies a bit according to the sector. The rock is usually good and the climbing often steep on good holds. The routes are well bolted and the names (and grades) are sometimes written at the bottom of the routes

Terradets is a very impressive gorge in the Serra del Montsec 40km or so North of Balaguer. Amongst the many big walls is the single pitch sport crag, Paret de les Bruixes. A very steep overhanging wall of tightly knitted tufas, it gives superb, albeit hard climbing, that requires good stamina. Grade 7b upwards is the focus here. There a few "easier" 6b to 7a routes, but are now so polished as result of being used as a warm up, that they are not worth a visit in their own right. The crag gets the sun in the afternoon, how soon depends on the steepness of the route you are trying!