A Climber’s guide to Margalef

words by Kishan Vekaria

I’ll tell you the tale of climbing in Margalef and how this climbing destination ended up being my latest adventure break away. I had only heard of Margalef through word of mouth, friends and friends of friends going there for climbing trips and the only thing I knew about it was that the climbing style was all pockets! Here’s an overview of what this destination has to offer.

The Town

The population of Margalef is roughly that of 100 people and there are about five streets in the entire village. During the week it is fairly quiet. But on the weekends you get large groups travelling over from Barcelona and even Madrid coming over to get the chance to climb on the routes here. All the crags are within a 5-20 minute walk from the car parks. Without a car you would struggle to get up into the valleys and would need to rely on getting lifts from other climbers with cars. Regarding places to stay there are numerous guesthouses, the Refugi and two campsites, one in town and the other in the reservoir valley, both of which offer very reasonable rates. Rest day activities are far and few between, other than having a dip in the river swimming and grabbing a beer somewhere.

The Food

If you plan on cooking for yourself at all, come well prepared. The closest supermarket is a 50 minute drive away and most are closed on Sundays. There’s only one shop in town, La Botiga, Owned by the larger than life character Anna. She’s one of the nicest people you’ll meet and luckily speaks fluent English for anyone who’s not a Spanish or Catalan speaker. Cafe Vernet is the go to spot after a day’s climbing. Massive portions for roughly ten euros. Beware though, they stop serving food after 9pm. And if it’s your first time visiting you’ll want some time to figure out what they’re serving. Practice your Spanish beforehand as the staff only speak in Spanish/Catalan. 

The Climbing

There’s more routes in Margalef than you could complete in a lifetime and the quality of climbs is amazing. With 99% of the holds being pockets you’ll definitely need strong fingers and plenty of rest days. I found my fingers got significantly stronger throughout the trip. Most of the climbing is very face on and you won’t need amazing footwork as feet tend to be relatively big because you’re either standing in a pocket or on a big pebble. You won’t be climbing any overhangs unless you’re climbing 7b and you’ll want downturned shoes to get the most out of the pocket feet. Summer is best avoided because it gets ridiculously hot and flies tend to appear from everywhere. Spring and autumn are probably your best bet. Winter for the serious climbers. An added note to work on your tetris skills as you often have to stand on rock piles to start routes. Make sure you bring a clip stick!

Ermita San Salvador Valley

A local climber took me to the Camí de l’Ermita sector in the closest valley. Ermita means chapel in Spanish. And that’s exactly what lies at the top of the main valley. Some local farmers had convinced the council to let them live on the top floor of the chapel (with their three dogs) in return for setting up a sheep farm at the location to produce local milk and cheese for the surrounding areas. This crag has definitely got a shot for having one of the most stunning views of the entire valley. There are plenty of other crags further down the valley. One of note has to be the Finestra sector where you’ll find strong climbers working on their projects. 

The Reservoir Valley (Espadellas, Ca La Marte, Catedral)

There’s climbing on both the north and south sides of the river and both are superb. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re wanting to try super long routes or short bouldery routes. You’d be lucky to find a novel crimp on any route though. Generally we would pick wherever is shadiest. Climbers from all over the world gather at this tiny village because the climbing is so accessible and unique. 

Siurana

If you fancy a complete change of style. You can drive over to Siurara in under an hour and find more crimps and cracks than you can imagine. There’s also a climbing shop that does amazing pizzas and has every bit of kit you could need. Just make sure your car doesn’t break down and leave you stranded in the valley (That’s a story for another day though) 

I was only supposed to be in Margalef for a two week holiday and ended up loving the climbing so much that I decided to stay for an entire 2 months.

For full disclosure, I have a remote role in IT and met a Mexican climber in the same situation who convinced me to stay. There are more routes in the two valleys than you could ever try your hand at. This haven of endless rock, afternoon siestas and Spanish sun is the place to be if you need a break away from the fast paced hustle and bustle of everyday life.