Cuenca

Cuenca belongs amongst the best sport climbing crags in Spain but for some reason it is not very well known abroad. It is situated in central Spain, only two hours from Madrid, which makes the area a favourite weekend destination for climbers from the capital. 

The sectors are located around Cuenca which is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cuenca is a medieval fortress town. It is quiet during the day but lively enough during the night. Its historical centre is definitely worth visiting even for those who are not particularly keen on sightseeing. 

The whole climbing area is pretty big and offers different types of crags full of excellent quality lines on solid yellow limestone. It is definitely famous above all for its rather short explosive routes though. Finger pockets, crimpers, slightly overhanging routes full of  bouldery moves, long reaches, athletic climbing...that's Cuenca and it is is definitely not easy. Climbing in the area actually started in the 80s as a result of a group of Madrid climbers' search for an area with a potential for hard routes.

We shouldn't forget though that there are more then 400 routes in Cuenca and especially some of the newer routes of middle grades are rather technical and fingery.  Nevertheless Cuenca is a place you go to enjoy middle to harder grades.

The best time to go to Cuenca is early Spring and late Autumn. Despite its location it gets very cold in the Winter (snow included) and far too warm in the Summer.

In the town itself you can choose from all types of accommodation and if you prefer there is a camp site situated 7 km from Cuenca. As in the case of most Spanish crags, it is recommendable to hire a car to be able to move around the sectors.