Terradets

"The southern runoffs of the Pyrenees offer an enormous potential for sports climbing - a drive from Barcellona westwards convinces impressively. Balaguer, just north of Lleida, is home to important crags such as St. Llorenc de Montgai and Camarasa and also Terradets which, with its recently developed sector Les Bruixes, offers some of the best soprts climbing in Spain. The sector slants leftwards and is characterised by steeply overhanging stamina climbing up tufas, pockets and... tufas once again. Resistencia pura!"Nowadays Terradets is well-known mainly for the fantastic and hard sport climbing in Paret de les Bruixes but it has much more to offer because in Terradets you will find great climbs of easier grades and superb quality multi-pitch routes too. It is located North of Lleida which is an area considered a Catalan sport climbing paradise and is a place which has recently become a top destination for world's best climbers. The area is literally packed with great crags such as Oliana, Santa Linea, Tres Ponts, Collegats, Camarasa and many more...Nevertheless Pared de les Bruixes is definitely one of the best sport crags of hard 7th and lower 8th grade in Spain. 

The rock in Terradets is superb limestone but compared to the other crags in the North of Lleida, bolting there had started earlier. Especially in the high-grade sport crag Paret de les Bruixes, you must be prepared for polished rock. The footholds might be black and shiny but still the climbs there are superb and a must-visit! It is impossible not to enjoy the steep tufa routes with a lot of sidepoles, slopers as well as little crimpers. There are long stamina routes but also long lines with bouldery problems. If you get bored of tufas (which is not likely to happen), you can move on to the left part of the crag where you find few rather vertical and crimpy climbs of superb quality too. 

If you want to go a little easier, visit Les Bruixes Norte which offers same quality routes but  in slightly easier grades or try sector Si fas free no fa fret (part of multi-pitch crag Paret de les Bagasses) and its 5th and 6th single or two pitch routes. Remember though that both the sectors are in the shade for most of the day. As mentioned above, there are also two superb multi-pitch walls called Roca Regina and  Paret de les Bagasses. 

Climbing days in Terradets are always short, no matter when you come. The best conditions are in late Autumn and Winter. Especially in Les Bruixes on the polished rock you really do appreciate good friction. It is South facing so the best are cold sunny winter days but you can easily climb on warmer cloudy autumn days too. Because of the nearby dam, the crag often remains foggy and humid until around a noon or later which makes the climbing days even shorter. The best time to go to Bruixes Norte and  Paret de les Bagasses is Autumn and Spring.

There is a nice and friendly climbing refuge in the nearby village of Cellers which is also very warm and therefore will be appreciated especially in the winter. Another option is a hotel in Cellers. If you don't mind driving about half an hour, there are a lot of nice places to rent in the nearby villages too. 

Fly to Barcelona which is about 3 hours drive from Terradets. If you want to avoid renting a car you can stay in the refuge in Cellers which is walking distance from Paret de les Bruixes but if you want to visit more sectors you will appreciate renting a car.