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The Costa Blanca is not just about rock climbing. There are also other great days out to be had on via ferrata and the Bernia Ridge.
Via ferrata on the Costa Blanca
There are several via ferrata on the Costa Blanca that offer a range of levels of difficulty, climbing skill and exposure.
Villena via ferrata
The Via Ferrata at Villena is relatively short and straightforward compared that of The Ponoch and is a good introduction to Via Ferrata. It is easily completed in a leisurely half day and could be combined with some rock-climbing at the nearby cliffs in Sax or a drink in the bar at the La Cruces monument, which overlooks the town of Villena. In 2008, the Villena via ferrata was upgraded and a new section was added below the original - this provides a really worthwhile extension.
Ponoch via ferrata
The Ponoch via ferrata is near the town of Polop on the Costa Blanca. It is on the biggest cliff in the area which boasts many superb traditional and bolted rock climbs up to 16 pitches long. The route finding while on the via ferrata is very straightforward – just follow the rungs. The descent is well signposted but requires two 30m abseils which are possible with a 60m rope (the signs at the top state a 30m and a 35m abseil but this is not the case!). Allow a half day to complete the journey at a leisurely pace, although those moving quickly could do so in a couple of hours.
El Cid via ferrata
The El Cid via ferrata is the most challenging via ferrata in the area. It is not as amply equipped with rungs as the other via ferratas in the area and therefore it is necessary to have some climbing skills.
Bernia ridge
The Bernia Ridge is 3.5 km ridge which runs between Pinos and Bernia in the Costa Blanca, Spain. A traverse of the ridge requires a minimum competency of scrambling at grade 3. There is one short section of technical rock climbing at F4+ which is fully bolted and can be aided at A0 if necessary. Parties should allow 7 hours for a full traverse, if travelling unroped on up to grade 2 scrambling terrain. The ridge is most easily followed from East to West as many of the difficult sections can be bypassed by abseiling.
Contact us if you are interested in trying out one of the Costa Blanca’s via ferrata or would like to attempt the Bernia ridge. Please note that these activities can be included in a rock climbing course - your course is tailormade to suit your needs.
Vic takes in a narrow summit high up on the Bernia ridge in beautiful conditions
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