This delightful stretch of the Segre valley near the village of Alòs de Balaguer offers a beautiful setting in which to climb. The river meanders through groves of poplar trees, overlooked by steep cliffs and the ruins of Castell de Rubió (an important Arabic stronghold in medieval Spain) while the village itself is extremely pleasant. The climbing in Alòs is very varied, ranging from the pleasant, ‘friendly’ routes of sectors Cal Cari and El Racó del Segre to the fiercely steep tufas of El Balcó del Segre and the long and adventurous pitches on the walls of the Barranc de Sant Martí. Most sectors face south or southwest and are sheltered from cold northerly winds, factors making winter the ideal time to climb here.
Note: fog can be a problem here in December and early January!
🧗♂️Balcó del Segre
Description: A superb little sector! If it were twice the height it would world-famous and the routes would feel even harder than they already do! Orientation: southwest.
Approach: Driving from the town of Artesa de Segre, on the narrow road running between the villages of Baldomar and Alòs de Balaguer, park in a lay-by approximately 3.3km from Alòs (P1). Walk 150m back up the road towards Alòs then turn right and follow a small trail up the hillside to the sector (5 minutes). Fixed ropes aid access to the ‘balcony’ below the higher routes.
🧗♂️L’Estret
Description: A very nice sector with two contrasting areas. The left-hand side of the crag offers routes from V+ to 7b, in some cases up to 40m long, while further right the climbs are shorter and much, much harder — only one is below 8a. Orientation: southwest.
Approach: Driving from the town of Artesa de Segre, on the narrow road running between the villages of Baldomar and Alòs de Balaguer, park in a lay-by approximately 3.3km from Alòs (P2). From here follow a steep trail up to the cliffs (10 minutes). Most routes require scrambling aided by fixed ropes in the final few metres of approach making the sector unsuitable for non-climbers and dogs.
