Description

General Description: In climbing terms the towering cliffs above the village of Pratdip undoubtedly constitute Tarragona’s ‘wild side’. The first sport-routes here appeared in the early nineties, but between the remoteness of the location and prohibitions placed in order to encourage an expansion in the population of Bonelli’s Eagle, the area has never seen the attention from climbers it undoubtedly deserves. Despite a bird-ban prohibiting climbing between January 10th and July 31st. we are still left with some stunning rock on which it is possible to climb legally for a part of year.

Note 1: on sector L’Escletxa de Cal Carboner, although the bolts are mostly 12mm (10mm is the norm elsewhere) the majority of bolt hangers are home-made, either from sheet steel or angle iron. It goes without saying that these do not conform to U.I.A.A specifications!

Note 2: many of these routes have had very few ascents and therefore the information presented here should be treated with a certain degree of caution!

History

The first sport-routes here appeared in the early nineties

Routes on Pratdip
60 sport 4 Likes
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Pratdip

Climbing has been limited!

Despite a bird-ban prohibiting climbing between January 10th and July 31st. we are still left with some stunning rock on which it is possible to climb legally for a part of year.

Approach:
Pratdip is a small village in the southern part of Tarragona province. It is located approximately 6km inland from the coastal AP-7 motorway and is reached via the T-310 road. From the village follow the TV-3111 road towards the village of Llaberia. Approximately 280m after passing the Km-3 sign park in a small lay-by on the right-hand side of the road (P3). There is an ‘Area Privada de Casa’ signpost here. The lay-by is only big enough for two or three vehicles but there is a similarly sized space just around the next bend. From the first parking area follow a vague path (cairn at the beginning) up the wooded hillside and then leftwards, passing several more cairns. After about 150m the path joins a dirt track. Turn left and follow this for approximately 160m to where it fades out by a circular stone formation. Continue in the same direction, now on a small but reasonably well-marked path, keeping to the crest of the ridge, which offers magnificent vistas of the valley below. Roughly 10 minutes after leaving the parking area the path reaches the top of a steep gully. Descend this, joining a more prominent path coming in from the left after 20m, and passing both blue, and yellow/green paint marks on the rock. There is an old fixed rope on one slightly tricky section. At the bottom of the gully there is a small signpost with information about climbing restrictions in the area. Turn right here (facing out) and follow a path along the foot of some impressive walls. There are several routes here, but this part of the cliff falls inside the year-round bird-ban zone. Approximately 80m from the base of the gully the path splits: take the right fork (blue paint marks) continuing along the foot of the wall and passing more ‘banned’ climbs. About 250m from the gully another restriction signpost is reached: this is where the sector begins (20 mins).

Note: a bird-ban is in place on this sector prohibiting climbing between January 10th and July 31st.
The sector immediately left and right of the descent gully ‘Portell del Carreter’ has a year-round ban.