So, I’m working on piecing together a 2-3 week canyoning trip to southern Europe in late spring/early summer 2010.
I’m pretty sure that we will spend some time in Sierra de Guara, but other than that the itinerary is wide open. I have the Cicerone canyoning guidebook, and have been working my way through it, but I’m hoping for more beta and possibly more challenging canyons.
Possible stops include Southern Spain, Southern France, Pyraneese Sardinia, Madeira, Sicily, Mallorca. Corsica, Italy, North Africa…
Any information including maps, regions, personal experiences, contacts, guide recommendations, warnings, guide books, etc. that anyone can share would be very much appreciated.
Between my partner and I we speak English, Spanish, French, Italian and Arabic. So, feel free to give us beta or recommendations in those languages.
Thanks in advance!
David
P.S. Tom, I know you have the skinny on Spain. I went to your slideshow about it at REI 8 years ago.
senordave
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “TomJones” wrote:
These amigos in Madrid have been working on an international canyoning database:
http://www.barranquismo.net/index.htm
>
Wow! That betabase is awesome!
scott patterson
“Possible stops include Southern Spain, Southern France, Pyraneese Sardinia, Madeira, Sicily, Mallorca. Corsica, Italy, North Africa…”  It’s not mainland Europe, but the Canary Islands are just off the coast of North Africa and part of Spain so if you happen to be in the region there are some good canyons there.  On the island of La Gomera right near Valle Gran Rey is the Barranco de Arure.  We climbed about half way up the canyon, passing several small waterfalls along the way until we were stopped by a big waterfall in a fantastic narrows section.  I didn’t bring my ropes, but I sure wish we did so we could have come down the canyon from above.  It was a very nice canyon and quite spectacular and would be a good canyoneering trip for sure.
roadtripry
Haha.. yup.. she lived above Wild Rose for awhile. Funny.. it is a small world. The Wednesday parties never bothered her or I much, but I think one of the neighbors called the cops a time or two…
Be sure to write up a trip report when you get back. I’d be very interested in hearing about both Spain and Corsica. We might be heading back this fall.
-Ryan
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “senordave” wrote:
Thanks so much for the information. I actually read your initial trip report on de Guara in the forums. That’s exactly what I was looking for. I would really like to add Corsica to the list, too.
Didn’t Christina live above the Wild Rose for a while? That picture looks very familiar. If so, tell her I’m sorry for all the times we may have kept her up on Wednesday nights.
-David
senordave
Thanks so much for the information. I actually read your initial trip report on de Guara in the forums. That’s exactly what I was looking for. I would really like to add Corsica to the list, too.
Didn’t Christina live above the Wild Rose for a while? That picture looks very familiar. If so, tell her I’m sorry for all the times we may have kept her up on Wednesday nights.
-David
Wow, sounds fun. Let me relate our experiences in a lengthy way:
Cristina and I spent a week in Sierra De Guara last fall. There is a ton to do there. We did Rio Vero (which was non-technical, but stunningly beautiful), as well as several others. We stayed in Alquezar, which is AMAZING, and highly recommended. A room in a private house was about 25 or 30 euro a night for both of us, which seemed very cheap. (and almost competitive with camping)
mamba3d
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “senordave” wrote:
> Any information including … personal experiences …. that > anyone can share would be very much appreciated.
http://www.crystalcanyons.net/Pages/TripReports/SpanishCooladePart3.shtm
You can link to parts 1 and 2 from there.
It’s a neat place,
John
roadtripry
Wow, sounds fun. Let me relate our experiences in a lengthy way:
Cristina and I spent a week in Sierra De Guara last fall. There is a ton to do there. We did Rio Vero (which was non-technical, but stunningly beautiful), as well as several others. We stayed in Alquezar, which is AMAZING, and highly recommended. A room in a private house was about 25 or 30 euro a night for both of us, which seemed very cheap. (and almost competitive with camping)
As you come into Alquezar, there are a 1/2 dozen guide services along the road. They all seemed to be priced about the same. We used one service for 2 canyons, and had a great time. It was late in the season, so we may have gotten cheaper rates than high season, but I think it cost us 65 euro each for both canyons, or 40 euro if only doing one canyon. I would recommend a guide to start with, just because it’s a good way to get an intro to the canyons and talk to a local. All trailheads were well marked with detailed information about each canyon. Expect lots of flow in the canyons, and many jumps. You’ll want a 5mm suit, either take one or rent one.
As for Italy, Cristina is from Sardinia, so we have spent a bit of time there. Orbisi is a great canyon. We, unfortunately, didn’t have the gear for Donini, but I have heard it is an even better cave/canyon experience that basically goes underneath Orbisi. If you do Orbisi, take the cave exit at the end, it is the cherry on top of the already good canyon.
Pics and TR from our trip through Orbisi: http://www.ajroadtrips.com/go/information/history-and-stories/orbisitr.html
If your focused on mileage, I’d recommend focusing on Sierra De Guara, as you can likely do 1-2 canyons a day if your motivated. Sardinia would be my recommendation for a more mellow, laid back trip. Sardinia has the plus of amazing Italian food, and some stunning rock climbing both on the beaches and inland. Sierra De Guara has the advantage of lots of canyons in close proximity. The climbing in Sierra is also world class, so if you climb, you can get some pitches in at either place.
Our guide in Spain said he did 40+ canyons on Corsica in 20 days, so Corsica and a day or two in Sardinia might be a good way to blend mileage with relaxing time, and experience 2 different areas.
Re: Maps We got maps for Sardinia from a local book store on the island. For Spain, we just used the Cicerone guidebook drawings and the trailhead signs. In Sierra, everything was well marked, so with good spacial skills, I felt ok without a map. Several locals sketched maps on napkins for us, and we never got lost. Trails were well worn. Sardinia was more wild with no signs or marked paths. (I really liked this about Sardinia)
Re: Travel If you haven’t been to Europe, as I hadn’t until a couple of years ago, you may look at a map and say “ah, it’s only 140km drive.. that’s like only 85 miles… We’ll make that in an hour..”. Be forewarned that travel is much slower on the narrow roads than in the US. If you average 60km/hour, I would say you were making very good time. For that reason, next time I go, I’ll try to only visit a couple of places so I don’t burn to much time moving from area to area. 2-3 weeks sounds like a lot, but once there, it is amazing how fast the time goes. I think it took us 6 hours or more from Barcelona to Alquezar, which was less than 300km.
All that being said, when we go to Europe next, I’d like to visit Corsica and/or Northern Africa.
My 2 cents. If you have other questions, feel free to ping me sideband. -Ryan
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “senordave” wrote:
So, I’m working on piecing together a 2-3 week canyoning trip to > southern Europe in late spring/early summer 2010.
I’m pretty sure that we will spend some time in Sierra de Guara, but > other than that the itinerary is wide open. I have the Cicerone > canyoning guidebook, and have been working my way through it, but > I’m hoping for more beta and possibly more challenging canyons.
Possible stops include Southern Spain, Southern France, Pyraneese > Sardinia, Madeira, Sicily, Mallorca. Corsica, Italy, North Africa…
Any information including maps, regions, personal experiences, > contacts, guide recommendations, warnings, guide books, etc. that > anyone can share would be very much appreciated.
Between my partner and I we speak English, Spanish, French, Italian > and Arabic. So, feel free to give us beta or recommendations in > those languages.
Thanks in advance!
David
P.S. Tom, I know you have the skinny on Spain. I went to your > slideshow about it at REI 8 years ago. >
TomJones
These amigos in Madrid have been working on an international canyoning database:
http://www.barranquismo.net/index.htm
I have some books I could lend you for stateside perusal (in Spanish and French) if you’d like to send me an address. Email to CanyoneeringUSA at gmail dot com.
T
— In Yahoo Canyons Group, “senordave” wrote:
So, I’m working on piecing together a 2-3 week canyoning trip to > southern Europe in late spring/early summer 2010.
I’m pretty sure that we will spend some time in Sierra de Guara, but > other than that the itinerary is wide open. I have the Cicerone > canyoning guidebook, and have been working my way through it, but > I’m hoping for more beta and possibly more challenging canyons.
Possible stops include Southern Spain, Southern France, Pyraneese > Sardinia, Madeira, Sicily, Mallorca. Corsica, Italy, North Africa…
Any information including maps, regions, personal experiences, > contacts, guide recommendations, warnings, guide books, etc. that > anyone can share would be very much appreciated.
Between my partner and I we speak English, Spanish, French, Italian > and Arabic. So, feel free to give us beta or recommendations in > those languages.
Thanks in advance!
David
P.S. Tom, I know you have the skinny on Spain. I went to your > slideshow about it at REI 8 years ago. >