... We are in Egido, a cafeteria in Cuenca's town centre which serves as a week-end meeting point for the climbing fraternity. We try to agree over today's route over a coffee and a bun. Early summer heat makes shade specially tempting so we finally plump for El Camino. A short drive and a pleasant walk later we are caressing the rough limestone of the Cuenca slabs. As the gentle wind rocks the poplars on the river Júcar, the cleansing smell of pine fills our polluted urban lungs, and we leave behind crimpers and two-finger holds as we enjoy a quiet day's climbing in Cuenca...

Cuenca is a small town in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula. It is a historical town, replete with tourist sites, like the cathedral, the main square or the Casas Colgadas, the hanging houses - leaning into the abyss of the Huécar gorge in a miracle of architectural balance. But Cuenca's charm lies not only in its culture but also in its landscape. The town is built at the meeting point of two rivers, the Júcar and the Huécar, which separate San Martín from the other neighbourhoods. Cuenca is the starting point for an exploration of the gorges which these two rivers have carved in the soft limestone of the surrounding countryside. And it is these riverside cliffs which form the playground where climbers practice their vertical dance, and which have transformed Cuenca into one of Spain's top climbing crags, in terms of route quantity, quality and difficulty.

A little history

Cuenca's climbing history is short, as the crag has been  developed in recent times. It all started at the end of the 80s, when Madrid climbers foresaw the end to the potential of Patones (central Spain's other great limestone crag). Most of the routes were already set up and the potential for development of hard sport routes was limited. So, in the Summer of 1988, Carlos Ruíz "Snoopy" - a Madrileño climbing fanatic, responsible for many firsts in Patones and La Pedriza - set off to explore the Serranía de Cuenca, in search of a "promised land" that would quench Madrid's thirst for fresh climbing horizons. After much searching he concluded that Cuenca itself offered the best opportunities and, together with fellow enthusiasts - Marcos García "Ferreta", Txavo Vales, José Yánez and others - started to set up the sector of Las Colmenas  with the crag's first route, "La historia impepinable" 7c+, nowadays 7c. Soon the first eighths appeared -Maciste and Goliath, two of the crag's classics - and soon other climbers  - Jose Manuel Velázquez-Gaztelu "Cristo", José Manuel Palacios "Bolo", Carlos Suárez, Chule, to name some - started to set up their own routes.  Thus Cuenca took shape as one of the hard sport climbing temples of the Iberian Peninsula.

Climbing style

Stamina climbing is the norm in Cuenca, with many routes over 20-25m long, mainly vertical or even with slight overhangs. Some routes boast larger overhangs, such as "Tinnculus" or "El calvario del sicario", another classic. Tiny holds are typical, crimpers mainly, although we also find abundant two-finger or even one-finger holds, depending on the route's grade. The scarcity of footholds also adds a degree of technical challenge. It is a type of climbing which requires finger strength to ensure a good grip on the, on occasion, minuscule holds. The rock is limestone, generally soft (careful with holds in areas of reddish or yellow stone, which can break, even on busy routes), and fairly compact. Due to this compactness easy routes are few and far-between, in fact Cuenca has many more eight-graders than beginner routes.

When to visit

Spring and Autumn are best, although year-round climbing is possible if sectors are chosen with care. The curves which the Júcar and the Huécar have carved out of the rock give a choice of sunny and shady sectors, either all day or at least part of it. Summer and Winter are fairly extreme, with little rainfall and particularly cold Winters. Temperatures are milder during Spring and Autumn, although rain is more likely.

Why climb in Cuenca?

Cuenca is an outstanding crag for hard sport climbing. It is a paradise for any climber who is comfortable in the 7a to 8a (5.12-5-13) range. It is difficult to find so many quality routes in other Spanish location (including the internationally renowned El Chorro or Rodellar). Cuenca is therefore ideal for climbers who want challenging routes in a quiet laid-back setting.

Practical tips

A car is important to be able to get from one sector to another. Once there you can sometimes change from one sector to another with short walks of under 20 minutes.

With the exception of Martín Alhaja, there is no water. Best to bring it with us.

The town of Cuenca, although small, is well appointed with many services and conveniences. We can stay in hotels, hostals and even b&b type accommodation in the town itself and in the surrounding villages. There are also camp-sites in the area.

Camping in the gorges is not allowed, but there are places to bivouac.

Avoid visiting this crag during Easter week as there are local celebrations and tourists fill the town. Also accommodation becomes scarce and expensive.

Further reading (in Spanish):

- Desnivel magazine
Desnivel
Issue 11.

- Escalar magazine
Desnivel
Issue 35 (booklet with maps of some sectors).