5th - 12th July 2008

This is a very special week being hosted by R&S instructor Jan.

You will stay in the stunning Sella Valley, surrounded by untouched beauty and some of the most famous climbing routes of the Costa Blanca.

During the day you will climb, the week will focus on all areas of your climbing, including increasing your grade, red pointing skills and over all confidence and competence. The climber to instructor ratio is kept small and the instruction tailored to suit your personal experience and aspirations, ensuring you get the very most out of your week.

At night you will stay in the Sella Refugio, enjoy the warm summer evenings,have a drink, exchange a few stories and simply have a great time.

This will be a special week, taking advantage of the climate and the climbing area. Truly one not to be missed.

The week includes 7 nights Self catering accommodation, 6 days instruction, airport transfers, transport to each climbing day, all climbing equipment.

All this for just £339 per person.

Click here to reserve your place.

For months the Peñon d’Ifach has been closed to climbers due to critical repairs and maintenance to the walkway beneath the Peñon and the cleaning and stabilising of loose Rock from the main South Face. After much speculation and much work by Calpe council, the Club Alpí de Gandia y Club de Muntanya de Calp and local event organisers Roy and Miguel the Penyon was open to all, just hours before the 7th Penyon 12 hour challenge was due to start!

Every year teams from wide and far compete in a 12 hour race to climb as many routes as possible. All the routes are given points according to difficultly, length and protection.

This year - 17th May 2008 - 25 teams entered along with our very own team, Chris & Nacho!

After an impressive start where we saw Chris & Nacho storm up the face with uncanny speed - Puta Paseo 7a+ in just 2.5 hrs. Spirits were damped not only by the approaching storms but by an awkward & unlucky fall by Nacho on the notoriously slippery descent. Nacho injured his ankle, the storm closed in and lightening crackled….. Nacho & Chris would not be deterred and fought on. Their second route (El Navagente 7a) went equally speedy and just as us spectators were thinking that all was well and the storms seemed to be keeping to the inner mountains, we realised their descent was very slow. A phone call confirmed Nacho’s ankle was suffering on the difficult descent…….Lisa & Steve armed with a team of supporters and pain killers, freezing spray, bandages and tape raced up to meet them, dressed the ankle, gave them some cheers and incredibly they were off again.

Their third route (Costa Blanca 6c+) saw them climbing even faster than before (we were told later that fart power and humour kept them going ever faster!) Unfortunately a slower group on this route held them up but they still got to the top with half an hour to spare. They achieved their target of three routes in 12 hours and were rewarded with 7th place. A fantastic and well deserved achievement for their first race.           Nacho is recovering well with three weeks off work and a cracked foot bone!

For two weeks only 

10th - 17th May

14th - 21st June

Climbing Workshop Costa Blanca

An amazing opportunity to experince the best of the best. 

This unique workshop gives you three highly experienced instructors to cover all aspects of your climbing.

Our three instructors are all very different, with unique and valuable instructional skills.

Chris Newton-Goverd- is our Performance Coaching instructor and will work with you to dramatically improve your climbing technique, giving you valuable advice and instruction on how to move and approach each climb.

David Baggaley - Rock & Sun’s favourite! will build your confidence and overall ability, climbing lots of routes getting valuable experience on the rock.

Jan Novotny - new Rock & Sun instructor and an accomplished climber will concentrate on your red pointing skills, teaching you the skills to achieve that sought after route.

There will also be a couple of sessions on warm up and down exercises and a slide show by David.

As always climber to instructor ratios are kept small so plenty of time for personal attention. We will take you to some of the most stunning locations and quality rock climbing in the area.

The weather in May and June is perfect sunny blue skies but not too hot so you can enjoy feeling the warmth on your back and get a bit of a tan!

You will stay in the beautiful Casa Almar, a village hotel offering luxurious rustic Spanish charm, all en-suite rooms. 

The holiday includes: 7 nights accommodation, Breakfast, 6 days instruction, airport transfers, transport, climbing equipment.

You need: Flights to Alicante, shoes, harness and helmet (although we do have a full supply if you don’t have these) holiday insurance to include rock climbing activities.

Cost £499 per person.

There are some cheap flights for these weeks so contact us now to reserve your place.

email:   info@rockandsun.com              Call: 0845 686 4586

Congratulations to Lee & Julie Burrows who won the Craggy competition. 

Their prize, a fully expensed and instructed trip to the Costa Blanca.  They were looked after by Alan at the stunning Casa Almar and Chris, the R&S chief instructor, showed them some of the best routes in the area.  Here are some piccies of them at the crag and in Casa Almar with Alan.

Phil was and still is a regular indoor climber he found himself wanting to improve his climbing technique and his grade so he came along to the Rock & Sun Performance Coaching Level 1.  He came to Rock & Sun climbing F5.  His enthusiasm and willingness to try everything made him a star pupil.  He worked through all the consolidation work given by his instructor Chris after the course and was climbing harder and harder.  After level 1 he was climbing 6b!  He soon came back for more and joined a level 2 course and then a bouldering level 3 weekend.  He is now climbing 7a!

Phil says ‘I found the Rock & Sun performance coaching holidays the ideal way to improve my climbing, certainly more quickly than I could ever hope to achieve working by myself. The courses are structured so that new techniques are first learned, cemented and then applied.  The coaches know the crags intimately and select routes designed to challenge and as the week progresses the confidence increases, as do the grades - by the end of level 2 I found myself climbing routes I thought I would only ever be able to look up at!

Oh yes I’ve had great holidays too!’

His instructor Chris ‘Yoda’ Newton-Goverd says ‘Phil’s zest for learning and trying anything ensured he was quickly climbing harder and harder routes.  He is an inspiration to anyone who wishes to climb harder.  Phil has really shown with concentration and some hard work you really can see your grades soar higher than you thought was possible.’     

This is the question………. Well it is for some of us who climb and find ourselves with child!  This is one person’s story….Louise Davies.  

I started climbing about 2 years ago but got really hooked after a bouldering trip to Albaraccin with Rock and Sun. Just as I was beginning to think that I would become the next bouldering superstar I found out I was pregnant. At first I thought that was the end of my climbing career, well at least for the next 9 months, but I did some research and spoke to Lisa, at Rock and Sun, and realised that with a few changes I could continue to climb. I gave up bouldering after 12 weeks and turned back to top-roping with my husband, Simon, as my belay partner and a safe pair of hands! I moved to a full body harness when I was about 24 weeks pregnant and the bump started to get in the way. I have found that climbing whilst pregnant has given me a tremendous mental and physical boost. Not only have I managed to stay toned and in shape (every pregnant woman’s secret dream) but I have also seen a great improvement in my climbing as I have really focused on my technique and, of course, I have been lugging all that extra weight up the wall too. In all it has been a very positive and empowering experience for me. Our baby is due in 5 weeks time and I am hoping to manage one or two more climbs before then. 

 My advice if you want to continue climbing whilst pregnant would be first to speak to your doctor, then climb with people you trust, listen to your body, stop when you start to feel tired and don’t feel pressured to continue climbing beyond when you feel comfortable. I took a bouldering trip with Rock and Sun at 11 weeks pregnant. Chris was great, advising me on the best way to climb and warning me away from anything that could be problematic. He also, very sensibly, steered me away from bouldering towards top-roping where I could push myself a little further but with less risk to the baby. It was with their advice that I had the confidence to continue climbing.

I look forward to my next Rock and Sun bouldering trip – babe in arms!

From everyone at Rock & Sun we wish Louise and Simon every happiness and we look forward to hearing from you very soon!

When a young dynamic cycling company introduced themselves to Rock & Sun and asked if we would sponsor their new team we said ’Sounds like fun!’  This new team is made up of passionate riders of all abilities and ages headed up by ex Great Britain Cycling mechanic and coach, Craig Denning.  Craig has worked, trained and raced all over the world with The Great Britain team and his experience is vast.  After many years of the jet setting lifestyle Craig decided to set up a more permanent base with his family in Bristol and his dream was to set up his own cycling mechanic company and his own team.  He has now done this suitably calling his company ‘Dream Mechanics’ and the team ’Dream Cycling’  

Here is Craig leading the field at a recent race.

We wish all the team members lots of wins and fun and to Craig every success with his new company.

For more info on Dream Mechanics or the team and the services offered including mechanics and servicing, personal coaching and training.  Or if you fancy a nose at another mad sports enthusiasts log on to www.dreammechanics.co.uk 

What better way to start climbing than when you are young!!  Here are some photos of some of the young hopefuls!!

Introducing Jamie, Jotham, Finley, Rowan, Josep, Jordi and Raul.

Welcome to Stevie, a young talented instructor who has recently joined the Rock & Sun team.  He will be running plenty of courses for R&S in the UK and Europe.  Performance Coaching is his specialty.  Here are some piccies of one of his recent courses.