Climbs 108
Rocktype Limestone
Altitude 963m a.s.l
Faces N
Nathan Lee. © dominic lee
The high and shady crags of Loja are located way above a picturesque landscape of sprawling olive plantations and distant mountain ranges. The climbing is exceptional with route after route offering steep and sustained wall climbing, more often than not on tufas and pockets. There is plenty of climbing for those operating from grade 6 upwards and a number of the routes are surprisingly long but most are single pitches.
Loja is around one and a half hours drive from El Chorro but is well worth the effort as the drive itself is interesting. The cliff is easily accessed, and on warm days the climbing is superb. In the past there has been a bird restriction but this has now been lifted. The area has now also been designated as a National Park.
The crags are at an altitude of 1000m and remain in the shade for most of the day, being a haven of cool when the temperatures at lower levels are unpleasantly high. It is a particularly useful crag for the visitor in early autumn or late spring. Climbing would be possible if it starts to rain but it is not really somewhere to go looking for dry rock in prolonged rain.
From El Chorro, head for Antequera by following the road through Valle de Abdalajis. Go through Antequera, following signs for Granada, and pick up the main road (A92) heading east towards Granada. Follow this as far as the first exit signed for the town of Loja (junction 187) but continue just beyond and turn off to a large service area. Drive to the start of the entry sliproad back onto the main road and turn right onto a good dirt track that runs parallel to the road. Follow the track to some buildings and turn right uphill and follow the track for 2.5km until Zorreras Altas is easily seen on the left close to the top of the mountain. Park at the side of the track taking great care to leave plenty of space for large quarry lorries to pass. Zorreras Altas is just above the track and Zorreras Bajas is easily accessed by a contouring path that starts at a gate/gap in the fence on the right-hand side of the track.
Zorreras Bajas has now been almost entirely de-bolted.
Sector El Cuenco is closed from 1st of January to 30st of June. Malene Nygaard Kristensen - 06/Apr/15 |
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