Climbing in the Picos

I have been joined for the week by regular clients Martin, Gez, Jude and Sue and by fellow instructor and friend Alec for a week of climbing in the Picos de Europa, Northern Spain. It has been a balmy 25 degrees here with blue skies and sunshine which is a pleasant contrast to Wales last week! We caught the Fuente De cable car this morning upto 1800m and climbed Aguja Ostaicoechea on Pena Olvidada. This gave us 5 pitches of climbing at about HS and placed us on top of a superb needle of rock which we then abseiled off. We then pushed the grade a bit on a nearby single pitch sports crag to get tuned into the steeper stuff for later in the week. I haven't been to the Picos for about 8 years and I had forgotten just how beautiful it is, we have had Eagles and Vultures soaring over us all day, crocuses growing in the meadows and farmers still using horseback as a means of transport across the mountains. Just stunning!