Os de Balaguer & Tartareu

Just west of the village of Os de Balaguer a narrow valley known as the Barranc dels Vilars is home to around 80 routes situated on both sides of an impres- sive gorge. The rock is generally vertical and the climbing technical and fingery. During the winter months the number of south-facing sectors here makes ‘Os’ a popular destination for both locals and overseas visitors alike, but in fact the variety of orientations on offer means climbing is actually possible throughout the year. Nearby Tartareu may not be in quite the same class as some of the major climbing areas in this guidebook, but nevertheless offers steep and en- joyable climbing, and its east/northeasterly orientation makes it a very valuable resource for local climbers during the blisteringly hot days of midsummer, when the cliffs are shaded from early afternoon onwards (in fact some of the side walls face due north and never see the sun). The rock quality ranges from acceptable to excellent, and the routes here are generally shorter and more powerful than those found in Os de Balaguer.