Vilanova de Meià

The magnificent and imposing cliffs above the picturesque village of Vilanova de Meià are mostly famed for their multi-pitch routes, some of which, particularly those on the Roca dels Arcs, are regarded as being amongst the finest in Catalunya. At more than 200m high the majority of these cliffs and their routes are beyond the scope of this sport climbing guidebook, but as a taster we include sector Amatista on the Parets del Pas Nou, which offers some superb three and four pitch fully bolted adventures. The single-pitch climbing here is equally fine but somewhat rather strangely neglected, which is curious because the sectors included in our selection all boast excellent rock and offer interesting routes through a wide range of grades. The climbing ‘season’ in Vilanova de Meià runs from mid-autumn to late spring. Summers are generally rather too hot for comfort, though the easterly orientation of sector L’Anticúpula means it is shaded from early/mid-afternoon onwards and affords reasonable conditions, particularly when there’s a breeze blowing, as is often the case.