The stunningly beautiful Mediterranean island of Mallorca is
one of Europe's great sport climbing and deep water soloing
(DWS) destinations. Its magnificent mountains and coastal
scenery are endowed with majestic locations in which many
fantastic crags reside. Add to this a fine climate, a well-
established tourist trade plus friendly locals and you have an
ideal destination for the travelling climber. On a first visit to
Mallorca most climbers will be astonished by the sheer quantity
of rock on view - both in the mountains and on the coast - but
the actual percentage of the crags developed is miniscule.
Despite this there is still plenty to go at, though many cliffs
are not in the most obvious locations. The mountains have
their fair share of fine crags but many of the other cliffs are
located down on the rocky east coast, or out on the dramatic
peninsular of Formentor.
Mallorca serves up plenty of climbing that will appeal to those
operating at most grades, ranging from 3s and 4s to the current
hardest at 9a+. Come and test yourself on some of Europe's
steepest and best tufa systems in a shady north-facing cave;
have an easy day ticking pleasant slabby routes on a perfect
sheet of compact grey rock; or pump out above the blue waters
on a DWS - all while soaking up some summer or winter sun.
Over the years Mallorcan sport climbing has developed at a
steady pace, somewhat reminiscent of the laid back lifestyle
to be found on the island. It is almost as if the amount of rock
available has been so overwhelming that the local climbers
were spoilt for choice. However, in the last few years the pace
has picked up and there is now an increasing number of active
climbers discovering and developing some amazing crags.
Major new venues like Cala Llamp and Commune de Caimari
have been opened up, and some older areas like S'estret and
Sa Mola de Felanitx have seen many excellent additions.
One of the great attractions of a climbing trip to Mallorca
is the island's compact size and good network of roads,
which allow all the crags to be visited from any of the host
of accommodation possibilities. Mallorca's 'off-season' is the
perfect time to plan a visit (unless DWSing). The island's mild
climate, discounted accommodation and low-cost flights make
it a prime choice for a winter sun sport climbing visit. What
could be better than a morning spent relaxing on a sublime
beach, or exploring an exquisite mountain village, followed by
as much world-class climbing as the body and skin can take,
and all rounded off by an evening in one of the quiet ports
sipping a beer on a terrace as the sun goes down?
Southwest
Valldemossa Area
Bunyola Area
North of the
Mountains South of the
Mountains Pollença & Formentor
Artà Area
Felanitx Area
East Coast Sport
DeepWater Soloing
4
Mallorca
Introduction
