Rock Climbing Mallorca: Cales Coves (Menorca)
Tl:Dr: Picturesque seaside climbing on the neighbouring island of Menorca. Set among one of the many archaeological sites there. Worth a visit like the whole island of Menorca.
This article is part of a series in which I am reviewing the local climbing spots on Mallorca (and in this case Menorca) from my beginner / intermediate climber point of view.
The climbs
According to thecrag.com there are 17 routes in the area ranging from easy (4a) to hard (7a+). Most routes are marked by metal plates bolted to the rock giving the name and grade - very handy. The climbing is comparable to the east coast seaside crags on Mallorca with well featured rock and about 15-20 meter height.
As my visit here was towards the very beginning of my climbing (in 2019 maybe three months after we started) I can only vouch for the quality of the easier routes which were great fun and well protected.
The views towards the sea and especially the many artificial caves (Menorca is riddled with archaeological sites and I can only recommend visiting some) in the opposing wall make this a very unique location.
Approach
From Cala en Porter follow part of the Cami de Cavalls (a walking trail following the whole coastline of the island which I did on a mountain bike a few years ago) towards the east and after 15-20 minutes you will reach a beach surrounded by cliffs. Most of the routes are on the right side of the beach, looking out to sea.
To get to Menorca from Mallorca you just need to take the ferry from Port de Alcudia to Ciutadella which is rather quick (roughly an hour) and not too expensive even with a car.
The good, the bad and the ugly
In terms of setting this crag rivals the best that there is on the bigger island of Mallorca. And like everything else on Menorca it is similar but also quite different to the areas on the bigger sister island.
The climbing is fun as far as I was able to discern and there are more crags on the island to explore.
There is nothing bad to say about his location honestly. Take a look when you on Menorca some time.
The cliffs are mainly east / southeast facing and will get a lot of sun during the day - however with the beach right there you can take a cooling dip anytime.
More Information
Route Information on theCrag
Route Information on UKClimbing