Peñas de Cellorigo

Overview

 
The rocky needles of the Peñas de Cellorigo stand over the small village of the same name, at the spanish region of La Rioja. Both village and crags offer wonderful views over the Ebro plain of the Rioja Alta, stretching out to the mountains of the Sierra de la Demanda. Basically a wine-producing region with its best look in the early autumn, when the grapes are being recollected. The remains of an ancient castle can be found in the summit, and the village was the site of a battle in the early Middle Ages, fought by the muslim armies from Al-Andalus and the christian Count of Alava.
There's a path you can take from the village of Cellorigo, offering a nice hike (for candidates experienced in steep terrain) between the rocky needles and access to the normal route to the summit.

Getting There

The small village of Cellorigo, placed just under the mountain, is the main trailhead for the climb. The closest remarkable town is Miranda de Ebro, 10 km north of Cellorigo and an important knot in the spanish railway system. To reach the mountain, leave Miranda soutwards following the signs towards Tirgo and Casalarreina. It's all straightforward, even if the road changes its name (BU-733 at first, BU-734 after that and LR-301 after the limit of La Rioja. 7 km after leaving Miranda, you will find a crossroads marked "Cellorigo 3". Turn right and reach the trailhead in 3 additional km.

The closest important airports are placed at Bilbao and Madrid. There are two smaller ones at Vitoria/Gasteiz and Logroño, but they've got a really small traffic and you might find it harder to use them as an entry point towards Cellorigo.

Red Tape

The basic idea is to avoid tackling the climb whenever the rock is wet. The normal route to the main summit is not really difficult for anyone used to real climbing, but it can be dangerous and should be left alone if you have the slightest doubt about the conditions.
Any other route to the summits is not for hikers, as route gradings never come under F+.

Camping

There are two camping sites rather close to Cellorigo. One of them is placed between Casalareina and Castañares de Rioja, about 20 km south of Cellorigo, and another one at Haro (22 km southeast). An additional camping site is placed at Ameyugo,20 km east. Check the "External links" section

External Links

Camping de Haro
Camping La Rioja
Spanish info on the mountain

Images

View Peñas de Cellorigo Image Gallery - 28 Images