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Val Pennavaire is in western Liguria, a dozen or so minutes' drive inland from the coastal town of Albenga. It is a narrow, wooded valley, and the crags are tucked into the trees in patches. It first appeared in a guidebook called Oltrefinale ("beyond Finale"), so many climbers still call it Oltrefinale, or simply "Albenga".
The UKClimbing destination guide warns that the name makes it sound joined to Finale Ligure, when it is about 30 km further west along the coast and very different in style. This post helps you decide which crags to pick for a winter trip, which ones are currently caught up in a ban dispute, and how to get into the valley without a car. For a season-and-region comparison of Italian crags, see the series overview.
What kind of crag is it
Rock and style. Mostly single-pitch limestone sport. UKClimbing says there is "no trad climbing anywhere" and every route has a lower-off. Most crags are steep walls of tufas, crimps and pockets that ask for stamina and good footwork. theTopo says the limestone is older than Finale's, which gives a wider mix of holds. The few long routes are on Rocca Rossa; climbing-guide.eu, quoting the local guide, puts the longest at about 130 m.
Scale. Numbers by source (checked October 2026):
| Source | Scope | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| RocPennavaire association | Valley crag list | 61 crags |
| climbing-guide.eu: RocPennavaire guide | Local guidebook | About 2,700 routes in 62 areas |
| theCrag | Val Pennavaire | 2,122 routes, 12,415 logged ascents |
| Mountain Project | Val Pennavaire | Nearly 50 crags, over 1,200 routes |
| Climb Europe | All five Oltrefinale valleys (including Pennavaire) | 80 sectors, over 2,000 routes |
Popularity. On 8a.nu's ranking of Italian sport crags, sorted by logged ascents, Terminal is 6th (10,243) and Erboristeria 11th (7,991).
Who maintains it. The local association RocPennavaire, founded in 2012, develops new crags, rebolts and keeps the paths clear, funded mainly by guidebook sales and donations. Planetmountain's Terminal page, for example, says the association checked 800 bolts at Terminal in 2013 and replaced every unsafe one; its home page lists the 2025 rebolt of Placca dei Malavoglia and the restyling of La Galera. A September 2026 CSEN article says the association is fundraising to fit about 30 older routes in the Castelbianco cave with resin anchors and stainless-steel lower-offs.
Who it suits. Best for mid-grade to strong climbers looking for sunny steep walls in winter. Routes at 6a and below are concentrated in a few crags (see Routes by level), so there is not much for beginners, but the association flags several "NO BIG" crags for them.
When to go
North bank in winter, south bank in summer. The valley runs roughly east–west, rising from the Martinetto junction at its mouth westwards to Alto. Walls on the north bank mostly face south and get the sun; walls on the south bank mostly face north and stay in shade (see RocPennavaire for each crag's aspect). Planetmountain's 2013 introduction puts it as climbing in the sun on one bank or in the shade on the other. The shady south-bank crags are the ones caught up in the ban dispute; see the rules below.
| Source | Season |
|---|---|
| UKClimbing | Best October to April; December and January can be too cold; May to September too hot for most; most crags seep after prolonged rain and take a while to dry |
| Mountain Project | Early autumn to late spring |
| theTopo | Terminal, Castelbianco cave, Acquario October to May; Il Granaio all year; Erboristeria, Cineplex, Enoteca March to October |
Winter crags. RocPennavaire's winter list has 31 crags. The most often recommended are below (aspect, walk-in and route counts from the association's pages):
| Crag | Aspect | Walk-in | Routes, grades | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terminal | South-east | 12 min | 100 routes, 5a–8c | The valley's showpiece, routes up to 40 m; the Casa dei Nonni sector on the far right stays dry in the rain (Planetmountain) |
| Castelbianco (cave) | North-east, south | 3 min | 84 routes, 5a–9a | Big steep cave developed from 1992; the left side (5c–6b+) is a beginner area; the association says it is best in spring and autumn |
| Telematica | South | 10 min | 29 routes, 4a–6b | One of the few crags with only easy routes; rebolted 2022 |
| Bauso di Veravo | South | 15 min | 150 routes, 5a–8c | 1990s vertical technical walls with lots of 6s; the association calls it "Ideal for the winter months" |
| Euskal / Colosseo / Basura | South | 15–22 min | 29 + 40 + 33 routes, 5b–8c | Three adjoining walls: Euskal steep with longer bolt spacing, Colosseo big holes and big holds, Basura compact red rock |
| Red Up | South-east | 15 min | 37 routes, 6a–8b | A 40 m tufa wall up the valley near Alto |
| La Galera | South | 25 min | 37 routes, 5a–7c | The association calls it a "Purely winter sector"; the left-hand wall is mostly 6a and 6b |
Rainy days. The association's rain list is Granaio, Reunion and Guggenheim. Sources differ on Telematica's sun: Mountain Project says it gets only a couple of hours of afternoon sun in winter but is very sheltered, while RocPennavaire says it is in the sun almost all day.
Getting there
| Public transport | Driving | |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Albenga station on the Genoa–Ventimiglia line | A10 motorway, Albenga exit |
| Middle | TPL Linea bus 76 from Albenga station to Castelbianco, about 45 min | SS582 towards Garessio to the Martinetto junction, then left on the SP14 into the valley |
| Last leg | Walk from the bus stop to the crag | Park at roadside clearings, church squares or village car parks depending on the crag |
Public transport
Albenga is on the coastal railway between Genoa and Ventimiglia (FS Italiane's line-doubling project page), with regional trains from both the Genoa and Nice directions.
The only bus into the valley is TPL Linea line 76 (Albenga–Castelbianco–Nasino–Alto–Caprauna). The table uses the winter weekday timetable from 14 September 2026 as an example:
| Direction | Departs | Arrives |
|---|---|---|
| Albenga station → Castelbianco | 9:10, 13:10, 18:30 | 9:53, 13:53, 19:13 |
| Castelbianco → Albenga station | 7:05, 11:23, 15:23 | 7:35, 11:58, 15:58 |
The timetable says "NON EFFETTUA SERVIZIO NEI GIORNI FESTIVI": no buses on Sundays or public holidays.
So the bus gives you a short day: arrive 9:53, leave 15:23. Terminal, Granaio and the Castelbianco cave are all beside the SP14, a few minutes to a quarter of an hour on foot, and suit it best. The Euskal group is 3.6 km further up the valley from Castelbianco and Red Up further still, so neither is practical by bus. UKClimbing's conclusion is that a hire car is the realistic option, and Climb Europe says "A hire car is essential".
Driving
Planetmountain's directions: leave the A10 (Genoa–Ventimiglia) at Albenga, take the SS582 towards Garessio, turn left at Martinetto onto the SP14, and Terminal is 4.5 km on. Mountain Project says it is about 1.5 hours' drive from either Nice or Genoa.
The handiest base is Colletta di Castelbianco: UKClimbing describes an old village abandoned in the 1950s and converted in the 1990s into apartments, a bar and a restaurant, right in the middle of the most popular crags. Albenga is cheaper, but you drive further every day.
Parking
| Crag | Where to park | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal, Granaio, Erboristeria | By the houses of agriturismo "da Ferruccio", or the clearing about 100 m further on | RocPennavaire, Planetmountain |
| Castelbianco cave | The clearing below the wall, or at the roadside a little further on | CSEN |
| Telematica and the Colletta crags | Past Castelbianco, turn right at Osteria Scola towards Colletta; large car park at the village entrance | RocPennavaire, Climbook |
| Euskal, Colosseo, Basura | 3.6 km past Castelbianco, turn right for "Chiesa- Perati- Casale" and park in the church square | RocPennavaire |
| Bauso di Veravo, La Galera | The large car park behind Veravo church | RocPennavaire |
RocPennavaire's Terminal page says "Don't park in the private parking spaces, especially on the left side!", and asks climbers on the path past the vegetable garden to "pay attention to the crops". Planetmountain wrote in 2013 that the valley has no campsite and the Bauso tourist office car park fills with vans and campers at weekends.
Rules to know before you go
The shady south-bank crags are under a ban dispute. This is the single most important thing for planning.
- The 2000 provincial ban. TAR Liguria (the regional administrative court) ruling no. 52 of 2021 cites the Province of Savona's regulation no. 64975 of 14 September 2000. It draws a zone bounded by ridges, a stream and the valley-floor road, within which there is a "divieto permanente di arrampicata" (permanent climbing ban), spanning the municipalities of Arnasco, Castelbianco and Vendone. The area is part of the Castell'Ermo–Peso Grande Natura 2000 site, which protects breeding eagle owls and peregrine falcons.
- The 2021 trial reopening was annulled. In 2020 the Liguria regional government passed resolution no. 335 allowing climbing on some walls on a trial basis until the end of 2021. WWF Italia and LIPU challenged it, and the TAR annulled it on the precautionary principle.
- Which crags. The ruling itself does not name crags. The local blog Liguria Verticale says the ban covers the walls on the valley's right bank (the shady side) from Emisfero to Magic Mushroom; Up-Climbing's July 2021 interview with WWF's Liguria delegate names Emisfero, Erboristeria and Cineplex (secondary: a climbing magazine's and a blog's reading; the ruling lists no crags). The same interview says temporary-ban areas may be used from 1 August to 31 December each year while permanent-ban areas are fully closed, and that the region and WWF had set up a working group to run an environmental impact assessment and sort the walls into open, seasonally open and closed.
- Current status. Up-Climbing's January 2021 comment piece says climbing at Cineplex and Erboristeria "è vietata da sempre" (has always been banned) and had simply been tolerated, while the remaining 90% or so of the valley's crags are open as normal. As of October 2026, no later decision from that working group to reopen anything could be found. RocPennavaire's crag pages still list these crags with no ban notice, while its Magic Mushroom page mentions problems with "the prohibition of bird nesting" during development. Before you go, ask RocPennavaire or the CPR climbing shop in Cisano sul Neva about the current situation; the route tables in this post include only crags on the north bank and up the valley, outside the disputed zone.
Phone signal and rescue. theTopo says the Castelbianco-area crags have "PHONE SIGNAL: NO". Liguria runs the EU emergency number 112 (AGENAS); CNSAS mountain rescue says to call 112 or 118 and ask for mountain rescue, giving WGS84 coordinates where possible. Work out where the signal starts on the walk in before you need it.
Gear. UKClimbing says a 70 m single rope and 16 quickdraws are enough for every crag; the bases are dusty, so bring a rope bag. Euskal's bolts are further apart than elsewhere (RocPennavaire).
Old bolts. Many Castelbianco cave routes were bolted between 1992 and 2005; the association has about 30 scheduled for rebolting (CSEN, September 2026). Until that is done, judge the old anchors yourself.
Routes by level
YDS and V-grade conversions follow the Mountain Project international grade comparison chart and are approximate; "approx." marks grades the sources give without a/b/c (such as 4 or 5+). The original grade is the one that counts.
The four tables below include only sunny winter crags outside the disputed zone. Route names and grades come mainly from theTopo, 8a.nu, Planetmountain and UKClimbing; ascent counts name the database.
Beginner: up to 6a (YDS 5.10a and below)
Routes at 6a and below are concentrated at Telematica: RocPennavaire calls it the valley's "NO BIG cliff for excellence", and Gulliver says it is closely bolted and ideal for beginners. The left side of the Castelbianco cave and the left wall of La Galera also have a batch of 5c to 6b routes.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photoshop | 4a (8a.nu) / 4+ (theTopo) | 5.4 | 12 m, single pitch | Telematica | 8a.nu 63 ascents |
| Word | 5a+ (8a.nu) / 5a (Climbook) | 5.7 | 15 m, single pitch | Telematica | 8a.nu 81 ascents, Climbook 44 |
| Power Point | 5c | 5.9 | 18 m, single pitch | Telematica | 8a.nu 87 ascents |
| Mozilla | 5c | 5.9 | Single pitch | Telematica | 8a.nu 116 ascents; Climbook notes it was extended in 2022 into Mozilla plus, 6a |
| Win Mix | 6a | 5.10a | 18 m, single pitch | Telematica | 8a.nu 99 ascents |
| Galileo Galilei | 6a | 5.10a | Single pitch | Terminal | Listed by theTopo |
| Orazio | 6a | 5.10a | Single pitch | Colosseo | Recommended by RocPennavaire |
Intermediate: 6a+ to 6c+ (YDS 5.10b–5.11c)
Planetmountain says "most climbs are in the region of 6c" at Terminal, which makes it the main venue for this band.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ram | 6a+ | 5.10b | 18 m, single pitch | Telematica | 8a.nu 158 ascents; recommended by RocPennavaire |
| Kazaa | 6a+ (8a.nu, theTopo) / 6b (Climbook, Gulliver) | 5.10b | 25 m, single pitch | Telematica | 8a.nu 148 ascents |
| .MP3 | 6b+ | 5.10d | 20 m, single pitch | Telematica | Most-climbed route at the crag on 8a.nu, 185 ascents |
| Dulles | 6a+ | 5.10b | Single pitch | Terminal | Recommended by Planetmountain; theTopo 18 ascents |
| JFK | 6b | 5.10c | Single pitch | Terminal | Recommended by Planetmountain; theTopo 20 ascents |
| Newark | 6b+ | 5.10d | Single pitch | Terminal | Recommended by both Planetmountain and UKClimbing |
| Ministro Pistarini | 6c+ | 5.11c | Single pitch | Terminal | Recommended by both Planetmountain and UKClimbing |
| Saltasassi | 6a+ | 5.10b | Single pitch | Bauso | Recommended by UKClimbing |
| Paracelso | 6c | 5.11a/b | Single pitch | Basura | RocPennavaire says Basura's 6c and 7a routes are among the best in the valley |
Advanced: 7a to 7c+ (YDS 5.11d–5.13a)
The big central overhang at Terminal, plus Euskal and Red Up, are the main venues; UKClimbing says Terminal's central overhang "hosts a series of 3-star routes".
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pook | 7a | 5.11d | Single pitch | Terminal | Recommended by Planetmountain |
| Tapas | 7a | 5.11d | Single pitch | Euskal | Recommended by both UKClimbing and RocPennavaire |
| Nerone | 7a | 5.11d | Single pitch | Colosseo | Recommended by RocPennavaire |
| Banshees | 7a | 5.11d | Single pitch | Basura | Recommended by RocPennavaire |
| Chiang Kai Chek | 7a+ (Planetmountain) / 7b (theTopo) | 5.12a | Single pitch | Terminal | Recommended by Planetmountain |
| Bob | 7b | 5.12b | Single pitch | Red Up | UKClimbing: "a mindblowing tufa" |
| Lester Pearson | 7c | 5.12d | Single pitch | Terminal | Recommended by both UKClimbing and Planetmountain |
| Kepa | 7c | 5.12d | Single pitch | Euskal | Recommended by UKClimbing |
| Kandinsky | 7c | 5.12d | Single pitch | Guggenheim | Recommended by UKClimbing; Guggenheim is on the association's rain list |
Expert: 8a and up (YDS 5.13b and up)
Versante Sud, introducing guidebook author Matteo Gambaro, says that since moving to Cisano sul Neva at the valley mouth in 2015 he has added over 300 lines from 8a to 9a+. The Castelbianco cave was the valley's first hard wall.
| Route | Grade | YDS | Length / pitches | Sector | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ciampino | 8a | 5.13b | Single pitch | Terminal | Recommended by Planetmountain |
| Narita | 8a | 5.13b | Single pitch | Terminal | Recommended by Planetmountain |
| Angolo Retto | 8a+ | 5.13c | Single pitch | Red Up | On RocPennavaire's not-to-be-missed list |
| Super wives | 8a+ | 5.13c | Single pitch | Castelbianco cave | Climbed in June 2006 by a teenage Adam Ondra (CSEN) |
| Fire Man | 8b | 5.13d | Single pitch | Castelbianco cave | Bolted by Dinda and Blond, freed by Gianni Duregato (CSEN) |
| Premiere | 8c | 5.14b | Single pitch | Castelbianco cave | Freed by Stefano Ghisolfi in 2014, the valley's second 8c (CSEN) |
| Anchorage | 8c+ | 5.14c | Single pitch | Terminal | Line by Gambaro (Up-Climbing 2024) |
| Perfect Man 2.0 | 9a | 5.14d | Single pitch | Castelbianco cave | First ascent by Gambaro in March 2016, the valley's first 9a; Ondra repeated it on his second try in April 2017 (CSEN) |
Narcissus at Erboristeria (9a/+, first ascent by Gambaro in 2021, per Versante Sud) and Blow at Cineplex (8c, which Up-Climbing calls the valley's first 8c) are both in the disputed south-bank zone, so they are left out of the tables.
How it differs from Finale Ligure
| Val Pennavaire (this post) | Finale Ligure | |
|---|---|---|
| Setting | One narrow valley inland from Albenga | Limestone plateaus from the coast inland |
| Development | From the 1990s, mostly after 2000 (Planetmountain) | First routes in 1968 (italia.it) |
| Style | Steep walls, tufas, stamina; UKClimbing calls it "very much more 'modern'" | Vertical to slightly overhanging and technical; theCrag says popular routes are "more or less polished" |
| Bolts | The association keeps rebolting (Euskal's spacing is longer) | UKClimbing says Finale is now better known for "polish and very spaced bolts" |
| Winter | South-facing north-bank crags | Pick by aspect; something is climbable all year |
| Bans | The shady south-bank crags sit inside the 2000 permanent ban zone; dispute unresolved | Seasonal raptor bans 1 Jan–31 Jul plus a permanent-ban list; follow Finale Outdoor Region's LIVE page |
| Transport | Three weekday buses; you basically need a car | Train to Finale Ligure; the bus towards Feglino reaches the Monte Cucco area |
UKClimbing puts the two about 30 km apart along the coast. They pair well on one trip, with Pennavaire's sunny steep walls for the cold days.
Where to look things up
- RocPennavaire association: aspect, walk-in, route count and parking for all 61 crags, plus summer, winter, rain and beginner ("NO BIG") lists and rebolting news.
- theCrag: Val Pennavaire: 2,122 routes and logged ascents per crag.
- theTopo: Castelbianco and theTopo: Colletta: route lists and sun hours for Terminal, Telematica and nearby crags (most topos are paid).
- 8a.nu ranking of Italian sport crags: logged ascents per crag, to see where the crowds are.
- UKClimbing destination guide: English-language crag tour, seasons and gear advice.
- TPL Linea bus 76 timetable: the only bus into the valley; the file changes each season, so check the TPL Linea home page for the current one.
- Guidebooks: Grades and route counts here come mainly from online databases; the guidebook is the authority.
- Val Pennavaire (RocPennavaire association with Il Geko Edizioni, 3rd edition, March 2024, Italian and English): the association's own guide to the whole valley; climbing-guide.eu lists 352 pages, about 2,700 routes, 62 areas and "Edition 2025". Order it from the association's website; UKClimbing says the bar in Colletta di Castelbianco sells it too. Sales go straight into rebolting.
- Pennavalley Climbing (Matteo Gambaro, Versante Sud, 2022, Italian edition ISBN 978-88-5547-070-4; English and German editions also available): covers Val Pennavaire and neighbouring Val Neva; climbing-guide.eu lists the German edition at 400 pages. Climbook cites a May 2023 printing.
- Oltrefinale (Andrea Gallo): UKClimbing's list shows a 2014 edition and Oltrefinale 2 from 2008; Planetmountain's Terminal page calls Oltrefinale 2 out of date.
References
- UKClimbing: Val Pennavaire - Finale Ligure's Lesser-Known Neighbour (2020)
- Planetmountain: Terminal - Albenga
- Planetmountain: Climbing in Val Pennavaire - Albenga (2013)
- RocPennavaire ASD
- RocPennavaire: crag list
- RocPennavaire: winter crags
- RocPennavaire: Terminal
- RocPennavaire: Castelbianco
- RocPennavaire: Telematica
- RocPennavaire: Bauso di Veravo
- RocPennavaire: Euskal
- RocPennavaire: Colosseo
- RocPennavaire: Basura
- RocPennavaire: Red Up
- RocPennavaire: La Galera
- TAR Liguria ruling no. 52 of 2021 (full text via Osservatorio Agromafie, in Italian)
- WWF Italia: Liguria, TAR boccia la delibera sulle arrampicate "sperimentali" in area protetta (2021, in Italian)
- Liguria Verticale: VALPENNAVAIRE - Divieto parziale di scalata (2021, in Italian)
- Up-Climbing: Arrampicare in Val Pennavaire si può e si deve (2021, in Italian)
- Up-Climbing: Divieti in Val Pennavaire: trattativa tra Regione e WWF (2021, in Italian)
- Up-Climbing: Albenga, la Liguria 2.0 (2024, in Italian)
- CSEN Arrampicata: L'Antro di Castelbianco (2026, in Italian)
- theTopo: Castelbianco description
- theTopo: Castelbianco route list
- theTopo: Colletta / Telematica route list
- 8a.nu: Telematica
- 8a.nu: Italian sport crags
- Climbook: Telematica (in Italian)
- Gulliver: Colletta – Telematica (in Italian)
- theCrag: Val Pennavaire
- Mountain Project: Val Pennavaire
- Climb Europe: Northwest Italy rock climbing areas
- climbing-guide.eu: RocPennavaire guide
- climbing-guide.eu: Pennavalley Climbing
- Versante Sud: Pennavalley Climbing
- TPL Linea
- TPL Linea bus 76 winter weekday timetable (from 14 Sep 2026, in Italian)
- FS Italiane: Genoa–Ventimiglia line doubling
- AGENAS: Emergency Network
- CNSAS: La richiesta di soccorso (in Italian)