Rock Climbing in the Czech Republic

The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in central Europe. It is surrounded by Germany to the west and north, Austria to the south, Poland to the north and Slovakia to the east. As a result, it is very well connected by train and bus to the rest of Europe. The capital, Prague, is home to the country’s largest international airport. Most of the rock climbing in the Czech Republic takes place on sandstone rock. The many beautiful sandstone spires here are renowned for being both challenging and, at times, quite dangerous too. As a result, a high level of physicality is needed for many of the tougher spires and chimneys. However, there are also many simpler and safer routes for less experiences climbers. The crux of the issue in terms of danger on these sandstone walls is erosion. After it rains, many guides will not climb sandstone in order to conserve it, for example. Be sure to cushion your trip with a few extra days to account for rain, especially in the early summer and spring. As a result, a certain climbing culture has developed here and many practices that are common place in other regions are deemed unethical or even unlawful. For example, chalk, top roping and certain metal gear (such as cams, friends and nuts) are all banned from use on sandstone climbs