A Brief review of climbing possibilities in the Czech Republic and around Prague.
The best known sandstone areas are in Northern and Eastern Bohemia (the Czech Republic consists of two historical lands: Bohemia on the West and Moravia on the East). The climbing is quite challenging there, some would say dangerous. The rules are traditional and there it is not easy to do modern sport (French like) routes. There are, however, others excellent areas: limestone is not far from Prague, another one is around the Moravian city of Brno, there are more several good possibilities on granite crags and on other kind of firm rock.
1. Prague and its neighborhood
1. 1 Strahov – sandstone crags in Prague center – bouldering ***
1. 2 Most Barikadniku – climbing on granite blocks of bridge pillar near the Prague center – bouldering
1. 3 Hlubocepy – limestone walls in Prague suburb – sport
1. 4 Sarka – romantic valley in Prague suburb, volcanic – traditional *
1. 5 Kozi hrbety – traditional area in the edge of Prague *
1. 6 Rez u Prahy – traditional area several km northern from Prague
1. 7 Klepec – sharp granite several km on the East from Prague – sport, bouldering
1. 8 Certovy skaly u Cernolic – 20 km SW from Prague – volcanic – traditional **
1. 9 Srbsko – limestone area near the famous castle Karlstejn 40 km from Prague on the West – sport ***
more in the extra article...
1.10 Svaty Jan – near Srbsko, limestone – traditional *
1.11 Koukolova hora – limestone not far from Srbsko –sport **
1.12 Roviste – granite on the Vltava river about 60 km from Prague on the South – sport ***
more in the extra article...
1.13 Drabske svetnicky – sandstone - one of the good closest to Prague (60 km North) sand areas – traditional **
1.14 Suche skaly and Panteon – firm sandstone –one of the firmest, 80 km North from Prague – traditional, partly sport ***
more in the extra article...
2.
East Bohemia
2. 2 Adrspach and Teplice Rocks - famous Czech sandstone area - mostly very traditional, several new sport routes***
Indoor climbing walls
A. Prague
Legend:
Three stars *** - one of my favourite places(excelent climbing at least 6 to 8 UIAA, good or relatively good equipped and safe)
Two stars ** - relatively good place (but not so good like three stars)
One star * - I have been there but I do not pay much attention to it, mainly that it is worse then two stars
No star – I have not been there or I consider it as not valuable
We will try to continue in publishing brief beta about the listed areas and also to uncover the others.
Kapelnik (Kapelmeister, Band-master), probably one of the most famous sandstone tower, Hruba Skala, Czech Paradise
foto by© Standa