[chummer]

I am pretty keen to go later this year and apart from what most people know about the place from the media I am interested to know of folks personal experiences climbing there. Anyone been?

[Nigel Poustie]

Hi There chummer,

I have been to the czech rep climbing twice now - trad czech stlye, which is very scary using knoted slings!
I went back and went to two seperate bouldering venues, Tisa Modrin. Which is in the same area as one of the major sandstone route places. It is really good quality sandstone boulders, there are two areas each probably as big Caley though I bet there has been more development. When I went 3 years ago there was only a paper guide for here (which I have if you want a photo copy). For this place there is a really nice place to stay at Ostrov- www.podcisarem.cz they are climbers and really kind people who will help you out. They don't speak amazing english but if you get a phase book and piece things together you'll get by, there will probably be other climbers there that may speak good english.

The other place I went was Petrorad this is in the west of the country off the E48 east of Karlovy Vary. It is granit,there are lots of different venues all pretty close to each other, there is a guide available to here in the the main outdoor shops, I forget the name there is only one chain though so you find it. I think we called and got it from Usti n. Lab. on the way down from the sandstone. Here we stayed in a campsite with challis which we stay in at Jesenice -Mr Kyelka +420608029189) He speaks good German and only a little Enlish like most CZ. I was lucky as my sponsors sorted all the accomodation booking but I sure you'll get by

Hope this helps I would fully recommend  going to both area's as they are both brilliant and quite different vib to them, There is loads of rock and loads to be developed too.
Have Fun.
Nigel

[Paul B]

I visited Labach (Labak?) and came away a little disapointed and equally terrified. The rock quality was poor (sandy and snappy) and expectedly the bolts were comically spaced. The experience wasn't really helped by the fact they withold the guide the year before a print-run, thus we couldn't buy one and spent lots of time thrashing through a wood to find the towers, on arrival we had little idea of the difficulty of the routes we did get on.

The local area wasn't too welcoming either, in fact I think it was the least welcoming I've experienced, including Wales.

I'd come from the Frankenjura and it was a bit of a shock to the system. Other people have enjoyed this area more than me (shocker) and returned though the Frankenjura and found it un-inspiring (I know at least one of them posts here), so maybe it just wasn't my thing.

My lasting memory is opening a wooden box (of which there was one beneath each tower), all that was inside was a stretcher.

[T_B]

My lasting memory is opening a wooden box (of which there was one beneath each tower), all that was inside was a stretcher.

LOL! What did you expect?

The crag that Paul refers to is actually quite well bolted (well, some of them are a bit spaced).

I thought this area was fantastic, and I've been itching to go back since. I was even moved to write an article (OTE I think?).

You need a trad head though, and if I'm honest, you want to be comfortable leading E5 to get the most out of it. For Ardspach/Teplice, you want to be comfortable on E5 cracks. Not being elitist, it's just that there's v little which would get E3 or below in the UK. Fine if you're great at soloing cracks, but most of us aren't.

The guidebooks are sh*t. You're best just looking at stuff and having a go. It's actually really liberating not having any grades, though it does mean you end up backing off/falling off quite a bit.

Best time to go is May, June can be quite hot. The rock is soft, so you can't climb after rain.

(If you're asking about bouldering, then the above is completely unhelpful - sorry!)

[Nigel Poustie]

Yeah I probably wouldn't go back for the routes but definitely will go back for the bouldering.
The two areas I described the rock quality is as good as any and loads to go at.
As for the people I think you just have to get used to the blunt nature of the CZs, I'm similar and I knew what to expect so wasn't shocked. Rural CZ is quite different to the rest of Europe and  I can see have you might find it intimidating

[Andy B]

Had a very brief visit to Decin. I thought it was amazing. A mix of fully bolted sport routes and the more traditional spaced chunky rings on top quality (better than font or the county) sandstone reminicent of Reiff, but with some of the best single (monster) pitch lines I've ever seen. We also found it friendly compared to the other parts of the Czech Republic we've been to. (Only Petrohrad and Prague). We couldn't find the local bivi spot, so one random guy we asked in the Tesco car park drove several miles out of his way to show us, then gave us his Czech road map. If I still did routes, I'd definitely go back.

[Paul B]

Tom, yourself and Nic were to the two people I was refferring to  .

LOL! What did you expect?

Like I said, at the time I don't think it was for me (hence leaving promptly with my tail firmly wedged between my legs).

I'd been told that a lot of the harder stuff was bolted in a nearly modern manner, it wasn't (thanks Keith). We went to the Pfalz not long after and found even the most runout classics here positively freindly in comparison.

I'd also been told the rock was bulletproof (again Keith), it wasn't and to be honest really screwed with my head (especially on the easier stuff).

The guidebooks are sh*t.

Unless you can think like a bird (one with wings that is), just imagine if guides in the uk were plan view too? Madness.

[T_B]

The guidebooks are sh*t.

Unless you can think like a bird (one with wings that is), just imagine if guides in the uk were plan view too? Madness.

Exactly. Even more bonkers at Ardspach where it's all towers.

[TobyD]

I thought the routes at Tisa and Ostrov were pretty good, and Ardsbach etc is supposed to be much better. As T_B says though, it is definitely pretty trad, even though much of the actual protection comes from bolts (in a similar manner to some areas in the USA, or some slate routes).

It is very different, and marvellous to visit an area with such a different style and ethical appraoch to most of the world. That said it may be just a little too 'unique' for some, but it will be a memorable trip what ever....

[chummer]

Great stuff, I'm psyched! Sounds like going with a very open mind and no preconceptions is the order of the day as well as plenty of pre trip grit action.

 Aye it would be routes I'd be there for but the bouldering sounds like a bonus. It'll be September time when I'm going after a full summer (hopefully..) of tradding so although not the boldest of punters I should be going reasonably well.

 If it comes off I'll be shown around by the local climbers which could be interesting. The area is Adrspach.

Thanks for the replies, it's somewhere I've heard about since I first started climbing so super keen to experience it for myself.