[daddy long legs]

Many times I've found myself searching for the keyword 'Germany' in the hope that some other keen UK climbers are also living over here in the flatlands of northern Germany, but to never find any results.

So, thought I'd start my own thread in case anyone else finds themselves in my position and is wanting to hook up with other climbers.

Climbing-wise, there's now a decent indoor scene if that's what you're into, with German bouldering gyms kinda setting the standard for plastic-pulling. Outside options are limited, but where I'm based (Osnabrück) there's some stuff to do on the local soft-sandstone, the downside here is the soft nature of the rock, but nevertheless I've had multiple great sessions over the years in the local forest.

Further afield we've got Ith, Avalonia (special!), Göttingerwald, Harz, Glees/Ettringen and a few other smaller areas.

If anyone finds themselves in this neck of the woods, let me know and I can provide more info on areas, or even better, meet up for a climb!

[webbo]

Unfortunately you have posted several years too late. My son in law and daughter lived in Bielefeld a few years ago. There was a ok DAV wall there and a quarry with a bit of bouldering in it. I keep hoping they will get another posting to Germany, however current one is Brunei.
Not exactly a boulders paradise.

[daddy long legs]

Ah yeah, I know the quarry, Hallelujahsteinbruch! Some decent bouldering and micro-sport routes
If they, or you, ever get back to Bielefeld, let me know

[sherlock]

Is Herz any good? We've passed by a few times returning from Euro bouldering trips en route to ferry at Ijmuiden.Be interested to know if its worth a day or two?

[daddy long legs]

Harz is supposed to be really good, yeah, but a bit far for me so only been once.
When i was there there wasn’t a guidebook so i struggled to find everything but i believe there’s a decent guide now and been loads of development over the last few years.
Be prepared for skin-shredding granite if you do go!

[sherlock]

Thanks for tha. We've got the guide somewhere so will check it out next time we're in the area.

[Muenchener]

I was in the old DAV wall in Bielefeld on a business trip ten years or ago. I enjoyed it - friendly crowd, good routesetting.

The biggest problem in north Germany - or so it seems to me as Bavarian resident - is that there are bits & pieces of ok rock, but half of them, instead of sensible seasonal birds' nesting restrictions, get permanently banned for climbing at the slightest hint of a nature conservancy argument - and then the DAV, instead of doing their f*cking job and fighting for climbers' access rights, just roll over and beg to have their tummy tickled.

[daddy long legs]

Yeah, this is a massive shame. Some of the banned crags in the Selter area near Hannover are as good as, or even better than, crags in Frankenjura. Blanket ban on them all since around 2010 

[honroid]

Probs too far south but do you guys have any knowledge of Bahratal? My parents in law live just by Leipzig and we always head there after the alps in summer. Looks good quality from what I've seen on Insta but we haven't checked it out yet. Looks more like a spring / autumn venue.