UKH

Friends: In Britain/Europe, I've climbing in England, Italy, France, Switzerland, Spain, Greece, and a few more Euro destinations (my memory fails me), and would like to go back to Europe this summer (I live in Boulder, Colorado).  What are your favorite places to climb that are a MUST?  Some places that are casually on my tick list: Slovenia, Croatia... Without any guidance, I could just spend a few weeks back on Kalymnos.  

Thoughts?

Also: I've been invited to climb in N. Wales a few times but haven't gone.  Do you love it or is it "meh" compared to the rest of European climbing?

Thank you in advance!!

JRZ

p.s. ping me if you'd like to know about other world-wide climbing destinations...

In reply to JRZ:

Fontainbleu, Verdon Gorge, Ceuse, Chamonix and definitely North Wales!!

In reply to JRZ:

North Wales has some amazing climbing and is very diverse. Mountain trad, slate, coastal bolt clipping, and the trad sea cliffs of Gogarth to name a few. The weather can be a bit challenging, but if prepared to drive a bit will likely find dry rock pretty often in summer....maybe

In reply to JRZ:

Riglos

https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/destinations/los_mallos_de_riglos-4614

A bit more adventurous, Pabbay:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/destinations/ultimate_uk_trad_pabbay+mi...

In reply to JRZ:

Elbsandstein (as traditional as it goes)

Verdon

Dolomites

In reply to JRZ:

North Wales is the absolute best, if you’ve never been, get yourself there ASAP

In reply to ianstevens:

Do you not think this might be, shall we say, overselling it a little for a visiting climber from the western US? I know we all love our favourite parts of the UK, but we can also tend towards parochialism. At the very least some provisos are only fair.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Gogarth is pretty special, and unique from the perspective of a US climber. But llanberis and the slate are good cragging but are not internationally remarkable. 

In reply to Robert Durran:

Maybe I do love it a little to much and miss having it as easy access, but I think it’s easy to undersell it. Obviously it’s got its flaws, but the variety of rock and styles of climbing in a small area really make it something great. I’ve climbed all over the world and never found anything like gogarth, the quarries or the Llyn (which is not to say it doesn’t exist, but we can only see the world through our own prism).

If you’ve climbed a lot across Europe but never in North Wales, it’s good to mix it up no? 

In reply to JRZ:

As far as the UK goes, obviously it's completely dependent on the weather.  Having climbed quite widely I'd say that, given a couple of weeks of sunshine, Cornish sea cliff climbing is up there with the most memorable I've done anywhere (I'm assuming you are expecting trad). 

I love Wales too, but there are plenty of places in the world that have spectacular but accessible multipitch mountain routes (if not, maybe, some of the history).  I haven't yet found anywhere else quite like Cornwall for quality of rock, beautiful settings and general coastal ambience and romance.  I think Henry Barber spoke highly of it too!

Worldwide, the Cedarberg crags in the Western Cape in South Africa just shade Arapiles and Tahquitz for me (Boulder isn't too shabby either!).

In reply to Kemics:

I don't think I'd put Gogarth anywhere near top of the list for someone flying half way round the world to climb in the UK, let alone Europe - it is going to be just too esoteric for many, especially if not familiar with sea cliff climbing. Yes, it is sea cliff climbing which is undoubtedly the UK's big international selling point, but I would put Pembroke way above Gogarth at least for the first time visitor - possibly the UK's only area that could claim to be truly world class of its type.

In reply to Robert Durran:

In terms of the number of quality routes crammed into what's accessible in half an hour's walk, I agree, no contest.

In reply to JRZ:

Coronavirus. Before you commit to going anywhere in Europe bear in mind that this is going to radically change everything in the coming weeks and months. I've been to Sardinia (it's great) several times but I suspect it may be similarly affected by lockdown as mainland Italy. Majorca is good and many places in mainland Spain.

In reply to Robert Durran:

Spot on for Pembroke. Once climbed with an Aussie who was over here for a few weeks, and took him there. He was absolutely gobsmacked, as at first he could not treat our recoomendations seriously. First there was Pleasure Dome , then StarGate.

He was absolutely hooked after that.

Mind you back in the early 80's did DOWH with a visiting yank, he also was overwhelmed by the location etc.

In reply to JRZ: Corsica is worth a visit. The multi pitch mountain routes around Col de Bavella and Restonica are a great place to start. Predominantly bolted, but some routes require natural protection. The roadside single pitch crags in Corsica are okay, but the real quality is found on the bigger mountain routes. If you stay high 1500m+ then climbing is possible in the summer months.

In reply to JRZ:

Sardinia and Majorca are both excellent.

Spain has loads of areas that are well worth a visit.  Take a look at the destinations articles here https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/destinations/ if there's an article about an area then it's probably a good indicator it's worthwhile.

I'm gonna get masses of dislikes for this, but personally I don't rate the climbing in the uk very highly at all (probably because I only climb sport, and hate sea cliffs!) I'd rather go to mainland Europe so I'm gonna have to say it's a bit meh for me.  

Of all the places mentioned Kalymnos is my absolute top destination, looking to go for the 5th time in a row this autumn...

In reply to Jaomes:

Fontainbleu~  Isn't that Bouldering?  
I've already been to Ceuse and Chamonix... Are the crags in North Wales short like in the Peak District or longer?

In reply to Lankyman:

yes, I'll check for lockdown, in general, it'll make traveling cheaper... thank you, Coronavirus!

In reply to Iamgregp:

I climbed in Barcelona and Montserrat... loved it!  I agree, I need to check out Majorca and Sardinia.  Who is planning to go there this year?