Grab your gear, it’s time to go on the climbing trip of a lifetime! As you can guess from the title, here are a few climbing destinations that we think you should tick off during your climbing career.
1. The Peak District, England.
That’s right, we included the Peak District! Widely regarded as one of the birthplaces of technical climbing, the peak district is the beating heart for climbers in the UK. For old school crags, we recommend heading to Stanage, Curbar or Froggatt Edges. These are the perfect routes that require a mixture of great technique, boldness and the ability to place gear effectively.
2. The Dolomites, Italy.
The Dolomites should make every climber’s bucket list. Acting as one of Europe’s famous climbing arenas, the Italian mountain range offers rock peaks separated by a range of glaciated valleys. Thousands of routes using a mixture of cliffs and peaks are available to you. There’s even long free climbs up immense walls like Tre Cime di Lavaredo (for the elite climbers among you!).
3. Squamish, Canada.
Hiding in a thick forest area, the Squamish boulderfield lies below the soaring wall of the famous Stawamus Chief. The granite blocks are smooth and polished, with plenty of problems to challenge any climber. Footholds are no different. They contain small crystals or tenuous smears, while handholds have a diverse range of slopers, crimps and big moves to edges to keep you entertained. We feel Squamish is the perfect climbing destination, offering routes that can challenge climbers of all abilities.
4. Costa Blanca, Spain.
Likely to be known for its ability to attract and entertain tourists on holiday, Costa Blanca is also a fantastic climbing destination. If you aren’t impressed by the sheer number of cliffs on its crumpled mountains, you’ll be impressed at the climber-friendly routes, providing crags with pockets, crimps, tufas, and lots of bolts. When you’re finished after a long day of climbing, you can also reward yourself with some sangria and paella? It is the Costa Blanca after all.