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Climbing in Berlin…Anything but the normal!

By Si Litchfield

Going to Berlin and thinking about cheekily taking your shoes with you? While there are only two natural rocks in Berlin there are plenty of climbing opportunities. Local activists have bolted bridges, bunkers and ruins along with building outside climbing walls.

A few highlights:

Der Bunker (and the smaller bunker) – Having survived WWII and an attempt at blowing it up in the post war period climbers have taken to the weathered concrete and bolted over 70 routes. The Großer Bunker mainly offers harder routes (f7a upwards) whereas the Kleiner Bunker offers routes from f6a upwards. To get there catch the ‘S-bahn’ to Humboldthain.

Der Kegel (The cone) – A climbing centre built on an old bomb shelter. Climbing on chipped and bolted holds and ‘natural’ weathered concrete holds. The climbing involves a 10m vertical wall before an 8m slab. 72 routes and a bouldering wall. Includes shop and café. Info here. S-Bahn to Warschauerstrasse.

There are three main indoor walls: Magic Mountain (Böttgerstr.), T-Halle (Thiemannstr.) and DAV (Hüttenweg)

Many more climbing areas, a few pointers to the legality of climbing in Berlin and a description of climber friendly pubs can be found in the guidebook (188 pages in German and English):

G.Krug, "Dickes B" Kletterführer Berlin – Brandenburg, (Halle: Geoquest, 2005).For info and to buy the guide