Situated between two tiny towns in Valais, Collonges and Dorénaz at the foot of the imposing Dents de Morcles, is the small but oh-so-sweet bouldering sector L’Enclave. Although just two rocks, the quality and difficulty of the problems make it well worth a visit.
If you find yourself bouldering alone every now and then, or doing particularly scary high-ball problems, Black Diamond has you covered with their Mondo crash pad. This mega sized mat will set you back a fair few dollars, so is what you are getting worth it, considering some cheaper alternatives from Ocún and Edelrid exist?
The Berlin bouldering scene has really flourished over the last few years. Where once there used to only be the few usual suspects to practice it feels like a new hall is opening every other year in the city. One of my favourite places to visit is Berta Block. Its unique combination of size, variety and quality problems keep me coming back.
Every climber is looking to improve, get that little bit stronger, tick off that one elusive project. But just how do you go about building an effective training plan that enables you to successfully work towards your goals? Just rocking up to the hall and doing your thing sometimes doesn’t cut it. Preparing for a future trip to Tonsai, Thailand had me dig out some old gems from Neil Gresham on structured training. If you too are looking to switch up your training routine, you may find these useful!
Tucked away in the heart of the Gruyère Regional Nature Park is an astonishing bouldering area called Tsavas. At almost 1’600m, these boulders lie just underneath the Vanil Noir mountain range in the Swiss Canton of Fribourg. You’ll have to go out of your way to get here though, with no public transport link, and your only option being a winding one lane road up the picturesque mountainside. Then, a further 45min hike up 400m will finally see you to the area. Your reward? A stunningly beautiful mountain valley, rolling green hills and some fantastic blocks just waiting to be climbed.
France – Does this legendary area really need an introduction? This forest and its boulders represent the pinnacle of modern day sport bouldering. With over four decades of development, Fontainebleau is a veritable catalogue of shapes and styles combing historical routes with new, cutting edge climbing.
France – Over the past couple of years Annot has been earning the reputation as the next big bouldering destination after Fontainebleau in France, if not one of the top locations in continental Europe. With its numerous sandstone problems, moderate climate, and easy access it’s easy to see why the area is getting so much attention. Whether you’re looking for a place to see if your winter training paid off, or just passing by on the way to another climbing destination, this burgeoning area definitely delivers the goods.
