Bahratal
Are you a fan of sharp edges or rather slopers? Bahratal might just be the perfect crag for you. Located 2,5 hours from Berlin, it's one of the most popular German bouldering crags. Climbing is possible all year round, but you'll find the best friction in the autumn and spring months.
It’s located in the area of Dresden (50 km) and Pirna (10 km), close to the Czech border. This is the closest major bouldering crag to Berlin as well, so on the weekends you can meet in sectors with climbers from Berlin, Czech Rep. and Poland.
Bahratal bouldering
The crag is in the shady valley of river Bahra, in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. The typical sandstone towers can be found here as well, just like the closer lead climbing places. The rock is harder type of sandstone, similar to the czech crags like Snezník, Modrin or Bor. This means more crimpy style climbing than the well-known Font slopers. Of course it’s not as crimpy as a granite place, but you can count on smaller holds and holes in the harder boulders.
Many boulders have typical sandstone sit starts with bad footholds, but there are several overhanging boulders also in the moderate grades and highballs as well.
Areas
The sectors mainly are in two areas, on the two sides of the river. The most popular area is accessible from the main parking area with a 5 minutes walk. These are Schlachthof, The First and Fuck sectors, they are all connected to each other. If you are a first time visitor in Bahratal, starting here is a good choice, as there are hundreds of boulders close to each other.
As you walk up on the path, the first blocks will be the central part of Schlachthof with some classic lines: Medizinmann (7b), Schädelknacker (7c+) or Kleine Einlasskarte (8a). A few steps to the right there is Koi (7a) and Purist (6c). Further on the path there is Path (7c), a nice overhanging boulder and then you reach the beginning The First sector. The central part is perfect to do the warm up Cascade (6b+) and the nearby bouders.
On the other side of the river Kleine Bastei and Gulag sectors also worth a visit with a lot of nice boulder problems.
Season
The best period for climbing is spring and autumn, but the summer months can also have moderate temperature. Most of the sectors are in the shady forest, except Gulag sector, where the trees have been cut in 2020 summer, what makes it more sunny. In this sector winter climbing became possible, as the boulders can dry very quickly on a sunny day.
Where to stay/Food
The closest accomodation is Herberge Bahra, they are running as a hostel and camping. It’s just an 8 minutes drive from the main parking and crashpad rental is available. The area is not a main touristic destination, but you can choose from several apartments on airbnb and booking.com in Pirna. Staying here can be a good choice as the nearest supermarkets and restaurants are here. On a restday you can cross the border to Ústí nad Labem and get a box of premium czech beers (30 minutes drive).