Bouldering halls are springing up everywhere in Germany. Climbing without a rope can be learned at any age. What to consider when getting started.
It all started with a visit to my brother. He lives in Bubenreuth near Erlangen, and just before the autobahn exit there, a chic new building towered up, clad in sloping wooden slats. Research from my relatives revealed: It was Europe’s largest bouldering hall. Bouldering is a variant of climbing – without a rope, but only at the jump height – and it is no coincidence that the large hall is located at the gates of Franconian Switzerland, one of the climbing paradises of the republic.