UKC

Sarah Burmester takes us on a journey to northern Bavaria in Germany, to the limestone area of the Frankenjura.

"It's not all about pulling hard. You'll find thousands of sport routes of all grades smattered across countless crags of perfect white and grey limestone, some steep, some long, some both."

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=2742

In reply to UKC Articles: Nice article. A good bit of info.

Does someone mind going through the Frankenjura on the UKC database and positioning some of the crags, as many of the major ones are unplaced and i'd like to decide where i live next year by where the good crags are

Thank you

In reply to UKC Articles:

Great article, really well researched and accurate. If I were to add anything, I'd say that a better guide is http://preview.tinyurl.com/frankenjura-guide I looked at both when I got mine, and decided this had better topos and is in English too! Since using it, I've found that the descriptions on how to get to the crags are excellent. There's also a "band 1" book.

I would also mention that if you can get to Stansted, then take a look at Air Berlin flights to Nuremberg, that's probably the cheapest way to fly from the UK.

Top article, keep 'em coming!

Tim

In reply to UKC Articles:

Going on Saturday - very timely article

I see that there are low grade routes but there's nothing really in the article about these. Anyone have a view as to whether it's worthwhile going if you are only a 6a/b punter?

In reply to JonC:

I have friends who only climb in the lower grades, and they had a great trip to the area a few years ago. They did mention that some of the routes are rather sparsley bolted though.

In reply to JonC:

In my experience, 6a/b should see you ok. I'm probably a little below that level, and it does limit what you can do a bit, but there's usually a couple of routes at every crag that should be do-able. In the slightly more southern area (nearer Nürnberg) it seems that a lot of the crags are sort of groups of crags in the woods - a piece of rock with 10 routes on, then another peice a couple of hundred yards away with 20, and so on. Maybe 10 individual pieces of rock scattered around the woods around a paricular village. Usually you will find a couple of routes on each of these that are doable. Take note of the "some of these can be sparsely protected" - that is true. It can almost be more of a problem because the routes are so short. 2 bolts in a 7m route can mean a ground fall. Usually the bolts are good, just sparse. A small rack for natural lime will see you right though.

Tim

In reply to JonC: Hi Jon,

The first two of the "Some Recommended Crags" look to be just the ticket:

* Treunitzer Klettergarten (for routes up to UIAA 6)
* Haselstaudener Wände (UIAA 4 - 7)

But forget the climbing, it's all about the beer and cakes!

In reply to UKC Articles:

Just spotted a mistake in the rockfax grade table shown in this article and here:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/databases/crags/comptable.html

The one on rockfax is right though.

The UIAA grades go XI, XI+, XI-, XI.

JL

In reply to JonC:

I think there are much better places to go sport climbing at those grades.

I climb mostly fives, and I found there wasn't much for me in the Frankenjura. I think the hardest thing was finding routes to warm up on. The climbing is pretty steep as well, which isn't my style. That said, it is a lovely place, very pretty.

In reply to Franco C:
Why should anyone bother? The database on frankenjura.com is complete and has search facilities vastly beyond the powers of UKC (and is in English).

In reply to UKC Articles:
The Frankenjura is much larger than described and starts south of Regensburg (there is a large sign on the motorway telling one so). For climbing purposes it is split into the Southern and Northern Frankenjura. Southern is the area south and west of Regensburg including the Altmuhltal, Donautal, Naabtal and a few others, altogether about 1800 routes. A generally more open landscape as the river valleys are wider and a more technical style of climbing with less finger pockets.
The Northern Frankenjura is the area described in the article.
The Röker guide is by far the best one even in German and is the only complete guide in English.
A clip-stick is de-rigueur.
Get used to threading single-bolt lower-offs.
On rest days canoeing and caving are popular.

In reply to JonC: I had a superb trip to the southern Frankenjura at those grades some years ago. Only one crag is shown in the southern Frankenjura in the map at the head of the article, but it's an extensive area with well developed climbing.

In reply to jimtitt:

Sorry, didn't know about that website. Thank you. And even better for me- it's in german!

In reply :
I'd say the Frankenjura is very disappointing unless you climb reasonably well and/or don't need to warm up.
The bolting basically defines the term "elitist". It's nearly all bolted for good climbers. If you're looking for lots of F5c to do then it's not much good.
Also, don't expect to get much of a tan, most of the cliffs are well shady.
Having said which, I love the place and have done loads of good routes up to F6cish.
Don't tell anyone else, but the best thing about the Frankenjura is its proximity to the Fichtelgebirge. The granite cliffs there have some absolutely lovely sport routes that are a real pleasure after the endless pocket pulling in the Fraenkische. They're pretty quiet and out of the way though.

In reply to TheGeneralist:


How do you mean 'bolted for good climbers'?

F5c? Is that the same as F5+?

In reply to UKC Articles:

"Action Directe has seen very few ascents"

it had about 13 now, which must be more than some 9a's

anyway i'm keen to check it out...i love pockets.

In reply to jonny2vests:
Basically the very easy routes have no or few bolts in. The 5s and 6s (UIAA) tend to have few. From 7 up, as the man said they are well bolted. So anyone who finds a 5 tricky will be very restricted in what they can lead. Likewise the 6s. Anyone who is good will be able to climb lots as the routes at their grade are well bolted and the easier ones are the sort of thing they'd be happy soloing or doing with very little gear anyway.

As far as I remember.

In reply to TheGeneralist: In the past that may have been true, but there have been many new crags developed in the last couple of years, and many routes have been re-bolted. Agreed some of the older easy (and harder) routes are lightly bolted, but there's plenty of routes that are well protected.

Have a look art crags such as hexenkuche (witches kitchen) and weissenstein both have lots of well protected lower grade routes and are also a good place to push your grade.

Have lived here for the last 10 years and have found it a great place to climb, if only it would stop raining..

In reply to nicg:

Word. Plese tell me it's not always as bad as this year!

Tim

In reply to Green Porridge: Have to say this is the worst I can remember.. I think its rained for the last 6 weekends. But at least the overhangs are mostly dry now and can be climbed in the rain.

Suns out now thought, think I may head out latter while it lasts.

In reply to nicg and Eric:

Looks like it´s time to organise a UKC Franken meet, but only if beer is involved!

In reply to JonC:

I spent the day there today near Frankendorfer and we climbed a mix of things from 5 through to 7+. The 5's were very sparsely bolted but were find with one or two nuts, the 6's were better bolted but a few bits of gear went in, especially lower down. The 7's on the other hand were very were very well bolted, with the exception of one which we top-ropes given the ground fall potential before the second bolt. Was a great day and I'm looking forward to climbing more in the area.

In reply to jimtitt:

I'm up for it,
Snae & tim you guys interested??

In reply to nicg:
There are a few more guys down Munich way and someone in the Allgau as well as a couple that post on rockclimbing.com, have to see who we can drum up. First we´ve got to get out of this period of global warming!

Jim

In reply to nicg:

Yeah sure. I know a couple of other guys who also live in Germany and who I climb with who would also probably be interested in coming, one from the US and an Irish friend - don't think they frequent UKC so much.

In reply to snae:
Dates- I´m pretty easy but my normal climbing partner is in the US for a few weeks, how´s the weekend of 19th/20th June? Any other suggestions?
Location- Normally I´m on somebodies floor but when I camp with the kids we go to http://www.kormershof.de which is at Allersdorf (near Kleingesee), good because its not mozzy ridden and campfires are the thing! All the usual stuff with matratzenlager, communal room etc.
With/without families/kids (on thin ice here!!!)?

Jim

In reply to jimtitt: Sounds good to me, can do the saturday and the sunday morning, were in the frankenjura most weeks anyway.

Have never stayed at that site, but looks good. Of course there's always camping Eichler for the full franken experience and Martha will be mad at us if she finds out we didn't stay there.. plus the cakes and beer of course. Anyhow I'm easy either way, must have stopped raining by then....

In reply to jimtitt:

Can't do that weekend - its my birthday and got plans already. I'm fairly open outside of that until mid-July. In terms of others coming, kids, families etc. - all welcome I would say!

In reply to snae: two weeks after until mid july would also work for me, I'm sure you have better plans for your birthday.. anyone good at organizing ?? I'm fairly hopeless.

In reply to nicg:

I'm definitely up for a UKC meet, and generally, I'm free on weekends, though specific ones have commitments. I'm also off to the alps from the 1st week of August.

Only places I have stayed at are Pegnitz camping near the station in Hohenstadt (near Hersbruck). A decent campsite in a nice location and nice and near to The Grüner Schwan guesthouse which dooes great food and beer. Happy to go elsewhere though - I'm based in Roth, just south of Nürnberg.

I'm happy with a "bring the whole family" kind of approach - it means I won't feel so bad for dragging the girlfriend along as well - it's about time I took her climbing!

In any event, the foldaway bbq is just begging for a proper outing, so shall definitely be coming with

Tim

In reply to Green Porridge:
O.K. How does the 3/4th of July fit with everyone/most people? I doubt we´ll find a date that suits everyone but that´s the way life is. If we can find some Americans they can patronise the Brits and buy the beer!
Folding bbq? I travel with the full beer garden seats and table, a 12 man tepee and the two double air beds, probably the reason I don´t use Eichlers because I don´t want to carry the stuff, also there is the large dog which is not allowed there!
Jim