Alex on Caspersens Arete High Ball 7b, Kjuge

Medley 7a, Focksta

Sweden is one big lump of rock! If it had the climbing population of the UK it would have 100 guide books. There is so much still to be discovered. Here is a short introduction of some of the areas I have visited already.

Stockholm

I haven't climbing around here yet but there are well established areas here for trad climbing, sport climbing and bouldering. I'll keep you up to date over the summer as I visit them. All granite I'm told. There is so much rock here the locals don't climb on quarried walls. On many of the streets and in sub-burbs around Stockholm there are walls that we would kill to have in Dublin and the locals just ignore them.

Uppsala Area

Uppsala city is one hour north of Stockholm city, half an hour drive from Stockholm Int. Airport. All the climbing is granite but it varies in quality. Focksta, quite like glendo granite, Källberga ( shell-buy-ya ) is really smooth granite, almost no crystals. Very finger friendly. Very short walk-ins and generally very good landings.(Focksta 400+, Källberga ca 100 plus many more).

Kjuge Kull

Calle on Rocketeer 7a, Kjuge

Rye on Forza 7c Dyno, Kjuge

Shawn on Baltazar 7a+, Kjuge

Kjuge Kull( shoe-gee cool ) Kjuge nature reserve, Kull means hill!. Over 1000 problems and counting.

Kjuge is a small nature reserve about one hours drive from Malmö city in the very south of Sweden. The first thing that should be said is that the rock is sharp! You get used to it very quickly and adapt your climbing to suit. Don't let this turn you off going there. It is amazing. About the size of a really big font area, or maybe even two areas combined. Its set in a beautiful forest, and amazing meadows. Lots of problems for all grades but best for the higher grades.

Shawn on Fina Arete 7a, Kjuge

Split boulder, Kjuge

Area X

I got a tip off from a local and went exploring. We think the place is unclimbed, it definitely hasn't been climbed on in the past few years anyway. Located in a postcard picturesque forest very near Kjuge. It'll never over take Kjuge for popularity but has some amazing lines that will be definitely some of the best in Sweden. About 20 boulders spread out along a hillside overlooking a lake. Watch this space...

Ivo Island camping near Kjuge

Kjuge Wildlife Reserve

More info...

The bouldering season is from when the snow clears, mid march-ish until the sun gets too hot, early May-ish. And then when it starts to cool down, mid September until the snow stops play, November some time. The hardcore guys do go out over the winter, usually below 0 degrees and in the snow.

For those who want more info please email michaelodwyer@gmail.com Guide books are available for Kjuge, Stockhom and Uppsala and can be bought on-line or from the usual places in Sweden (climbing walls, local cafes to the climbing, climbing shops etc. )