You can climb on sandstone in several places throughout the Ruhr Valley, and Hängende Gärten is one of its hidden gems. The area was developed by local climber and route developer Daniel Pohl, who is known for creating unique climbing spots that blend naturally into their surroundings. Located on a steep, wooded hillside, the crag owes its name—“Hanging Gardens”—to its series of terraces and ledges overlooking the valley.
Despite its modest size, Hängende Gärten offers an atmospheric setting and a surprisingly varied selection of routes. The secluded location and dense vegetation give the area a calm and almost magical feel, making it an enjoyable escape from the busier crags in the region.
The crag can be visited throughout the year. Thanks to its position within the trees the rock dries relatively slowly after rain. During summer, the surrounding trees provide welcome shade for parts of the wall. There are quite a lot of highball projects that are still waiting for a first ascent!
Daniel Pohl has devoted countless hours to developing the area. With his own hands he cleared the rocks, laid out terraces and decorated the area.
For more history, you can watch the award-winning clip 'Felsenbauer' on Youtube: https://youtu.be/OmuextbHBA4?si=hAcb4-GJn9vTnb8u.
𝙁𝙞𝙡𝙢 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣:
Daniel Pohl has created fantastic bouldering areas throughout the Ruhr Valley where there was nothing before! The rocks were already there, of course, but the terrain underneath was absolutely horrific. Daniel is a stonemason AND a qualified geologist, which means he can build wonderful natural stone walls to secure the terraces. The whole thing is a mixture of landscape art and what BMXers and mountain bikers have been doing in secret for a while now. As a boulderer, you can assume that wherever the Ruhr River once flowed, something good for bouldering has also emerged! That's the good news.
The bad news is that the Ruhr Valley is also located in Germany, and thus is embroiled in a colorful conflict of interest between hunters, self-proclaimed conservationists, and, as in the case of Kamouraska, simply private property. While the development of bouldering rocks in the Ruhr Valley continues, discretion is recommended!
