Sport Climbing in Eastern Slovakia
In eastern Slovakia there are numberous sport climbing areas mostly on limestone and andesite rock (a type of volcanic rock), plus a conglomerate area. The climbing is based around the cities of Kosice and Presov with 16 main crags, offering over 1,200 routes across a wide range of grades. The area is dominated by 6 large crags that offer something for everyone, as detailed below. All of these areas are covered in the Eastern Slovakia Rock Climbing Guidebook.
Dreveník represents a Mecca of the Eastern-Slovak climbing mainly for those climbing in the lower to mid grades. This now historical location has been used for climbing for decades and it is an ideal place for families with kids thanks to its wonderful atmosphere and comfortable access.
Turniská is one of the largest and most diverse climbing areas of the Eastern Slovakia in the terms of climbing difficulty. There is a good spread of routes across all the grades, with one of the sectors situated in cave proving many excellent routes graded F7b and above.
Tomášovský výhľad is a climbing treasure within the Slovenský Raj national park. At 250m wide and 40m high, this limestone wall contains more than 120 routes across all grades. There is also some bouldering nearby.
The Zádielska Dolina valley (Zádiel) one of the largest climbing areas in Eastern Slovakia. This extensive limestone gorge is about 3km long and has numberous areas and sectors, some of which are easier to access than others. The majority of the routes are in the medium to high grades and there is some multi-pitch routes up to 100m high.
The Zámutovské skaly area is an impressive and large formation of andesite crags with a broad range of routes of all grades. Despite the demanding approach, it is definitely worth to visit.
Vernár is suitable mainly for experienced climbers who climb higher grades. There aren't many routes but the crag features a massive overhang with the majority of the routes in the F7b to F8b grade range. The area is oriented southwards, thus climbing is possible during cold months in sunny weather.
Map of the rock climbing areas in Eastern Slovakia around Kosice, Presov and Poprad
| No | Crag | Total No. Of Routes | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tatranská Kotlina | 48 | 3 | 17 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Lučivná | 36 | 3 | 12 | 13 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | Vernár | 61 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 10 | 43 |
| 4 | Hrdlo Hornádu | 17 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | Letanovský mlyn | 26 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 4 |
| 6 | Tomášovský výhľad | 117 | 10 | 9 | 26 | 32 | 21 | 19 |
| 7 | Stratenská Píla | 36 | 9 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 8 | Dreveník | 159 | 19 | 50 | 51 | 31 | 8 | 0 |
| 9 | Bodoň | 35 | 6 | 17 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Zamutovské skaly | 171 | 5 | 30 | 52 | 44 | 28 | 12 |
| 11 | Podskalka | 27 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | Turniská | 165 | 10 | 26 | 37 | 35 | 19 | 38 |
| 13 | Jánošíkova Bašta | 33 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Rozlomity | 73 | 18 | 25 | 14 | 9 | 6 | 1 |
| 15 | Zádiel | 152 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 46 | 35 | 33 |
| 16 | Hájska Dolina | 54 | 3 | 18 | 20 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| 17 | Hejce | 52 | 8 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 5 | 0 |
Climbing Guidebooks for Eastern Slovakia
The Eastern Slovakia Rock Climbing Guidebook is the most comprehensive guidebook detailing the crags around Kosice, Presov and Poprad. It covers 16 crags plus 1 additional crag just over the border in Hungary, detailing over 1,200 routes across a wide range of grades. The guidebook includes all the crags shown on the above map and is available to buy from our shop.
Travel to Eastern Slovakia
Travelling to eastern Slovakia is easy with plenty of options available. There is an International airport at Kosice. Alternative airports are Bratislava (the capital of Slovakia), Budapest in Hungary or Krakow in Poland.