Climbing around Christchurch

Our second stop in Christchurch was filled with a lot of sunshine and rockclimbing. Our amazing hosts took us to several locations around town, in the forest, on top of the hill, and hidden on the end of a usual residential street. Christchurch has a lot to offer to climbers, and afterwards you can just stop by at the beach to cool down. See for yourselves:

Transmitter Crag

Hidden away in needle forest and reached by an easy 15-20 minute walk, Transmitter is a great place to climb in the shade on a hot day. It is a bit overgrown and brittle, but it has its charme. It has varied grades and even a cute little multi-pitch climb, great for learning the techniques.

Albert Terrace

With plenty of lower grades, Albert Terrace is perfect for beginners. It is just a few steps away from the road, but not really big. We had to share it with a group of students and it was quite cramped – but cool anyway and easy to reach.

Cattlestop crag

Up high on Port Hills, overlooking the city and the ocean below, Cattlestop can easily be reached by car (or bike, if you like going uphills :)). Just a few meters from the road, the long crag begins and offers grades for everyone. The routes are not too short and not too long and there are some really tricky ones in there. The top of the climbs can be reached through another path, starting earlier on the road. From the ones I have seen so far, this is my favourite!