Climbing in Rudawy Janowickie

The Jura is limestone and bolted; the Tatras are alpine and remote. Sokoliki in the Rudawy Janowickie is the third thing: rough granite tors rising out of forest, climbed largely on traditional gear, with a slab-and-crack style that rewards technique over power.

Polish climbing has a long culture here, and the crags carry route names and ethics arguments going back decades. Multi-pitch on Sokolik itself is the draw.

Rough granite tors rising out of forest, climbed largely on traditional gear you place yourself, with a slab-and-crack style that rewards clean footwork over raw power.

The classics are polished from decades of traffic, and visitors consistently find the grades stiff, so expect to climb a number below your usual limit. Sokolik offers real multi-pitch, the main reason to come.

This is intermediate-to-expert terrain with a strong local ethic — route names and long-running arguments about style are part of the place. It is a three-day sort of trip: enough to work the main crags without rushing the harder lines.

Bring a full trad rack — this is emphatically not a bolt-clipping venue, and turning up with only quickdraws will strand you. The main crags are Sokolik and Krzyżna Góra, both a short approach through forest, and guidebooks are available in nearby Jelenia Góra.

The season runs spring to autumn, April to October, when the granite is dry and warm enough for friction. If you are new to placing gear, climb with someone experienced or hire a local guide before committing to the multi-pitch lines.

No permit is required; standard trad safety and a helmet are.