Aim for the sky
Who says you need mountains to go climbing? There are plenty of alternatives in the shape of spectacular climbing walls on churches, dams and the cooling towers of nuclear power plants.
Built 150 years ago, St. Alban’s Church in Liverpool, England, inspires aspiration to other spheres. Today, visitors no longer come here to pray, but to climb its venerable walls, including an overhanging 17.5-meter lead wall.
The cooling tower of the former nuclear reactor in Kalkar, Germany, stands 58 meters high and has been repurposed as a climbing wall. If you prefer a different kind of thrill, there’s a roller coaster next door.
Surrounded by authentic Alpine peaks, the steep wall of the Lago di Luzzone reservoir in Switzerland offers a unique challenge: It is the world’s highest artificial climbing wall with 650 holds over a vertical distance of 163 meters.
