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Brela Rock Climbing

Climbing Area Map

Areas in Brela

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Elevation:	820 ft	250 m
GPS:	43.38046, 16.92674 Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views:	27 total · 16/month
Shared By:	Brian in SLC on Dec 13, 2024
Admins:	Page Updates (admin only)

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Description

Brela is a scenic, hillside location above the namesake town looking over and across to the islands of Brač and Hvar. Good, solid limestone with an orientation mostly south and slightly west making it pretty toasty in the summer.

The small town and crag of Brela is located around 25 kilometers to the east on the D8 highway from Omiš and only a couple of kilometers to the west from Baška Voda.

Discovered by Austrian climber Christian Hacker who, with friends, starting equipping routes here in 1988 which would make it one of the older locations in Croatia for sports climbing. Some re-bolting in the winter of 2018/2019 with sweet glue-in bolts/anchors.

The crag is a longish escarpment and the sectors run from west to east as 7 sectors with around 100 routes. The bulk of the climbing is at meat-and-potatoes grades with over three quarters of the routes ranging from 5a to 6c+.

The sectors from west to east:

Via Antonia – over 20 routes ranging from 4b to 6a+ and 18m to 60m (several multi pitch) in length.
Grb – 18 routes from 4b to 6b and 20m to 90m (3 pitches).
Mafiosi – around 20 routes at 5c to 7a+ and 20m to 50m (possible two pitches).
Caffe (Café) Central – under 10 routes from 6c to 7c at 15m to 45m.
Shark – a dozen options from 5b to 7a and 25m to 53m (possible long pitches without mid anchors).
Pelješac – over twenty routes at 4a to 7c and 8m to 40m multi pitch options.

Stone Love – small compact venue below Pelješac containing four 8-10m routes from 4c to 6a+.

Grocery options in Brela are the Ribola 75 Supermarket above town (option for burger at a stand in the parking lot) and bigger grocery stores in Baška Voda.

Plenty of vacation rentals and hotels in the area as well as a few campgrounds especially towards Makarska.

The town of Brela is a nice hang with a number of good (great?) restaurants, shady pine trees and a nice pebble beach. A small marina offers some boating options.

Just east of the climbing area is a trekking route to “Napolean’s Road” (aka “the French Road”) which was constructed in the early 1800’s and was quite the feat for the day.

Getting There

From the D8, take the exit into Brela but instead of going down toward the sea (and into town), turn up to the small village: Gornji Kričak. There may be a small sign indicating the climbing area (if coming from Omiš).

Take a right turn just past (above) the Ribola 75 Supermarket and then left up Gornji Kričak street. Take care, the roads are super skinny!. At the third hairpin turn, note the small parking lot and a sign pointing to the left up a steep concrete driveway indicating the climbing area. Parking and walking from here would be an option. This route to the left is really steep and not recommended to attempt in a car (ends in a real steep dirt track). Instead, continue up the lower angle paved road and go straight past a sharp turn to the left.

At the next Y in the road, take the left or uphill track which degrades in quality but isn’t that steep. After around 130m, take the left hand turn up a steeper road and then to the left at the top of the hill where the road levels out. Follow this along a fairly level track to the parking lot by a “sports complex” (older buildings along with newer construction) where a sign to the crag will be visible. Possible to continue along the road to get closer to the more westerly sectors.

Sounds complicated but the locals were friendly and helpful and the distances and options are limited.