Rocklands, South Africa

Rocklands is one of the world's great bouldering destinations, a sprawl of orange sandstone in the Cederberg mountains of South Africa's Western Cape. Its perfect friction, endless boulders and reliable winter weather draw dedicated boulderers from across the globe each year.

The rock is Table Mountain sandstone, weathered into steep walls, aretes and roofs studded with crimps, slopers and pockets. Bouldering is the discipline here, on thousands of problems spanning the full range from gentle introductory lines to some of the hardest boulders on the planet, roughly V0 through V16. The style favours powerful, technical movement on grippy rock, and the sheer density of problems means climbers of every level find endless projects within short walks of the parking areas.

The season is the southern winter, from about May to September, when cool, dry, stable weather delivers the crisp friction that boulderers prize; summer is too hot and the rock greasy.

Access is via the Pakhuis Pass area near Clanwilliam, with problems scattered across private farmland and a nature reserve requiring permits and respect for landowners. The region is remote and self-catered, so most visitors base in nearby cottages and camps.

Developed from the late 1990s onward, Rocklands rose quickly to rival Fontainebleau and Hueco Tanks as a global bouldering pilgrimage, and its classics now feature in climbing films and guidebooks worldwide. Beyond climbing, the Cederberg offers ancient rock art, spring wildflowers and some of the darkest night skies in the country, giving rest days a wild, remote character to match the quality of the stone.