On a rainy Sunday at Mountain Network Nieuwegein

Last Sunday, the weather was very rainy, which made us decide to spend the afternoon at Mountain Network Nieuwegein. This year is, in fact, the last chance to visit this climbing gym. At the end of this year, the gym will close its doors, after which the new, larger climbing gym a bit further down the road will open. We are looking forward to this with great curiosity.

Back after twenty years

It had been more than twenty years since I last visited this climbing gym. The gym felt smaller than I remembered, but it still offers over forty ropes with varied routes. More than enough for an active afternoon.

The climbing gym has walls on both sides with various overhangs. You can see that the gym has been around for some years: the wall sections are angular and have a rocky texture, something you see less often in modern gyms today. There is also a small mezzanine with a few ropes, mainly intended for warming up or for children's parties.

In the middle of the gym, there is a metal grate, which is not very comfortable when walking barefoot from one side to the other. Downstairs, near the changing rooms, there is a modest training area and a spray wall for additional strength training.

Routes full of creativity

Thanks to the grey walls, the holds really stand out, especially in the routes that were specially set for recent competitions, such as Flashtest and the NKBV youth competition. The route setters are creative not only in the movements but also in the names of the routes. Each route has a tag with its name, and some of these names bring a smile to our faces.

Climbing experience and personal victory

Just like in other Mountain Network gyms, you must tie in with a figure-eight knot. We climbed several routes and fully enjoyed the creative movements and the smooth flow. The routes suit my climbing style well and provide a pleasant challenge.

A qualification route from the youth competition caught my attention. To my surprise, I managed to onsight this 8a, a beautiful personal victory. At the end of my session, I attempted a 7B, but unfortunately my strength had run out by then, and I was not able to complete the final moves.

Half a year left to enjoy

If you still want to experience this climbing gym, you have about half a year left. We enjoyed the surprising routes and are very curious to see what the new gym will offer in the future.