Incredible free-standing tower is the world?s highest climbing wall

Incredible free-standing tower is the world?s highest climbing wall

Mangalore Today News Network

Surrounded by the famously-flat countryside of the Netherlands, this impressive free standing tower stands out for miles around.

But despite looking hugely intimidating, the incredible structure is the world’s highest climbing wall.

The routes are definitely not for the faint-hearted as climbers have to scale 121-feet in order to reach the top.

The whopping structure, named Excalibur, was built in Groningen, the Netherlands, in 2004 by Jert Canderceen.

Employee at the centre, Heleen Meijburg, revealed how climbers were forced to travel over the border to Germany in order to climb on real rock.

She said: ’As you can see from the pictures the landscape is very, very flat.

Jert wanted to build the tower for commercial reasons but he also wanted somewhere for climbers to go.

’It’s a three-hour drive minimum to get anywhere where you can climb from here. And the nearest place is over the border in Germany.

’The wall offers a unique experience for anyone interested in climbing and doesn’t want to travel too far.

’The routes are of varying difficulty so beginners can climb on it too. But don’t expect to reach the top on your very first time!’

Indoor climbing is an increasingly popular form of rock climbing performed on artificial structures that attempt to mimic the experience of outdoor rock.

Traditional rock-climbing has a certain degree of risk because it is always possible to fall off a rock face.

In contrast wall-climbing is controlled with secure ropes and is a much safer introduction to the sport.

This sense of security also has a downside - a new gym climber may head to the cliffs and find they do not have all of the necessary skills for climbing in a more extreme setting.