Rock climbing sites as locations for geoheritage and geoscience engagement in mountains

Outdoor activities including trekking and hiking are commonly undertaken in mountains and in other environments where bedrock surfaces or bedrock-controlled landforms are present and where users can enjoy the fresh air and the physical landscape. Information boards and leaflets are often used by scientists and environmental managers in these environments to communicate geoscience issues to the general public along hiking and trekking trails. Rock climbing sites are also prime locations where rock surfaces are exposed and where specific user groups interact with the physical landscape. Here, we describe the relationship between rock climbing and the nature of rock outcrops and the opportunity that this affords for more innovative ways of communicating geoscience information to a physically active and engaged public. As such, rock climbing sites can be considered geoheritage sites, where they represent sites of importance for people and communities (cultural heritage) as well as for their geological and educational value (geological heritage). The characteristics of rock climbing sites as geoheritage sites are discussed in this feature, as are the potential threats to the integrity of these sites.