Sometimes the only way to escape the endless sprawl of Beijing is to go vertical. Whether that means mile high bars or rock climbing is up to you. These places all offer climbing facilities for both beginner and experienced climbers and they're cheap -20 RMB for unlimited climbing time at most of them; free at the ones out in nature. Is the only carabineer you have attached to you a keychain? No worries, some climbing walls will rent you gear and some will even let you use it for free. Here, we take a look at some of the best places for rock climbing in Beijing.

1)Ritan Park Rock Climbing Area

Ritan Park is home to an outdoor rock climbing area that takes up over 400 square meters and has two separate courses. The line course cliff is 15 meters high and 50 meters wide. There are a total of nine passages up the cliff making it suitable for rock climbers of varying levels. The stone hugging area was designed in accordance with international rock climbing standards; this section is far more difficult than the line course. Ritan Park has relatively good tree coverage keeping it cool even during the summer. You can rent mountain climbing shoes on site.

Add: Ritan Park, 6 Ritan Beilu, Chaoyangmen Wai, Chaoyang District, Beijing

Tel: 010 8562 6352

Price: 25 RMB (one time), 60 RMB (unlimited times)

Opening hours: 10:00-21:30

Getting there: take bus 639 or 640 to Ritan Park stop

2) Baihe Natural Rock Climbing Cliff

Baihe Natural Rock Climbing Cliff is one of the best places in Beijing to go rock climbing on natural cliffs. Both sides of the Baihe River Valley are steep and ideal for climbing. With names like Good Morning and Cool Day, sections of the cliff just seem made to be climbed. The cliffs facing east are best for the summer because they are relatively clear and few people climb there.

The cliffs are free of falling rocks and the area is a fairly safe place to climb. Baihe Valley has enough cliffs to make a climber of any skill level satisfied. The bottom of the valley is also a great place for camping because of the wonderfully soft patches of green grass. You can camp in the valley near the river, but be careful because in the summer there are frequent flash floods and weather can change quickly.

Add: Baihe Scenic Area, North Miyun County, Beijing (70km from Beijing city)

Price: 30 RMB plus 10 RMB insurance per person. The children's area is 30 RMB. Safety harnesses and ropes are free. Climbing shoes can be rented for 10 RMB. A membership card costs 350 RMB/15 visits-the card does not include insurance costs, and must be used within four months, but can be used for up to five people at a time. The card cannot be refunded.

Opening hours: 9:00-18:00 (Sat-Sun and holidays), during the week, groups of ten or more can make reservations three or more days in advance

Getting there: take a long-distance bus from Dongzhimen to Miyun  (10 RMB) and then take a minibus (30-40) to Dashitou . If you're going by car, you can take National Road 111 to the Tanghe Exit. Head toward to the Baihebao Reservoir . You can take the Jingchang Highway back to Beijing

3) Longtan Lake

Longtan Lake's outdoor mountain climbing area is divided into four sections depending on difficulty, speed, and style of rock surface. The rocks can be moved around and rearranged to make the courses more difficult. The rock hugging section can have up to 15 people on it at the same time and is over 30 meters wide. This area has been used for competitions, training and recreation, making it suitable for any kind of rock climber. The area has its own equipment but visitors are also welcome to bring and use their own if they prefer. There are also professional assistants and trainers ready to help you climb.

Add: Near the East Gate of Longtan Lake Park, 8 Longtan Lu, Dongcheng District, Beijing

Tel: 010 6714 4336

Price: 10 RMB (one time), 200 RMB (monthly card), 350 RMB (15 times, valid within 4 months), 1,000 RMB (year card)

Opening hours: 14:00-21:30 (Mon-Fri), 9:00-21:30 (Sat-Sun)

Getting there: take bus 12, 684, or 750 to Longtanhu Youyongchi stop 4) Vertigo Gecko King Climbing Club

Located in the Capital Indoor Stadium Ice Rink the Vertigo Gecko Climbing Club  includes a rock climbing area with walls up to 4.5 meters tall, as well as a more difficult section for experienced climbers with walls up to 14 meters tall, which is in line with international competition standards. Whether you��re a beginner or an experienced rock climber this place has it all, and it even has climbing facilities to accommodate children. If you're thinking of taking up rock climbing as a serious hobby, then you can think about signing up their rock climbing classes.   

Add: Inside the Capital Indoor Stadium Ice Rink, 54 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Haidian District, Beijing (near the National Library)

Tel: 010 6836 8450   

Price: 60 RMB (per day)

Opening hours: 10:00-22:00

Getting there: take subway line 4 or 9 to National Library Station , then head out of exit C, and walk north for 50 meters