Newmarket / Durham Bouldering

The two towns of Durham and Newmarket contain a fair share of the Seacoast's bouldering. The bouldering here is found in small pockets throughout an extensive network of parks, conservation lands and town owned forest systems. 

Durham is the home of the University of New Hampshire and is a major hub for the surrounding communities. Generations of climbers have moved through New Hampshire's largest center for higher learning and making a big impact on climbing in the region. While Durham revolves around the University (which does have some limited but quality climbing amongst College Woods), the best of the bouldering is locate further out of town. The nearly-roadside Wiswall Boulders offer the area's must-do classics and should be on everyone's list to check out. On the other side of town is the Sweet Trail, the premiere hiking trail in the area and home to some great bouldering spread out along it's entire 4 mile length.

Newmarket is a quiet town that acts as a satellite suburb for UNH in Durham. Newmarket's woods contain several small but quality bouldering zones. For a quick session hit up the Heron Point Sanctuary right downtown along the scenic Lamprey River. Or head a couple minutes out of town to the Piscassic Boulders for a short walk through open hardwood forest to some great, mellow climbs.

For Coffee go to Crack Skulls

For Beer go to the Riverworks

For Eggs Benny go to The Big Bean Cafe

History Lesson -

The Lamprey is the only major river in New Hampshire that is contained entirely within state borders. The Swamscott Indians, a tribe of Algonquian-speaking Pennacooks of the north, settled here to fish and farm. Over the centuries, these falls provided power, bringing prosperity to the Newmarket shipping trade. The name of the river comes not from the lamprey eel but from John Lamprey, an early settler. Before Newmarket was incorporated as a town in 1737, the area was known as Lampreyville