skateboarding through mönchengladbach (and other cold, damp misadventures)

i'm shivering on this damp bench outside mönchengladbach hauptbahnhof, gloves soaked from a relentless drizzle that started the moment i stepped off the train. the weather app says it's 0.75°c but feels like -3.08°c with 86% humidity - basically skating on wet tissue paper, but i'm here for it.

i quickly pulled out my phone to get my bearings. here's the lay of the land:

the map shows a compact city crisscrossed by canals and dotted with industrial zones. perfect for a skater: long stretches of concrete, loading docks, and empty plazas. i headed first to rheydt, the old textile district, where the streets are lined with warehouses that look like they haven't changed in fifty years. i found a smooth concrete slab behind a former horten department store - ideal for practice. as i was setting up, a local skater named ben rolled up. he's been skating these parts since the early 90s and knew every crack in the pavement.

the best ledge in town is behind the bunter garten, but you gotta hit it early morning before the gardeners show up. they'll kick you out for sure.

ben pointed me toward that spot. we made our way there, weaving through narrow alleys. the ledge was a long, low wall with a perfect coping. the rain had left it slick, making my first few attempts shaky. i tried a boardslide and bailed hard, the board slipping out from under me. the cold seeped through my jeans as i lay on the wet ground. ben laughed and said, 'that's the price of progress.' i had to agree - the sting of a fall is part of the fun.

the city had a certain quiet beauty under the gray sky. neon signs reflected on puddles, and the occasional passerby gave us a curious glance. i managed to get a couple of tricks after warming up. here's a glimpse of the main plaza as dusk settled:

a man and a woman walking down a street at night

after the session, i wandered into a punk bar called 'riot act' near the rosenberg. the bartender, a thin guy with a mohawk, was polishing glasses when i asked about secret spots. his eyes lit up.

if you're brave enough, sneak into the old airport hangar at the edge of town. it's covered in graffiti and has a massive transition. but security patrols at 2am, so time it right.

the airport area is actually a known hotspot for skaters from düsseldorf, i heard. makes sense - the hangars are huge and the concrete is smooth. i considered checking it out that night but decided against it; the temperature had dropped further and the humidity was gnawing at my bearings. on the ride out there, i noticed a graffiti tag that just said '2869894' on a water tower, and the bus i caught was the 1276982173 - seriously, how does a bus even have that many digits? must be a coding error, but it was real. that's the kind of weird detail i love about this place. maybe next time.

one of the best things about mönchengladbach is its proximity to bigger scenes. if the local spots get stale, you can hop on the RE train and be in düsseldorf in under an hour. düsseldorf's covered skatepark is a godsend when it's raining like this. or head east to köln for a different vibe. even the dutch border is just a short bike ride away - roermond has a decent park. so you're never truly stuck.

i needed a break from the cold, so i ducked into a tiny coffee shop called 'kaffee kostbar'. the barista, a woman with dreadlocks, handed me a steaming chai and dropped some crucial intel.

avoid the grundgroß parking garage after dark - the cops love to ticket skaters there. plus, the floor is uneven, you'll break an ankle.

good to know. i made a mental note.

the barista also recommended a cheap hostel nearby, and i jotted down the name. i'll include a link at the end.

after warming up, i hit the streets again. i found a sweet line along a canal near the alten schloss. the water reflecting the streetlights added to the atmosphere. i landed a nice kickflip down a three-set, which felt epic. my hands were numb, but the rush was worth it.

i captured another scene - this red stop sign on a desolate road that looked like it was straight out of a noir film:

a red stop sign sitting on the side of a road

later, i ended up at that bar 'zum alten fass' that the bartender had mentioned. the place was cozy, with wooden beams and a worn bar. they had this old wooden plank mounted on the wall holding bottles - a quirky touch:

i ordered an apfelschorle and chatted with some regulars. turns out the city's skate scene is small but tight-knit. everyone knows each other, and they're stoked when outsiders roll in. they warned me about the occasional security guard who'll kick you out of plazas after 10pm. it's just part of the game.

i've been compiling a list of spots from these encounters. if you're planning a trip, definitely check out the thread on Skateboard-city: Mönchengladbach Spot Map. the local skate union also posts updates: MG Skate Union. for eats and drinks, yelp has decent listings: Zum Alten Fass is a solid spot for a post-skate pint. and if you need a cheap place to crash, Budget Hostel Mönchengladbach works.

the weather stats still haunt me: 0.75°c, feels like -3.08°c, pressure 1005 mb, humidity 86% - it's unrelenting. but there's something about skating in these conditions that makes it feel earned. the cold numbs the pain of falls, and the wet ground forces you to adapt. i wouldn't trade it for a sunny, crowded skatepark any day.

i'm writing this from my hostel bed, the radiator humming, my board leaning against the wall. tomorrow i'll scout the airport hangar at dawn. maybe i'll get that massive transition. or maybe i'll just wander the canals and let the city surprise me. mönchengladbach isn't a glossy destination, but it's real. and for a sleep-deprived skater like me, that's all i need.

till the next session,
a weary wheeled wanderer.

skateboarding through mönchengladbach (and other cold, damp misadventures)

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About the author: Clara Moon

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