An Overview of Climbing
The colour of the holds usually indicate the route you can take. Sounds dangerous, but it's not - to stop you from falling and injuring yourself you are tied to a rope.
Bouldering is rock climbing without the ropes. The walls are lower off the ground and there are crash mats underneath in case you fall.
It's a sociable sport and welcomes climbers of all levels. With hundreds of climbing walls around the UK - you don't need to live near mountains to get involved.
Benefits
- Climbing is a full-body workout
- Great for improving muscle-tone
- Good for concentration
Costs
A Climbing session can cost £6-£10 with a course costing around £12 for beginners.
Involvement
Go to an indoor climbing wall. There are over 400 climbing walls around the UK. Many walls run introductory climbing sessions and have equipment available to hire. Join a climbing club. There are around 300 climbing, hill walking and mountaineering clubs in England and Wales affiliated to the BMC.
Adaptations and Equipment
Equipment to take part in climbing is available to hire at local facilities which can include a helmet, harness and ropes.
Facts
- In 1989, the BMC ran the first ever World Cup event in Leeds which was won by our own Jerry Moffatt.
- Fellow Briton Simon Nadin went on to win the World Cup Series in 1989. British climbers have continued to compete worldwide with notable success.