Tryfan Free Climb Review

Cheddar Gorge Review

If extreme sports were a person, rock climbing would be their soul. This is because climbing was one of the first extreme sports.

Climbing is the art of ascending a rock face. This can be done on either a natural rock face or a man-made rock face in a climbing centre.

Climbing is the sport that many other extreme sports were borne out of. For example, rope jumping (used as a fun swing with climbing ropes and equipment), abseiling (a way of descending a climb), base jumping (used by climbers to descend a climbing combining skydiving), slacklining (used to span a gap for climbers), bouldering (low level technical climbing), ice climbing (climbing up ice walls or frozen water falls), some aspects of free running/parkour (using urban areas to climb and perform trick on), coasteering (climbing, swimming and jumping off of coastal rock faces) and, some say, bungee jumping was born from climbing as a modified form of rope jumping.

This sport is a great way to stay fit and get the adrenaline pumping.

There are loads of indoor climbing walls all over the UK. Check out the links below to find you local indoor centre. We recommend that you take lessons at an indoor centre before attempting any kind of climb. They will hold a number of courses to help you progress to climbing outside but first, you have to learn the basics.

First course is the top rope course ('top rope' means the rope is already connected to the top of the climbing wall). This is an introduction to climbing and teaches you the safety side as well as using the equipment correctly. You will learn to belay (operating the safety rope whilst the climbing is ascending the wall), using and tying the correct knots, wearing harnesses correctly and safety.

After taking the course you will become a member of the Bristish ountaineering Council (BMC) and can go and climb top rope routes at the climbing centre.

Other courses are:
Technique and Movement course. These teach you the best ways to climb and how to save energy when climbing.

Lead Climb course. This is when it starts to get a bit more serious. Lead Climbing is where you have to climb a route and clip your own rope into quick draws (safety points) on the way up. It's a lot more dangerous andrequires more involvement in the climb from the person belaying (operating the safety rope)

Bouldering courses. Low level technical climbing.

Outside Climbing course. This teaches you how to find good places to anchor your rope off, to set up top ropes outside and how the climbing is slightly different to indoor climbing.

Where to go, Cost and Equipement

Where

Want to get into climbing? Check out this link for the UK climbing directory which provides details of every climbing wall and bouldering room in the country. 

www.thebmc.co.uk/Feature.aspx?id=2234

Harness  -  from £40

Karabiner  -  from £9

Belay Gear  -  £15

Climbing Shoes  -  from £50

Helmet  -  £40

Rope  -  This comes in lots of different lengths and thicknesses. A rough price is about £40 for 10.5mm x 30m. A top rope is provided at climbing centres to use free of charge but, if you are lead climbing then you will have to buy one.

Chalk Bag  -  £10

Chalk ball - £2