At Highball Climbing Centre.
Climbing is a fantastic activity for teenagers. It’s exciting, social, and develops good balance, coordination and strength. The only complication is that, because of the nature of the sport, there are a lot of rules we all need to abide by. They apply to all climbing centres in the country and are designed to keep everybody as safe as possible.
Here’s a quick summary of the rules:
Can register for unsupervised climbing once they have achieved their Greencard (see below).
Can attend any of the adult courses where they can learn to climb independently and without supervision; effectively this is a fast track Greencard.
We have a range of supervised climbing sessions suitable for teenagers, from one-off taster sessions, to pay as you go club sessions and ongoing coaching.
All these sessions can support the achievement of a Greencard
A Greencard allows teenagers aged 14+ to climb and/or boulder without the supervision of an adult. It is a privilege earned by displaying safe climbing under supervision and having an understanding and acceptance of the risks. Teenagers who wish to climb unsupervised must attend a course or a number of supervised sessions before taking the unsupervised access test in the presence of a parent or guardian*.
Note: A Greencard is a privilege, not a right. Young climbers who climb dangerously or behave immaturely could have their Greencard removed.
Teenagers aged 14+ who want to have unsupervised access to the bouldering walls will need to attend an Intro to Bouldering course.
Once the climber demonstrates a clear understanding of the risks of indoor bouldering and consistent safe bouldering and behaviour, the instructor will ask the climber to invite their parent/guardian to join them for the sign off briefing*. 16 & 17-year-olds can opt for direct access via the Bouldering Induction.