Got a burning question? We hope to cover everything you need to know below. If it’s not here, feel free to call us on 01603 513513. Alternatively, do feel free to grab our attention next time you’re in – we’re a friendly bunch and we love helping out new people.
Bouldering is a form of rock climbing that doesn’t use ropes or harnesses. The routes are typically under 4m high and soft padding is used to cushion any falls. Bouldering routes (AKA problems) are usually considered more intense than other forms of climbing, being made up of fewer, harder moves.
If you’re asking, the answer is probably yes! Our Intro to Bouldering courses are for anybody who isn’t a confident, competent climber. If you’ve only climbed a few times or haven’t been bouldering more than 5 times in the last 12 months, we highly recommend an Intro to Bouldering course. It only takes an hour, and includes an hour’s unsupervised bouldering. If you’re a regular at another gym or have had training from elsewhere, you’ll likely be able to register for an open session.
Yes, all sessions are booked in advance through our booking system, called Capitan. Just log into your profile and look for “Book Session or Event”. Sessions become available a week in advance.
Any climbing equipment you might need can be hired here (check out our pricing page for prices). You’re welcome to bring snacks, but we do have a lovely café.
Gym gear or outdoors gear are the usual choice. Anything that allows you to move freely and isn’t too baggy is great. Please be aware, we’re in a warehouse, which means it’s very cold in the winter and fairly hot in the summer. We recommend lots of layers in the cooler months so you don’t get too cold when you stop climbing.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with being scared of heights – it’s totally natural. We find that most people who are scared of heights very quickly forget about it once the feeling of accomplishment takes over. We always emphasise that all climbers only ever go as high as they feel comfortable – there’s really no pressure to reach the top of anything!
Some gyms colour code their climbs – we use a numbered tag system, because we’ve found it can give a lot more variation of styles within each grade. As a simple rule, the higher the number, the harder the climb. This article goes into it in more detail, if you’d like.
The numbered tags also have another purpose – they show how to start the climb. Your hands can start no higher than the numbered tags.
Star tags are used to show a climb that’s a test piece for the grade, or just one that’s particularly different or fun!
Capitan (pronounced Cap-Ee-Tan) is simply the name of our booking system, introduced in early 2021. To climb with us, you will need to register on the Capitan site and set up an online account. Capitan is all web-based – there’s no app – so we recommend bookmarking/saving the page for easy access once you’re logged in.
