Can anyone boulder and climb?
Absolutely yes, you don’t need any prior experience to have a fantastic time with friends or alone. All new climbers receive a thorough orientation before they climb. But be careful, progress is addictive and extreme motivator.
Am I too old? Am I too young?
Climbing and bouldering practice are great to keep fit and healthy, and as long as you follow the rules of the gym to avoid accidents no one is too old to do anything within the gym.
What are your policies on children?
- Children under 7 years of age must be an arms length away from the authorised guarding at all times.
- Children under 12 years of age must have a guardian present at all times in the gym.
- Children under the age of 15 cannot belay on their own without close supervision.
What should I wear?
Any athletic or loose fitting clothing works great for bouldering.
Do I need any special equipment?
The only thing you need to boulder at The Climbing Hub is climbing shoes. Feel free to bring your own or rent some from our fleet for £…./day. We don’t allow barefoot or street shoe climbing at The Climbing Hub. We also rent chalk bags and sell chalk at the front desk, we ask members to use chalk balls to reduce air chalk pollution.
Anything I should do before my first visit?
Yes, to speed up your entrance you could fill our online registration and bring your driver’s license when you arrive. Please note anyone under 18 is considered a minor and cannot fill out their own waiver, so be sure to bring a parent!
What is bouldering?
Climbing above a crash mat made of foam without a rope. The name comes from the origins where alpine mountaineers trained on boulders to sharpen their skills and increase their strength and power.
What is lead/rope climbing?
That would be climbing to higher grounds attached to a rope and it requires a buddy to belay you and keep you safe.
“A rope keeps two men or women together that only have one life …, these cannot feel strangers when a both share the same fate, good or bad” Gaston Rebuffat, French Mountaineer.
Belaying means to “hold fast” and has its origins in sailing actually. It means using a belay device to secure the rope attached to another climber when they are high off the ground to protect a possible fall.
I lack upper body strength can I boulder and/or climb?
Absolutely. First, nobody was born a climber and second the more you practise the more upper body strength you will build. We have designed the centre to facilitate the journey from beginner to expert.
Is climbing a good exercise to lose weight?
Regular climbing and/or bouldering will keep you fit and will mostly improve your strength endurance. This together with a healthy diet and eating less calories will enable you to lose weight.