I am lucky enough to have climbed in climbing centres all over the country, from Scotland to Devon. Here is a list of all the centres I have been to and what I liked about them.
This is my favourite climbing centre as it is near where I live and has tons of bouldering problems. The problems are set really well and the staff are all very friendly. There is the “big works” which is more suited to adult or experienced climbers and the “mini works” which is better for younger kids or those just starting to climb.
There is a huge comp wall which has hosted lots of big competitions, a campus board, a circuit board and a training area. I come here several times a week if I can make it.
This is one of my favourite climbing centres because it is really big and has a wide range of route and boulder grades. A lot of my competitions have been held here and they are always great. There is a ‘furnace’ which has a lot of routes, a small circuit bouldering wall and a training area with a pull up bar and campus board. There is also a sizeable traversing corridor and a main area with a few miniature walls, auto belays and plenty of enormous top ropes and leads too. There is also a middle sized bouldering wall in the main area. Another great part of the centre is the fantastic food that its cafe serves and the high quality clothes and equipment that the Crag X climbing shop provides.
3. The Edge (Sheffield)
This is where I first climbed so I will always remember it. Sadly it is now closed but it was a very good climbing centre. It had a lot of high routes and a really cool adjustable wall. There wasn’t as much bouldering as some places but it was still fun.
This climbing centre is awesome! The walls here a bigger than any walls I have seen in England, they are really scary but fun. You can practice top roping and leading in the smaller top rope and auto belay section. For beginners there is an even smaller section to introduce you to climbing and to build your confidence. Upstairs there is a snug room where you can relax and warm up as well as an upstairs gym with slack lines, gymnastics rings, a campus board and a great viewing area.
5. The Climbing Depot (Nottingham)
This is an all bouldering centre with a cafe that serves really nice snacks. It has a large main room and a smaller training room behind it. I went here for my rregional acadamy in 2014.
6. Nottingham Climbing Centre (Nottingham!)
This was an old swimming pool and you can still see the remains of it . There is a medium sized leading and bouldering area which are where the swimming pool used to be. There is also a cafe with delicious food and drink. There is a long traversing corridor behind the bounding are with two other top rope rooms behind that.
This is in an old church-I’ve only been here in the winter and it was freezing! There is a bouldering wall and a few really talk leading and top roping walls. There are some smaller walls for beginners. There is a high up seated viewing area to watch the climbing. The cafe food is lovely and the staff here are really friendly.
Unfortunately I have only been to this centre twice and each time I went I was impressed by the really imaginative setting and the size of the place. I had my first round of the British Boulder cup 2014/15. The staff are super friendly and gave me lots of hot black current because I had an extremely sore throat. I also had my Regional Academy there. It has a fantastic bouldering room which has a training part with a campus board and some gym equipment e.g fitness balls. It also has a smaller
The climbing depot is a bouldering centre where I have done two competitions. It is a long, thin climbing centre with walls down both sides and in the middle. There is a comp wall area at the back. There is a small training room behind the comp wall with a campus board and pull up bards. This is where we went for isolation in my competitions. The cafe sells really nice food and drink and the staff are really kind as they gave out free food and t-shirts when I was there for my comps! There is also a small climbing shop.
This is another climbing centre in Leeds that has both bouldering and routes. I went there for a leading competition in 2014 and was really pleased to come 2nd as I am better at bouldering than leading. The roped walls were really tall, nearly as tall as Awesome Walls. I can’t remember much more as I’ve only been there once and it was more than a year ago! Check the link above to find out more.
11. The Warehouse (Gloucester)
This is where I climb when my family travels to see my grandparents for long periods of time. I usually go in the main bouldering room which has a small Boulder room attached to it. I don’t know much about the rope climbing as I have only done it once in their main room. The cafe serves really nice food and drinks and not just snacks.
This is where I did my last round of the British Boulder Cup 2015. It is an enormous centre which has a cafe that serves fantastic food and ice cream in the summer. Also it has an fantastic elevated viewing and training area.
13. The Quay Climbing Centre (Exeter)
I went to Exeter for my deep water solo in August 2015. The centre has a really enormous, fun room with weird types of climbing like Leaps of faith and odd shaped walls. It also has a more conventional room with some height leading and top roping walls. It has two small bouldering rooms with a training area beside them . There are really friendly staff here and the cafe foods (especially the cakes!) are delicious.
This has to be the most outstanding , ginormous centre That I have ever been to. Even though the bouldering isn’t enormous the roped walls certainly make up for it. This centre hosts British competitions because of its enormous scale! I haven’t eaten anything from the cafe but from the looks of it the snacks look
15. The Climbing Academy (Glasgow)
The climbing academy is in a very large old industrial building in Glasgow and looks a bit creepy from the outside! You go in and then up lots of stairs to get to the climbing centre. There are only bouldering walls here but there are lots of them and they are all very interesting. There is a small cafe which sells lovely food and a locker / changing room at the back. I liked it here as this is where I won round 2 of the British Boulder Cup in June 2015.
16. Manchester Climbing Centre (Manchester)
This climbing centre is in a huge old church in Manchester. You can still see a beautiful stained glass window at one end. It has two separate bouldering rooms and a giant route area. I went here for a BMC National Academy day which was really good fun. The cafe is excellent and sells cheap and delicious ice cream! The staff are friendly and supportive.
17. Rock Over Climbing (Manchester)
This climbing centre is mainly a bouldering one but has a few route walls as well. It has three rooms that are connected to each other. There is a also a second floor with a traversing wall and a fun area with a castle in. There is a good viewing area for spectators and parents, and the cafe served delicious cake when I went there for a Ladies Night event.
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