Go Climbing
Why Climbing?
The feeling of pulling over the top of a sheer rock cliff is one you will never forget; the drop beneath you, the sun setting on the horizon and the adventure shared with your friends. People come to climbing for many reasons. For some it is a love of the outdoors and a chance to explore places where few have ever been, for others its the physical and mental challenge of making that move that you previously thought was impossible. The health benefits of climbing include improved aerobic fitness from the approach walks, a balanced improvement in muscle tone and vastly improved balance and flexibility. Perhaps the main area of benefit is the increased confidence as you learn to overcome the challenges of the vertical world. Whatever the reason you decide to start climbing, the one thing all climbers share is that ear to ear grin of exhilaration at the end of a days climbing.
Climbing is one of the most inclusive sports around. A small amount of general aerobic fitness is useful just to get you to the base of the crag, but the myth that you have to have arms like Popeye to get to the top is just that - a myth! In fact, most climbs reward good balance, footwork and technique over sheer brawn, meaning that women, with their typically lower centre of balance and better flexibility, can progress very quickly. One of the best things about climbing is that youre not competing against anyone else; you set your own targets and try your best. Its up to you whether you want a gentle day out traversing the rocks in between sun bathing at a Pembroke beach or a full workout at the overhanging limestone cove of the Yorkshire Dales. Climbing is a great family activity and many climbing walls offer childrens clubs.
Where Can I Climb?
Even though Britain hasnt got the high mountains of the Alps, we are blessed with thousands of great rock climbing venues. The mountain crags of Snowdonia and Cader Idris in North Wales, the fells all across the Lake District and the high mountain cliffs of Ben Nevis, the Cairngorms and Torridon are justly famous. We have some of the most extensive seacliff climbing in the world, stretching from Swanage and Portland in Dorset, around the overhangs of Torquay and the slabs of Baggy Point in Devon, through the beautiful granite of Cornwall to the seacliffs meccas of Pembroke and Gogarth in Wales. Inland crags and outcrops are too numerous to give a complete list but not to be missed are the granite tors of Dartmoor, the quarried limestone of Avon gorge in Bristol as well as to the gritstone edges of the Peak district and Yorkshire moors and the limestone dales of Yorkshire and Cheedale. To help find your nearest climbing areas, check the extensive guidebook selection in your local Snow+Rock store. Guidebooks are published to all the individual areas by national clubs such as The Climbers Club and the Fell and Rock Climbing Club, the national governing body the British Mountaineering Council, and commercial publishers such as Rockfax.
Two Options to Start Climbing
There are a few options. The first is to buy a whole rack of the latest kit and head straight out to the steepest bit of rock youve spotted from the car. This option is recommended if you fancy an extended stay at your local hospital! A more sensible approach would be to try out climbing at your local indoor climbing wall, hire a qualified instructor or join a local climbing club. There are several hundred dedicated climbing walls in the UK and most likely one in your nearest big town.
Most walls offer introductory courses with qualified staff to supervise your first climb, plus they will be able to hire out rock shoes, a helmet and a harness. Qualified instructors will carry the SPA (single pitch award), MIA (mountain instructor award), MIC (mountain instructor certificate) or UIAGM guide. SPA holders are qualified to introduce you to climbing at smaller cliffs in a non-mountain environment, the other three higher level awards mean that the instructor can operate on multi-pitch climbs all over the U.K including our highest mountains.
There are several hundred climbing clubs, some of which are affiliated with the national representative body the BMC (British Mountaineering Council). Many clubs welcome new members and organise weekend trips, evening meets and have their own mountain huts. Most clubs prefer newcomers to have a little experience and perhaps their own basic kit, many climbing walls actually run their own clubs in association with a traditional outdoor club.
Summer, Winter, Spring and Autumn Climbing
It will depend on where you live, but rock climbing is often possible year round in England and Wales. Spring and Autumn often bring the best conditions for cragging without the humidity of the summer, when most climbers escape to the mountain crags of Snowdon, Kinder, Scafell or Glen Coe. The seacliffs in southern England offer surprisingly sheltered climbing in the winter. In the high hills, November to April is given over to winter mountaineering and ice climbing but even then for the dedicated rock climber sunny winter days bring the best friction conditions up on the gritstone edges. Obviously, at your local indoor climbing wall the friction is good all year round.
Climbing Equipment Advice
One of the UKs leading alpinists, Ian Parnell has summited such Himalayan giants as Everest as well as new routes on Annapurna III in Nepal and Saf Minal in India, both of which ascents were nominated for the prestigious Piolet DOr (Golden Ice Axe) - the leading international climbing award.
As an innovator in lightweight ascents, Ian helps give feedback on latest trends in mountaineering and testing new product, thus ensuring that Snow+Rock are at the cutting edge. Ian has worked with Snow+Rock for many seasons as our climbing technical advisor, most recently training staff in winter climbing in the Cairngorms in Scotland and Rjukan in Norway. Ian is available or free equipment advice online exclusively at www.snowandrock.com as part of our "Ask the Experts" facility.
Further Information
For general climbing info, including addresses of indoor climbing centres, information on clubs and instructors and an online crag database, the sports representative body the BMC (British Mountaineering Council)s website www.thebmc.co.uk is a great resource and includes information about membership and benefits.