“Good climbing and good company often go together:
each is essential to the enjoyment
of the other.”
~Tom Patey
New to Climbing
If you’ve NEVER climbed before or even if you have climbed a few times, then you’ve come to the right place to learn from the best!
Our courses will cover the skills to keep you safe on and off the wall.
Just choose the course for you and we’ll soon have you climbing.
Please note: you run the risk of serious injury or even death whilst climbing. Please seek professional advice and guidance before climbing.
Courses for Adults
Further Courses & Coaching
FAQ
All children aged 16 and under need to be supervised by an adult when at The Boardroom.
NB: We now run a strict supervision ratio of two children to one adult.
If you are an experienced climber then they can be supervised by yourself. If not then they will need to be supervised by one of our instructors.
It’s just not safe to let your children play on the wall without correct supervision as climbing can be a dangerous sport.
There are a few options available to you to get your kids climbing:
- Book them onto a “Fun Session”. This is an hour long under the supervision and guidance of one of our fantastic instructors. This Fun Session is a great way to try the sport out and see if they enjoy it. Book yourself on too if you’d like to join in!
- On weekend mornings (and week days during school holidays) we run our Fun Clubs, “Caterpillars” for 5-7 years, “Funky Gibbons” for 7-11 and “Youth Climbing Club” for 12-16 year olds.
- If you’re sure your child will love climbing, or if they’ve tried climbing, enjoy it and want to progress in the sport then why not enrol them onto our Climbing Clubs.These development courses run all year round and are a great way to learn climbing or bouldering. Our Climbing Clubs deliver the NICAS (National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme) or NIBAS (National Indoor Bouldering Award Scheme), for which we are one of the countries primary centres. These awards also counts towards GCSE and D of E!Head to our Climbing Clubs page for more info and to book onto the Climbing Club Intake course to get started.
- As a parent if you do either our “Bouldering Safety Course” or our “Rope Safety Course” then you will be able to bring your child climbing by yourself. With the safety knowledge and skills learnt you will not require one of our instructors to instruct your child. It also gets you involved in your child’s sport, and you never know you might enjoy climbing yourself!
- We also do amazing kids birthday parties!
Yes, if you’re just going to boulder you can.
If you haven’t climbed before or don’t have much experience, please book yourself onto our “Intro to Bouldering” course.
This course will cover important skills for your safety and the safety of other users whilst bouldering, as well as teaching you some handy climbing techniques and top tips.
Bouldering is also a great way to meet other climbers to climb with.
To help improve your technique we run free coaching classes on the bouldering wall every Thursday evening (mixed) and Monday evenings (women only).
The Psicobloc (pronounced; see-koh-block) at The Boardroom is just a very high boulder, 8 meters high to be precise and very steep/overhanging with extra deep matting below it to take your fall!
The word Psicobloc is Spanish and its direct translation is “crazy boulder”. It’s also another name for DWS (Deep Water Soloing) which involves climbing rock faces above water, usually sea cliffs, free solo without a harnesses or ropes and using the water to break your fall!
We thought it was a pretty apt name for our solo wall as it is a pretty crazy boulder. So far it’s the only indoor one in Europe and only a handful in the world!
An auto belay is an automatic belay device that eliminates the need for a human belayer. The auto belay is attached to the top of the wall taking up the slack as a climber ascends and controls the descent when the climber reaches the top or in the event of a fall.
Climbing ropes tend to have a breaking strain of 2,400kg which is way more than a car or even an SUV! You’re going to have to eat a lot of tiffin to break one!
Most items of climbing equipment such as karabiners, harnesses and slings have a similar breaking strain.
Top roping is without doubt the safest and easiest to learn of the two methods used in indoor climbing where a rope is required for safety (the other being “lead climbing”).
While top roping indoors (here at The Boardroom the top rope walls are the green wall) the rope which is always in place, runs smoothly through an anchor* at the top of the wall, with both ends of the rope reaching down to the floor. The climber ties into one end and the belayer attaches to the other.
As the climber ascends the wall the belayer takes in the rope ensuring there is no slack rope between themselves, the anchor and the climber. Should the climber fall off, the belayer prevents the climber from dropping by locking the rope in the belay device.
Because the rope passes through the anchor at the top of the wall, the climber is supported by the rope from above, despite the belayer being on the ground. This is why it is called “top roping”; the rope is always at the top, above the climber. This ensures that any fall a climber takes results in them falling no distance at all.
* In indoor climbing the anchor at the top of the wall consists of two karabiners attached to the wall structure via steel chains and bolts. The rope runs through the karabiners.
Indoor climbing wall anchors are weight tested on site to ensure they can hold 800kg
Before the climber starts climbing they must attach the rope to their harness. This is often referred to as “tying in”. In most indoor climbing centres this must be done using the popular and well recognised climbing knot, the figure of eight.
Despite it being a fairly easy knot to learn and get right, as with belaying it is paramount this is done correctly and attached the correct part of the harness. The consequences of getting this wrong could lead to serious injury or even death.
This is one of three skills (correctly putting on a harness, belaying and tying in) we teach on our “Introduction to Rope Safety/Belaying” course. Most people can master these skills during this course. If not then we will offer extra tuition free of charge until they are able to.
Belaying is the climbing term for controlling the (safety) rope whilst the climber climbs.
Climbers will more often than not, take it turns as a pair. One of them climbing whilst the other belays. Then they swap. So belaying is an essential skill all climbers must learn, and learn correctly.
When belaying the rope passes through a belay device and this device is clipped into the belayers harness. Correct use of the belay device is essential and of utmost importance as the climbers life rests in the belayers hands should they fall!
Having said that, it is a fairly basic skill and one of three (correctly putting on a harness, belaying and tying in) we teach on our “Introduction to Rope Safety/Belaying” course. Most people can master these skills during this course. If not then we will offer extra tuition free of charge until they can.
Bouldering in essence is the simplest and purest form of climbing. Just you, your climbing shoes and some chalk (oh, and some comfortable clothes/gym kit!). No need for a harness or rope!
Not only is it a great way to get fit and tone up, it also increases flexibility and mindfulness, a bit like yoga, challenges your problem-solving kills and has the added bonus of being a very sociable sport.
Thankfully you’re never that far from the ground (well, up to 4.5m) which is covered with thick foam matting*. Without the harness and rope it also means it’s a much cheaper way to start climbing.
*the matting does not eliminate the risk of injury.
Indoor climbing (sport climbing) is a form of rock climbing carried out indoors on artificial structures which attempt to mimic the experience of climbing outside.
Originally used by climbers as a way to train for climbing during the wet winter months, indoor climbing has now become a sport in its own right with many new climbers using it as a sociable and enjoyable alternative to working out in the gym!
Sport climbing made the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 (2021)!
Further Courses & Coaching
FAQ
All children aged 16 and under need to be supervised by an adult when at The Boardroom.
NB: We now run a strict supervision ratio of two children to one adult.
If you are an experienced climber then they can be supervised by yourself. If not then they will need to be supervised by one of our instructors.
It’s just not safe to let your children play on the wall without correct supervision as climbing can be a dangerous sport.
There are a few options available to you to get your kids climbing:
- Book them onto a “Fun Session”. This is an hour long under the supervision and guidance of one of our fantastic instructors. This Fun Session is a great way to try the sport out and see if they enjoy it. Book yourself on too if you’d like to join in!
- On weekend mornings (and week days during school holidays) we run our Fun Clubs, “Caterpillars” for 5-7 years, “Funky Gibbons” for 7-11 and “Youth Climbing Club” for 12-16 year olds.
- If you’re sure your child will love climbing, or if they’ve tried climbing, enjoy it and want to progress in the sport then why not enrol them onto our Climbing Clubs.These development courses run all year round and are a great way to learn climbing or bouldering. Our Climbing Clubs deliver the NICAS (National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme) or NIBAS (National Indoor Bouldering Award Scheme), for which we are one of the countries primary centres. These awards also counts towards GCSE and D of E!Head to our Climbing Clubs page for more info and to book onto the Climbing Club Intake course to get started.
- As a parent if you do either our “Bouldering Safety Course” or our “Rope Safety Course” then you will be able to bring your child climbing by yourself. With the safety knowledge and skills learnt you will not require one of our instructors to instruct your child. It also gets you involved in your child’s sport, and you never know you might enjoy climbing yourself!
- We also do amazing kids birthday parties!
Yes, if you’re just going to boulder you can.
If you haven’t climbed before or don’t have much experience, please book yourself onto our “Intro to Bouldering” course.
This course will cover important skills for your safety and the safety of other users whilst bouldering, as well as teaching you some handy climbing techniques and top tips.
Bouldering is also a great way to meet other climbers to climb with.
To help improve your technique we run free coaching classes on the bouldering wall every Thursday evening (mixed) and Monday evenings (women only).
The Psicobloc (pronounced; see-koh-block) at The Boardroom is just a very high boulder, 8 meters high to be precise and very steep/overhanging with extra deep matting below it to take your fall!
The word Psicobloc is Spanish and its direct translation is “crazy boulder”. It’s also another name for DWS (Deep Water Soloing) which involves climbing rock faces above water, usually sea cliffs, free solo without a harnesses or ropes and using the water to break your fall!
We thought it was a pretty apt name for our solo wall as it is a pretty crazy boulder. So far it’s the only indoor one in Europe and only a handful in the world!
An auto belay is an automatic belay device that eliminates the need for a human belayer. The auto belay is attached to the top of the wall taking up the slack as a climber ascends and controls the descent when the climber reaches the top or in the event of a fall.
Climbing ropes tend to have a breaking strain of 2,400kg which is way more than a car or even an SUV! You’re going to have to eat a lot of tiffin to break one!
Most items of climbing equipment such as karabiners, harnesses and slings have a similar breaking strain.
Top roping is without doubt the safest and easiest to learn of the two methods used in indoor climbing where a rope is required for safety (the other being “lead climbing”).
While top roping indoors (here at The Boardroom the top rope walls are the green wall) the rope which is always in place, runs smoothly through an anchor* at the top of the wall, with both ends of the rope reaching down to the floor. The climber ties into one end and the belayer attaches to the other.
As the climber ascends the wall the belayer takes in the rope ensuring there is no slack rope between themselves, the anchor and the climber. Should the climber fall off, the belayer prevents the climber from dropping by locking the rope in the belay device.
Because the rope passes through the anchor at the top of the wall, the climber is supported by the rope from above, despite the belayer being on the ground. This is why it is called “top roping”; the rope is always at the top, above the climber. This ensures that any fall a climber takes results in them falling no distance at all.
* In indoor climbing the anchor at the top of the wall consists of two karabiners attached to the wall structure via steel chains and bolts. The rope runs through the karabiners.
Indoor climbing wall anchors are weight tested on site to ensure they can hold 800kg
Before the climber starts climbing they must attach the rope to their harness. This is often referred to as “tying in”. In most indoor climbing centres this must be done using the popular and well recognised climbing knot, the figure of eight.
Despite it being a fairly easy knot to learn and get right, as with belaying it is paramount this is done correctly and attached the correct part of the harness. The consequences of getting this wrong could lead to serious injury or even death.
This is one of three skills (correctly putting on a harness, belaying and tying in) we teach on our “Introduction to Rope Safety/Belaying” course. Most people can master these skills during this course. If not then we will offer extra tuition free of charge until they are able to.
Belaying is the climbing term for controlling the (safety) rope whilst the climber climbs.
Climbers will more often than not, take it turns as a pair. One of them climbing whilst the other belays. Then they swap. So belaying is an essential skill all climbers must learn, and learn correctly.
When belaying the rope passes through a belay device and this device is clipped into the belayers harness. Correct use of the belay device is essential and of utmost importance as the climbers life rests in the belayers hands should they fall!
Having said that, it is a fairly basic skill and one of three (correctly putting on a harness, belaying and tying in) we teach on our “Introduction to Rope Safety/Belaying” course. Most people can master these skills during this course. If not then we will offer extra tuition free of charge until they can.
Bouldering in essence is the simplest and purest form of climbing. Just you, your climbing shoes and some chalk (oh, and some comfortable clothes/gym kit!). No need for a harness or rope!
Not only is it a great way to get fit and tone up, it also increases flexibility and mindfulness, a bit like yoga, challenges your problem-solving kills and has the added bonus of being a very sociable sport.
Thankfully you’re never that far from the ground (well, up to 4.5m) which is covered with thick foam matting*. Without the harness and rope it also means it’s a much cheaper way to start climbing.
*the matting does not eliminate the risk of injury.
Indoor climbing (sport climbing) is a form of rock climbing carried out indoors on artificial structures which attempt to mimic the experience of climbing outside.
Originally used by climbers as a way to train for climbing during the wet winter months, indoor climbing has now become a sport in its own right with many new climbers using it as a sociable and enjoyable alternative to working out in the gym!
Sport climbing made the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 (2021)!
I am completely new to climbing, I really mean that!
This place however has never made me think negatively about myself, the staff are incredible! There is one young lady with the most infectious smile, positive attitude and welcoming spirit. She complimented me on my improvement and actually made me feel awesome. She is a credit to your company.
I can honestly say that I love coming here and am always planning my next visit. I have visited other walls but let’s just say they are less awesome. The boardrooms is clean, modern, energetic and a genuine happy atmosphere.
I feel comfortable here and I can’t thank you enough for that!
~Heather
Still unsure on what to book or have a question
then please, get in touch…