Rock Climbing in Scotland
A Visitors Guide
INDOOR CLIMBING CENTRES
There is now a network of indoor climbing walls around Scotland. They range from large dedicated climbing centres with full facilities, large climbing walls incorporated into Local Authority Sports Centres to small walls in Sport Centres and Community Schools.
The major centres are in the main cities: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Aberdeen and Inverness. Many of these are supported by and designated by the MCofS, as Regional Centres. One other Regional Centre is located in Kinlochleven, near Fort William, which is also home to the Scottish National Indoor Ice Climbing Wall (still the largest in the UK). The MCofS also recognises the Edinburgh International Climbing Centre, EICA: Ratho as the home of the Scottish National Indoor Climbing Centre. This is the biggest indoor wall in Europe and possibly the world!
These are dedicated climbing centres with large areas of climbing wall surface, both for bouldering and leading or top-roping. They also offer cafes and climbing shop retail outlets.
Other smaller walls (some of which can be fairly large and offer as many facilities as the Regional Centres) exist across the country. Most are in local sports centres and a few are located in Community Schools with public access.
The MCofS Walls Directory details all those with public access. Find your local climbing wall HERE
