Rock Climbing in Scotland
A Visitors Guide
GETTING STARTED
Scottish Climbing Clubs
There are over 140 clubs affiliated to the MCofS. They vary in their activities from hill walking to winter climbing. Of these about half are active mountaineering clubs who regularly go rock climbing. They arrange meets, arrange gear sale nights with their local shops, and often have a range of indoor winter meets either at climbing walls or in hotels/pubs for leisure (including slide shows). Few of these clubs will accept minors (under 16 yrs old) and only a small number will accept under 18 yr old members except when they are children of adult members. However, many encourage new members who are novices in rock climbing and will give guidance and advice to beginners.
A full list of the clubs is available HERE.
Kids Clubs
The main indoor climbing walls (EICA: Ratho, Edinburgh; Alien Rock, Edinburgh; Glasgow Climbing Centre; Avertical World, Dundee; Climb Caledonia, Inverness; Extreme Dream, Aviemore; Transition Extreme, Aberdeen) all organise kids clubs for children under 16 yrs of age. They organise courses for children and have regular weekly club meetings at the wall.
Contact the individual walls for further information.
Scottish Woman‘s Climbing Meet
The Women’s meet was instigated by the MCofS and is now in it’s 14th year. It meets twice a year in order to introduce women to potential climbing partners living in Scotland. A list of addresses of women climbers attending meets (including those in the past) is maintained by volunteers and allows them to be kept informed of future meets. This is not a club nor is it for novice climbers, but a very good contact system for like-minded women climbers. For up-to-date contacts please get in touch with the MCofS Office.
Courses
There are several outdoor centres in Scotland which offer courses in rock climbing from beginner to advanced. The National Outdoor Training Centre, Glenmore Lodge, near Aviemore on the edge of the Cairngorm Mountains offers a range of such courses at discount prices to MCofS members.
A full list of outdoor centres is available from the MCofS on receipt of an SAE.