Join Now
Volunteer
Events Diary
Search our Site

Get Active | Getting Started | Climbing | Indoor Climbing Walls | You & Indoor Climbing

INDOOR CLIMBING

You and Indoor Climbing:

If you are new to climbing and you wish to try it, going to a dedicated climbing centre and taking an introductory course would be a good first step. This will allow you to understand what equipment you will need and how to use it safely. Regular attendance at your local wall will also enable you to meet other climbers who you can learn from.

Many of the dedicated centres run 'Kids Clubs', often on a Saturday morning, and here young children can learn the basic skills and meet other children.

If climbing on the larger walls using ropes and technical gear is off-putting, then why not just try ‘bouldering’ – all you need is a good pair of rock shoes and a chalk bag. Again it is worth taking an introductory session at a wall first.

Below you will find some general information about the different kinds of wall, what to expect when you first visit, and what they offer (there are different scales of climbing wall across Scotland each offering different facilities, courses, help and advice):

 

Climbing Wall Database

Search the MCofS Climbing Walls Directory for a wall near you.

 

A History of Scottish Climbing Walls

Here is a brief chronological history of the development of climbing walls in Scotland: what / who drove their development, where funding came from and what activities they spawned.

Climbing Walls in Scotland: A Historical Review 1970 - 2008

The MCofS and Climbing wall Management/Owners

This section contains details of how the MCofS, as the representative body for climbers, helps the development of facilities through a strategic approach; support for grants to establish new walls and upgrade older ones; gives advice on design of walls; and works in partnership with walls to operate climbing events such as competitions.

We produce guidance to wall managers and owners regarding the management of walls and recommendations that are in the best interests of climbers. We also undertake safety initiatives (such as posters) that wall managers can use.

For More Information on Climbing Walls and the MCofS

 

 

 

Categories of Climbing wall

Climbing Centres:
These are dedicated centres offering the most modern climbing facilities. They include substantial ‘big’ walls offering the options to either top-rope/bottom-rope or lead. They also offer good bouldering facilities. Some have climbing associated training facilities such as Bachar Ladders and Training Boards. There are dedicated staff on duty and they run courses for novices and hold climbing competitions. Many have café facilities.

Local Authority Sports Centres:
Smaller walls tend to be incorporated into many of the sports centres in Scotland run by Local Authorities. Many only offer bouldering walls and they tend to be unsupervised. There are exceptions such as the wall at Inverness Leisure, which is a larger facility offering most of the facilities of a dedicated centre.

Community School Walls:
There are some schools already offering wall facilities to the general public, but often with restricted usage, however, there are an increasing number of community school projects being initiated in Scotland and most are looking to incorporate climbing walls for use by the whole community. More and more Primary Schools are also now incorporating small traversing walls into their playgrounds although these are not available to the general public. See the MCofS Strategy for our recommendations on such facilities.

What to Expect at an Indoor Climbing Wall

When You First Visit:

  • At the larger walls and at a dedicated centre you will be asked to register as a user. Some ‘small walls’ have no registration and simply allow you to climb after payment of your entrance fee.
  • There is usually no requirement to undergo a ‘test’ of your competency to use a wall.
  • You will be asked to sign a waiver stating you understand the risk, are competent and know how to climb safely. The registration document may ask you questions about safe practice and you will have to answer these correctly to climb.
  • You will be asked to abide by the rules of the centre.
  • You can usually take responsibility for up to 2 guests at one time and you must supervise them (children should not be allowed to run about and ‘play’).
  • If you are a beginner / novice and cannot complete the questions on a registration waiver, you should ask to be able to take a beginner’s course.
  • All the ‘big walls’ offer courses for novices and staff are on hand to help and give advice, but often there will not be anyone able to help at ‘small walls’.

Style of Climbing found at indoor walls:

  • The predominant style of lead climbing at all ‘big’ walls is sport style.
  • Bolts are fixed on the walls providing protection.
  • Virtually all walls now have the extenders and karabiners also in place on each bolt.
  • All walls have lower-off points at the top from which you are lowered back to the floor. There are few areas, except purpose built ‘instructional walls’ where you ‘top-out’ and belay at the top.
  • Ropes are usually in place on a selection of routes and on such routes you are asked not to use your own ropes. You can use your own ropes on those routes equipped with extenders and not equipped with in-situ ropes.
  • Bouldering areas are usually separated from leading areas and have deep continuous matting underneath them.

Group Use of Walls:

  • If you wish to take a ‘group’ of people to a wall for more formal ‘instruction’ there are normally alternative arrangements required and you should contact the wall beforehand to discuss most suitable times of use, insurance and qualifications required of the ‘leaders’.

‘Traditional Routes’ at Scottish Walls:

  • At the bigger centres that have been supported by the MCofS as Regional Centres of Excellence you will find a small selection of route lines which allow the use of ‘natural’ protection – the norm on natural rock outdoors. You are able to use your own gear to protect yourself on these routes, but you should follow guidance on their use issued by the centre.

Climbing Safely at a Wall:

  • Accidents happen anywhere and an indoor wall is no exception. The main causes are usually human error, lack of awareness of other climbers around you and lack of concentration. Whilst walls are very social places there are also many distractions and the MCofS advice is to be more alert, especially to the most common cause of accidents at indoor climbing walls:

- not tying in correctly to your harness (Guidance: Check or Deck)

- inattentive belaying (Guidance: Get it Right)

- in bouldering areas follow the guidance in The Bouldering 10 Commandments

 

Be self reliant indoors as well as outdoors: MCofS Advice