when i was 16 i did my first rock climbing down in Dartmoor and i loved it, and i have always wanted to start climbing properly. Now finally aged 26 i've decided to get my act together and take the plunge into it. I need a new pastime and i need to gt outdoors more than i do at the moment. Working 8-6 mon-fri in an office gets very claustraphobic.
I guess want i'm seeking is some advice on the best ways to start out, best ways to meet people who regularly climb (none of my friends would consider climbing) and to hear some stories bout how you lot started out.
My initial thoughts are to go to the Westway (i'm based in Fulham, London) or Craggy Island in Guildford and take their 2 or 3 day beginners course. After that, perhaps join a club. Are there any clubs which run their own beginners courses?
Through Duke of Edinburgh's Award and a teacher who took was prepared to take responsibility......took a break of about 20 years (work/kids/work), then started walking again....took a leadership course and met a couple of likely lads....
Now go down Awesome Walls (liverpool) once a week during the winter, walking once or twice a month and dont belong to any club as such.
HI Mike, Should be plenty of people looking for climbing partners at the Westway, the only bugger is i guess your in london? Best thing i ever did was move to Bristol i couldn't believe it they had really high vertical things that were rock and not concrete.
I started as a scout and then army cadet, we used to top rope in this old bomb factory in kent. It had 10m high brick walls that were weatherd. I then just started going with friends until i moved to bristol where i met a guy on my uni course that climbed and he taught me to lead. Since then been around the world climbing, but still my favourite place is local.
You don't have to start young though, and please don't be put off by some of the people in climbing gyms that might look at you oddly when you fall off. "if you ain't falling you ain't trying!!" Thats what i was told, which is probabaly why i have arthritis at 35!!!
I am teaching a couple of guys climbing at the moment, they started seperately doing a 1 day course so they could top rope indoors. They met on that course and climbed indoors until they were doing 6a together as a challenge rather than comfortably.
I then took them out on rock 4 weeks ago top roping, showing them how to use guidebooks, rig outdoor top ropes as well other ropework.
They have been going outdoors with the good weather a couple of times a week since. I started to teach them to lead yesterday.
Get out there and you will find people and not look back i guarantee it.
there is a climbing club based at Westway which a friend of mine joined a little while back. I believe they're welcoming of new members of all experiences. Both Craggy Island an Westway are pretty luxurious compared to my usual haunt in Liverpool (Awesmone walls we love you
I'm leaving London now to get back to the NW just because I found it too difficult just to get to my favorite parts of the country (NW and Lakes). You'll be up and running in no time - climbers are always friendly Well, usually !!
looking again why would you go to Craggy Island - it's miles away from you - Westway's less than 4 miles I reckon. Good place, food available and a great climbing shop if you need some gear. You're supposed to book online now I think. I'd go down with you, but I'm going to move out from Wandsworth Bridge as soon as my leg's out of plaster (long story) and I can get back down to London easily. Shame.
Jezz, i was considering Craggy Island as i used to live in Guildford and have friends and family there. i'm also a member of a golf club just outside guildford, so naturally spend a lot of time down there. Although completely agree that the Westway would be my first port of call.
I think i'll be signing up the the Westway's beginners course in the next month or so (work permitting) and then take it from there. Its just a shame that non of my friends are keen to get involved, but i imagine that finding like minded people to climb with shouldn't be too much of a problem.
My main aim is to get to a competent level where i can climb indoor walls with confidence and to get out around the country to climb real rocks once or twice a month. I'm very much an outdoors countryside person but work has taken me to London. Most of my hobbies involve getting out and about, such as cycling, golf and photography. It gets very suffocating working in an office all week in London, always try to get out of London at the weekends.
Good luck Mike, although I still have a flat in London which I've only visited once this year, I wasn't getting out of London enough when I was down there - easy to get dragged into it, so I'm getting rid soon and have relocated back oop North. Best of luck!
Well, usually 
