Manchester Indoor Ice Wall Opens

The indoor ice wall at The North Face's Manchester store is chilled out and open for business in time for Christmas and some handy pre-winter training...

The facility is only the fourth ice wall in the UK and, at eight metres in height, the tallest in a retail environment - a posh word for 'shop'. It sits slap bang in the middle of the TNF store on Deansgate and spans both floors.

The wall cost around £70,000 to build and uses 40 tons of water frozen in place on a steel framework and is kept at a constant -12C to prevent it from melting. Apparently the process involved in producing the 'right kind of ice' - which doesn't shatter or dinnerplate when you slam an ice axe into it - is a closely-guarded secret and one you're unlikely to replicate in your domestic freezer...

The wall is open to the public with a professional instructor taking the first £40, one-hour induction session and further practice sessions costing £20 per go. All equipment is provided and the wall has several different routes which will be re-sculpted regularly to keep the challenge fresh. The wall also incorporates artificial holds which can be hooked for rests - you can see them above Gaz Parry's head in the picture below.

Hulme born Keith Byrne, Marketing Manager of The North Face, says: "There are already lots of keen climbers in the Manchester area and we hope this will encourage many more people to have a go at one of the more extreme forms of climbing.

"Lots of visitors to the shop have been watching the progress of the ice wall and eagerly anticipating it's opening so we expect it to be very busy. Our instructors are trained to help people of all skill levels so anybody can come and have a go. Our own local athlete, Gaz Parry will certainly be making use of it to practise his skills."

To book a session on the new ice wall, call call 0161 837 6140. The shop is open seven days a week from 9-6 Monday to Saturday and 11-5 on Sundays.

Pics by Dave Mycroft.