Living in London doesn’t exactly come with hills and mountains that one can climb, and travelling to Scotland doesn’t seem viable every weekend! But being the greatest city on Earth, if offers one everything they could possibly dream of. This includes a change of scenery to go rock climbing, without the 8-hour journey! If you ever feel like switching up your exercise routine, you can go for a climb at one of these climbing centres. Here are a few major ones found in different parts of London, therefore regardless of where you live, you can make your way towards having fun while getting fit.
1. Castle Climbing Centre
The Castle Climbing Centre can be found in Stoke Newington, North London. It is a vast climbing centre offering different types of climbing experiences, including lead climbing, abseiling, top-rope, and bouldering. There are 5 different levels depending on your skill level (bouldering routes have 6 levels), so there is something for everyone.
2. The Arch Climbing Wall
3 venues over 10,000 square feet each make up the Arch Climbing Wall in Bermondsey and Burnt Oak. Each venue has 300-400 routes that can be attempted, graded from V0, the easiest, to V9, the hardest. Over 200 routes are changed every week therefore, regular visitors have something new to explore each time. There are also on-site cafes, so chances are you won’t get tired either!
3. HarroWall
HarrowWall is the UK’s largest bouldering centre, offering over 40,000 square feet of climbing activities. It was built following the success of VauxWall, located in Vauxhall. There are hundreds of routes, a 170m indoor cave, a routing roof, and an auto-belay wall.
4. Mile End Climbing Wall
Opened in 1986, Mile End Climbing Wall boasts 16,000 square feet of lead climbing, top-rope climbing, and bouldering. It is maintained by the Development Through Challenge registered charity, which promotes physical activity as a means of personal development. It has many routes, including the ‘Monkey House’ where bouldering routes cross over the ceiling.
5. The Climbing Hangar
Located in Parsons Green, the Climbing Hangar is a bouldering centre where one can go weekly and not get bored. There are roughly 100 different routes, all updated weekly, therefore, there is always something to do! They also have a dedicated training area, in addition to a viewing area with sofas where you can rest on your breaks.
6. Westway Climbing Centre
Westway Climbing Centre is conveniently located near Westfield in White City, so if you have time after your splurge, it’s worth visiting. There is a 200 square metre bouldering wall with 150 bouldering problems to tackle, 110 roped lines, and 365 climbing routes. These are changed monthly. There is honestly something for everyone here!
These are just a few of the many climbing centres you can find in London. As I mentioned before, it’s impossible that the greatest city on Earth doesn’t offer everything you could want and more at your fingertips. So what are you waiting for? Instead of doing the same workout every day (or not doing one), why not try out one of these centres? If you don’t enjoy it, I’m sure Nando’s is nearby. If you do, the Nando’s is still there for you to indulge after a hefty workout.
