UKC

Westway climbing centre

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 Flying Monkey 06 Dec 2006
Seems most people on here in London go to either Mile End or the Castle. Wondering what the Westway is like since it's closer to home than either of the above. I climb at Mile End although trying out the Castle very soon. The virtual tour looks alright and I know the sensible answer is to just try it out and see, but anyone got any feedback on the place?

Cheers
WinnieM 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:


I think the westway is great... but i can only compare it to craggy island since i haven't been to any others in london...
Knigh7 06 Dec 2006
In reply to WinnieM:
I have climbed at westway and the castle, they are both good
 thin bob 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey: standard reply.......... 1 level, more leading than the castle, not as funky, has a bouldering bit like the natural feature wall at the castle, has a 'bouldering slab' womens night on a monday [sorry if you're not, difficult to tell from usernames]. i like it.
might have to book ahead for a safety test [check website], though they mighttake a membership card from mile end/castle as 'proof'.

tube is quite close, or 295 bus from Shep Bush.

give me a shout if you've no-one to go with for an introduction to the place.
have a good 'un anyway
Wingman@work 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

most people here in London don't go to the Castle or Mile End, there is a pretty good balance between the 3.

Westway has the best lead walls, the bouldering is rather limited. They have a womens night on Monday nights. That's about it really.
OP Flying Monkey 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Wingman@work:
> (In reply to Flying Monkey)
>
> most people here in London don't go to the Castle or Mile End, there is a pretty good balance between the 3.
>
>Oh ok, I was just going by general chats on here, hadn't really seen any mention of the westway that's all

OP Flying Monkey 06 Dec 2006
In reply to thin bob:
Cheers. I am a woman by the way (clicking on the profile might help with that one)!
Nao 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:
The Westway is the best wall in London, imho. Although I would rather climb outside of London!

I haven't been to the Castle since they put in the new bit, though.
 UKC Forums 06 Dec 2006
This thread was started in the wrong forum and has now been moved.
Please could you try and post in the correct forum, it makes life easier for both users and moderators.

Forum descriptions - http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/info/forums.html
 thin bob 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey: oh yeah......good point.... sorry for any offence!
must learn how to put a photo on mine someday [note to self: is picasso still available?]
OP Flying Monkey 06 Dec 2006
In reply to thin bob:
No worries, no offence taken
 lost1977 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

used to climbing at westways quite a lot, the bouldering area is small (but good) and there is good leading. biggest problem i had at westways was the music was often really shit
OP Flying Monkey 06 Dec 2006
In reply to lost1977:
> (In reply to Flying Monkey)
>
> Bit of Westlife? Music at mile end's usually pretty good thankfully

 lost1977 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

how was i supposed to push my grade with abba playing
OP Flying Monkey 06 Dec 2006
In reply to lost1977:
I would be distressed and leave if Abba was playing.
Wingman@work 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

he's not joking, they do play Abba
OP Flying Monkey 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Wingman@work:
Shocking. And no one's complained?!
 thin bob 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey: they've got the 'off switch' at the top of the wall surrounded by tigers.

tigers.... dust bunnies..... whatevver
WinnieM 06 Dec 2006
In reply to lost1977:
> (In reply to Flying Monkey)
>
> used to climbing at westways quite a lot, the bouldering area is small (but good) and there is good leading. biggest problem i had at westways was the music was often really shit



Last friday they had the music on so loud you couldn't even talk to each other in there!
 lost1977 06 Dec 2006
In reply to WinnieM:

so really loud abba (how did you survive)
OP Flying Monkey 06 Dec 2006
In reply to WinnieM:
Do they play music throughout the place? It's only on in one area at mile end which is a shame (only because they play decent music, none of this abba shit).
WinnieM 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

They've got speakers thru the whole place if i'm right... but in the centre bit you're standing right underneath them, quite annoying if your climbing partner is talking to you and all you hear is the dancing queen at 125db
Patrick Achermann 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

I find that the three major London climbing walls have a distinct groove each.
Mile End - students and "working class", grimey, friendly and hard routes
Castle - trendy, a bit yuppie, rammed full in the evenings, expensive, few difficult lead routes
Westway - sport-center/family groove (floodlit, tennis center), focus on lead climbing, lots of kids and classes.

This is the impression I get, anyway, but I have to say that I have been to Westway and Castle only 5-6 times each.
Anyone else feel similar?
OP Flying Monkey 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Patrick Achermann:
Sounds about right re.mile end (can't comment on the other two) although I don't fit into either category you mention but yes mile end is pretty studenty. I like it as it it's pretty friendly and it also happens to be where I did my beginners course so kept going back there out of familiarity really. Was meant to be trying the castle tonight.
 duncan 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Wingman@work:
> (In reply to Flying Monkey)
>
> ...they do play Abba

What's the world coming to?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/tv/westway_to_the_world.shtml

 Wilbur 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

Mile End - bohemian, easy going - lots of bouldering

Castle - busy, not enough long leading but hands down the best bouldering - not that expensive if you do the direct debit

Westway - brilliant for long leading. crap for bouldering - everytime i've been the very limited amount of bouldering hasn't been labelled up with grades even. I mean, how difficult is it to put a tag on the 9 boulder problems that they have up at any one time anyway?
 SeeWhat 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Patrick Achermann:
> (In reply to Flying Monkey)

> Westway - sport-center/family groove (floodlit, tennis center), focus on lead climbing, lots of kids and classes.

Pretty much my experience. The gangs of kids / groups can make it really rammed in the evenings, if you can, get there before the classes start (7pm ish).
 Adam Lincoln 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Wilbur:

What do you need grades for? The WW bouldering is relly hard to grade, as its hard to make anything harder than V8 on the wall because its so featured.

And 9 problems? Try multiplying that ammount by 4.
 doz generale 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

thje westway is good for leading and toproping but the bouldering is a bit limited compared to the others. i go there from time to time just to have a go ont the big lead walls they have. The down sides to the westway are the lack of bouldering and the fact it's in a leisure centre makes it feel a bit municiple if you know what i mean also its a bit dingy in there. the staff there are ok though.

The castle is better in an all round sort af a way especially since the new sections have opened up. there is loads of bouldering and new lead and top rope sections it's brighter too and is a dedicated climbing centre so feels more geared up for climbers. i think it may be more expensive though? not sure.

both are good for different reasons but i personally prefer the castle.
 Monk 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Wilbur: The boulder problems were mostly graded on saturday with little tags on the first hold.
OP Flying Monkey 06 Dec 2006
In reply to doz generale:
Cool, looking forward to trying both places out (especially the castle) from the replies on this.
 Wilbur 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Adam Lincoln:
> (In reply to Wilbur)
>

>
> And 9 problems? Try multiplying that ammount by 4.

Ooooooooh - 36 problems. that's loads!

 Adam Lincoln 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Wilbur:

Considering the bouldering space they have, its pretty good.

And its a hell of a lot more that your sweeping guess of 9!
 Wilbur 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Adam Lincoln:

still not very many though! you wouldn't go there for the bouldering alone! excellent routes tho...
 Adam Lincoln 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Wilbur:

You will when the new wall gets built in the spring!
WinnieM 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:


How easy is it to the castle by public transport?

I'n getting quite curious myself too now...
OP Flying Monkey 06 Dec 2006
In reply to WinnieM:
easy. Think Ladbroke Grove is nearest station, on the hammersmith and city line
WinnieM 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:


that'll be the WestWay, and you mean Latimer Road



Just read that castle is on the piccadilly line,at Manor House station...
 SARS 06 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey: Good for routes, ok for bouldering. Crappy atmosphere though. Good for a workout, however.
OP Flying Monkey 07 Dec 2006
In reply to WinnieM:
You're right, I didn't read your previous post properly.

Went to the castle last night, big, 3 floors, I enjoyed it anyway. Loads of vertical routes and it seemed pretty friendly.

 Al Evans 07 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey: When I lived in London, I thought Westway was the best wall in the south of England, The Castle and Mile End were hardly worth a visit in comparision. Of course this was almost 4 years ago so all may have changed now.
Hjonesy 07 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

Did you not think it's quite full of poseurs? The last couple of times I've been there it's (a) been packed and (b) just full of poseurs.
Hjonesy 07 Dec 2006
In reply to Hjonesy:

The Castle I mean....not Westway
 silhouette 07 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey: Not a lot of people know this but:-
A new station is being built on the railway which runs alongside Westway (about 600m further down the line at Shepherd's Bush, not a very long walk). It will be served by the trains between Wilesden Jct / Harrow & W and Clapham Jct so it could be a quick route for you to get home to Wimbledon. The "Sliverlink" site has some details.
OP Flying Monkey 07 Dec 2006
In reply to Hjonesy:
I do know what you mean, it has a very different vibe to mile end for example, but I did find it very friendly and that to me is part of the enjoyment.
OP Flying Monkey 07 Dec 2006
In reply to silhouette:
I LIKE the sound of that!
In reply to Flying Monkey:

Latimer Road is the nearest station. About 300m from the centre.
 hamsforlegs 08 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

Surely only a poser would use the word 'poseur'

Sorry to revive this thread, but I like the Westway. It's big, has lots of leading, and it's near my house.

But the music kills me.

Anything that has a decent rhythym will work for me. Indoor climbing is training. That means high heart-rate, motivational stuff; the kind of stuff that would play alongside an action movie. Could be dance. Could be rock. Could be mid 80s jazz fusion. Could be hip-hop. Could be sodding salsa.

Last night was as bad as ever.

Why the steel drum medley of rubbish ballads?
Why the freqent pan-pipes?
Why the painful RnB warbling?

Stop it. No really, just stop it.

Yours,
Peeved of North London
OP Flying Monkey 08 Dec 2006
In reply to amanonaspeedingbike:

I like you cos you sound a bit mad
thomasbishop1987 08 Dec 2006
In reply to amanonaspeedingbike:
Pushing your grade to Abba...
Reminds me of that rather harrowing "Boney M" scene in Touching the Void...
 hamsforlegs 08 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

"She looks like a sugar in a NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Reduced to V1 by a panpipe.

Not quite as harrowing as falling down a crevasse followed by a drawn out death hobble. But nearly as rubbish in other ways.
 hamsforlegs 08 Dec 2006
In reply to Flying Monkey:

I think it was halfway through "Luther Vandross: tunes for rock athletes" that everything went a bit bendy.
I've heard that Westway might be about to slip into the new congestion zone. I haven't a clue how the that works but it sounds expensive and off-putting. The main attraction of Westway has been that it's an easy drive down the A40 and has good parking. How do people pay the congestion charge anyway?
 oooaaah 09 Dec 2006
In reply to Alison Stockwell:

NOOOOOOOO!!! That'll be the end of me going to the westway then. I liked it more than craggy too :O(.

And everyone says it's womens' night on a monday, but that's when I go, and I've never noticed anything special there.
OP Flying Monkey 09 Dec 2006
In reply to amanonaspeedingbike:
> (In reply to Flying Monkey)
>
> I think it was halfway through "Luther Vandross: tunes for rock athletes" that everything went a bit bendy.

Oh that's just SO wrong! Luther Vandross?!

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