UKC

Just been listening to local radio and was slightly surprised to here that the abbydale picture house had been bought by the owners of a well known wall (close to the blades ground!!) to be developed as in their words (not mine) the most fantastic bouldering wall! I would argue that the most fantastic bouldering wall already exists not more than 10 minutes walk from the picture house! Considering the awesome walls proposed development as well ( if it happens) is there enough of a population to sustain 2 more walls especially as those existing ones are so good. I realise this was asked when the works opened, however that brought the breath of fresh air to the indoor training scene and has been bang on the money for what it provides , so do the owners of the new abbydale development really think they can either compete or compliment what already exists in the same area?

In reply to climber34neil:

I'd say so, seeing as every time I've been to the works in the last year it's been rammed. Queuing for problems gets to me...

In reply to Muel: surely that just reflects on how good it is? Otherwise people would go else ware ie foundry, edge, matrix etc

In reply to climber34neil:

will they do a shuttle bus so you can go and get on the ropes?

In reply to climber34neil:

I did find the Matrix at the Uni sports centre emptied out after the Works came on stream. I still went because it was just down the road. Don't live there not so not sure if it has bounced back.

In reply to climber34neil: The works is rammed every evening and I went to the foundry last night and it was the same, queuing for routes is no fun. More walls the better in my eyes and it's good that the picture house is getting a new lease of life. Sheffield has too many beautiful buildings that are left to crumble.

In reply to Swig: Matrix is plenty busy, have a feeling that the number of people regulary visting a wall in Sheffield must be going up, I rotate round the Works, Foundry, Matrix and Edge, for bouldering, and other than the Edge, which is obviously mainly for roped climbing, the walls are uniformly busy to rammed most weekday evenings and weekends.

Only shame is the walls don't club together for a super season ticket that is valid across all of them!

In reply to Sankey: A season ticket for all walls would be a dream come true and i'm sure would be well received by others. If bus companies can do it i'm sure a few climbing walls can.

In reply to deacondeacon: sounds like a great idea, apparently there is a place called the Peak District nearby where there is some bouldering to?

In reply to climber34neil: No, never heard of it.

And the Works is getting an extension. Spoilt for choice.

In reply to jwa:


For kids

In reply to Simon_Sheff: and groups which should mean the main wall doesn't get so congested at those times when large groups are in

In reply to climber34neil: queuing for routes isnt an indication of the brilliance of the route, its just indicative that there are more people than walls can cater for, no bad thing and if yer queing in a wall I'd suggest there is local capacity for another venue near by. I went to the arch in london after work one night and left ten mins later, it was full to the point of feeling like a nightclub, with long queues, I felt claustrophobic and asked for a refund and left. No fun. I also think its great that indoor climbing is growing more and more, altho part of me worries that people are replacing their local gym with indoor climbing.. hmmm not sure if i like that. Cant explain. I'm clearly a snob.

In reply to climber34neil:


Its for 'learner' groups, which isn;t going to make too much difference on a tuesday night

In reply to Swig: Its bounced back, its usually packed in the evenings and they offer us students 3 months memberships for £30 so an absolute bargin!!!! - just to let you know

So how many climbing walls in the area?

In reply to Flinticus:

5 in Sheffield - soon to become 7

In reply to Simon_Sheff:

Five? What am I missing?

In reply to ti_pin_man: maybe not but it explane why some walks are busier than others in the same area, although I don't know what's available in London except for the Brunel university wall which I used to go to many years ago! But I guess it's not as easy to change your mind and go to another if your chosen wall is rammed when you get there. Maybe they will start putting bouldering wall in canons gyms when they realise there could be a few quid in it!

In reply to climber34neil: because another wall is just what they need...

In reply to jwa:

Works
Edge
Foundry
Virgin
Matrix

In reply to Simon_Sheff: We will tell people what we are doing in a couple of weeks, but you info is incomplete

5, soon 7!

Only 2 in Glasgow.

and none on Skye (but plenty of "artists"' studios, pottery shops & sheds sellings tea towels). You'd think they could manage one at Portree for all the climbers on a rainy day(s) and for the locals.