UKC

Hiya All,

OK, so it's looking like I've been exiled to Portsmouth (more accurately Fareham) for work for the next millennia. Not that there's anything wrong with Portsmouth, but it's not home, and as a newly married Hat I'd rather be at home.

However, work is work, and I've just booked 3-4 days a week in a hotel for the next four months. It's likely that the project will continue for the next 2 years. I live in Birmingham so this is, as you can imagine, ideal for me.

So - are there actually any decent climbing walls in the area? I looked on the wall-finder-thing and couldn't find anything.

Also, if there are, are there any nice friendly people who wouldn't mind if an exile from the Midlands joined them occasionally? Unfortunately I couldn't commit to a regular night as, well, its a big project, and working late is I suspect going to be the norm rather than the exception....

Cheers to anyone who replies or can help in any way!

John

In reply to John_Hat:

Hi John

I spent 4 years in Pompey as a student and if I'd known about the dire climbing situation there I'd have reconsidered it as my uni choice!

There's Fort Purbrook for simple bouldering, a holds room and a featured walls room to make up your own problems. They seem to be putting more effort into their walls recently and the routes/holds are improving.

Further afield you have the Hayling Island college wall which is pretty basic but the closest roped place. An hours run up the A3 and you've got Craggy Island and Surrey Sports Park which are both great centres and well worth checking out.

That's your lot within reasonable distance I'm afraid! Be sure to steer clear of SSP on Tuesdays and Purbrook on Thursdays during term time as those pesky uni students clog up the place.

Hope that helps

In reply to John_Hat:


Hi John,
I'm in Stubbington, 10 mins or so from Fareham. Just getting back into climbing after a snapped achilles and 5 years stay at home dadness, ie, have put weight on! (although not climbing at the mo on doctors advice so teaching some mates).

We go to Calshot activity centre, Southampton way, fair drive away, 45 mins, but an excellent wall. I can probably be fairly flexible during the week nights if you want a belay buddy?

All the best, Den

http://www3.hants.gov.uk/calshot/rock-climbing.htm

In reply to Denni and Sketchy:

Many thanks to you both. I'll almost certainly take you up on that offer Denni if you don't mind. At the moment we are in the (very) early stages of the project so its all hands to t'pump, but as soon as it settles down and I know more what I can get away with I'll give you a mail.

In reply to John_Hat:

There is pretty much no climbing in Portsmouth,
Fort Purbrook will keep you entertained for an hour or so.
Hayling Island's wall is Hi-Rock, it is in a school hall so is only open in the evenings.
I travel up the A3 to Craggy Island, They have a social night on a wednesday and friday night if you are short of a climbing partner.
Surrey Sports Centre is an alright centre, there seems to be a lot of people that like it there. The bouldering is really good, however I was put off of going back after finding two spinner on the two roped climbs that I did. I know that you will come across them from time to time, but two in 5 minutes seemed odd. I was then asked by the member of staff that we reported it to, if I could go back up there and tighten it for them.
Calshot is a good centre, if only you didnt have to drive thru all the small town bits to get there. It is actually closer to me (havant) however it takes longer to get there than Craggy.
The other centre if you dont mind a little drive up the A3 is White Spider, it takes an hour from mine. They are currently making the boulder section bigger by extending the comp wall, they have a get boulder roof section (6B roof on the last set was 22 moves long, and only about 8 were up the vertical wall). They also have a nice lead wall that goes into a roof with some interesting stalactite to work around.
I think that pretty much covers all the 'local' centres.

In reply to ashley1_scott:

Cheers Ashley!

In reply to John_Hat:

give me a shout if you wana meet at calshot

In reply to mattc/Denni:

Will do. At the moment I am waiting for decisions to be made which will determine how long I'll be down in Portsmouth... should know by end of next week.