UKC

With the climbing hangar preparing for it’s new launch in Edinburgh it has prompted previously held thoughts- that being the lack of indoor sport available in Edinburgh.
 

Currently there are only 2 venues, alien rock in newhaven (even then, an exceptionally small part of the whole wall space is for leading, maybe 15% if that) and then there is Ratho, which is great, albeit often longer and less technically interesting but still, the place never ceases to amaze in its size, the only problem here being it’s proximity, no only is it far but also more or less inaccessible by public transport, it’s doable by bike alone /and tram but even then thats 2 hr round trips. 
 

The main point being, there’s really not much going in terms of leading, compared to many other similar sized cities or even smaller towns. What are other people’s thoughts and do you think there could be potential to open up a venue in the centre/ closer to the centre? 

Are there any disused churches?  That might be the best bet for getting a decent high lead wall - the main bit of Edinburgh isn't full of industrial units and the likes which are the other option.

agreed, there aren’t many of the traditional disused buildings that gyms often make their home in in the centre. Hence, the main centre is off limits but I’m sure there would be venues at least within ~2.5 miles of the the old town/ meadows. Fountainbridge, canoills or haymarket spring to mind. 

Alien Bloc, Alien Rock, Eden Rock, Ratho? And the university wall?

More than just 2 in Edinburgh?

I think one of the problems is that even though Ratho is a total ball-ache to get to without a car it is both a really good venue (yeah, the height means the setting isn't the most technical), and it carries such weight as this supposedly legendary place.

I would imagine it's quite a daunting thing to try and compete against it! It is of course effectively council owned and funded through Edinburgh Leisure and I don't believe has ever actually made a profit (used to be the case 10 years ago at least!) so it must seem like a bit of an unkillable giant.

Maybe I'm being pessimistic but I would worry that the bread-and-butter customers for climbing centres often have access to a car and driving out to Ratho (which is only about 20/25 minutes) where you have a massive car park and everything would seem far more convenient.

I would though loved to be proved wrong!

I think he's talking specifically about venues with indoor leading

Alien rock and ratho have been mentioned and woth it their flaws. The uni wall is only top roping and bloc and eden are bouldering only, with yet another bouldering gym set to open. 

The complaint about the Ratho routes not being technical probably only applies in the lower grades, say the 6's. I've found, particularly in the latest batch of setting, that the 7's are very well set. Because most of the routes in the arena are very long, to set a route that's only say 6a/b would mean having it also being consistently very "technical" would bump up the grade. What I'm saying rather badly is that a lot of the grade in Ratho routes comes from their sheer length, rather than their technical complexity.

I've noticed that there are currently a lot of routes there in the 8's which, despite being above my pay grade, I would bet are pretty technical!

Oh duh, course he is

Sorry!

Agreed, I think this certainly plays a role with regard to rathos grandeur. That said, many other cities have multiple great indoor sport gyms so I wouldn’t say there would be a case of there being ‘too many’ more so if other people find rathos inaccessibility to be an issue. Another gym could cater for these people. I see a few options that could solve the issues I mention: 1 a bus service that goes to ratho (extending an existing service. 2, alien rock opening up more wall space to leading. 3 new gym 

I agree with this, that said there are plenty that are half routes hence taking away the length factor. the point on the style of ratho was more a sub point, the main one being the inaccessibility. 

Yeah. A bus link to Ratho is something that should have been in place 15 years ago!

A neat solution I've seen at smaller walls that could work at Alien Rock is to have bolts and draws on every line as well as a top rope set up on every line. If you want to lead it you just pull the top rope down, lead the route either with the top rope clipped to the back of your harness or lower off and nip back up an easier route and re set up the top rope.

A bit more of a faff for each route but means you can climbing anything in either style

Yeah, you're right. I think the complaint really comes about because it's just about the only possible downside to Ratho!

Agreed, good public transport to the venue would make a huge difference for many climbers. Having said that, it was great on Monday when we pretty much had the place to ourselves!

which cities support 2 lead climbing walls? London and Manchester yes, but massive populations. Sheffield of course. Are the examples of a similar size to Edinburgh?

My feeling is that roped climbing is not as an attractive proposition to non climbers as bouldering, and as such it may be difficult to attract a new non climber user base. 

It's also not an attractive prospect to a potential business as the cost to open a roped center is pretty much triple that if a bouldering wall. Plus finding a decent building etc etc.

I think the cold winter temps and occasional indoor rain could, at a stretch, be characterised as downsides.  

Most suitable old buildings that can be re-purposed are also often expensive to heat and light all day, when you might just have a few pensioners or students in using 5 or 6 out of 50 routes. 

There are normally only a couple of half routes I think and they seem to be aimed at beginners. As Fraser said, because they are so long, routes will inevitably be less technically demanding than the same grade at Alien or almost any other wall. You can always just climb to the midpoint lower off of a harder route, with grades given for this (though they sometimes seem a bit random!).

I certainly don't think Ratho routesetting can be criticised; many routes are flowing masterpieces. It's just that if you want a 6a that long and steep, it has to be jugpulling.

And being attacked by midges indoors!