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Mile End Wall (aka North London Rescue Commando)

Address
Haverfield Rd (off Grove Rd), Bow, London, GREATER LONDON E3 5BH

Tel/Fax
020 8980 0289

Email
enquiries@mileendwall.org.uk

Website
www.mileendwall.org.uk

Costs
One-off registration £5. Adults £7 per session. Children £3.60, students/UB40s £5.

Opening times
Mon-Thurs 1200-2130, Fri 1200-2100, Sat-Sun 1000-1800.

Notes
1500 sq m of wall surface, including leading, toproping and bouldering. Bouldering: 8m "competition wall" (bouldering only) featuring up to 8 bolt-on problems from 4c to 6c, changed regularly. Slabs, vertical, overhung walls up to 8m. Also traverse wall, "Monkey Room" (30m continuous overhung traverse and 10m roof - record: 7 laps). Board Room offers 6m slightly overhung crimpy problems, and 6m 45-degree board. "Secret Garden" bouldering outside (brr!) includes interesting moulded panels and bolt-ons, some hard problems emerging, opened summer 02.

Roped: total of 16 toprope and lead walls 10m high, including 4 on 30-degree overhanging lead-only wall (9 routes, QDs in situ, grades from F5 to about F7b+). Free gear hire (boots, harnesses, ropes for TR only, QDs, belay stuff)

Changing rooms, showers, "The Woeful Cafe" (by check-in desk) offers tea, coffee, choc bars. Available for schools, charities, groups, as well as climbers.

Probably the most varied range of climbing in London - now featuring some very challenging leading walls up to 12m -but good as those are, it's still best as the premier bouldering facility, if 8m counts as bouldering in your book. The crash mats are generously thick, though, and you can toprope many areas.

A wide variety of climbing surfaces from fully-featured to heavily bolted and everything in between. No specific grades given, only "ranges (yellow is around 5a English, etc): you have to decide for yourself, which is typically Mile End. Problems go from about Diff to "bloody hell, at least 6b". Some English 7as claimed. The style is very vertical, moulded not bolt-on (though they are in the process of changing that, sadly), and often crimpy. Unfortunately, Mile End seem to be in the process of switching their wall style - whereas before the style was a lot more moulded than bolt-on (and so a lot more like climbing outside) they seem to be gradually switching to more all-purpose bolt-ons.

Often busy, and with a friendly crowd who will show you their evil problems, which are marked in plentiful chalk (also being phased out). Quite a good place to meet people of like ability, since you can quickly measure yourself up on a problem.

Personally I prefer this to ropes-only walls which can be rather impersonal, with people getting sniffy about whether you looked at their rope bag in a nasty way. Mile End tends to be much more friendly, since there's less tying in and hanging around.

First-time users must take a tour and fill in a standard form to show that they understand safety issues. The bouldering aspect means you don't need experience with harnesses though beginners will probably want the safety of a TR. [Charles Arthur updated 12/02]

Directions
Driving directions to Mile End Wall (aka North London Rescue Commando) with Google
Mile End Underground station is on the Central and District lines. Exit station, turn left, go diagonally across the traffic lights towards the bus stops (by open field) and keep walking north up Grove Rd. Pass the petrol station on left, under the railway bridge, and Haverfield Rd is on the left. (NB You cannot reach the wall from the west side of the canal, even if the map implies it.)

By car, head for Mile End (Bethnal Green direction) and turn onto Grove Rd. But the rush hour traffic can be evil. By bus, the 277 does go there. Get off near traffic lights, follow directions as from Tube (head north.).

Gear shop
Rock On now has its 3rd shop, opened Nov 99. Very orange. Ph 020 8981 5066.

Nearby pubs
The Palm Tree, about 50yds away - never shuts

Dedicated?
YES, a dedicated climbing centre

ABC wall?
YES, this wall is a member of the Association of British Climbing centres

Crags
Find Crags near to this indoor wall

USER FEEDBACK Login as a Registered User to add your comments This is an amazing centre, really varied, spacious and so many room! The new outside stuff is amazing. Really pleasant staff and good friendly patrons! EscapeArtist - 22/Mar/09 Found the wall thanks to this site. After being turned away by at least three other centers, this place was very welcoming and even though we were all beginners not at all intimidating. Highly recommended! Joey - 23/Aug/07 I took a beginners course and can say that Martin our instructor was extremely helpful and divided his time equally between us all. The ambience of the centre is such that I will certainly be going again in the future.There is a friendly feel to the centre seldom felt in other "sports dedicated" clubs/centres. Chris Stanley - 24/Jul/07 Mile end wall has a great friendly atmosphere, with plenty of space to boulder to your hearts content during the working day!! chunkymonkery - 05/Jul/07 Mile End's popularity seems to based on very old information. The mats are awful, the ropes stiffened and cores retreated. Bolt hangers moving and runners on the lead wall sometimes so thin you can see daylight through them. The routesetting is shoddy and inconsistent. The majority of setters clearly never climb! In terms of climbing environment I'm afraid that this wall is lower than the amoeba. I think a revolution is needed. Dean Christian - 25/May/07 Chilled out atmosphere, friendly climbers, helpful staff, and a great assortment of very tough problems. Many other walls seem to employ a "jugs" only policy, so if you're looking to challenge yourself and improve your skills, mile end! SoCalAsh - 16/Oct/05 Just for information: Mile End Wall has the best pre/post climb caff in London. Coshells, twixt Mile End Tube and the wall serves the finest double egg and bacon baps in Christendom. Nick Cave - 28/Nov/04 Pretty unimpressed with the lead walls. They are short with very few lines, poorly marked with tape rather than coloured holds, there are no grades at all for the routes, and most of the routes were unavailable when we visited, due to a rope access course that lasted all day. If you want to boulder, Mile End is great, but go elsewhere if routes are your thing! Nick Smith - UKC - 12/Jul/04 The Palm Tree [pub] needs its own entry. I spend more time in there than at Mile End wall and it's done me a world of good. Climbers hard? just come on over to the 'Tree" and we'll show you! Hic. Emma.T. - 07/Jan/04 It has been said once but i don't think it has been said enough. If your into bouldering then this place is for you. Me and my brother alway look forward to going above any other wall in the country. Everyone is friendly the staff treat you as equals and don't look down on you if you can't climb 7a! great place, if you haven't been........GO! Ben May - 16/Oct/03 This is an excellent place to boulder, it has the most facilities of any wall in London. I advise any climber to visit Mile End, and can guarantee you will come back. It is excellent for beginners, or for more advanced climbers there is the board room where you can get some intense training in. Ravi - 10/Dec/02 MIle End is great, I had no friends and couldn't climb when I first turned up there: Now I can climb (sort of). Nitin - 09/May/02 Excellent wall for beginners, I should know! felix - 18/Mar/02

USER PHOTO GALLERY
Click on the small images to view the full size versions, or you can Upload a new photo for this indoor wall. Scroll down to see all 28 photos.

sibl round 1 mile end 2007 © clare_bear	SIBL Mile End 2007 Round 1 © clare_bear	Testing comp routes. © Tig Tay	Testing comp routes. © Tig Tay
East v West Comp - Spike in a Dom special. © Tig Tay	East v West comp - Julien on a Dom special (1) © Tig Tay	Route setting for the East v West comp at Mile End © Tig Tay	East v West Comp - Julien on a Dom special (2) © Tig Tay
East v West Comp - Nolan climbing one of Johnny Dawes routes in his very own inimitable style © Tig Tay	East v West Comp - Tom making great shapes on one of the routes (1) © Tig Tay	East v West Comp - Tom making great shapes on one of the routes (2) © Tig Tay	East v West Comp - Tom making great shapes on one of the routes (3) © Tig Tay
East v West Comp - Tom in the Monkey Room, underclinging for England. © Tig Tay	East v West Comp - Tom on the last moves of a route on the roof in the Monkey Room © Tig Tay	Michael's route on the back wall of the Peggy Day was a source of much discussion for all. © Tig Tay	SIBL - Mile End before I got squashed by a dynoing boulderer and knocked out literally!!!! © Debs1
lounging around at Mile end © gambit247	Mile End © PMoran79	A variety of holds; open hand, layback, underclings, slopers, Mile End otdoor wall. © silhouette, Oct 2005	Mile End outdoor wall on a sunny October afternoon (it has been expanded since this photo was taken) © silhouette, Oct 2005
The toproping area, Mile End wall, east London © John Wellbelove, Jun 2002	Inside the Monkey room, Mile End wall, east London © John Wellbelove, Jun 2002	The competition wall, Mile End wall, east London	Part of The Board room, Mile End wall, east London © John Wellbelove, Jun 2002
Good use of the feet indoors John Nolan, Dec 2000 © UKClimbing	Laybacking again at Mile End John Nolan, Dec 2000 © UKClimbing	Laybacking at Mile End John Nolan, Dec 2000 © UKClimbing	Delicate climbing indoors John Nolan, Dec 2000 © UKClimbing