The grand opening of the new, some would say much-needed, bouldering wall at Westway is scheduled to coincide with the Capital Climbing Festival in November but the word at Westway is that the facility will be open to those keen to 'get in first' for a few weeks before-hand. John Gibbons, Westway's head of Climbing tells me, that the second week of October is currently slated as a hopeful opening time.

The new bouldering wall is in a newly-built extension to the existing structure under the Westway flyover and has been designed by a team of high profile performance and competition climbers. Its been built by Beacon Climbing Centre [architecturally thebuilding is a little like the existing wall turned on its side - with a tented roof instead of tented walls].

New Bouldering Wall specs are:

4.8 metres vertical height

4 flat panel overhanging elements from 25 degrees to 42 degrees overhanging

40 degree barrel element

Steep, hanging slab

150 problems available

50 new problems every month

Fontainbleau style circuits

Info and sneak preview pics of the build will be updated in a photo gallery at the Westway website: www.westway.org