UKC

whats it like - anyone got views?

In reply to mutt:
Not too bad for a bouldering wall - decent height walls and a good selection of steep/vertical/slabby sections. Not been going long enough to comment on how regularly things get reset. Main complaint from me is that it is a bit dark sometimes so differentiating between different colour holds under the roof is pretty tricky.

In reply to mutt:

The routes get reset every 6 months. You need sports rec and an induction to use it.

It's not too bad, but holds get very greasy and it definitely needs a clean! Can get busy in the evenings but as james said is quite dark... basically a dungeon. Still good enough for me to spend more time in their then in lectures... you just have to get creative with link up routes!

In reply to mutt:

Is it for uni students only or can an ordinary punter get in?

In reply to Onion:
At the moment it is limited to people who have a sportrec card as far as I know (these cover all the uni sports facilities). Unless you are going to use more than the bouldering wall (or are staff/alumni) its probably not worth paying that amount of cash.

In reply to Onion:

local residents(I think) and alumni can buy a sport rec card for £193 which I guess is okay if you are going to use the facilities at least once a week all year round.

In reply to mutt: as an idea of it's size it used to be a squash court, though they've made quite effective use of the available space

In reply to mutt: Also the sport rec will allow you access to the swimming pool, gym, squash courts, sports hall and other facilities

In reply to mutt:
Heya

I am the bouldering sec of the climbing club from southampton uni and am about to take over responsibility for it (step by step).

Yes you need sportrec for it, which as mentioned above is available to everyone.

Basically it has been run by sportrec for the last few years and we did not have that much influence on what's happening in there, but this is changing now.

The wall is indeed a bit darkish and could do with better lights, which is something I'm trying to arrange with sportrec people, but I would say that differentiating holds is only a problem under the roof.

All the routes will be reset 4 times a year (Easter,Summer, Autumn Christmas) but I will try to do it more often, if sportrec will allow me to do so. We try to set the routes with an even spread difficulty wise.
(We have have about 5-6 setters currently so there are plenty of different styles)

Early May is the next reset and a new traverse route all around the room will be set up.

If you want to have a look at the wall before you commit to sportrec let me know and I can show it to you.


It can get quite busy in the evening as bouldering seems to become more and more popular but I think it is a good little wall, which only lacks a bigger overhung wall.