UKC

Nah not a rant but a request for info.
I've started having to work down in London from time to time so I'm looking for a wall to train at.
I've looked at this thread http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=457431 & a cuple like it but it's just people saying wall xxx is awesome.

Well I don't reckon any wall is perfect, certainly not for all people at all times an my one visit to a wall tha was raved about on that thread showed that the bad points, that hadn't been mentioned, far outweighed the good ones that had.

So to try an save a few quid please tell me what you reckon isn't good about the bouldering in London for a bloke on his lonesome midweek evenings after work climbing around V6ish?

I'm after stuff like don't go to wall xxx on a wed it's student day or dont bother with yyy theres' nothing that easy. That sort of thing.

In reply to Ardverikie:

I'll try to help you with this.

Westway: limited area so gets very crowded on Tues, Wed and Thurs (particularly easier graded front section). In winter freezing in 'The Fridge'. Setting in The Fridge can be a little monotonous. I think the routes at WW are the best in London but the bouldering average.

Arch: quite expensive since it only offers bouldering but good location maybe explains it. Generally very dirty holds. I find it a bit on the soft side, but setting is good.

Castle: a lot of variety but massively overcrowded on most weeknights. Bit of a jack of all trades, master of none.

Mile End: busy (but this is London). Otherwise don't have many negatives about Mile End as a bouldering wall (as an all-around climbing facility it has its drawbacks).

In reply to RockSteady:
Arch: quite expensive since it only offers bouldering but good location maybe explains it. Generally very dirty holds. I find it a bit on the soft side, but setting is good.

Castle: a lot of variety but massively overcrowded on most weeknights. Bit of a jack of all trades, master of none.

Arch seems a bit variable in terms of grades with a fair few very morpho problems last time I was there (admittedly about 6months ago). Generally pretty good.


The Castle is a jack of all trades and very busy but I'd say it has some of the best set boulder problems of any wall I've been to in the UK even frequently bettering some of the dedicated bouldering walls like the Works/Academy. Grading can be a trifle funny though

In reply to RockSteady:

Thanks guys. Can I ask what sort of grade range we're talking about when you say 'good setting' cause at the wall I visited I was really struck by the contrast between some very good/professional setting but at mainly V5 and upwards & the bulk of the easier problems which seemed to be humongous jugs plastered on at random.

I'm bit reluctant to name the wall because I suspect I just hit them on a very bad day after they gave a complete novice a go.

In reply to Ardverikie: I would agree sometimes, and this is the case more recently there has been less care in this context(accross london),its just hit and miss.I can think of exceptions to the rule here.The harder problems,as you say are right now usually better/alot more imaginative.
It be good if all the walls would tour each others facilities,even go north,south whereever but i suppose this costs money and some involved would not want to spend their free time going on walls...a shame....

In reply to Ardverikie:
I'm generally operating in the V2-V6 range if that helps clarify my comments.

In reply to Ardverikie:

I'd say all the London walls have some good problems V2-V5 (I don't climb much harder than that anyway), but it will depend on the setter and the location of the problem. I find that there are areas where they do their beginners' courses - in these areas you might get an absolute ladder.

For some setters - I just don't like the way their problems climb. I won't name names as that could be my personal sense of movement aesthetic.

In reply to witnessthis:

I think it's normal that the easier stuff feels less inteeresting. This wasn't like that though. It was really marked, like they'd had 2 completely different teams of setters in & one lot had been told to just get some easy stuff on big jugs up & do it quickly.

One last thing.Someone said that the Arch was expensive. Is this right? Because looking on the net it came out comfortably the cheapest of the lot & I thought that was odd.

In reply to Ardverikie: Arch - expensive considering it's bouldering only, not expensive per se.

In reply to Ardverikie: I've been climbing in London for 3 years now and have been to a lot of the walls. My negatives in terms of BOULDERING:

Arch: gets busy, hot and very chalky air.
Castle: I suspect this is your 'random jugs on wall'. I once saw a V1 there that was a line of about 6 jugs, perfectly verticle, perfectly orientated for L-R-L-R-L-finish. Unbelievably lazy. Other than that busy, only good quality on V4+, pretty hard grading.
Westway: Bouldering at the back is NAILS (at least last time I was there). Was struggling on routes 4 grades below what I climb regularly at Arch. Also, why go to Westway to boulder with the awesome lead wall
MileEnd: Secret Garden is outside (under a tent) so dont go in cold/wet weather unless you like realism. training rooms are really small, indoor bouldering walls are VERY high (nearly equivalent to downstairs rope climbing walls at Castle).
Reach: AMAZING training room with Bose soundsystem, but if we're talking negatives... they've had a hanging boulder set by Johnny Dawes that has been cordoned off since they opened because of no mats. So you can't climb it.

I haven't been to WestOne or Brixton.

See here: http://www.kclmc.org/walls-in-london M

In reply to Martin Davies (KCLMC): Also MileEnd secret garden has no mats, just pebbles underfoot. Bit sketchy. M

Martin, we've climbed many times in the Secret Garden this year even in the heaviest rain...that's why it's in a 'tent'. Nice and cool with excellent friction. Bit surprised at your comments as each time we all fall off Trackside boulder in the Garden we seem to land on a mat. It's quite a big one really..green, 30cm thick..about eight metres long, Same when we fall off the 45 degree and 15 degree wall out there. Big grey thing..full of foam...sort of mat like. Also the training room at the Reach is pretty much the same sixe as the Board Room at Mile End, yet you say one is awesome and the other is small..

In reply to caver:

Thanks everyone. Getting a bit better picture now.
The whotsit Garden row is a good example of my original point about no wall being good for all the people all of the time.

In reply to Ardverikie:

The 'wotsit' garden at Mile End did used to be lots of gravel. The gravel area is now topropes, and there is a very good, steep new training wall over mats in its place. Never had a problem with dampness though.

The problem at Mile End is that it gets very sweaty when it is hot and crowded, which can be a problem when you're sketching about on the (very high) final holds. The setting and quantity of bouldering is generally outstanding though.

Westway; very very crowded during the week, and the setting can be a bit monotonous (though sometimes very good, mainly at the harder end).

In reply to amanonaspeedingbike:


It may just be me but I'd say that (avoidable - I don't expect A/C) overheating is a problem at every wall I've been to in London at some time or other
The exception(if it is in London) being Craggy 2.

The Arch & the Castle have some ventilation (doors & windows) for parts of the building (although only parts) but it tends to be closed unless the weather's pretty warm, meaning that they can actually be worse in cool weather than warm & the Westway only seems to turn it's heaters off during heatwaves.
To be fair I haven't tried Swiss Cottage.

hi, i started that last thread that you talk about....

on my trip to london i visited 2 climbing walls. castle and mile end.

mile end had well thought out problems, but was busy as hell! quite alot of stuff is quite high... and you dont wanna push yourself with loads of people walking around under you... as i didnt have a spotter to warn them.. the reason i went is cause it was a nice day and i heard they had an outdoor bit.. but it had a big cover over it and trains going past really loud every 10mins!

I enjoyed the castle more, again well thought out problems, but a bit more spread out so things arnt overcrowded as much... it seemed like more of a top rope/lead kind of place where problems dont get changed as often.

i think the main problem with london walls is that most of the locals buy a year pass and go very often making them packed out! also getting in is about £12 for a one off.

oh yea and i also apparently missed a whole area in mile end... its a bit of a maze on first visit... that might have been less crowded

It's easy to miss whole rooms if you don't wander about and open every door.
I saw Alex unpacking the new holds for the wavejam event tomorrow, They look really interesting. Big holds the size of volumes.

In reply to Ardverikie:

Go to the Arch. £8.50 with BMC card. Plenty to keep you busy up to V6.

Come down to Mile End tomorrow night (5-9pm thursday) We're having a Wavejam, A friendly with 16 problems on fun new holds. Spot prizes from Rock On and a draw for a pair of Red Chilli shoes. Usual entry fee £7.50 or £6.75 with your BMC card.

Might be a bit far out of central London but have you tried Craggy II down near Sutton? Its a lot less busy than the more central places and has a good range of stuff. Its purely a bouldering place.

In reply to adam06:

Moreover, I've recently moved 60 seconds walk from the Castle, so I'm packing the wall even more. I'm really sorry mate and bless ya for forgiveness!