UKC

I recently started climbing again after a long lay-off - can anyone compare the three different Lakeland Climbing Centre walls, specifically relating to bouldering and auto-belays? (Yes, I'm a billy no-mates!)

I've been to Kendal a few times now and fancy trying Lancaster and Preston but going by the website it's hard to judge what they've actually got available, particularly at the beginner level.

Cheers,

In reply to also_unique:

Could give them a call ☎️ 

In reply to also_unique:

Lancaster better than Kendal for bouldering, but only has bouldering. Don't know about Preston. 

In reply to also_unique:

Bouldering at Lancaster is great, as are the staff and general facilities. Makes Kendal’s bouldering look seriously dated; which, in all fairness, it is.

In reply to also_unique:

Cheers all, looks like Lancaster will be worth a look.

I did think about ringing them but wanted some impartial feedback as well.

In reply to mcawle:

And get to hear them all tell you that they're the best wall? Very helpful.😅

In reply to also_unique:

Preston has plenty to go at and offers the best of Lancaster and Kendal under one roof.  A good bouldering area with lots of easier/beginner problems from V0 upwards. The main walls have routes from beginner upwards, with about 6 auto belay lines graded from 3/3+ up to 7a/7b. It's a good combination what of Kendal and Lancaster offer.

In reply to also_unique:

The bouldering at Lancaster is very good, big place, lots of decent sized circuits which are very well set. Doesn’t seem to get too busy, and is head and shoulders better than Kendal, even though they share the same route setters. However, the ‘lead roof’ in the bouldering at Kendal is pretty special. Driving there the first time is a surprise as it’s on a post apocalyptic industrial estate.

If you’re heading north, Eden Rock in Carlisle is well worth a visit. Excellent wall, setting and decent training boards. A bit different to the corporate walls with more of a Climbing Works vibe.

In reply to paul_in_cumbria:

Cheers for the info - Lancaster def sounds like it'll be worth the short drive.

Don't head Carlisle way that often but I'll check it out, never really thought there may be a wall round there for some reason

In reply to also_unique:

Lancaster: good bouldering and setting, lots of low to intermediate grade problems. All in one warehouse. Three training boards. Would likely take several sessions to exhaust all the possibilities within your ability range. Do not pay grades any attention.

Kendal: good bouldering and setting, just as good as Lancaster but a bit smaller. Again, do not pay grades any attention. Great dedicated childrens bouldering area. Plus 7 or 8 auto-belays (mostly 10m-ish but up to 18m-ish). If you can get a parter, it's one of the best lead walls in the country because, for a start, it's got a series of 24m walls instead of the usual 8 - 15m.

Preston: never been, but it looks a bit less good both in terms of bouldering and leading. But, Boulder UK (not a Lakeland Centre) nearby is very good and used to have imaginative setting (hopefully still does, but I haven't been for a while!) as well as a lot of problems.

Eden Rock was ok, but I don't get the hype. Not as good as Lancaster or Kendal or BUK IMO.

In reply to C Witter:

Interesting to hear your thoughts on the grading at Lancaster and Kendal. Harder, softer, or just inconsistent?

Not that indoor grades matter particularly, of course!

In reply to plyometrics:

The problems are arranged in three-grade-banded circuits and don't invite a focus on grades. In addition, the circuits at Lancaster are composed of a hold set, so I think each circuit tends to lend itself to a particular style of climbing... e.g. slopey and compression based; crimpy and balancey; pockets.

The net effect, is grades are really not foregrounded at all, and I think this is fair enough, because it's probably a more productive approach than getting overly concerned with grades. However, if you were to try as a user to force a focus on grades, I think you would also find them somewhat inconsistent. Certainly, I've got some all time PBs by significant margins on slab problems indoors, as well as absolutely walking problems that would be at my absolute limit outdoors.

I also find lower graded (e.g. V4 down) problems tend to be soft to very soft, and this is a general tendency across centres in the UK I think. V1 should be UK 5a/5b, but often feels easier to climb than a ladder. V2/6A should be UK 5c, but often feels UK 4c. I feel this is because the grading system is at odds with the need of a wall to provide problems appropriate to children and absolute novices, as well as the need to provide a sense of progress.

Anyway: everyone will have a different feeling about grades, but I think being unconcerned with the grades and taking each problem as it comes is a better approach and is the approach encouraged by the circuit systems at these walls.

In reply to C Witter:

Totally agree re the hold sets. Would be nice for them to mix it up every 12 months, so the mints become the v3-v5 set, and the oranges became the v5-v7 set, for example. 

In reply to plyometrics:

Yes, I think the mints are lovely holds but I can't touch a lot of the problems! I can see the difficulties it would create, but I've had the same daydream.

In reply to plyometrics:

I don’t mind if the horrible holds on the orange circuit end up in a skip, at the other end of the spectrum, the current black cct. at Lancaster is one of the best I’ve come across. I think that’s a combination of holds and setting….

In reply to paul_in_cumbria:

The blacks are pretty damn good in all fairness. Some cracking mints at the moment too. Appreciate some of the oranges might not be to everyone’s taste though!

In reply to also_unique: depends where you are based , unless time is no object ? But I agree with Paul Eden rock takes some  beating for bouldering , I haven’t been to Lancaster but struggle to think it could be better than Eden rock . there is also kong in Keswick , which , for a small wall in a small town , is excellent . Penrith leisure centre wall is also not too bad and is well kept and well set . 
 

In reply to also_unique:

Cant really go wrong with any of the Lakeland centres.  Ben and his team of setters are really good at their job.  They have really developed over the last 5 years too imo.  I think looking after the other centres has meant other styles have crept in and have improved over and above the food & drink style traditionally at Kendal wall.  They also seem to listen to their customers which can make things interesting.  Basically you can have the full spectrum at Kendal from itty bitty crimps to bigger modern geo holds.  Setting can range from 4 to 8bs on the lead walls and the number of 8's has increased over the last few years too.  There is plenty in between for everyone and quite a few auto belays.  The kendal wall is very different to most centres.  The roof area in the boulder room is quite a challenge and although smallish, the bouldering room can bring up some rather brilliant climbs.  It is limited to its size though so it tends to be more of a pull fest with tricky movement patterns than anything else.  Again, most grade ranges are catered for.  One thing often overlooked is the training room.  If you get the chance a sessions or two on Neil Greshams training wall can bring huge learning for average Joes.  Ive seen Ian Dunn teaching in there before and its a real eye opener to see the development in the climbers.  No reason not to visit Kendal wall and simply getting to come down from the 25m wall having nailed a good climb with people in the boulder room clapping is worth the trip alone.  Also has a brilliant Digital Training board.

Lancaster wall is......excellent.  In the same way the Depot walls are excellent.  They cater for the modern boulderer admirably.  Clean, easyish to get to and huge problems with huge variety of holds.  Set by Ben and his team there is pretty much everything for everyone.  Its such a big building you never feel crowded or struggle to get time on a problem.  Plenty of variety in the angles of the walls.  There is also some pretty good quality gym equipment, kilter board and digital training boards.  This is the more modern bouldering centre and it ticks most boxes.

Preston Wall is good.  Its not quite the bouldering centre Lancaster is or the rope centre Kendal is but it has pretty good levels of both.  No reason not to go.  Its just not outstanding at anything so doesnt make it memorable.  

Eden Rock is our home wall.  Its brilliant imo.  Without blathering on about the bouldering, there is plenty for everyone and in the winter the wooden beastmaker circuit is a masterpiece (Not sure if its up now).  The big development at Eden Rock has been their change in setting.  Someone mentioned earlier the issues with using a complete colour or hold type for a particular grade range.  So all the blacks are the hardest, but what if you find the crimpy blacks suit your style?  Sometimes it would be better to have the sloper oranges as the hardest circuit.  Well they have completely changed it up and no one colour or hold type (Not sure if they have kept the purples as the entry level colour) is geared towards any particular grade.  They are numbered for difficulties but it could be any colour of hold type.  This imo has lead to the setters having a much bigger palette of holds to choose from to make all the climbs, not just the hardest.  Average Joe now gets to work on an easier climb but on a multitude of different style holds.    They now have a warm room as well.  Vital for any guests having to stay warm whilst waiting.

Hope this helps

In reply to Qwerty2019: another good reply that has taken time to type and think about  it’s a long time since I’ve been bothered by such things ….    BUT ….  Why would anyone dislike this post ? If you disagree with any of the above say why and that’s fair enough but . ….      

In reply to paul_in_cumbria:

Where did Mickey used to work when he was a student in Sheffield

In reply to mike123:

Was just thinking exactly the same. The mind boggles.

In reply to Graeme Alderson:

learning from the masters!….

In reply to mike123:

Hi there.  I did notice that yesterday and i was at a complete loss as i was trying to be helpful, honest and i really couldnt see any negatives in my post.  Possibly someone knows me or just feeling grumpy.  Thanks for the support though.

In reply to Qwerty2019:

It was a nice post. Disliking lurkers can sulk all they like. Thanks for sharing!

In reply to also_unique:

Blimey, that's a lot of useful info - thanks for that!

Might try and give Lancaster a go on Thursday but it sounds like it's likely to pan out to be my new "local". I went to Kendal this morning and whilst I like the bouldering there it does feel very crowded very quickly.

In reply to Qwerty2019:

I picked up on the bit in your post about the Lanc wall being a bit like The Depot. It might just have been my experience with the Sheffield Depot, but the consensus in the people I climb with was that it was burly cranking for 18 year olds. I think the Lancaster wall is much better than that, there’s a lot more techy setting. However, it’s nice around here to have choice. I haven’t been over to Ingleton wall yet which I had a real soft spot for (20 years ago). Heading over if there’s a rainy afternoon this weekend to see what it looks like now.

In reply to paul_in_cumbria:

Hi Paul, yeah i can see where you are coming from.  Lancaster wall may have a slight bias towards number of techy settings.  I dont climb and the person i take is indeed U18 and capable of burly cranking.  We go to most of the depots on a fairly regular basis over the last 10 years so it all blends into one now.  Armley is the one we go to for the main comp style climbs but we find most have a reasonable balance of techy stuff for most levels.  Indeed you would have to be quite a climber to exhaust any of the depots or Lancaster for that matter imo.

You hit the nail on the head, choice.  Absolutely fantastic to be able to choose from one excellent wall to another.

In reply to also_unique:

Just got back into indoor bouldering as a convenient activity to do with a newborn. I live between Lancaster and Preston and totally agree with the descriptions of the various walls.

Two observations tho:

1. Boulder UK seems to have gone way downhill in terms of setting quality compared to a couple of years ago when I was last going.

2. Maybe we've been at odd times but can't believe how quiet lancaster wall is for an excellent centre in a university town with plenty of climbers living in/around it. It is really expensive though and I can't help but feel they've got their pricing point wrong, if they dropped entries a couple of quid I think they'd get a lot more footfall.

In reply to Mchildren:

So the prices are the same across the centres, and membership can be used at my of them. However £14.50 per session is a bit pricey. The yearly membership at £620 is fine though. I remember the first time driving around trying to find it on that industrial estate and dodging the potholes though!

The layout and size is similar to the Depot in Sheffield which also was ok on a wet Sunday afternoon. Kendal wall gets rammed, so maybe it’s not the pricing?