Progress from seconding traditional climbs to confidently leading routes of your own.
Our Learn to Lead Trad Climbing Courses are designed for climbers who already have some outdoor climbing experience and want to develop the technical skills, judgement and confidence needed to lead traditional rock climbs independently.
Over 2, 3 or 5 days, you'll learn how to choose appropriate routes, place and assess traditional protection, build secure belays, manage ropes effectively and make good decisions while climbing on the sharp end.
You'll also spend plenty of time actually climbing and leading under the supervision of an experienced instructor, allowing you to put each skill into practice while gradually building confidence.
Longer course options provide additional time to consolidate your leading, develop climbing movement and head game, learn abseiling and begin progressing towards multipitch climbing.
Courses are available at selected UK climbing locations including Dartmoor, the Wye Valley and Wintour's Leap, and Eryri / North Wales, with bespoke courses available at other suitable venues.
Instructor Tip:
" Read the route description and try to identify where the crux is likely to be, or harder, blank sections. Then read the route and look for rests before and after these sections. When on the route, build 'nests of safety' before hard sections/the crux (cluster of gear where you can get it). This helps with your head game, allowing you to move through the hard sections to your next rest and 'nest of safety'. "
*Click on the headings below to take you to the relevant learn to lead info*
£260pp*
2 Days
1:2
* Price indicated is for public course dates. For private/bespoke/1:1 bookings, prices are: 1:1 = £250 per day | 1:2 = £280 per day (£140pp per day)
Get in touch to enquire or click the BESPOKE BOOKING button above.
2-DAY LEARN TO LEAD TRAD
COURSE OVERVIEW:
The 2-day Learn to Lead Trad course is an intensive introduction to becoming an independent traditional lead climber.
Over two full climbing days, you'll develop your ability to choose suitable routes, place and assess traditional protection, build secure belays, manage the rope and make decisions while leading.
The emphasis is on spending plenty of time climbing and gradually transferring responsibility to you. Depending on your existing experience, you'll progress through supervised practice, mock leading where appropriate and leading suitable traditional routes.
We'll also work on climbing movement, resting effectively, route reading and managing the psychological side of being on the sharp end.
This option is ideal if you already have experience seconding traditional routes or climbing outdoors and want a focused progression towards leading single-pitch trad routes.
The exact crags and routes we use will depend on your chosen location, experience, confidence, weather and conditions.
Please note: abseiling is not normally included within the 2-day course. If you want to include abseiling and have more time to consolidate your leading skills, consider the 3-day option.
WHO'S IT FOR?
-
This learn to lead trad course is aimed at climbers who have experience seconding climbs
-
For a competent indoor lead climber who has some outdoor climbing experience
-
You are a Sport Climber and want to expand your climbing experience
-
You may have joined me on a guided climbing course and want to now learn to lead!
-
You and your climbing partner want to improve your climbing skills to go off and climb routes together
-
You may have some trad leading experience but no formal instruction, probably taught by a friend or self taught. You now want to ensure you're doing all the right things and safely!
-
Mountaineers and scramblers who want to improve their skills to be more self-sufficient in the mountains
DIFFICULTY:
(6/10) CHALLENGING
A full climbing day with moderate physical effort and significant technical learning. Suitable for climbers transitioning from seconding to leading traditional routes.
Similar difficulty to: Learn to Lead Sport (2 days)
Easier Than: Climbing Skills - Using 2 Ropes
Harder Than: Intro to Trad
Not sure what this means? See our Difficulty Guide → HERE
Compare other Rock Climbing Courses
COURSE CONTENT:
On this learn to lead course, we will cover the following skills to get you off the ground:
-
Choosing a suitable route
-
Movement skills and footwork on rock
-
Resting on a route
-
Efficient climbing movement
-
Choosing a trad rack
-
Selecting, placing and rating trad gear
-
Building safe belays
-
Attaching to anchors
-
Belaying a lead climber
-
Belaying a second
-
Lead climbing
-
Rope management on route
-
Understanding falling
-
Dynamic risk assessing whilst lead climbing
-
Climbing psychology and managing your head game and fear whilst on lead
-
Emergency procedures
WHAT TO EXPECT:
-
2 full days of climbing and instruction
-
A focus on building confidence in lead climbing
-
Progressive learning in climbing techniques
-
A focus on managing fear and moving efficiently and safely on climbs
-
Safe, friendly atmosphere with others passionate about climbing
-
A focus on your safety
-
Opportunities to build confidence on the rock under the watchful eye of an experienced Mountaineering Instructor
-
1:2 ratio to focus on your personalised instruction
WHERE CAN I LEARN TO LEAD TRAD?
Dartmoor, Devon
Dartmoor's granite crags provide an excellent environment for developing traditional leading skills. Cracks, slabs, walls and corners give plenty of opportunities to practise protection, route reading, belay building and confident movement on real rock.
Possible venues include the Dewerstone, Hound Tor, Sheeps Tor and other suitable Dartmoor crags.
Wye Valley & Wintour's Leap
The Wye Valley offers extensive limestone trad climbing and is particularly well suited to climbers wanting to build route mileage and develop their confidence leading outdoors.
The area is conveniently located for climbers travelling from Bristol, Gloucestershire, South Wales, North Somerset and the surrounding region.
Routes and venues are selected around your existing experience, confidence and course objectives.
Eryri / North Wales
Eryri is one of the UK's great traditional climbing areas, offering a huge variety of single-pitch and multipitch routes across different rock types and climbing styles.
Learn to Lead courses use appropriate crags and routes where you can develop protection, belays, route finding, movement and confidence before progressing towards increasingly independent climbing.
Not Ready to Lead Yet?
If you haven't previously climbed traditional routes as a second, our Intro to Trad Climbing Course may be a better starting point.
Intro to Trad focuses on understanding protection, belays, rope systems and becoming a confident second before progressing towards leading.
3-DAY LEARN TO LEAD TRAD
£375pp*
3 Days
1:2
* Price indicated is for public course dates. For private/bespoke/1:1 bookings, prices are: 1:1 = £240 per day | 1:2 = £270 per day (£130pp per day)
Get in touch to enquire or click the BESPOKE BOOKING button above.
COURSE OVERVIEW:
The 3-day Learn to Lead Trad course gives you more time to develop, practise and consolidate the skills required to lead traditional climbs independently.
Alongside choosing routes, placing and assessing protection, building belays and managing ropes, you'll spend more time leading suitable routes and developing efficient climbing movement, route reading and decision making.
The additional day allows us to progress at a more relaxed pace, revisit skills where necessary and give you more opportunities to lead under supervision.
We'll also look at managing fear and confidence while leading and introduce safe abseiling techniques, giving you a broader foundation for becoming an independent outdoor climber.
This course is ideal for climbers who want more than a short introduction and would benefit from additional mileage and supervised leading before heading out independently.
The exact content, venues and routes will be adapted around your experience, chosen location, objectives and the conditions.
WHO'S IT FOR?
-
This learn to lead course is aimed at climbers who have experience seconding climbs
-
For a competent indoor lead climber who has some outdoor climbing experience
-
You are a Sport Climber and want to expand your climbing experience
-
You may have joined me on a guided climbing course and want to now learn to lead!
-
You and your climbing partner want to improve your climbing skills to go off and climb routes together
DIFFICULTY:
(7/10) CHALLENGING - HARD
Sustained climbing days with high technical focus, allowing more time to consolidate skills, build confidence, and develop independence on trad routes.
Similar difficulty to: Advanced Mountaineering
Easier Than: Learn to Lead Trad (5 days)
Harder Than: Intro to Multipitch Climbing
Not sure what this means? See our Difficulty Guide → HERE
Compare other Rock Climbing Courses
COURSE CONTENT:
On this learn to lead course, we will cover the following skills to get you off the ground:
-
Choosing a suitable route
-
Movement skills and footwork on rock
-
Resting on a route
-
Efficient climbing movement
-
Choosing a trad rack
-
Selecting, placing and rating trad gear
-
Building safe belays
-
Attaching to anchors
-
Belaying a lead climber
-
Belaying a second
-
Lead climbing
-
Rope management on route
-
Understanding falling
-
Dynamic risk assessing whilst lead climbing
-
Climbing psychology and managing your head game and fear whilst on lead
-
Emergency procedures
-
How to abseil safely
WHAT TO EXPECT:
-
3 full days of climbing and instruction
-
Learn how to abseil to get off a route or access the base of a route
-
A focus on building confidence in lead climbing
-
Progressive learning in climbing techniques
-
A focus on managing fear and moving efficiently and safely on climbs
-
Safe, friendly atmosphere with others passionate about climbing
-
A focus on your safety
-
Opportunities to build confidence on the rock under the watchful eye of an experienced Mountaineering Instructor
-
1:2 ratio to focus on your personalised instruction
WHERE CAN I LEARN TO LEAD TRAD?
Dartmoor, Devon
Dartmoor's granite crags provide an excellent environment for developing traditional leading skills. Cracks, slabs, walls and corners give plenty of opportunities to practise protection, route reading, belay building and confident movement on real rock.
Possible venues include the Dewerstone, Hound Tor, Sheeps Tor and other suitable Dartmoor crags.
Wye Valley & Wintour's Leap
The Wye Valley offers extensive limestone trad climbing and is particularly well suited to climbers wanting to build route mileage and develop their confidence leading outdoors.
The area is conveniently located for climbers travelling from Bristol, Gloucestershire, South Wales, North Somerset and the surrounding region.
Routes and venues are selected around your existing experience, confidence and course objectives.
Eryri / North Wales
Eryri is one of the UK's great traditional climbing areas, offering a huge variety of single-pitch and multipitch routes across different rock types and climbing styles.
Learn to Lead courses use appropriate crags and routes where you can develop protection, belays, route finding, movement and confidence before progressing towards increasingly independent climbing.
Not Ready to Lead Yet?
If you haven't previously climbed traditional routes as a second, our Intro to Trad Climbing Course may be a better starting point.
Intro to Trad focuses on understanding protection, belays, rope systems and becoming a confident second before progressing towards leading.
COURSE OVERVIEW:
The 5-day Learn to Lead Trad course is our most comprehensive pathway towards becoming an independent traditional climber.
Over five days we'll combine technical instruction with plenty of climbing mileage, gradually developing your protection, belay building, route selection, rope management, climbing movement and decision making.
With more time available, the course can be adapted around your progression rather than following a rigid itinerary. We may use several different crags and rock types where appropriate, giving you experience adapting your skills to different routes and situations.
You'll also cover abseiling, climbing psychology and an introduction to multipitch climbing, while spending significantly more time leading and consolidating your skills.
The exact programme is tailored around your previous experience, chosen location, objectives, weather and progress throughout the week.
WHO'S IT FOR?
-
This learn to lead course is aimed at climbers who have experience seconding climbs
-
For a competent indoor lead climber who has some outdoor climbing experience
-
You are a Sport Climber and want to expand your climbing experience
-
You may have joined me on a guided climbing course and want to now learn to lead!
-
You and your climbing partner want to improve your climbing skills to go off and climb routes together
-
Interest in progressing to multipitch climbing
DIFFICULTY:
(8/10) HARD
Multiple full climbing days with progressive learning and consolidation. Physically demanding with very high technical content aimed at long-term independence.
Similar difficulty to: Climbers Self Rescue - 2 day course
Easier Than: Guided Cuillin Ridge
Harder Than: Learn to Lead Trad (3 days)
Not sure what this means? See our Difficulty Guide → HERE
Compare other Rock Climbing Courses
COURSE CONTENT:
On this learn to lead course, we will cover the following skills to get you off the ground:
-
Choosing a suitable route
-
Movement skills and footwork on rock
-
Resting on a route
-
Efficient climbing movement
-
Choosing a trad rack
-
Selecting, placing and rating trad gear
-
Building safe belays
-
Attaching to anchors
-
Belaying a lead climber
-
Belaying a second
-
Lead climbing
-
Rope management on route
-
Understanding falling
-
Dynamic risk assessing whilst lead climbing
-
Climbing psychology and managing your head game and fear whilst on lead
-
Emergency procedures
-
How to abseil safely
-
Introduction to multipitch climbing
-
Stance management for multipitch changeovers and block leading
WHAT TO EXPECT:
-
5 full days of climbing and instruction
-
Lots of climbing on single pitch and multipitch routes
-
A focus on building confidence in lead climbing
-
Progressive learning in climbing techniques
-
A focus on managing fear and moving efficiently and safely on climbs
-
Safe, friendly atmosphere with others passionate about climbing
-
A focus on your safety
-
Opportunities to build confidence on the rock under the watchful eye of an experienced Mountaineering Instructor
-
1:2 ratio to focus on your personalised instruction
WHERE CAN I LEARN TO LEAD TRAD?
Dartmoor, Devon
Dartmoor's granite crags provide an excellent environment for developing traditional leading skills. Cracks, slabs, walls and corners give plenty of opportunities to practise protection, route reading, belay building and confident movement on real rock.
Possible venues include the Dewerstone, Hound Tor, Sheeps Tor and other suitable Dartmoor crags.
Wye Valley & Wintour's Leap
The Wye Valley offers extensive limestone trad climbing and is particularly well suited to climbers wanting to build route mileage and develop their confidence leading outdoors.
The area is conveniently located for climbers travelling from Bristol, Gloucestershire, South Wales, North Somerset and the surrounding region.
Routes and venues are selected around your existing experience, confidence and course objectives.
Eryri / North Wales
Eryri is one of the UK's great traditional climbing areas, offering a huge variety of single-pitch and multipitch routes across different rock types and climbing styles.
Learn to Lead courses use appropriate crags and routes where you can develop protection, belays, route finding, movement and confidence before progressing towards increasingly independent climbing.
Not Ready to Lead Yet?
If you haven't previously climbed traditional routes as a second, our Intro to Trad Climbing Course may be a better starting point.
Intro to Trad focuses on understanding protection, belays, rope systems and becoming a confident second before progressing towards leading.
Learn to Lead Climb Course Dates
