Take your indoor climbing outside, develop your sport leading skills and learn how to climb bolted routes confidently and independently.
Our Sport Climbing Courses are designed for indoor lead climbers, existing outdoor climbers and anyone preparing for a sport climbing trip in the UK or abroad.
Choose from a 1-Day or 2-Day Learn to Lead Sport Climbing Course, covering the essential skills needed for independent single-pitch sport climbing, or progress onto our Intro to Multipitch Sport Climbing Course and learn the systems required for longer bolted routes.
Depending on the course, you'll develop skills including clipping, lead belaying, route selection, lower-offs, fixed equipment, clip-stick use, falling, movement, climbing tactics, multipitch belays, changeovers, guide mode, retreat and abseil descents.
Courses are available at selected sport climbing venues across the UK, including the Wye Valley, South West England, Dorset, South Wales and North Wales, with private and bespoke courses tailored around your experience and objectives.
If you're preparing for an overseas climbing trip, we can also tailor your course towards the skills and systems you'll need for destinations such as Spain and other European sport climbing areas.
*Click on the headings below to take you to the relevant learn to lead info*
Instructor Tip:
" Communication is key when at the lower-off. Have a clear system between you and your belayer. Keep commands short and simple, and ensure you both know what they mean! "
£150pp*
1 Day
1:4
* Price indicated is for public course dates. For private/bespoke/1:1 bookings, prices start FROM £250 per day, +£30 per person extra per day.
Get in touch to enquire or click the BESPOKE BOOKING button above.
1-DAY LEARN TO LEAD SPORT CLIMBING
COURSE OVERVIEW:
The 1-Day Learn to Lead Sport Climbing Course is a focused introduction to taking your indoor lead climbing skills onto real rock.
It's ideal if you're already a competent indoor lead climber and want to understand the additional skills, judgement and techniques needed to climb bolted routes outdoors.
We'll look at choosing appropriate routes, interpreting guidebooks, equipment selection, clipping efficiently, lead belaying, communication, using a clip stick and safely managing lower-offs.
You'll also develop your movement on real rock, learn how outdoor sport climbing differs from indoor leading and begin making your own decisions about bolts, routes and fixed equipment.
Where appropriate, you'll have the opportunity to progressively practise leading under supervision, with the exact amount of leading depending on your existing experience, confidence and the venue.
This is a great option if you want a concentrated introduction before continuing to build experience independently or with more experienced outdoor climbers.
The exact crag and routes will be selected according to your experience, climbing grade, chosen location and conditions.
WHO'S IT FOR?
-
This learn to lead sport climbing course is aimed at climbers who have experience lead climbing indoors and wanting to take their indoor strength outdoors!
-
Trad climbers looking to develop their climbing to improve their trad climbing
-
An individual who wants to go on a sport climbing trip abroad in the winter with friends (think of it as learning to ski on a dry ski slope in the UK before going on your first skiing holiday!)
COURSE CONTENT:
On this learn to lead course, we will cover most the following skills:
Planning & Equipment
-
Choosing routes
-
Using guidebooks
-
Equipment selection
-
Understanding fixed equipment
Leading Skills
-
Clipping
-
Lead belaying
-
Lower-offs
-
Clip-stick use
-
Falling and fall consequences
Climbing Performance
-
Movement
-
Footwork
-
Resting
-
Pacing
-
Route reading
Crag Skills
-
Communication
-
Rope management
-
Equipment retrieval
-
Setting up suitable roped systems
WHAT TO EXPECT:
-
A full day of instruction, clipping bolts in the South West
-
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
-
Small group ratio to focus on your personalised instruction
WHERE CAN I TAKE A SPORT CLIMBING COURSE?
Sport climbing courses are available at a range of suitable venues around the UK.
The crag we use will depend on your chosen course, current climbing grade, experience, access arrangements and conditions.
Wye Valley
The wider Wye Valley offers several useful sport climbing venues and is particularly convenient for climbers travelling from Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset and South Wales.
Venues such as Woodcroft Quarry and Wyndcliff Quarry provide bolted limestone climbing suitable for developing skills including clipping, lead belaying, route reading, lower-offs, movement and outdoor sport leading.
Some venues also provide opportunities to introduce longer-route and multipitch sport climbing systems where appropriate.
Explore Sport Climbing Courses in the Wye Valley →
South West England
The South West provides a variety of sport climbing venues across Devon and the surrounding area.
Courses can be tailored around your existing grade and experience, whether you're moving from indoor leading onto outdoor rock or developing your climbing ahead of a trip abroad.
The exact venue will be selected according to access, conditions and the objectives of the course.
Dorset & Portland
Portland is one of Britain's best-known sport climbing areas, with a huge variety of bolted limestone routes across a wide range of grades.
Its concentration of sport climbing makes it particularly useful for building mileage, developing movement on limestone and consolidating the practical skills needed for independent sport climbing.
Private courses can be tailored around your current grade and objectives.
South Wales
South Wales offers a range of sport climbing venues suitable for developing outdoor leading skills and climbing performance.
Courses can focus on the transition from indoor to outdoor sport climbing, improving movement and confidence, or preparing for future climbing trips.
The exact venue will depend on your experience, objectives and conditions.
Eryri / North Wales
North Wales also offers a variety of sport climbing opportunities, including quarried venues that provide a very different experience from natural limestone crags.
Private courses can be arranged for climbers wanting to develop sport leading skills or broaden their experience on different rock and climbing styles.
Bespoke Locations
Private sport climbing courses can also be arranged at other suitable UK venues.
If you already have a particular crag, climbing trip or destination in mind, get in touch and we can recommend the most appropriate course and location.
2-DAY LEARN TO LEAD SPORT CLIMBING
£260pp*
2 Days
1:4
* Price indicated is for public course dates. For private/bespoke/1:1 bookings, prices start FROM £250 per day, +£30 per person extra per day.
Get in touch to enquire or click the BESPOKE BOOKING button above.
COURSE OVERVIEW:
The 2-Day Learn to Lead Sport Climbing Course gives you more time to develop, practise and consolidate the skills needed to become an independent outdoor sport climber.
Alongside route selection, clipping, lead belaying, communication and lower-off systems, we'll spend more time climbing and developing your movement, route reading, resting, pacing and confidence on real rock.
We'll look in greater detail at assessing fixed equipment, using clip sticks, retrieving equipment, managing falls appropriately and understanding how outdoor sport climbing differs from the controlled environment of an indoor wall.
The additional day means we can progress at a more relaxed pace, revisit skills where necessary and give you significantly more opportunity to climb and lead suitable routes under supervision.
This option is particularly useful if you're preparing for a sport climbing holiday or want more supervised experience before heading outside independently.
The exact content, routes and venue will be adapted around your previous experience, current climbing level, objectives and conditions.
WHO'S IT FOR?
-
This learn to lead sport climbing course is aimed at climbers who have experience lead climbing indoors and wanting to take their indoor strength outdoors!
-
Trad climbers looking to develop their climbing to improve their trad climbing
-
An individual who wants to go on a sport climbing trip abroad in the winter with friends (think of it as learning to ski on a dry ski slope in the UK before going on your first skiing holiday!)
COURSE CONTENT:
On this learn to lead course, we will cover most the following skills:
Planning & Equipment
-
Choosing routes
-
Using guidebooks
-
Equipment selection
-
Understanding fixed equipment
Leading Skills
-
Clipping
-
Lead belaying
-
Lower-offs
-
Clip-stick use
-
Falling and fall consequences
Climbing Performance
-
Movement
-
Footwork
-
Resting
-
Pacing
-
Route reading
Crag Skills
-
Communication
-
Rope management
-
Equipment retrieval
-
Setting up suitable roped systems
WHAT TO EXPECT:
-
2 full days of instruction, clipping bolts in the South West
-
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
-
Small group ratio to focus on your personalised instruction
WHERE CAN I TAKE A SPORT CLIMBING COURSE?
Sport climbing courses are available at a range of suitable venues around the UK.
The crag we use will depend on your chosen course, current climbing grade, experience, access arrangements and conditions.
Wye Valley
The wider Wye Valley offers several useful sport climbing venues and is particularly convenient for climbers travelling from Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset and South Wales.
Venues such as Woodcroft Quarry and Wyndcliff Quarry provide bolted limestone climbing suitable for developing skills including clipping, lead belaying, route reading, lower-offs, movement and outdoor sport leading.
Some venues also provide opportunities to introduce longer-route and multipitch sport climbing systems where appropriate.
Explore Sport Climbing Courses in the Wye Valley →
South West England
The South West provides a variety of sport climbing venues across Devon and the surrounding area.
Courses can be tailored around your existing grade and experience, whether you're moving from indoor leading onto outdoor rock or developing your climbing ahead of a trip abroad.
The exact venue will be selected according to access, conditions and the objectives of the course.
Dorset & Portland
Portland is one of Britain's best-known sport climbing areas, with a huge variety of bolted limestone routes across a wide range of grades.
Its concentration of sport climbing makes it particularly useful for building mileage, developing movement on limestone and consolidating the practical skills needed for independent sport climbing.
Private courses can be tailored around your current grade and objectives.
South Wales
South Wales offers a range of sport climbing venues suitable for developing outdoor leading skills and climbing performance.
Courses can focus on the transition from indoor to outdoor sport climbing, improving movement and confidence, or preparing for future climbing trips.
The exact venue will depend on your experience, objectives and conditions.
Eryri / North Wales
North Wales also offers a variety of sport climbing opportunities, including quarried venues that provide a very different experience from natural limestone crags.
Private courses can be arranged for climbers wanting to develop sport leading skills or broaden their experience on different rock and climbing styles.
Bespoke Locations
Private sport climbing courses can also be arranged at other suitable UK venues.
If you already have a particular crag, climbing trip or destination in mind, get in touch and we can recommend the most appropriate course and location.
£260pp*
2 Days
1:2
* Price indicated is for public course dates. For private/bespoke/1:1 bookings, prices start FROM £250 per day, +£30 per person extra per day.
Get in touch to enquire or click the BESPOKE BOOKING button above.
Intro to Multi-pitch Sport Climbing
COURSE OVERVIEW
Take your sport climbing beyond a single pitch and learn the systems required for longer bolted routes.
This 2-day course is designed for climbers who already have single-pitch sport climbing experience and want to progress towards multipitch sport routes in the UK or abroad.
You'll learn how to build and organise multipitch belays, attach securely to anchors, manage ropes efficiently, bring up a second, carry out smooth belay changeovers and communicate effectively between pitches.
We'll also look at guide-mode belaying, route planning, multipitch abseil descents, retreating from a route and the problem-solving skills needed when things don't go exactly to plan.
Where suitable terrain is available, we'll apply these systems on real multipitch routes. At other venues, some techniques may be introduced and practised using appropriate climbing terrain before you take them onto larger routes.
The course is particularly useful if you're preparing for an overseas trip to areas with longer bolted routes and want to understand the systems before committing to them independently.
If you already have extensive trad multipitch experience, a shorter bespoke course may be appropriate.
WHO'S IT FOR?
-
This intro to multipitch sport climbing course is for climbers who have single pitch sport climbing experience and may have an upcoming trip planned abroad
-
Individuals who want to learn the skills to safely build belays, manage belays and transitions, and safely get off the route.
-
You may have been trad multipitch climbing or come from an indoor climbing background and want to learn the skills to second a more experienced partner abroad.
COURSE CONTENT:
On this learn to lead course, we will cover the following skills to get you off the ground:
-
Re-cap basic sport climbing skills
-
Choosing a route
-
Movement and footwork on rock
-
Efficient climbing movement
-
Building belays
-
Attaching to anchors
-
Stance management
-
Communication on the crag
-
Belay change overs
-
Climbing with single ropes
-
Belaying a lead climber and a second
-
Guide mode belaying
-
Lead climbing
-
Multipitch abseil descents
-
Retreating off a route
-
Emergency procedures
WHERE CAN I TAKE A SPORT CLIMBING COURSE?
Sport climbing courses are available at a range of suitable venues around the UK.
The crag we use will depend on your chosen course, current climbing grade, experience, access arrangements and conditions.
Multipitch Sport Climbing
True multipitch sport climbing is less common in the UK than in many European climbing areas.
Where appropriate terrain is available, we can use longer bolted routes to put multipitch systems into practice. Where this isn't possible, techniques can be taught and practised on suitable climbing terrain before being transferred to longer routes.
If you're preparing for a climbing trip to Spain or elsewhere in Europe, your course can be tailored towards the systems and situations you're likely to encounter.
Wye Valley
The wider Wye Valley offers several useful sport climbing venues and is particularly convenient for climbers travelling from Bristol, Gloucestershire, North Somerset and South Wales.
Venues such as Woodcroft Quarry provide bolted limestone climbing suitable for developing multipitch skills including anchor building, rope management, belaying a second and transitions.
Explore Sport Climbing Courses in the Wye Valley →
Eryri / North Wales
North Wales also offers a variety of multipitch sport climbing opportunities, including quarried venues that provide a very different experience from natural limestone crags.
Private courses can be arranged for climbers wanting to develop sport leading skills or broaden their experience on different rock and climbing styles.
Bespoke Locations
Private sport climbing courses can also be arranged at other suitable UK venues.
If you already have a particular crag, climbing trip or destination in mind, get in touch and we can recommend the most appropriate course and location.
