Are there any climbing instructors on here?

[Teepee]

As per the title

Can anyone teach me ?

I'd like to learn the basics and don't mind travelling. Thought I'd ask on here before going to the local climbing wall.

Cheers.

 

[Joonsy]

if you don't get any joy on here you could try the forum on UK Climbing website.

 

[Imagedude]

I'm not an instructor but I do climb.

 

[Chris the Cat]

Set up something for us Bob, and I will join our mate Teepee!
We can make it worth your while and it will be nice to meet up!
What do ta think?
Best.
Chris.

 

[Dartmoor navigator]

A climbing wall doesn't much resemble climbing (apart from the going up bit). Most walls will provide an introduction lesson (at a cost) just to show you 'the ropes'. A good centre will have in-situ ropes and loan you some kit. Just turn up with a mate who knows what he's doing, or turn up at the wall at a quiet period and ask them - they will want to help you and if they are worth their salt they will be qualified

 

[shaggystu]

A climbing wall doesn't much resemble climbing (apart from the going up bit). Most walls will provide an introduction lesson (at a cost) just to show you 'the ropes'. A good centre will have in-situ ropes and loan you some kit. Just turn up with a mate who knows what he's doing, or turn up at the wall at a quiet period and ask them - they will want to help you and if they are worth their salt they will be qualified

that's pretty good advice IMO, that's how i'd recommend people get started with climbing anyway. the easiest way to go about it is to find yourself a mate who wants to climb too, get yourself along to a climbing wall for an introductory session, they should be able to help you out with all the basic kit that you need and all the knowledge that you need to be safe on simple routes (and by simple i don't mean easy climbing, i mean simple rigging), and then just get out and get on with it. you really don't need to worry about specialised kit/technique until you're wanting to climb more technical stuff, that could be in a week or two, it could be in a year or two, or it might never happen.

just a little afterthought, climbing centres usually have a noticeboard with adverts for climbing partners, that might be worth a thought. you might end up climbing with someone who mainly wants you belay whilst they tackle some E11+ monster, so you could end up doing lots of belaying and not much climbing, but the knowledge that you'll be picking up along the way will be priceless.

good luck with this mate, however you decide to approach it i hope you enjoy it, i'm sure you will. dangling from a two finger hold from a flakey rock face over a couple of hundred foot drop whilst trying to retrieve a wedged in piece of kit from a crack that's blatantly way too small for the kit to have ever got in there in the first place, as the summer hail whips relentlessly across your face in what would appear to be a personal vendetta against your eyes, and the lactic acid builds up in your forearms to the extent that you genuinely don't know whether or not you're actually still in contact with the rockface, all the time praying for your life to whatever deity seams most appropriate at that particular moment (even though at the back of your head you know that the rock and the weather don't care about you or your prayers)........is a great way to spend a weekend. honestly, it is

cheers

stuart

 

[shaggystu]

oh yeah, and climbers tend to enjoy a pint or two, see above

 

[Dogoak]

I'm qualified, 2 problems though, your miles away and also unfortunately, I don't have the time!
Theres some good advice above, most walls will enable you to get a handle on the rudiments of belaying techniques and sport climbing. Any wall should have only qualified personnel or trainees under supervision.
Another option is find out about your local climbing club, most would be keen to help, advise and take out newbies. Plenty of experienced folk in clubs with expertise in different fields, rock jocks to mountaineers. Most of them organize trips away to different areas which will give you an idea of different rocks, techniques, gear, single or multi pitch, etc; Oh yeah, and they often hold social meets in pubs .
Good luck and enjoy yourself.

 

[Teepee]

Thanks guys, that sounds like good advice. Point noted on the climbing wall and we have quite a big one here. I'd hoped to get the'bug' as it were in somewhere wilder and then use the motivation to do the courses at my local wall. They do a Crevasse rescue course which is something I need to get onto after getting the basics.

@Bob and Chris; Top suggestion! Would be great to catch up Whadya reckon Bob?

Great suggestion Stu about climbing partner adverts, that ones stored. Oh, and you've just about sold climbing to me in one paragraph

 

[shaggystu]

....Oh, and you've just about sold climbing to me in one paragraph

excellent mate, that was the intention

 

[Teepee]

I'm qualified, 2 problems though, your miles away and also unfortunately, I don't have the time!
Theres some good advice above, most walls will enable you to get a handle on the rudiments of belaying techniques and sport climbing. Any wall should have only qualified personnel or trainees under supervision.
Another option is find out about your local climbing club, most would be keen to help, advise and take out newbies. Plenty of experienced folk in clubs with expertise in different fields, rock jocks to mountaineers. Most of them organize trips away to different areas which will give you an idea of different rocks, techniques, gear, single or multi pitch, etc; Oh yeah, and they often hold social meets in pubs .
Good luck and enjoy yourself.

Thanks Dogoak for that. I'm no stranger to the Cairngorms and head your way as often as I can. It was the 'Gorms that first sparked the thought-I looked at the cliff above the shelter stone by Loch Avon as i was scrambling up Coire an Domhain and thought I'd like to be able to climb that someday.

 

[Chris the Cat]

That sounds like a plan then.
Bob!?

 

[Imagedude]

@Bob and Chris; Top suggestion! Would be great to catch up Whadya reckon Bob?

That sounds like a plan then.
Bob!?

I love it when a plan comes together...

 

[Teepee]

I love it when a plan comes together...

Bob on!

 

[Imagedude]

Now we just need some dates, winter or summer? Or both.

 

[Chris the Cat]

One of each?
Best.
C.

 

[Teepee]

One of each sounds the best...

If its a while away, I'll get down to the climbing wall and pick up some basics first. I'd like to get on with it asap. If I don't, my interest may wain.

 

[Imagedude]

Most walls offer a 'Learn to Lead Climb' course, well worth doing, it's how many of today's top climbers started.

 

[Teepee]

Most walls offer a 'Learn to Lead Climb' course, well worth doing, it's how many of today's top climbers started.

Thats listed on their site. They do five 1.5 hour courses for £25 each with free equipment hire. After the first lesson, I can turn up and climb.

I'll pop into Joe Browns on friday and get an idea of what I'll need to spend if(when) I carry on with it.

Cheers Bob, speak soon

 

[chris_irwin]

Set yourself up with an account on http://www.ukclimbing.com and ask the same question on their forum. You will most likely get a better response. There are always people asking for climbing partners/instructors on there. Often people will give free instruction as they are training for a qualification, however, you should be wary as they might not be qualified to instruct.