The Climbing Academy

The TCA consists of an assortment of bouldering walls. Bouldering is sort of like climbing, but without the faff of harnesses, ropes and mentally taxing knots. Instead the walls aren’t so high and the crash mats are massive!
The place has a great vibe. The holds are regularly switched around, so if you come weekly there are always new and fun challenges. There are lessons provided, but it’s fairly easy to pick up the basics after a single lesson. Fun to do in groups or solo as a fun alternative to the gym.
I like bouldering. Bouldering feels a lot like climbing trees when you were wee. Why do we ever stop climbing trees in the first place?

So… I’m being a climbing spectator today! And yes the actual climbing part is awesome, but I’m going to review the café as that is where I’m spending my time.
For a small café in a sporting centre it’s very good.
The hot chocolate was nice, as was the latte, but nothing special. The paninis how ever were very yum! Hit the spot for sure. I couldn’t decide between the Brie, Apple and cranberry or the salmi and cheese, so we got both and halved them: D yum yum! Not much fuss but tasty!
We then shared a slice of paradise cake and my goodness! One of the best coconut cakes I’ve ever had: D nom nom!
The staff are lovely, and the café space quite open plan and useful. Complete with a log burning fire *yay* toasty!

Oh my poor dear arms.
So this is the second time I’ve tried bouldering at the Climbing Academy and I might me on my way to getting fully hooked. Sure, everything aches (mostly my arms and shoulders) but I’m still keen to get back as soon as possible.
For those not familiar, bouldering is basically climbing but involves staying low enough to not need a harness. At times that can be a bit terrifying but you’re really not that high above the big squishy mats below and they make sure you know how to stay safe before letting you loose on the climbing walls.
On the walls the different difficulty of climbing «puzzle» is colour coordinated, with purple handholds being the easiest, followed by blue, red, yellow, orange, grey, black and white. You start at the bottom steadily figure out a route up, and end the puzzle by placing both hands on the highest handhold. They’re «puzzles» because it isn’t always obvious how you’ll make your way to the top.
At the moment, my lack of strength and bravery is preventing me from completing some of the easy puzzles as much as figuring out where to put my feet next. However, the sense of satisfaction, when you return to one you couldn’t do easily and finally manage to figure it out, is seriously huge. This clearly is where the addiction lies.
The centre is open until 10pm most days and membership is only £10 for life. Then it costs £6 to enter before midday and £8 afterwards and you can climb for as long as you like (or until you’re exhausted). Shoe hire is £2.75. The staff are super friendly and relaxed too.
The centre also has a small café area that will sell you tea, coffee, water and paninis and it offers a number of course for adults and children to help you improve your technique. If you get time, stop to check out the photos on display near the locker area by one of the staff members who is also a really talented photographer.
Speaking of, there’s plenty of space in the locker area and the staff can lend or sell you a lock if you need one. There are separate dedicated changing rooms for men and women as well as showers and bathrooms. It’s all kept nice and clean.
No doubt my arms will be regretting my next climbing session very soon.

Managed to just find this place. With its tiny sign and a down pour of hailstones. I drove past it once but on the second loop round the block I found it. Then up the stairs and open the doors, which takes you into the climbing area/​café.
It is either being done up or things are getting changed. Workies were in with their drills and ladders.
I never had anything to eat at the café but it has floor to ceiling length glass so you can sit with a cuppa and watch all the spidermen/​woman wannabes. You have to go through this seated area to get to the changing rooms/​toilet, very small. Although you do have a locker area just before you turn in to this changing room.
Once you are changed and you have your funky wee shoes on its time to go climb. Walking around on the crash mats can be fun wobbling about as you go. It is good fun to climb up so high and then just bail. Jump off and landing on the mats. Happened to me quite a lot.
When looking at the walls you are hit with all the colours and little labels all over the place. You get informed of the basics. Colours give you the difficulty and the wee labels are a route but those are for the more skilled ninjas.
Price wise I cannot really recall but I am sure it was under £10 for entry and shoes to borrow. The shoes had been well and truly worn in. Think I will get my own pair.
A small annoying thing is people walking around barefoot. Place ends up with a slight tinge of cheesy feet. No for me that bit. Shoes on chaps.
Good place to test your upper body strength and after a good hour or 2 you will be feeling it for a couple of days. I felt like a scaled version of the hulk after 40mins. Forearms and fingers were all tensed up. Fun, fun time was had and I will be back.

I’ve been hearing about bouldering a lot recently, and then a friend suggested a trip for her birthday. Yes please! I actually wasn’t really sure what it was, and pictured that there would be more boulders and less walls. It is in fact just rock climbing without ropes and on shorter walls.
The Climbing Academy seems like a cool place. It’s a big space with a proper café serving sandwiches, cakes, lots of drinks etc and lots of seating as well for parents/​observers. We were doing a 1 hour induction session which cost £10 including shoe hire.
All you need to boulder is some kind of comfortable gym gear, and to hire the shoes. Super snug shoes with grippy soles to help you climb. I kept my socks on, apparently it’s better to go without. Mmm, not when I’m hiring them it isn’t.
We were shown around the centre and the novelty of jumping on the squishy flooring never got old. I imagine if you fell from the top it would still hurt, but it was nice having padding to break your fall (seing as I’m used to falling while on skates onto a basketball court). Climbing was relatively straightforward. Apparently you’re meant to start from a seated position on the floor, but due to my lack of upper body strength, that just wasn’t going to happen. You follow the coloured grips on the wall and can challenge yourself by advancing through the colours. I think I just stayed on purple and black though because I was a bit rubbish.
The instructor was really helpful and encouraging. As were the people I was with, so it was a good atmosphere. It was really fun climbing stuff, although my hands and arms were really sore really quickly. If you keep going you build up callouses, I’m not really sure about that.
The hour went by pretty quickly. I would definitely go back, and the only reason this isn’t 5 stars is because I feel like I wasn’t really there long enough to experience properly. A fun way to spend a mate’s birthday!

Sweet!
Used to go bouldering quite often but sort of lost interest in a way, until. via the magic of Groupon, I gave this place a go, having heard nothing but good things.
Induction yesterday, where I was pleased to learn it was only a bouldering joint. No ropes. This works well for coming here on my own and signing up is super simple once you have had your induction to go through the do’s and dont’s.
Location is a bit out the way in a way, but once you’re there you’re sorted for wifi with a good café so it’s all good. There’s a wee shop with climbing gear, proper lockers for your stuff and lots of opportunity to climb away with clear definition between problems with a colour coding scheme to keep you challenging yourself.
Lots of wall to cover, where routes change often so you won’t ever be stuck waiting around for some space to climb.
Welcoming and friendly.
A word on prices, if you can come during the day, do so. Super reasonable.
Well worth checking out if only to satisfy your curiosity. Might just fall in love with the place.

This place is amazing! I attended an introduction session with a small group recently and it was excellent, I really enjoyed myself.
Our instructor, Chris, was friendly and knowledgeable, and showed us all the ins and outs of the centre — I felt quite safe being around him.
I struggled on the first climb — I had not a clue where to put my hands or feet, and once I got up, I had no idea how I was going to get down. I had visions of them having to bring out a a ladder. But Chris was really patient, talked me through it, and gave us some handy tips about technique, and I sort of got the hang of it after that (pardon the pun).
Once he was sure that we weren’t a danger to ourselves or others, Chris then left us to our own devices to get to grips (sorry!) with the walls at our own pace. So we were free to clamber about like wee monkeys for a while.
Now, I’m far from an expert on bouldering places, never having been to one in my life, but this place seems really well equipped. There are loads of different walls, a bar area which sells tea, coffee, cakes etc, and they have different classes such as yoga doing on, or you can book in for a sports clinic too. They also do various lessons. And for when it gets cold, they even have a log burning fire and some fleecy blankets!
As for the bouldering itself, when I left, my arms and hands were really feeling the burn, and I was convinced that I would need assistance the next day in doing any kind of arm related activities like brushing my teeth or drying my hair, but I actually wasn’t too sore the next day at all. I can see how this sort of exercise could really get quite addictive, as you work your way up the different levels and challenges.
It’s not super cheap, but you really are getting an excellent facility.

I’ve been dying to try this place out for an absolute age, so after a quick chat with them about a month ago, we managed to sort our a wee intro sesh for me and a few other Unilocalers. Well, what can I say. The venue itself really does look the part. The bouldering options are pretty extensive as wee found out on our guided intro sesh with one of the members of staff.
On a hour and a quarter intro sesh we were taken around the facility, given some guidance on how to get the best out of the routes set out and a few hints and tips on how best to act, behave and be aware of our fellow climbers.
After this was done (I swear it wasn’t as dry as it sounds!) we were coached on a few climbs, given some advice on technique etc and then sent off to climb away.
I must say, having climbed a few times over the years (but nothing for years) I really enjoyed this sesh and will most definitely be returning. After the £20 spent on the intro (reduced to 8 for us Unilocalers!) you pay between 5 and 8 notes every time you return to the facility. Add a 2.50 fee for shoe hire and while it’s not dirt cheap, it’s far from expensive considering the quality of the facility.
This is one that has to be seen if you’re keen on a climb (or boulder should I say!) or just interested in checking it out. It’s also entirely approachable from a beginner level which I can see being a plus point in comparison to other similar facilities.
Go. Climb. Pretend to be Spiderman.