For all those in the UK’s North East looking for new problems to climb, you’ll be please to hear that the Newcastle climbing wall as been open for a week, and doing very well!
Climb Newcastle
Previously a derelict swimming pool, the Climb Newcastle centre will be based just outside Newcastle’s city centre, in Byker – what is now the first dedicated climbing centre in Newcastle. The building that’s been used spans 3 floors and is quite a turn around to the state that it was in prior to the regeneration.
British Champion and World Cup winner Andy Earl have created this £250,000 development to promote climbing across the region and the UK as a whole.
The Climbing Walls
Here’s a little blurb on what this new and unique climbing centre has to offer…
The Coaching Room
A dedicated area for coaching sessions, providing optimal conditions for learning to climb away from the distractions of the main climbing area. Our coaching courses, masterminded by Andy Earl himself, will be carefully structured for every level of climber from beginner to international athlete.
The Kids Area
A separate area for problems suited to younger kids at a less daunting height and difficulty. We will offer a variety of avenues into the sport for kids and our structured courses will ensure that they can develop their climbing skills to reach their full potential.
The Cellar Room
An area located within the depths of the facility will provide hardcore problems and fixed holds for the highest caliber of climber.
The Training Room
Not strictly a climbing room but a room dedicated to core strength, flexibility and other forms of complementary exercise. It will include a campus board, yoga mats and swiss balls amongst other equipment.
Chris Graham provides a helpful insight into the various rooms and their purposes:
“Our coaching room is perfect for kids and those getting started, not too high and with 6 different angles to play with there will be plenty of variety in style and difficulty in here alone.
Down in the main climbing arena our expert wall builders Andy Long and Robert Lamey took no time getting stuck in. This room is on two levels, when you walk in you are met by some steps going down to the pool level with its giant angled boards, funky grooves and formidable mouth at the far end.
You can also go to the left or right of the stairs where the outside of the swimming pool once was and you will be met with many more climbing surfaces including some more gentle-angled stuff. The idea in here is that there will be several coloured circuits of problems; you simply pick the colour that matches your desired level and off you go.
The great thing is that the sheer size of this area means that there will be a stack of problems to do whatever your ability.”
So if you’re in the area, make sure you get down there an make Climb Newcastle a success!
For more information contact Climb Newcastle. Alternatively, if you’re looking for places to climb, you can find more climbing walls here, or get a little climbing inspiration here!
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Juliet
