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 Adults: Only registered adult climbers may climb unsupervised at The Castle. Anyone else can only climb under the supervision of a registered climber or a Castle-registered instructor. A registered climber may bring in up to two novice climbers per session. In order to supervise more than two novices a climber must present a valid SPA instructor’s certificate, proof of insurance for public liability and a valid first aid certificate.
Children: Children of any age may climb under the supervision of a registered adult climber. Children 9 years and over can sign up for Geckos, an independent children’s climbing school that operates at The Castle. Children over 14 may climb unsupervised with their parents’ consent provided they pass an assessment. The Geckos climbing school must be booked in advance on 07776 176 007. Children’s assessments are carried out by Castle staff and must be booked in advance at The Castle on 020 8211 7000.
No climbing experience?The Castle currently offers three introduction courses as well as personal tuition for those whose needs fall outside the scope of our standard courses. We have a five hour Introduction Course (one day), a six hour 2-Week Introduction and an eight hour 4-Week Introduction. All three focus on the basics of climbing indoors and making the most of the Centre.
For more information on these courses and others, look at Courses and Bookings. There is a maximum of six students per instructor and courses tend to fill up quickly so please book online and in advance using our secure payment system to reserve your spot. If you would like to have a go before committing to a course, we recommend a Taster Session (1 hour, climbing only) or a Taster Plus Session (1.5 hours, climbing and abseiling). How to register at The CastleAdults with climbing experience may register to climb unsupervised at The Castle. In order to register you must be able to: Put on a sit harness correctly. Attach a rope to the harness using either a rethreaded figure of eight or a bowline knot. Use a belay device to secure a falling climber.
Only if you are confident in your ability to perform the above three tasks and have agreed to abide by the Rules and Conditions of Use of the centre can you register. We do not offer bouldering only registration.
There is a one-off £4 fee for registration (£2 for students, OAP and UB40). Registration is free for anyone taking one of our introduction courses or taking out one of our payment plans.
Climbers from abroad should be aware that in the UK we do not use in situ belay devices fixed to ground anchors. Top-ropes are provided on many of our routes but you are expected to be able to belay from your harness and provide your own belay device. You can hire traditional non-locking belay devices, harnesses and climbing boots from Urban Rock (located across from Reception in the centre) and we hire out ground anchors free of charge from reception if you need one. Qualified instructors wishing to bring in groups should read this information. Payment Plans and MembershipOnce registered, climbers can pay £10 per visit or opt for one of our payment plans (see Prices), which make payments easier and can substantially reduce the cost of visits for customers who use The Castle regularly. We offer discounts for students, OAP and UB40 coming in Monday to Thursday before 4 pm, all day Friday and Saturday mornings before 12. Children under 18 climb for free with an adult who has a payment plan. |
About The Castle 
