Whether you are new to climbing, new to the centre, or just want to get more out of your sessions, The Castle has several different options available to you.

On this page:

Women With Altitude

First Monday of every month 7pm - 9.30pm

A free service available to women boulders of all abilities who are registered members of the Castle. It’s an informal and unstructured chance to boulder with other women.
The WWA sessions are hosted by experienced female boulders who are there to inspire confidence, be a central meeting point for everyone taking part, as well as to help with any climbing related queries that you may have. She is also there to encourage you to try new and different things.

WWA is not an instructional class, it is possible that the facilitator may suggest that you do a course or module with us and you can find out more information on the course we offer on our Courses and bookings page or by asking one of our friendly reception team members.

WWA will run alongside our normal Session (7pm till 9pm Monday to Friday 2pm till 5pm Sat and Sun); Please ask the receptionist to point out the evening’s facilitator when you arrive.
Sign in as normal to climb and then ask the receptionist to point out the sign in sheet for WWA, they will also tell you which area to go to for the meetup.
This is a drop in session and therefore you can arrive and leave anytime.

Session

Monday to Friday 7pm - 9pm; Saturday and Sunday 2pm - 5pm

The Session is a free drop-in service offered to registered climbers at the Castle and is hosted by one of our experienced climbing staff.

As with WWA, it’s not a formal course but it has been designed to help improve your climbing technique, give more specific feedback on how your climbing is progressing, and gives you the chance to climb with a wider group of people. If you’ve just registered or don't have a regular climbing partner, come along to The Session.

Wednesdays are specifically aimed at helping people boulder more confidently (mixed gender). The rest of the week’s sessions are usually focused on top-rope routes.

Please ask the receptionist to point out the evening’s facilitator when you arrive.

The Masterclass events are workshops held by different climbers who are well known for their skills and experience in outdoor climbing. Some of our previous Masterclasses have been held by people such as Johnny Dawes, Neil Gresham, John Dunne and Katherine Schirrmacher.

Please click on Advanced Courses to find out about the next masterclass available.

Training/Coaching

One-to-one sessions are available for people with a desire to improve their climbing, but do not have the time available to attend our programmed advanced courses (Movement 1+2, Leading, Strength and Conditioning)

The content of a personal training session is exactly what you want it to be; whether that may be  learning much more advanced techniques such as a "drop-knee" or "egyptian", or you'd like an ongoing training programme designed specifically for you. It may also be that group learning doesn't work for you and that you would feel more confident learning on a one-to-one approach. Perhaps you just wish to improve your ropework or want to learn to become a confident and able abseiler.

Please email the Castle on the address    or phone 020 8211 7000 to find out more about personal training and what it can offer you.

The New Climb Catalunya Experience!

Climb Catalunya run hassle-free climbing trips and courses in Spain. These excellent holidays are ideal for relative novices and hardened enthusiasts alike. Stunning locations, exceptional climbing, and great value combine to make these trips superb.

The Castle and Climb Catalunya have had a non-financial relationship for nine years organising and guiding trips for climbers from the Castle. Over this time The Castle has come to regard their holidays as a fantastic service for customers, regardless of levels of experience or technical ability, and the courses offered are a natural extension to our own. For this reason these trips have been much loved, with many people going again and again. That’s hardly surprising given the exceptional amount of quality rock climbing in the area and the great service the Climb Catalunya team offer. Their expert local knowledge of the sectors and routes makes it one of the best ways to maximize your climbing time on a trip. The friendly and relaxed atmosphere makes it an ideal way for newer climbers to gain confidence and experience, while the more experienced will find all the challenge and memorable routes they could ask for in Europe’s greatest climbing region.

So, what is the climbing like?

Well, world famous climber Chris Sharma says:

“The very first time I visited the province of Lleida, I knew that this was a really special place for climbing. Four years down the line, my initial conclusions haven’t changed at all. From its magnificent classic areas, through to some amazing new super-crags, in whose development I am immensely proud to have played a leading role, Lleida is a rock climber’s paradise. For me personally, rather than just a place to pay the occasional visit, Lleida has now become my second home.”

Catalunya boasts an exceptional range of climbing locations all in easy striking distance of our base. Within walking distance of the accommodation lie the crags and faces around Abella de la Conca. This area was first developed in the 1990’s and the new-routing means many sectors are still not in any guide books. Easy drives take us to the incredible gorges of Vilanova de Meia to the south, Terradets and Collegats to the west, and Coll de Nargo, Perles, Tres Ponts and Olliana to the east. There you will find everything from accessible single pitch climbing to state of the art sports routes, as well as multi-pitch climbing from two to 16 pitches long.

For experienced climbers

For established climbers the opportunities are exceptional: we feel that there is no way that anyone who visited the climbing sectors under their own steam could achieve as much in the time given. There is no time wasted looking for routes, no getting lost on the approach trails and no epics caused by nasty surprises - the Climb Catalunya team know the sectors like the backs of their hands. If the weather turns for the worst they know where the dry rock will be.

With all transport, accommodation and meals included in the cost stated it’s also fantastic value for money. We calculated that we couldn’t get that much climbing done and spend less. More to the point, the Climb Catalunya team’s local knowledge is truly priceless.

As for the climbing? There are literally thousands of routes, ranging from F4a to 8c, trad and sport, semi-equipped, slabs, overhanging, single pitch, short multi-pitches through to full-day routes.

For less experienced or indoor climbers

For relative newcomers to the sport or those who have not yet climbed outdoors, the Climb Catalunya trips are an excellent way to gain experience and confidence on real rock. This is regardless of whether you choose a formal course or holiday - you will learn on both.

Whilst The Castle endorses several outdoor course providers in Britain, whose focus is traditional climbing (i.e. leader-placed protection), we believe that for those who climb mostly indoors a smooth transition to real rock is more easily achieved in a sport climbing environment (i.e. in-situ protection, equivalent to the set-up at The Castle). Catalunya is world-class for its sport climbing sectors, whether they be single- or multi-pitch.

 

Dates and Venues for 2013 (Liaisons to be confirmed)

Spring:

May 11^th to 18^th Classic Gorges                         £375

Summer:

June 15^th to 23^rd High Pyrenees                        £475

August – Kid friendly Gorges trip (tbc)           

Autumn:

Sept 21 to 28^th Classic Gorges                           £375      

Oct 12^th to 19^th Classic Gorges                           £375

 Classic Gorges Itinerary (£375)

Throughout the spring and autumn, the Classic Gorges itinerary is designed to make the most of the full range of climbing and rock types in the area, with the accommodation being the only fixed part of the programme. There is a high degree of flexibility built in to allow clients to concentrate on their personal preferences. Early in the week let us know what your personal climbing priorities are so we can do our best to meet your needs.

Areas we will climb in can include:

Abella de la Conca: The village where our accommodation is based is surrounded by grey limestone crags a stone’s throw from the front door. Here we find single pitch routes, mostly sports climbing but with some semi equipped or trad routes thrown in if that’s your thing. From delicate technical slabs to sustained face climbing Abella offers routes from 4+ to 8c. Being on the door step means you can keep returning to work a project, or take an afternoon out and enjoy the pools and waterfalls in the river below. There has been a lot of recent new development in the area so many new routes to try.

Vilanova de Meia: This gorge is considered one of the jewels of Spanish multi-pitch climbing. The limestone walls boast an incredible array of both bolted and traditional routes from the relatively accessible two to four pitch lines of the Paret de Zarathustra and Pas Nou to the impressively steep and sustained face climbs of Roca dels Arcs. The smaller walls offer numerous sports sectors with a full range of grades to suit everyone.

Terradets: Terradets dramatically cuts north-south through the Montsec mountains. Its western side presents stunning climbs towering up to 500 metres high, while the eastern walls are home to world class sports sectors on overhanging tufas going up to 9a!

We will also be able to visit sectors in Camarasa, Collegats, Oliana, Coll de Nargo, Perles, Tres Ponts, Cubells, Alos de Balaguer, and La Pauta. Many of these areas have never featured before on our trips – so always something new for our old friends.

Our new base

This year we will be running our trips from a great new location in the heart of the village of Abella de la Conca. A 200 year old stone built village house, formally a hostel for land workers in the heyday of Spain’s agricultural development, is being converted into an ecologically sustainably, low consumption gite. The house sits in a lovely location on the village square, with towering cliffs just behind and a beautiful view over abundant almond groves to the nearby hills of Vilanova de Meia.  You can walk out of the front door with your harness on and be on rock within a few hundred meters. Wander through the tiny cobbled village streets and find cactus plants, golden calendula, fig trees and passion flowers lining the way.  Climb your way up to nearby rock arches and a spectacular cave. Sit by the village fountain and watch as dozens of vultures soar above you or stroll down through ancient olive groves on a roman pathway to the refreshing fresh water pools that lie at the bottom of the village.

The house is owned by Ella and Nicolas, an anglo-french couple with two small children.  With close to 40 years climbing experience between them, in areas as diverse as Bolivia, Poland and Madagascar they have set up home in beautiful Catalunya and have a sound knowledge of the climbing areas as well as local wine producers, swimming spots and other essentials! Accomodation is in simple, comfortable 2 person rooms or in our lovely, bright and spacious 4 person attic room. Two new bathrooms provide steaming hot showers and should you really need to unwind stiff muscles there’s the option to fire up the purpose built sauna!  Relax after a long days climbing under huge wooden beams next to the wood fired stove or old French aga.  Delicious, fresh food will be prepared daily, sourced as locally as possible and catering to a principally vegetarian diet. Lunches will be packed lunch –often hearty pre-cooked meals (we can supply the tupperware!), as well as fruit and snacks. There will be opportunities to pick up other any special stuff you need to add in to suit your specific requirements but please notify us of any severe nut or other allergies before arrival.

 

High Pyrenees Itinerary (£475)

The High Pyrenees itinerary takes you to the granite wonderland of the Twisted Waters National Park.  There we would find some of the highest quality granite climbing in Europe.

Climbing around the Cavallers dam (1800m).  It is an excellent place to acclimatise to the rock and climbing styles demanded by featured granite routes.  Easily accessible and close to the dam are many bolted single pitch and short multi-pitch routes.  These slabs, corners and flakes hold delightful challenges for novices and expert alike.  Towering above the lake, the needles of Comelestorres offer stunning multi-pitch routes up to 250m in length (from 4+ to F7a).  Exceptional routes include: Accomplices, a unique line snaking up a steep and airy arête (160m, 3 pitches, 6a, equipped); and Blues, an excellent and sinuous route connecting the best cracks and flakes on the main needle (235m, 7 pitches, 6b, semi-equipped).

Further in the park, trad routes from grade 5 can be found on the needles of Travessani, whose jagged profile dominates the skyline to the north as we approach.  More serious challenges are found in routes like the west Chimney (5+ trad) on the dark and intimidating north face of Comalespasa, and the steep super-classic of the Mordor Spur (6b trad).  Home to the best granite sports routes in Europe in sectors like the Sanctuary, den slab, and El Vermell (routes from 5+ to 8b).   Not to be missed.

The final days are spent around the beautiful Ocean Lake (2250m).  Here again we find a full range of both sports climbing and longer trad and equipped routes.  Close at hand are many sectors opened by the refuge keeper, offering everything from delicate slabs to steep finger cracks.  Slightly further afield the unmissable trad classics and long mountain days out take in summits like Tumeneja (2783m) following Via Evident (250m, 7 pitches, 4+, trad).  Meanwhile the steep slabs and corners of Mare Nostrum begin on hanging belays just meters above the crystal clear waters of Ocean Lake where truly magical lines up to F7a can be found.  There is always something here to bring everyone’s trip to a memorable conclusion.

(Please note the itinerary of this holiday may change depending on the weather and ability of the group.) 

What is and isn’t included in the price?

 

The cost of the trip includes all accommodation, food and transport in Spain, from the time of your pick-up in Barcelona to the time of your drop-off a week or so later. Travel to Spain and climbing/holiday insurance are not included and are your responsibility to organise. The amount of gear you need is dependent on whether you are going on a holiday or a course. All non-personal gear is included for courses (e.g. ropes, anchor slings), but for the holidays the groups must be self-sufficient. Equipment lists can be provided on request or at the time of booking.