Climbing Walls in Leicester

Bouldering by the station

Social Climbing Leicester on East Bond Street is the first of Social Climbing's three Midlands centres, alongside Coventry and Solihull. It has more than 175 problems from V0 to V9+ with sections reset every week, a 2024 MoonBoard, a Woodie-style system and campus wall and a fingerboard station. Foundation and improvers classes are free with entry, and it runs a monthly Queer Climbing Social.

Roped climbing at The Tower

Climb Leicester - The Tower is Leicester City Council's climbing centre, inside Leicester Leys Leisure Centre in Beaumont Leys. The Tower itself is mostly a lead wall, with lines of 11 to 15 metres and around 50 routes from F3+ to F8a, and the first five panels always have top ropes. The Bloc is a fully top-roped area of 12 lines on walls four to five metres high, ideal for first-timers, and there is a bouldering wall and a training area. You can turn up and boulder with an induction included in the entry fee; roped climbers take a quick competency check on their first visit.

Loughborough

The Climbing Station on Empress Road is an independent centre with 800 m² of slabs, walls, overhangs and roofs set in 11 colour circuits from VB to V8+, a new circuit every week, eight top-rope lines and boards for training. On the university campus, the free Loughborough University Outdoor Bouldering Wall is a low sculpted traverse wall for a quick session. GreenTowers in Hinckley has a roped wall for parties and groups.

Prices and passes

The Tower is the cheapest of the three main walls at £11.80 for an adult (£10.80 for BMC members), with climbing-only membership at £42.95 a month by direct debit. Social Climbing charges £14, or £15 for a first visit with registration and shoe hire, and £55 a month on its flexible plan, which covers all three of its centres. The Climbing Station costs £13 a day or £50 a month on a 12-month membership.

Beginners and children

At The Tower, a 45-minute taster costs £18.80 and junior kit hire is free. Social Climbing runs a three-week beginner's course, Kids Casual Climb for ages 5 to 10 and a course that signs off 14 to 17-year-olds to climb without a parent. The Climbing Station's clubs run from Little Monkeys (ages 4 to 7, with a parent) to its Station Academy and youth team.

Clubs

The Bowline Climbing Club is a Leicester club with a hut in Snowdonia and local sessions at The Tower, and the University of Leicester has a mountaineering club.

Outdoor climbing in Charnwood

Charnwood Forest, between Leicester and Loughborough, has the nearest natural rock. Beacon Hill has about 48 routes on volcanic rock, mostly around six metres high and easily polished. Access is controlled: climbing is only allowed on Jewels Hill, the area is closed from 1 April to 1 August for heathland restoration, and you must phone the rangers at least 24 hours ahead for permission and the gate code. For bigger crags, the Peak District gritstone starts at Black Rocks near Cromford. See also Nottingham and Derby.