Brussels Monkeys Climbing

Brussels Monkeys Climbing

Brussels Monkeys Climbing is a club-run rope climbing hall in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, open since 2011. It's at the back of the Stadium sports centre on Avenue du Sippelberg, with 18 ropes on walls 16 metres high and around 80 routes from 3a to 7c+ that are changed regularly. Stronger climbers can also use a training board and a Güllich board, and there's some bouldering.

Climbing on your own

During open sessions the hall is only for climbers who can manage their own safety and that of others. Beginners must first pass a two-hour initiation with a qualified instructor, booked in pairs, where they learn to put on a harness, tie in with a figure-of-eight and belay with a Grigri and a Reverso. If the instructor passes them, they can climb on their own from then on. Entry doesn't include insurance, so the club strongly advises joining the climbing federation. Grigris, harnesses and shoes can be hired.

Courses and more

The club runs weekly courses for young people aged 8 to 18 from mid-September to mid-June, with insurance and equipment (except shoes) included; there are no adult courses at present. It also runs discovery sessions for schools, sports clubs and team-building groups, outdoor initiations on Belgian crags on request, and hires out crash pads and a minibus.

Good to know

• Metro lines 2 and 6 stop at Osseghem, 400 m away, and bus 20 at Sippelberg, 300 m away
• The Stadium car park is paid after the first 15 minutes; there's free blue-zone parking on the street and bike parking outside
• Closed on Sundays and public holidays