Climbing Gym Sen

Japanese-style bouldering in Lambeth

Climbing Gym Sen is an independent bouldering gym in Railway Arch 210 on Newnham Terrace, tucked behind the Park Plaza Hotel and a three-minute walk from Lambeth North station. Its founders set out to bring the style and quality of Japanese climbing gyms to London, and the name comes from the Japanese 千 (sen), meaning a thousand.

The long arch holds plywood walls with steep overhangs and a large spray wall, and climbers also mention a Tension Board. Problems are graded by tape colour, from white and orange (open feet) through pink, yellow, green, purple, grey, blue and red to black, and guest setters from Japan visit for new sets. Visitors regularly describe the setting as hard and technical, so it suits improvers and strong climbers more than first-timers.

Good to know

• Register at reception on your first visit, after completing the online acknowledgement of risk form; adults with under a year's bouldering are asked to watch the safety video first
• Under-18s must be supervised by a parent, guardian or an assessed adult supervisor
• Shoe and chalk hire, plus a small shop of Japanese climbing clothing
• One-to-one coaching on the spray wall, from beginner to V6-V8
• Outdoor shoes come off before the climbing area

There is on-street cycle parking opposite, and free street parking in the evenings and at weekends.