Harlow, England, United Kingdom
The Lock Climbing Wall is run by Essex Outdoors, part of Essex County Council, and bills itself as Essex's largest indoor climbing centre. It sits on the River Stort Navigation beside Burnt Mill Lock, which gives it its name, two minutes' walk from Harlow Town station.
Routes and problems are stripped and reset regularly. There is a small café selling drinks, snacks, sandwiches and wraps, and a kit shop.
Experienced adults register on their first visit and can climb unsupervised; novices and under-18s must be supervised by a registered adult, and 14 to 17-year-olds can pass a youth assessment to climb alone. An optional one-off lifetime membership (£25) brings cheaper entry, off-peak and concession rates and monthly or annual passes. Courses run from adult give-it-a-go sessions and learn to climb to learn to lead, with kids' fun climbs, family climbs and NICAS clubs for young climbers.
Parking on site is limited, but there is a large free car park at the Moorhen pub behind the centre.
As we last found them. Prices change, so check the wall's website before you go.
- Adult members: £10.50
- Members off-peak (Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00) and concession: £8.50
- Young person (under 18): £8.50
- Family climb (2 adult members, 2 children): £28
- Lifetime membership (optional, one-off): £25
- Shoe hire £5; harness and belay plate £4.50
- Youth assessment (14-17): £14
- Monthly pass, concession: £33
- Monthly pass, young person: £25
- Annual pass: £400 adult, £200 young person
“There are many types of walls to climb, over 2 floors, plus many more courses we didn't have time to try....”
“…has interesting, well thought out routes. The bouldering area is small, as others have said. The thing that lets it down for me is the cafe and showers.”
“Great climbing wall, plenty of routes you can use with a top rope or lead and several auto-belayers available.”
Ratings as each site showed them in October 2026.
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Write a reviewHow climbers have done climbs at The Lock Climbing Wall, played from where they were posted. Walls reset their climbs every few weeks, so check when each was posted.