The Perse Sports Centre

A school sports centre open to the public

The Perse Sports Centre on Long Road is The Perse School's new pool, sports hall and climbing centre, open to the public seven days a week. Its climbing wall is 10.5m high, which the centre bills as the highest in Cambridge.

The walls

• 11 roped lines with over 30 routes, plus an 8.5m abseiling platform
• 4 auto-belays and 2 speed climbing lanes
• Over 50m² of 4m-high bouldering, including a spray wall and a digital interactive bouldering wall
• A strength and conditioning zone

Open Climb

Climbers aged 14 and over can use the wall unsupervised in Open Climb sessions once they have passed an induction (£16.50), which assesses existing skills rather than teaching them. Those who can't yet belay can take a Bouldering & Auto Belay induction. Sessions are three hours on Monday to Wednesday evenings, with one-hour Power Hours on other days; weekend sessions can be taken by private bookings, so book ahead. Shoes, harnesses and belay kit can be hired, but not lead ropes.

Courses

Coach-led tasters, Learn to Climb and lead courses are open to all ages from 4, and the Climbing Academy runs weekly NICAS lessons and a competition squad for young climbers. The wall also hosts birthday parties and corporate events.