The Project Climbing Centre

Bouldering in the Dolphin Centre

The Project Climbing Centre opened in 2013 on the top floor of the Dolphin Centre in Poole, directly above the bus station, with parking in the shopping centre's multi-storey car park. It is an independent bouldering wall, and it has run on renewable electricity since it opened.

Problems are set in colours but deliberately not graded: staff will give a rough idea of what each colour feels like. The walls were rebuilt in phases from 2025, including a new competition wall, and are reset regularly by a team of guest setters.

What's there

• Bouldering for all abilities, with a competition wall
• A café and seating area
• A yoga studio with classes most weekdays (adults only)
• A strength and conditioning gym, with its own day pass and membership
• Weekly strength and conditioning classes for members

Visiting and coaching

New climbers either book an induction or climb with an experienced adult supervisor; experienced climbers just register and sign the waiver online. Coaching runs from a £20 Intro to Bouldering and open coaching sessions to private lessons. Under-18s climb with a supervising adult or join the coach-led Junior Casual sessions and the termly Junior Club, which follows the NICAS bouldering scheme.

Competitions

The centre runs a winter competition series, Flashmasters, and in April hosts The Big Weekend, when the whole centre is reset with 60 new boulders for an open scramble and a championship with semi-finals and finals.