BegInnEr CliMbiNg

Climbing is the natural progression for anyone who’s reached the upper limit of their hillwalking and scrambling ambitions. But how do you get started?

If you love the challenge of puzzling out a route, delight in the texture of rock beneath your hands and get giddy in a good way at height, then you might want to learn how to climb. On the other hand, if you hate heights but don’t want to be limited by your acrophobia, then under the right guidance, learning how to climb can help you learn how to manage it. There’s little more thrilling than taking that first step up off the ground, holding fast to a rock face. Then there’s the absorption that follows as your hands and feet search out the most secure hand holds. Then the final, triumphant moment as you haul yourself over the top to bask in the sun and the pride of your achievement. There are loads of places to learn in the UK, with the BMC running regular Ready to Rock courses in lots of locations for people wanting to learn outdoors.