London. It’s big. As in BIIIIIGGGGG! London has one of the largest and most diverse climbing scenes in the world. If you live in London and want to climb then there is a place and a community for you. This is an article to accompany out City Climb: London film with all the information you need if you want to try it out and want to get involved. So let’s go.
London has one of the largest and most welcoming climbing scenes anywhere. It's all about the indoor, it's all about the moves and it's all about the community. Want to find out more? Well join Annie and Rotimi as they take a tour and show you the vibe.
WATCH: City Climb | London on BMC TV
VIDEO
Indoor Walls
London has almost 40 indoor walls open to the general public. Here they are, grouped in region.
CENTRAL
EustonWall Bouldering (nearest tube - Warren Street, Great Portland Street) West1, Seymour Leisure Centre Top rope, lead, bouldering, autobelays (nearest tube - Baker Street, Marylebone) City Bouldering, Aldgate Bouldering (nearest tube - Aldgate)
NORTH EAST Stronghold - Tottenham Hale Bouldering nearest tube - Tottenham Hale The Castle Top rope, lead, bouldering, autobelays nearest tube - Manor House, Finsbury Park Yonder Bouldering nearest tube - Blackhorse Road Stronghold - London Fields Bouldering nearest tube - Cambridge Heath, Bethnal Green
EAST CanaryWall Bouldering (nearest tube – Westferry) Rise Climbing Bouldering (nearest tube - Canning Town) BethWall Green Bouldering (nearest tube - Bethnal Green) Mile End Climbing Wall Top rope, lead, bouldering, autobelays (nearest tube - Mile End) Romford Rock and Boulder Bouldering (nearest tube – Romford)
SOUTH EAST VauxWall East Bouldering (nearest tube - Lambeth North, Kennington, Vauxwall) Arch: Building One + Bouldering (nearest tube – Bermondsey) Arch: Surrey Quays Bouldering (nearest tube - Surrey Quays) The Reach Top rope, lead, bouldering, autobelays (nearest tube - Woolwich Arsenal, Woolwich Dockyard)
SOUTH CroyWall Bouldering (nearest tube - East Croydon) Substation, Brixton Bouldering (nearest tube - Brixton, Clapham South) BlocFit Bouldering (nearest tube - Brixton, Loughborough Junction) Yellow Spider Bouldering (nearest tube - Carshalton Beeches)
SOUTH WEST The Font, Wandsworth Bouldering (nearest tube - Earlsfield The Climbing Hangar Bouldering (nearest tube - Parsons Green VauxWest Bouldering (nearest tube - Vauxhall White Spider Top rope, lead, bouldering, autobelays (nearest tube - Surbiton Blue Spider Top rope, lead, bouldering, autobelays (nearest tube - Woking Surrey Summit (Surry Sports Park - Top rope, lead, bouldering, autobelays (nearest tube - Guildford)
WEST Hang . Bouldering (nearest tube - Hounslow Central) The Nest Bouldering (nearest tube - Hayes & Harlington) Westway (Everyone Active - Top rope, lead, bouldering, autobelays (nearest tube - Latimer Road) City Bouldering, White City Bouldering and (restricted) autobelays (nearest tube - Wood Lane, White City) Arch: Arch Acton Bouldering (nearest tube - Acton Central) RavensWall Bouldering (nearest tube - Ravenscourt Park)
NORTH WEST Arch: North Bouldering (nearest tube - Burnt Oak HarroWall (LCC - Bouldering (nearest tube - Harrow-on-the-Hill) Hemel XC Top rope, lead, bouldering, autobelays (nearest tube - Marlowes, St Alban's City) Chiltern Lifestyle Centre (Everyone Active - Top rope, lead, bouldering (nearest tube - Amersham)
Climbing Communities
The fantastic thing that London offers is a broad range of communities centred around climbing. Here are a few to check out.
Asian Climbing Crew Clmbxr UK Paraclimbing Collective ClimbingQTs ClimbMuz Black Lizard Paraclimbing London Trans Climbing Wanderers of Colour Chicks Send It London Rock Climbers United We Climb
Climbing Clubs
Climbing clubs are more formalised groups and London has a long tradition of keen clubs.
Rockhoppers Mountaineering & Climbing Club London Mountaineering Club North London Climbing and Mountaineering Club Marylebone Mountaineering & Climbing Club The 8th Day Adventure Club The Alpine Club ICAS Climbing Club Ibex Mountain & Hill Walking Club Brixton Climbers' Club NotSoTrad Croydon Mountaineering Club
University Clubs
The many universities centred in the capital have a great club scene on offer.
Birkbeck Climbing Club Brunel Mountaineering Society City Mountaineering Club Goldsmiths Bouldering Club Imperial Mountaineering Club King's Climbing/ Mountaineering Kingston Mountaineering (Climbing) Club London Business School Expedition Club Queen Mary Climbing Royal Veterinary College Mountaineering UCL Climbing and Mountaineering Club St George's Climbing Society SOAS Climbing & Mountaineering Club University of the Arts UAL Climbing University of London Mounaineering University of Surrey Mountaineering Group University of West London UWL Climbing
Outdoor Climbing
Lastly, there are great opportunities for outdoor climbing. This ranges from free-to-use boulders in city parks to natural cliffs and crags in Kent. They give unique experiences not to be found indoors.
Fairlop Waters boulder park, East London
The UK's largest boulder park consisting of nine man made boulders
Shoreditch boulder, Central / NE London
Single granite boulder with over 19 problems in Shoreditch Park
Mabley Green Boulder
North East London A massive piece of quarried Cornish granite located in open green space in Hackney
Bowle's Rocks
Near Tunbridge Wells Sandstone crag popular thanks to its south-facing, quick-drying rock, range of climbs and the ease of access - top-roping and bouldering only
Harrison's Rocks
Near Tunbridge Wells Most popular sandstone crag in East Sussex
We are the BMC
We are the national representative body for climbers, hillwalkers and mountaineers in England and Wales. For anyone who ventures onto the hills, crags and indoor walls of the UK, the BMC is for you. We believe in the power of climbing and mountains to change lives and we are here to support, encourage and inspire you in these fantastic activities, and at the same to protect the places we love.
Since we were formed in 1944 we have had a clear purpose: to make the climbing and outdoor experience of the people we represent as good as it can be. And while these activities and participants have changed and grown immeasurably over those years this purpose holds as true as ever. The numbers of people climbing in the UK today is staggering, and grows all the time; our hills call out to more and more people than ever before; the number and diversity of people who share our passion is incredible. We are here to represent you.
You can get involved with the BMC via its area meetings, where you can meetpeople who share your interests, join in activities and stay up to date with the organisation. For more details about the London & South East area, see here .
Youth Outdoor Climbing Courses
Whether you want to make the leap from indoor climbing into Sport or Trad climbing outdoors, we run many courses across the country and throughout the year that are specially for 11-17 year olds.
Subsidised Youth Course Places
There are a large number of free places on courses for families who may struggle to afford it. Any families who live in rented accommodation and who receive income support or universal credit may contact the instructor of a course or Alex West for a place.
U27 Membership
From just £1.77 a month it's never been easier to join and support our work:
« Back