Gym Guide, Grades & Pricing
Everything you need to know before you tie in: when we are open, what it costs, how our grades and tape colours work, when routes change, and the rules that keep the floor safe. This is a reference document — there is nothing to fill in or hand back.
Section 1 — Opening Hours & Staffed Belay Windows
During a staffed belay window our instructors will belay you on top-rope even if you have no partner and no certification. Outside those windows the rope walls need a certified belayer; the boulder area and auto-belays stay open all day.
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| | | Late boulder session to close |
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| | | Check the noticeboard for closures |
- Last entry is 45 minutes before close, and the ropes come down 15 minutes before close.
- The gym closes for two hours on the first Tuesday of each month for wall inspection and deep cleaning.
Section 2 — Entry & Membership Pricing
All entry options include use of the boulder area, rope walls, auto-belays and training board. Prices are per person and exclude gear rental.
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| Full-day access, in and out on the same day | Waiver required on first visit |
Day pass — youth / student / senior | Same access at a reduced rate | Valid ID or student card at the desk |
| | Quietest walls, fewest queues |
| Ten day passes at a discount to the single rate | Valid 12 months, shareable with one guest at a time |
Monthly membership — solo | Unlimited climbing, rolling month by month | Cancel with 30 days notice; one free freeze per year |
Monthly membership — couple or family | Unlimited climbing for two adults, or two adults plus up to two under-18s | Members must share a household address |
| Twelve months paid up front, two months effectively free | Includes one free guest pass per month |
Punch-card and membership freeze | Pause for injury, travel or study | Minimum two weeks, maximum three months |
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| | Sizes from kids 10 to adult 15; socks required |
| | Full-body harness available for under-8s |
Belay device and locking carabiner | | Issued only to certified belayers |
| | Loose chalk only in the boulder area |
Full rental bundle (shoes, harness, chalk) | Per visit, discounted against separate items | Included free with an intro lesson |
Rope hire for lead practice | | Lead certification must be current |
| | Emptied nightly; season lockers rented monthly |
- Rental gear is inspected and retired on a fixed schedule. Report any damage at the desk immediately — never put a damaged item back on the rack.
- Personal harnesses and belay devices are welcome. Staff may decline gear that is past its manufacturer lifespan or visibly worn.
Section 4 — Grades & the Colour-Tape Key
Boulder problems are graded on the V-scale; rope routes carry both a YDS and a French grade. Every problem or route is marked with a coloured tape at its start hold — follow only the holds with that tape colour, plus any hold on the wall for your feet where the problem is marked "open feet".
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| | | First-timers and warm-ups |
| | | Climbing regularly for a few weeks |
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| | 5.12a and above / 7a+ and above | Advanced and competition climbers |
| Ungraded / set-in-progress | Ungraded / set-in-progress | Do not climb — setting in progress |
- Grades are consensus opinions, not measurements. A blue here may feel like a green somewhere else — climb the movement, not the number.
- A tag at the start hold gives the setter, the set date and any style note ("crimpy", "dyno", "open feet").
- Send-log slips at the desk let you record repeats and flashes toward the seasonal leaderboard.
Section 5 — Route-Setting Rotation
- Monday — one boulder zone is stripped. That zone is roped off from opening until the reset is finished.
- Tuesday — the stripped zone is reset and forerun by the setting team.
- Wednesday — new problems open and grades are confirmed after the first day of climber feedback.
- Every second Thursday — two rope lines are reset on the lead wall, alternating between the slab and the overhang.
- Rolling cycle — with six boulder zones, every problem in the gym turns over roughly every six weeks.
- Quarterly — a full competition-style reset of the main boulder wall before each in-house comp.
Section 6 — Classes & Coaching
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| 90 minutes, group of up to six, gear included | None — signed waiver only |
Top-rope belay certification | 2 hours, ends with a practical check | |
Lead climbing and lead belay | Two sessions of 2.5 hours | Current top-rope certification, comfortable on 5.10 / 6a |
Movement and technique clinic | 2 hours, weekly block of four | Climbing three months or more |
| 60 or 90 minutes, one-to-one or pairs | Any level; book at least 48 hours ahead |
| Weekly 2-hour session, termly block | Ages 7 – 17, guardian waiver required |
Section 7 — Wall Zones & Facilities
- Front boulder zone — slab and vertical walls, the gentlest angles in the gym and where intro lessons start.
- Main boulder wall — the 45-degree overhang and the comp wall, reset first in every cycle.
- Cave — steep roof problems on a deep landing zone; keep the mats clear of bags and bottles.
- Top-rope wall — fixed ropes on every line, plus four auto-belay lanes marked in orange.
- Lead wall — clipped routes only, entry restricted to climbers with a current lead certification.
- Training area — hangboards, campus rungs, rings and a system board, plus free weights and mats.
- Facilities — changing rooms with showers, day lockers, a café corner, filtered water, and a first-aid station beside the front desk.
Section 8 — Gym Rules & Climbing Etiquette
- Never walk, sit or stretch under a climber. The landing zone belongs to whoever is on the wall.
- Down-climb where you can; jumping from the top of a boulder problem is how most ankles get hurt here.
- Bags, shoes, drinks and phones stay off the mats and on the racks provided.
- Ask before pulling on someone else’s project, and share the wall on busy evenings — climb, rest, rotate.
- Offer beta only when it is asked for. Some climbers want the puzzle, not the answer.
- Both partners perform a buddy check before every rope climb: harness, knot, device, carabiner locked.
- No phones in hand while belaying, and no belaying while seated more than a step from the wall.
- Report any loose hold, worn rope, damaged mat or near-miss to staff immediately.
- No climbing under the influence of alcohol or anything that affects balance or judgement.
- Clean, indoor-only climbing shoes on the mats; street shoes and bare feet stay off the walls.
Section 9 — Belay Certification Policy
- Every belayer must hold a current certification from this gym. Certifications from other gyms are respected but still require a five-minute practical check at the desk.
- Top-rope certification covers ground-anchored top-rope belaying only. Lead belaying needs a separate check.
- A certification lapses after twelve months without a logged visit; a re-check restores it in minutes.
- Staff may re-check any belayer at any time, and may suspend a certification after an unsafe catch. Suspension is a coaching matter, not a punishment — we will rebook you into a session.
- Assisted-braking devices are required on the lead wall. Figure-eight descenders are not permitted anywhere in the gym.
- Auto-belays need only a short orientation, not a full certification — but you must clip in and check the gate every single time.
Section 10 — Youth & Minor Supervision
- Every climber under 18 needs a waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian before their first climb.
- Under 13 — an adult must remain inside the gym and within sight of the child at all times, at a ratio of no more than three children per adult.
- Ages 13 – 15 — may climb without an adult present once they have completed the intro session, but may not belay another climber.
- Ages 14 and up — may sit the top-rope belay certification. Lead certification is available from age 16.
- A minor may only be belayed by a certified adult, or by a certified climber aged 16+ with guardian consent on file.
- Birthday parties, school groups and youth club sessions are always staff-supervised and booked in advance.
Hours, prices and setting schedules can change with the season — the noticeboard at the front desk always carries the current version. Ask any staff member if something here is unclear.