Skills Course

Introduction to Rock Climbing

1 day course
Harrison’s Rocks / Portland

Course Overview

A great way to introduce beginners to outdoor climbing is to climb with the safety of a top rope. This means that the rope is fixed at the top of the crag (rock) and in the event of a slip or fall the climber will not fall a big distance and will not hit the ground.

AIMS OF THE COURSE

  • How to put on a climbing harness and helmet
  • How to tie a figure of eight knot
  • How to belay your partner using different belay devices
  • How to climb on a real rock (movements and techniques)

Course Details

Location: Harrison’s Rocks / Portland

Duration: 1 day course

Cost:
£105 pp – Harrison’s Rocks
£140 pp – Portland
*minimum 2 participants

Ratio: Maximum 1:6

Level: Beginner

PRICING & DATES

COURSE FORMAT

We meet either in London or at the location that has been planned for the course. We will discuss what works best during the booking process.

Once we get together, it’s time to get kitted out and have a chat about the course and plans to fit in with you, your experience and expectations, the weather, and location.  The timings of each course is very much dependent on us getting the most out of the trip. They are always fun-packed and help to kick start your climbing journey.

All courses are privately guided with a maximum of four clients to an instructor.

AREAS WE GO TO

Climbing areas for this course include:

  • Harrison’s Rocks, Kent
  • Portland, Dorset

Harrison’s Rocks is the closest outdoor climbing to London, located just 1.5 hours away in Groombridge, near Tonbridge Wells, Kent. It is an ideal first experience for outdoor climbing in the London area. Rock climbing in Kent is truly beautiful. Climbing is performed on 8 to 10 metre outcrops on Southern Sandstone. The rocks are protected due to their ‘soft’ formation, so lead climbing isn’t possible as it would damage the rock. All climbing is done on a top rope, which allows for a safe, fun day out, and a taste of what ‘real rock climbing’ is about.

Portland is on the South Coast of Dorset and is connected to the mainland by the vast sand spit, Chesil Beach. Just 3 hours away from London, it has some of the best limestone climbing in the country.

PRICING & DATES

Date(s) – No dates confirmed. Contact us for your bespoke course.

It is always better to run these courses during the week, when possible, as crags are less busy, so do see if you can take a day off during the week.

Pricing

Harrison’s Rocks, Kent – £105 per person.*

Portland, Dorset – £140 per person.*

*These trips need a minimum of 2 participants to run. Or can run as a 1:1 at £210 (Harrison’s Rocks) or £280 (Portland).

What’s included in the price?

  • A full day of climbing instruction and tuition
  • Equipment (excluding climbing shoes but let us know as we might have your size if needed)
  • Transport to and from the venue if travelling from London (if needed – to discuss at time of booking)

 

BOOK TODAY
Course Details

LOCATION: Harrison’s Rocks / Portland

DURATION: 1 day course

COST:
£105 pp – Harrison’s Rocks
£140 pp – Portland
*minimum 2 participants

RATIO: Maximum 1:6

Level: Beginner

2024 PRICING & DATES

Further Information

  • Climbing shoes (we can supply these, but we strongly recommend that you have your own as you will enjoy the climbing much more)
  • Harness and helmet (we can supply)
  • Food and drink
  • Lots of energy to last you the whole day

  • You don’t need any previous outdoor experience

This is a one day course so no accommodation is required. However, if you did want to make a stay out of this trip, then we do have a list of a variety of campsites, hostels and B&Bs near our climbing venues for you if needed.

This is something we can discuss at the point of booking. It is important that we respect the environment so travelling from the same area in convoy doesn’t make great sense, although sometimes this cannot be avoided. If you will be travelling from London it is possible to arrange shared transport in my car to help save the environment and your money. Whatever the case, let’s chat and make sure it works best for all.

Book YOUR COURSE

If you have any questions or would you like to book then please use the form below and we’ll get right back to you as quickly as we can.

FAQs

BOOK TODAY

To book your place, pop up to the message box above and tell us how many people you would like to book, your preferred date and location, and what equipment you need. If you have any questions about this climbing course please don’t hesitate to call me on 07525 757 535.

We we will provide climbing equipment, but do feel free to bring your own. Ensure you bring appropriate clothing for the location and time of year. We will send you kit list and useful resources to help you prepare.

It is too wet to climb then we can run the day at The Reach Climbing Centre, learning how to lead climb or coaching climbing movement, whichever suits you best.

This depends on each course and where everyone in the group is located. We will discuss the best travel arrangements for everyone when you book.

Fantastic! Send us a message as if it’s a climbing venue then we will have probably experienced it and can tell you more. Contact us and we can discuss all the options.

This course is ideal for beginners, but do contact us if you are concerned as we do run courses for all levels and some courses cater for a wide range of ability.

Perhaps. Who knows? Maybe. Definitely. For sure! But not to worry, just send us a message and we will do all we can to help. Climbing courses are such great fun, but it is important to be prepared. We all forget things from time to time, but at least we can remind you of the essentials if you drop us a line.