London isn’t exactly known for being mountainous with tons of climbing routes, however, there are some really cool indoor facilities and even a man made outdoor bouldering park which you must check out!
1. Fairlop Waters Boulder Park
As the UK’s largest boulder park, Fairlop Waters is located right in the London borough of Redbridge. The park includes 9 individual boulders made from carved and sprayed concrete, which vary in height and difficulty. Boulder difficulty ranges from beginner all the way to an f6a level expert. There is also a little snack shop on site where you can grab something to eat after a fun day on the boulders!
2. Vertical Chill
This unique climbing spot caters to those looking for an awesome place to ice climb. Located at the back of the Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports store in Covent Garden, Vertical Chill is a 26 foot ice wall with varying degrees of steepness, including a nice overhang, for a range of experience levels. The ice wall is situated in a refrigerated room with windows on multiple floors of the shop.
3. The Castle Climbing Centre
The Castle Climbing Centre is one of the most popular climbing locations in London. This indoor climbing facility features some great top rope/lead climb routes that reach heights upwards of 40 feet! Located in an old Victorian water pumping station, the climbing center offers over 450 routes and about 90 roped lines as well as awesome bouldering routes with about 250 marked problems. One of the reasons The Castle is so cool is that the climbs are spread out over multiple floor levels which makes for a unique climbing experience.
4. The Arch 2
Also known as the Biscuit factory, this bouldering only facility was constructed inside an old biscuit factory in 2012. It is comprised of over 11,000 square feet of bouldering options with hundreds of climbing routes. It offers climb levels ranging from f5+ to f7c so if you don’t have prior climbing experience you will have to take an introductory course. The facility also includes a 55 degree training wall and a strength training and stretching area.
5. White Spider
The White Spider also opened in 2012 and consists of about 15,000 square feet of roped climbs with 103 rope lines and 300 routes as well as over 6,000 square feet of bouldering. The longest route reaches up to over 42 feet and grades range from f3-f8a. There is also a stalactite ceiling for a cave-like experience. The lower mezzanine features overhangs, a boulder cave and horizontal climbing next to a training area while the upper mezzanine has slabs and traverses. There is also a castle play area so you can bring the kids along as well!
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