Climbing in Edinburgh has a rich history. A hundred years ago, climbing groups could be seen scaling the volcanic formations of Salisbury Crags. Although the Crags (with the exception of the South Quarry) have been closed to public climbing for a long time, bouldering is alive and well in Edinburgh. Climbers today use private climbing walls and gyms around Edinburgh to destress, hone their skills, and meet new friends.
Among the facilities available is the climbing wall at Pleasance gym, which can be booked by members of the gym for £3.50 for a one-and-a-half hour slot. It’s convenient, but the wall is small, and slots are limited and often go quickly. A roped wall is also available where experienced climbers can belay each other. Figuring out a difficult “project”, as the routes up the wall are termed, can be highly rewarding.
Other options around Edinburgh include Eden Rock and Alien Bloc, which are both accessible by bus from the city centre.
On Wednesdays, Eden Rock runs a student discount, and it’s not uncommon to see the entire warehouse filled with students after their classes end. The atmosphere is communal and convivial; since climbing involves a fair amount of downtime in between attempts, it’s not uncommon to see climbers spend much of their sessions in conversation with each other.
It also makes the wall a good spot to make new friends. Kate Harvey, a 3rd year Structural Engineering student, recommends that people on the fence “just go for it: there’s a great range of routes for different skills, and most people have not been doing it for that long in university, so you aren’t really far behind.” No matter how you choose to climb, Edinburgh has an option for you.
“The Well – Rock Climbing Wall 002” by Sacramento State is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.