With the clocks about to plunge us into semi-permanent darkness, opportunities for outdoor adventure after work are in short supply.  Unable to face the prospect of re-joining the gym, bouldering suddenly caught my fancy.  Now more popular than rock climbing in the wilds, bouldering offers all the thrill of the great outdoors but with crash mat, café and central heating included.  What’s not to love?

What is bouldering?

Bouldering is rock climbing but without any harnesses or other safety equipment.  Equipped with only flimsy, rubber shoes, your survival hinges on your ingenuity and dexterity.  Using brain as much as brawn to nimbly navigate the complex wall circuitry, bouldering is an all-consuming pursuit that will push you to your mental and physical limits.

Where can I go bouldering in London?

There are climbing centres springing up all over the capital but one of the best known is the Arch Climbing Wall in Burnt Oak (Piccadilly Line).  A one hour introductory lesson is compulsory for all newbies and costs £20.00.

What happens during a bouldering lesson?

It was with some trepidation that I rocked up to Burnt Oak one wet, September afternoon.  Slipping on my climbing shoes, my toes immediately felt crippled.  I soon grasp that this isn’t some Chinese torture simulation, shoes have to feel tight in order for you to get a good grip while on the wall.

Hobbling along to the warm up, I grasp the basics of body positioning and most importantly, how to fall correctly.  This involves landing on your feet before flipping on to your backside with arms crossed over the chest.  Not the most elegant of manoeuvres but designed to keep you safe.  Labouring half way up the wall, I’m asked to take a huge leap of faith by falling backwards onto the crash mat.  Not a great one for heights, this starts to feel way out of my comfort zone.  Checking there’s nobody beneath me who I might inadvertently flatten, (one of the unknown hazards of bouldering), I take a deep breath, squeeze my eyes shut and hurtle to the ground – thankfully with no ill effects.

Once I’ve mastered falling, I learn how to deftly twist and turn, keeping knees bent in a crouching position.  My hands soon sting and the pressure on the arms and shoulders is brutal. I watch with envy as the lithe, young twenty-somethings swing nonchalantly at 90 degree angles.

The hour lesson zips by and we’re left with unlimited free time to be let loose on the walls.  Routes are colour-coded from beginner upwards and despite the popularity of the venue, there’s never any hanging around waiting for others to descend.   Clinging on at 20 metres up certainly has a way of focussing the mind and all thoughts of work vanish.   Half an hour later, my hands can take no more and I retreat for a reviving cup of camomile tea.  My legs and arms continue to shake as I rest my weary limbs.  Would I do it again?  Yes but next time, I’d do some training at the gym in advance.

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