Intro to Rock Climbing

Overview

Welcome to our one-week rock climbing course for young adventurers aged 12-17. You’ll begin as a complete beginner, and our experienced, enthusiastic instructors will help you become a safe and confident rock climber. Throughout the week, you’ll explore different climbing sites, including roadside crags, high mountain cliffs, and sea-cliff climbing. You’ll also engage in climbing-related activities, enhancing your skills and making new friends while enjoying this thrilling sport.

The Objectives

Our main objectives for this course are to introduce you to the world of rock climbing and provide a supportive environment for taking on new challenges. Under the expert guidance of Plas y Brenin’s friendly and highly experienced instructors, you’ll not only learn the ropes of rock climbing but also try many different types of climbing. By the end of the week, you’ll have learned a new adventurous sport, made new friends, and had a fantastic time.

Itinerary

The course will begin with confidence-building and skill development sessions. As the week progresses, we’ll cover a wide range of essential climbing topics, including movement and balance on the rock, single-pitch climbing on smaller cliffs, multi-pitch climbing on larger cliffs, belaying (safely controlling the climber’s rope), abseiling (descending the rope under control), ropes and equipment, and knots and ropework for ensuring your safety on ledges.

Experience Required

After completing the course, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge and skills to take your rock climbing journey to the next level. To join this course, you need to be between 12-17 years old, and you don’t require any prior climbing experience, just a strong enthusiasm for a week filled with climbing adventures.

How Should I Prepare/What to Bring?

• Outdoor wear which is comfortable to climb in – prepare for any weather! T-shirt, thermal layer/base layer, fleece top, tracksuit bottoms or tights (shorts can be nice in summer), trainers, warm hat, gloves, sun hat, waterproof jacket and trouser.
• Rucksack (approx. 40-50 Litres).
• Drinks bottle, flask, lunch bag, sunglasses, high factor sunscreen, midge repellent, notebook and pen, small personal first aid kit.
• Climbing shoes,
• Helmet,
• Harness,
• Chalk bag,
• Belay device,
• Nut key, any climbing rack/gear you own.

The following items are available for you to borrow from our equipment stores so you don’t need to rush out to buy them: any climbing gear, rucksack, waterproof jacket and trousers. Climbing ropes are always provided by Plas y Brenin.

Note

We want to help you achieve your goals, so comfortable accommodation (with WiFi included) and home-cooked food are part of the deal if you’ve booked accommodation with us. You don’t need to think about sorting this out for yourself. We can also arrange station pick-up and drop-off if you’re traveling by train.