Introduction to Lead Climbing -5 Day

Overview

This in-depth week is perfect for anyone who’d like a solid introduction to lead climbing – you should leave the course with a good understanding of how to lead safely and where to take your climbing. We’ll delve into movement coaching, technical ropework, and gear place placement for the first two days, then the ratio will lower from Wednesday onwards. We’ll split into teams of 3, with 2 participants per instructor, allowing us to tailor the routes and teaching to each person, progressing at your pace.

Who’s This Aimed At?

If you’d like to start leading but don’t know where to start, or you’d like a good grounding in the technical skills needed, then this is the course for you. You need to be a confident and competent second – happy to tie in, belay a lead climber, and have some experience of placing and removing nuts and cams. The course will normally be spent on easier climbs (Diff to Severe).

Example Itinerary

Every course is unique as we tailor each one to the team and the weather, but this should give a flavour of what you might get up to:

• Monday
  • Informal welcome chat with our staff and your course members;
  • Chat about picking the best crag for the team given the weather and conditions;
  • Spend a good chunk of the day looking at movement coaching on a single pitch crag to see where everyone’s at;
  • Review key skills such as belaying and abseiling;
  • Return to PYB for tea and cake!
• Tuesday
  • Head to a sport climbing crag and climb on a different rock type;
  • Practice efficient methods of clipping;
  • Introduction to clipsticks and redpointing (practicing a climb before doing it);
  • Lead some sport climbs (appropriate to each person)
  • Cover the various ways of threading different lower-offs;
  • Return for tea and cake!
• Wednesday
  • Ratio change – split into pairs with one instructor per team;
  • Second multi-pitch climbs with a focus on placing gear and building belays;
  • Top tips on stance organisation;
  • Use of guidebooks and route reading;
  • Tea and cake!
• Thursday
  • Chat through venue options based on the weather and motivations;
  • Instructors will fix ropes alongside you as you climb, giving feedback and instilling confidence along the way;
  • Climbs will be chosen to suit exactly where you’re at;
  • Tea and cake!
• Friday
  • Consolidation of everything we’ve covered during the week;
  • Swing leads as a pair on a multipitch route, with an instructor alongside;
  • Focus on any specific areas you’d like;
  • Return to PyB for more tea & cake and fond farewells.

(Lead climbing poses a significant amount of risk. Attending this course doesn’t guarantee you’ll lead; it’s at the discretion of the instructor after discussion with you, safety is our priority)