Anyone else missing the indoor climbing wall

My local climbing wall is closed as they can’t operate safely following covid guidelines

https://www.rokt.co.uk/

but a new climbing wall in Bradford is opening soon.

https://www.theclimbinghub.co.uk/climbing/pricing

I just wondered how climbing walls are operating in covid times considering it’s fingers touching everything sport and very difficult to clean.

I love climbing in doors in winter and catching up with some friends. It helps with my glass back doing stretches etc.

Has anyone created some disinfectant chalk yet so we can clean as we climb?

My local one has been re-opened for a good few months now, although with some changes to there schedules and policies. Its a pretty big site so distancing is easy-not sure if thats a key factor in some remaining shut.

RockStar

Freaklime in Huddersfield is open. You have to book a session.

Lots of the guys and gals from Rokt are using Freeklime in Huddersfield. Not the same as Rokt but a decent bouldering gym. Give it a try.

Went to local one last week, seemed safe enough so booked again for this week! Quite a big space so 2m distance pretty easy to achieve.

Like pubs etc at the moment being able to book to guarantee space & the fact they’re limiting numbers actually makes it a better experience for the customer, obviously not ideal for the business as I’m sure their takings must be down (despite selling out virtually every session)

Sanitiser gel everywhere so you can use it after every climb. Only liquid chalk allowed which seems to contain alcohol (don’t know how strong though!)

Liquid chalk only. Alcohol based so basically sanitising hands every time apply new chalk – and you really don’t touch your face with chalk on your hands anyway.

Limited numbers, masks when not climbing, no standing on mats, social distancing etc.

All the walls in Leeds are open.

Went to Ratho today. It’s big and airy enough to not worry about distancing. And they have the best taps for hand washing!

Has anyone created some disinfectant chalk yet so we can clean as we climb?

There was a basic study done which indicated all types of chalk were pretty effective at killing covid 19 off (by De Montford but doesnt seem to have been formally reviewed/published yet) and some manufacturers have upped the alcohol content in liquid chalk.

More generally the ones I go to have all introduced prebooking to control the numbers, one way systems and masks when not climbing plus lots of handwash stations.

What is this liquid chalk you talk about. Goes off to Google.

Thanks for the replies

As above, local wall is back open. Pretty busy too.

Really interesting reading about the liquid chalk stuff.

Indoor bouldering was mine and my girlfriend’s main mutual hobby together. We got into when we first started dating, so it’s been really crap not going.

I won’t name names, but our local wall is on the smaller side, and judging by their social media seem to have had a fairly ‘loose’ approach to Covid guidelines so we’ve avoided going.

Local walls to me are open. A few very pointed FB posts reminding customers to distance in the early days but seem to be working well

@tom-b I’ve never heard of liquid chalk before either. I reckon my mates have been keeping it a secret from me and that’s why they are better at climbing than me 😂

Big rock in mk is open…both centres, you need to book and wear a mask when not on a route or boulder problem. They are ok with loose chalk as well although I’ve seen plenty of liquid chalk in use.

The two in Bristol I frequent both mandate face coverings unless you’re actually on the wall. One has capacity tracker and a max number of people, the other you have to book slots. Seems to work pretty well and the vast majority of people are sensible. I go late on Fridays though so it’s usually pretty quiet.

@olddog – recommendations on Leeds bouldering walls? I’ve only been to Harrogate and big Depo, but also missing it. Seen a couple of new walls have opened. The new Bradford wall is the wrong side of Bradford for me really.

Depot in Pudsey is a good wall. I don’t feel able to go at the moment, but they’ve been going the extra mile to make it as safe as they can.

I’d heard they were a bit up and down…

@ahsat I am a member at the Climbing Lab and go there most often. Usually during the day when it’s less busy. Good variety of problems/setting, pretty big and spaced out – has a top out block, pretty sociable, owners are really nice. I do raise the average age quite significantly when I’m there though.

I also go to the small Depot in Pudsey for variety, but not since lockdown. Smaller than the Lab, but interesting setting and pack a lot in. Pretty sociable too

It’s about the same drive to each for me.

There is actually a clmlbing wall in Aireborough leisure centre near where I live, it’s old school with real rock features as well as plastic – but no bouldering though. I haven’t been for years.

I’ve not been to City Bloc yet, was thinking about giving it a go but lockdown and it’s wrong side of city centre. There’s a new gym called Last Sundance which opened a couple of weeks ago – also in town, not been.

Thanks @olddog – appreciate it. If Aireborough leisure centre is your local, you and I live very near each other. I certainly live in the same suburb as Fooman too.

Anyway, I digress. I follow some of those new walls on IG and they do look good. If the local rates do keep falling I might look up Depo and the Lab as obviously they are the closest. Maybe something for when/if the students go home. If I got myself organised with work I could go in the week daytime when it’s quieter.

I bet there are few of us out our way ahsat – I’ve seen loads of MTBers out and about locally since I’ve been working from home.

Red Goat in York has been open for a few months now, they used the beginning of lockdown to completly redesign everything, new walls, mats, coffee area etc. Its now running to a limited capacity, social distancing, liquid chalk, face masks in the reception/coffee area. Been a few times in the day with my son but its full of Uni students and he just runs rampage, night time seems a better deal climbing 8-10pm, much less busy and generally older people who are more willing to socially distance.

Book online for a 2h slot, liquid chalk, one way system, sign out, temp check on entry. Masks when not climbing, regular tannoy announcements, people keeping their distance much more last time I went, felt a bit uneasy first times I went back. Just about to give it another go after isolating.

My daughter and I have been climbing regularly since they reopened and its been pretty much business as usual apart from they have put a limit on numbers in the centres. Standard stuff really, hand sanitiser, keep your distance and all that.

I’m in Leeds and climb at Depot bouldering walls (both Pudsey and also Sheffield until the tier 3 restrictions) as well as occasionally at Big Depot too. They have a handy capacity counter on their site so you can avoid busy times.

https://www.theclimbingdepot.co.uk/manchester/news/capacity-counter

Recent change is the wearing of a mask unless on the wall.

If any further covid restrictions means they close again I’ll be gutted

Oxford Brookes, much the same as the above… book your slot, ropes or bouldering. Head on in wearing your mask, hand gel your hands. Liquid chalk, stay distanced. In between slots they wipe down all doors, door gates, etc. Have one of those anti covid mist sprayer things and every route and boulder and finger board gets sprayed. Everybody is concientious, it works well. Plus, liquid chalk is ace – on it goes, nothing there, count to 10 – magic, your hands are white! Hard to reapply when your lead gets spicy though!