PUBLIC CLIMBING
In order to climb, you must first be registered as a competent climber. If you are not please see section below on how to become a competent climber.
Opening times: Except for the occasional Friday morning the climbing wall follows the leisure centres opening times.
Guests: Competent climbers can bring up to 2 guests. They must fill a guest form and pay entry for themselves and each guest.
Equipment hire: We hire harnesses, belay devices and shoes for £2 per item. We require a £5 deposit, refunded once our equipment is returned to reception. Helmets are free to hire.
All bookings are done online. For more information please email Climbing.York@GLL.ORG.
competency check
Climbers wanting to book public climbing slots must attend and pass a belay/ competency check before booking their first slot.
Competency checks are Wednesday 1930-2000 and Thursday 1800-2000.
Climbers passing competency checks will then be registered to come and climb as they please on a pay as you go basis.
Registration will only be accepted by those who:
- Are 18 years old or over
- Fill out and sign our registration form
- Pass our belay / competency check
ENERGISE CLIMBING OPTIONS
At Energise climbing wall we run a range of courses for all ages and abilities. We recommend wearing comfy sports clothing, have hair tied back and no jewellery to be worn.
- 30 minute taster Saturday 2:30pm-3pm
- 1 hr taster / 1 hr refresher session
- Kids clubs
- Adult beginners course
- Lead climbing course
- Private course/tuition
- Group bookings
- Parties
For more information on courses and regular lessons or to book one off parties, tasters or refreshers sessions please contact;
All bookings are done online. For more information please email Climbing.York@GLL.ORG.
KIDS CLUB
For ages 7-17years Energise runs the National Indoor Climbing Award Schemes (NICAS) on Saturdays.
| Beginners- NICAS Level 1 | Age 7-11 | 09:00-10:30 |
| Intermediate- NICAS Level 2 | Age 7-11 | 11:00-12:30 |
| Advanced- NICAS Level 3 & 4 | Age 7-11 | 13:00-14.30 |
| Beginners - Advanced NICAS Level 1 - 4 | Age 11-17 | 15:00-16:30 |
Suitability for Saturday time slots can also depend on size and experience of climbers.
To purchase a NICAS book and register to the NICAS scheme speak to your climbing instructor or order one at reception.
TASTER/REFRESHER SESSIONS
Taster session
30 minute taster sessions on Saturdays 2:30pm-3pm can be booked online or at reception. During the session you will have an introduction to climbing to see whether booking onto a course is right for you.
Refresher session
We run 1 Hour refresher sessions for individuals or groups. During this session we will cover safety aspects of being an independent climber, familiarise yourself with the equipment if you’ve had a break from climbing or just go over what you already know to making sure what you’re doing is correct and safe.
ADULT BEGINNER CLIMBING COURSE
Our adult beginner course consists of 4 x 2hr sessions. All instructed sessions include free equipment hire but feel free to bring anything along that you have.
During your sessions you will learn how to climb safely, attached yourself to a rope using a safety knot, have a better understanding of climbing equipment and be taught how to belay for another climber. By the end of your 4 weeks our goal is for you to become an independent climber. If your instructor is happy with your level of competency, they will register you as a climber at our facilities allowing you to come and climb as you please.
PRIVATE TUITION/ GROUP BOOKINGS/ PARTIES
If you would like to book private tuition or for us to run a private course we’re more than happy to do so. With the right numbers we can run any course without advertising to the public.
The wall is ideal for School, Scouts, Brownies and University group bookings.
Want to do something exiting for your childs birthday? Our climbing parties are ideal!
For one off group bookings and parties please contact Climbing.York@GLL.ORG for availability and prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age can children enter the climbing wall?
Age 7+ for regular lessons or with a climbing competent adult. Age 5+ for parties, taster sessions.
What age can someone enter the climbing wall unattended?
18+ provided they have registered as a competent climber (passing a competency check).
What happens if I fail a belay/ competency test?
You don’t gain entry to the climbing wall unless accompanied by a registered climber and must be signed in as a guest. Guest climbers can only belay under direct supervision (tailing the dead rope).
We recommend booking a refresher session for a slight failure.
We recommend booking onto an adult beginners course to learn what’s required in becoming an independent climber.
What size harness do I need?
Our harnesses for hire and for instructed sessions are one size fits all.
Smaller chest harnesses and disability harnesses can be requested but only given out by a trained individual.