BIG SPRING CLIMB 2020

What is the Big SPRING CLIMB 2020?

After the huge success of Clamber Fantastic 2019 the Manchester Climbers are excited to welcome you to the Big Spring Climb 2020 - a weekend of indoor climbing and bouldering, with a range of events and experiences - aimed at all levels of climbing, from absolute beginners to complete pros.

Here's a full calendar of all the Big Spring Climb events (if you like what you see, but if you can't make this weekend then here's a list of all the other climbing events we have coming up across the North-West). We've also set up a Facebook group for the Event to help keep in touch over the weekend – if you’re on Facebook - feel free to sigh up!

Please do sign up to the individual events you’ll be attending so we can liaise with the various centres on expected numbers and to make sure you get the discounted entry costs. 

Friday 6th March     

OutdoorLads Social; We'll get the weekend started with the Manchester Social in the iconic Canal Street venue Via (you might remember it from the original Queer as Folk TV Series!!) where OutdoorLads will have an area reserved just for ourselves with our own bar as we catch up with friends old and new!! (Click here to sign up)

Saturday 7th March

We’ll focus on Bouldering at the RockOver Bouldering Centre and also have other events planned including KickAir (a giant free-style trampoline park) and ice-climbing, all in the centre of Manchester and in walking distance from the main train stations and Canal Street. Naturally we’ll end the day back in the Village!

Indoor Bouldering

Rock Over is the home of the OutdoorLads' weekly bouldering events in the North West, with one of the biggest competition walls in the UK as well as a regular training home for the GB Climbing Team in preparation for their Olympic this year!  Rock Over are kindly putting on a mini competition for us with problems around the centre, so to prepare yourselves why not try one of the coaching workshops? 

• Bouldering Session;  (12:00) Boulderer's of all abilities are welcome to join us for this session, whether you're a pro climber, or an absolute beginner whose never climbed much more than a staircase before, you're sure to have fun and hopefully improve your bouldering during our session. (Click here to sign up)
• Beginners Session; (12:00) If this is your first time bouldering just sign up to the main event above and look out for our leaders in black OutdoorLads t-shirts on the day! They will give you a free introduction/guided session and go through everything you will need to know to start bouldering safely.
• Coaching Workshop - Hooker's Workshop; (1:00pm) Develop your skills with coaching from one of the centre's most experienced coaches, focussing on improving your ability to heel and toe hook as well as other key bouldering skills. (Click here to sign up)
• Coaching Workshop - Building on your Bouldering; (2:00pm) Feel your bouldering ability has plateaued? Looking for some tips and techniques to push your grade. Then give this professionally coached session a shot – aimed at improving your all round bouldering ability. (Click here to sign up)

Other Activities

Kick Air; (4:00pm) An event to bring out the big kid in any of us in an indoor freestyle trampolining park featuring a Ninja Warrior-style obstacle course, total wipeout-style activity and, most importantly, TRAMPOLINES! Amongst the trampolines are various obstacles; dodgeball, basketball, airbags to practice your flips and loads of other fun bits. (Click here to sign up)

Ice Climbing; (6:00pm) Ever wanted to give ice-climbing a try? Well here’s your chance to experience climbing on real ice, with an expert instructor and with all the equipment you’ll need included in the cost! (Click here to sign up)

Social

Saturday Buffet Dinner & Social; (7:30pm); Join us at the iconic Manchester venue of The Lodge as we kick off the evening in the heart of Manchester's Gay Village, for a great buffet over a well earned drink. (Click here to sign up) For those planning to make a night of it we'll undoubtedly be visiting a few of Manchester's other famous hostelries around the village through the evening too. But if you want to make your own plans for food, then pop along when you're ready or catch up with us through our Facebook group page.

Sunday 8th March

We’ll head to Awesome Walls Stockport, the tallest indoor climbing wall in England!! But if climbing isn't your thing - Awesome Walls also has a massive bouldering room with two separate climbing areas so we're running a dedicated Bouldering session too suitable for beginners.

Indoor Climbing 

Awesome walls has a fantastic range of climbing walls; gentle slabs, features, cracks, chimneys and  incredible overhangs; stepped, concave and convex walls, and did we mention the tall walls? There's over a hundred lines located within the former engine house of Pear Mill – so something for everyone – and if you’re looking to develop you're climbing skills we have a number of dedicated workshops through the afternoon too;

• Bouldering; (12:00) If roped climbing isn't for you then please join us at Awesome walls and make use of their excellent bouldering facility.  If you are new to bouldering then let the event leader know and they'll give you a free introductory guided session to get you bouldering safely.(Click here to sign up)
• Beginners Climbers Taster Session; (1:00pm) If you have never tried indoor climbing before - this event is your perfect opportunity to give it a try with one of our great Climbing Leaders on hand to start your climbing experience, show you the ropes and teach you everything you need to know to climb safely. (Click here to sign up)
• Climbing Session; (12:00) If you already know how to tie-in and belay then this event is for you; we're sure you'll have fun this afternoon, Don't worry if you're regular climbing partner won't be there, there'll be plenty of us, and we'll find someone else climbing at around your ability to climb wtih. If you're looking to develop you're climbing skills we have a couple of dedicated workshops through the afternoon for you to sign up too. (Click here to sign up)
• Experienced Climbers Coaching Workshop; (12:30) Overwhelmed by overhangs? Failing with feeble footwork? Challenged by crimps? Then this professionally coached session will work out your weaknesses and get you to smash those slabs and really push your grade!! (Click here to sign up)
• Fall Training Workshop; (14:30) Fear of Falling holding you back your progress on lead climbs? Then this professionally coached session will develop your technique and confidence to fall properly, to get comfortable with safely falling, being caught with the rope and your harness by your belayer. (Click here to sign up)

What about Transport? 

If you're travelling to Manchester for the event, or you're a local with free space in your car, then to help everyone get around we've set up 2 car share pages to match up riders with spare seats, helping save the environment and a few pennies at the same time.

• For those outside Manchester travelling to Manchester for the weekend, see
  http://outdoorlads.events/BigSpringClimbCarShare
   
• For anyone travelling to/from Sunday's Awesome Walls event in Stockport, see http://outdoorlads.events/BigSpringClimbCarShare-Sunday

What about accommodation?

For this event you are free to pick your own accommodation according to your preference of budget and location (or your personal requirement for ‘luxury’...). If you have friends in Manchester, give them a shout and see if they've a spare bed or floor space for a couple of nights. And if you're a Mancunian and have spare room and you'd be happy to put up a fellow ODL'er (or more), then please to leave a comment below.