Milton Keynes Climbing - Beginners welcome!
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Come and join OutdoorLads for an evening of Indoor Climbing at Big Rock Hub in Milton Keynes!!
If you have not been to one of the Big Rock climbing centres, you must pre-register HERE.
This event is for members of all experience levels, and they are welcome to attend any of the sessions.
You won't need convincing about the benefits if you're a seasoned climber. Still, for those who've never climbed more than a staircase, the benefits are wide-ranging: from the physical - improved strength, tone, balance, power and coordination; mental - problem-solving, focus, concentration and body awareness; to the emotional - relaxation, a sense of achievement and a feeling that mind and body are working together perfectly ('feeling psyched'). On top of all this, climbing tends to be a very social sport where you can hang out with mates, and each has a go as you feel, regardless of what level you climb at.
I'm new to Climbing - can I come along?
YES - but you must contact the Event Leader before you sign up
If you have never tried climbing before, you must be signed in to the climbing centre as a supervised climber by the event leader, who will go through everything you need to know to climb safely before joining in with the rest of the group.
If you're unsure whether you need to be signed in as a supervised climber or not, if you answer NO to any of the following three questions, then you will need to arrange to be supervised. If you can answer YES to ALL these questions, you can sign up for this event as an unsupervised climber:
1. Can you fit a climbing harness correctly?
2. Can you tie yourself to the end of a rope using the correct knots?
3. Can you belay another climber correctly and confidently?
All those attending the event must also be aware of the centre's own terms and conditions of participation and abide by them, along with any instructions given by the centre’s staff. Everyone must also take responsibility for their own safety while participating in Indoor climbing events.
Do I need to be supervised if I've been bouldering before?
If you answer no to any of the questions above, you must still be signed in as a supervised climber.
Can I just come along and boulder?
Absolutely! Most of us do rope climbing at these events. If you prefer bouldering, you can sign yourself in and do it. Just meet the group at the start; some others might be bouldering. And definitely come join us afterwards for tea!
As mentioned above, everyone attending the event must abide by the centre's T&Cs, etc. As an experienced boulderer, you are always responsible for your safety, actions and involvement. As such, you should use your own judgement when taking advice from OutdoorLads Volunteers or other experienced climbers.
How Do I Sign Up?
If you have not already registered with Big Rock, please do so HERE. In addition to signing up to this OutdoorLads event page, you will need to pay Big Rock for a session. This can be done on the day of the event at entry. As before, we'd ask that all members sign up through the event page to ensure the event leader has all the information of the members attending.
Can't make this event?
We run weekly climbing and bouldering events in the South East, so why not check out what's coming up near you here: http://outdoorlads.events/SouthEastIndoorClimbing. Alternatively, stay updated on upcoming events using the social media channels below:
Telegram (Climbing and bouldering only): OutdoorLads (SE) Climbing
Facebook: http://fb.com/OutdoorLadsSouthEast
Twitter: @OdlSouthEast
IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.
Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, even if they are extremely mild or who has recently tested positive for Covid-19 is asked not to attend.
What to bring
If you have your own climbing gear, you can bring this along, but please make sure it is in good condition. At a minimum, you will need some rock shoes, a climbing harness and a belay set (a belay plate, a screw-gate karabiner, or a gri-gri if you know how to use one safely). If you lead climb, you will also need to bring your climbing rope. Of course, your climbing partner may have one.
If you do not have your own gear, you can hire everything you need directly from the centre. Kit hire prices can be found here at the bottom of the page.
There are free unlocked spaces for your bags and optional secure lockers for valuables, which require you to bring your own padlock.
What to Wear
It is best to wear either shorts, combats or tracksuit bottoms with a t-shirt or vest. No jeans or any form of trouser which hampers movement. If you have any OutdoorLads branded clothing then please try and wear this as it will give the group a good level of visibility.
Any jewellery such as rings, watches, chains or bangles should be removed before beginning the session to prevent injury.
Food & drink
We will have a break to tea and cake towards the end of the session. We also encourage everyone to take a rest for a snack and to rehydrate during the session as needed.
There is a cafe area at the centre where hot and cold drinks along with snacks can be purchased. Water fountains are available to refill your water bottles.