Outdoor Bouldering London
3 people attending
9 places left
So you’ve enjoyed indoor bouldering so far, and you’re getting more confident on the wall with each problem that you complete. It’s summer though and the sun has been shining (hopefully!), and you’re wondering why you’re still inside gripping plastic? Well, now’s your opportunity to head outside and find out how bouldering gets its name! Although the ‘boulders’ are only man-made, the range of problems together with the fantastic setting of the Fairlop Waters Country Park will hopefully give you a very small taste of what the original alpinists at Fontainebleau got up to in their early days.
Unlike the regular Saturday slot at Vauxwall, this event is intended for those who have had some experience of bouldering before. This is because of the more difficult nature of climbing without colour-coded holds, topping out each climb and the need to down-climb using the easier descent routes. Also please note, as an open-air unsupervised venue, rock shoe-hire will not be available so please bring your own.
What to bring
In terms of clothing, the usual advice applies: wear something that you can move in comfortably such as tracksuit bottoms or combat trousers, but not jeans or any form of trouser which hampers movement. Shorts and t shirt are also fine, but be aware that the boulder surfaces are more abrasive than indoor walls, and some of the topping-out manoeuvres may require the use of knees and elbows so consider yourself warned!
As we’re outside, please come prepared for the weather – if it’s sunny and warm, it’ll be worth bringing some suncream, if it’s cooler some layers will be a good idea so that you can adjust to suit the temperature and your activity level. In addition to this, as we’re close to a body of water it may be worth bringing a wind-proof layer just in case. Please note that if the forecast is for rain, the event will not go ahead, though we may head to one of the climbing centres in London instead – we will of course let you know in advance.
Please note there is no shoe hire, so please bring your own rock shoes along. Also, there are no lockers at the venue, so please don’t bring any unnecessary valuable items with you.
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch and plenty of water. There is a pavilion on site which sells a limited range of snacks and drinks from a vending machine, though it is about 10 minutes’ walk from the boulders themselves. As with the usual bouldering events, there will not be set breaks, though you are encouraged to take time out as and when you need to rest.
After we’re all bouldered out, we’ll head over to the pavilion for a well-deserved drink overlooking the water.