UoN Climbing Publicity Officer Andrew Wright tells us how you can get involved with rock sports and learn the ropes…
The UoN Climbing Club is a bunch of people who like going outside ascending various rocks and then heading to the pub for a chat. We currently have a membership of around 140, of which many are keen and active. These include those who climb regularly on the indoor wall and those who come along on the many trips run by the club throughout the year.
With our proximity to the Peak District, Nottingham is a great place to take up the sport. The club climbs indoors on Wednesday afternoons and practices bouldering at the local Depot Climbing Centre (near the Victoria Centre in the city).
Bouldering is a form of low-height climbing without ropes. It is a great way to learn and also improve your climbing technique. The club runs an improvers session each week, focusing on different skills to help members become better climbers whether you are a total beginner or have some experience.
We run outdoor trips to north Wales, Pembroke, Portland, the Lake District and Cornwall
We also run regular outdoor trips to fantastic locations nationwide including north Wales, Pembroke, Portland, the Lake District and Cornwall. These trips are enjoyed by members of all standards from the club, from those who have never climbed before to those who are experienced enough to climb tough routes. They are also great excuses to play some silly games and get out of the uni bubble.
The social aspect of the club includes events like cake-bakes, film nights and a weekly pub social
Climbing is a very social sport. Time spent discussing routes and working on technique means you get to meet and talk to lots of new people. Besides purely climbing, the social aspect of the club is very strong thanks to the social secretaries, with events including cake-bakes, film nights and a weekly pub social.
Overall, climbing is a great sport that not only gives your body a thorough workout, but is really fun and social too.
Come along and find out for yourself: weekly sessions will start on Wednesday 18th February at 3pm at The Depot. In the meantime, you can join our Facebook group (University of Nottingham Climbing Club).
There will also be an inter-university competition with Nottingham Trent University on Wednesday 11th February at The Depot with qualifying ‘problems’ of varying difficulty. The event lasts from 12pm-4pm with the final at 6pm and is aimed at all abilities. Entry to the competition is £10 and spectators can come and watch the event for free.
Andrew Wright
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Images: UoN Climbing Club
