Rock Climbing Courses

Rock climbing is my absolute passion

It demands attention to body and mind: precise movement, mental control, awareness.

If you're climbing well this is effortless, is known as 'flow'; and is worth cultivating.

To book a rock climbing course with Alice Turner click here:

Improve your Rock Climbing — Indoor Course

Indoor climbing walls are a useful way to train strength and learn technique.

Use this half-day course to focus on the aspects of rock climbing that you want to improve.

You can do anything from learning how to lead-climb to discussing how to focus your training intelligently.

Examples of questions which can be answered on this course:

• "Where should I focus my training?"
• "How do I get over my fear of falling when leading?"
• "What is body tension in climbing?"
• "How do I learn good footwork in climbing?"
• "How do I hold a leader fall while belaying?"
• "How do I learn to lead-climb safely?"
• "Should I train strength or endurance?"
• "How can I improve my climbing grade?"

Experience required:

Any level from complete newbie to 'I want to climb 7a!'

Maximum group size:

Six

Places to go climbing indoors:

We can use your local climbing wall or get in touch for advice on climbing walls near you.

To book a rock climbing course with Alice Turner click here:

Outdoor Rock Climbing Course

Rock climbing outside is a vastly different experience from climbing inside. It demands subtle additional skills to read the rock and learn how to move on it.

Use this two-day course to practice climbing on real rock, to learn the wierd and wonderful techniques that you will never encounter at an indoor wall; and to make a start on the solid set of technical skills that you need to climb outside safely.

Examples of questions which can be answered on this course:

• "Can I get lots of practice climbing on real rock?"
• "How do I set up a top-rope anchor / top-rope belay?
• "What equipment needed to climb outside?"
• "How do I place trad gear?"
• "How do I read a guide-book and interpret climbing grades?"
• "What's the difference between real rock and indoor climbing?"
• "What is crag etiquette and what are rock climbing ethics?"
• "How do I evaluate trad gear: "Is my belay safe?"

Experience required:

You will get more from the course if you are already famliar with belaying, tying on to a rope, and you have your own rock-shoes.

Maximum group size:

Six

For more on where — and how — to go rock climbing outdoors, see:

• Where to go Rock Climbing in the UK

To book a rock climbing course with Alice Turner click here:

Sport Climbing Course

Sport climbing is a simple way to focus on pure climbing movement.

This two-day course will teach you how to get the most from sport climbing, and open up all kinds of possibilities for sport climbing holidays in the sun!

Examples of questions which can be answered on this course:

• "How is sport climbing different to other forms of climbing?"
• "What is red-pointing?"
• "How do I lower off a sport route?"
• "How do I get over my fear of falling when leading?"
• "Help! What do I do if the first bolt is too high?"
• "How do I hold a leader fall while belaying?"
• "What equipment do I need to sport climb?"
• "How do I use a Gri-Gri?"
• "How can I improve my climbing grade?"
• "Where can I go sport climbing in the UK?"
• "Where can I go sport climbing on my holidays?"

Photo Galleries of sport climbing:

San Vito Lo Capo, Sicily

Experience required:

For sport climbing in the UK it helps if you are able to climb 6a indoors, and there is masses to do from 6b upwards.

Maximum group size:

Three

For where to go sport-climbing outdoors, see:

• Sport Climbing in Portland
• Rock Climbing around Bristol

To book a rock climbing course with Alice Turner click here:

Trad Climbing Course

Trad climbing requires many skills, including placing trad gear well, and the learned courage to keep mental calm and fluid movement even when you are fearful.

Two-day courses can either be an introduction if you've never lead trad routes before; or if you're already a trad-climber you can use the days to improve confidence, safety, and your lead grade!

Five-day courses give time to get started on trad-climbing and then go on to gain confidence on some more challenging routes.

Examples of questions which can be answered on this course:

• "How do I learn to trad climb?"
• "Is trad climbing dangerous - how do I know if a route is safe?
• "How do I interpret the guidebook?"
• "How do I understand grades?"
• "What equipment do I need to trad climb?"
• "How do I climb VS?"
• "How do I climb E1?"
• "Where can I go trad climbing in the UK?"

Photo Galleries of trad climbing days:

Trad Climbing Courses, Peaks 2011

Stanage, Peak District

Experience required:

Two-day course — already familiar with top-roping outside.

Five-day course — comfortable with leading and belaying a leader indoors.

Maximum group size:

Two

For more on where — and how — to go trad climbing outdoors, see:

• Where to go Rock Climbing in the UK

To book a rock climbing course with Alice Turner click here:

Multi-Pitch Climbing Course

Multi-pitch climbing is the start of adventure climbing and the door to many of the UK's classic routes.

To be a competent multi-pitch climber is to be a fully-fledged climber with the freedom to go anywhere.

Two-day courses are for those who have already been leading or seconding routes

Five-day courses give enough time to get started on trad-climbing and then go on to multi-pitching as you gain in confidence.

Examples of questions which can be answered on this course:

• "How do I learn to multi-pitch climb?"
• "How do I know where the route goes?"
• "How do I know if I will be able to do a route?
• "What happens if I can't climb the route?"
• "What equipment should I carry on a multi-pitch climb?"
• "Where can I go multi-pitch climbing in the UK?"

Photo Galleries of multi-pitch climbing days:

The Spook (E1 5b) and Ledgend (HS 4b), Guillemot Ledge

Moonraker (HVS 5a), Berry Head

Grooved Arete (HVDiff), Tryfan

Experience required:

Two-day course — already familiar with leading or seconding rock-climbs outside.

Five-day course — comfortable with leading and belaying a leader indoors, and experience of top-roping outside.

Maximum group size:

Two

For more on where — and how — to go multi-pitch climbing outdoors:

• Where to go Rock Climbing in the UK

To book a rock climbing course with Alice Turner click here:

Self-Rescue Course

If you're going to climb in remote places then you need to know what to do when it all goes wrong.

Perhaps a storm comes in unexpectedly or one of the party gets injured.

A one-day course will give time to go through basic self-rescue techniques. Depending on the area it may be possible to do this at a local climbing wall.

Examples of questions which can be answered on this course:

• "How do I protect an abseil?"
• "How do I lower off a route?"
• "What do I do if I drop my belay device?"
• "How can I climb up a rope?"
• "How do I tie off a belay device so I can free my hands?"
• "How can I escape a belay to help an injured climber?"

Experience required:

Comfortable with leading and belaying a leader indoors.

Maximum group size:

Two

Places to learn self-rescue:

Any rock climbing area, or we may be able to use your local climbing wall.

To book a rock climbing course with Alice Turner click here: