Climbing Clubs / Climbing Groups in London
Key
There are a few climbing clubs and groups based in the London area. Many of which climb on and meet at the indoor walls on regular basis but also head farther afield in the search of the great outdoor climbing experiences. Most cater for climbers of all levels, but it is recommended that you have at least been on one of the introduction courses run by the climbing centres if they are heading there, as clubs are not coaching groups but more of a place for like minded people to meet.
When heading farther afield it is also recommended that you have a good level of outdoor competency (basic map reading skills, the right clothing for the conditions and a decent level of fitness) this is for your own safety and the safety of the group you are going with.
As well as climbing some groups also partake in other outdoor activities such as hill walking, hiking and running etc. Check out the below for more information.
Below is just a selection of the climbing groups in London, if you have a club that you think has been left off then do let us know info@londonclimbingguide.com and we would be happy to add it.
Clubs recognised by the British Mountaineering Council.
Clubs and Groups that climb indoors in London
Clubs and Groups that rock climb outside of London
Clubs and Groups that include Mountaineering, Alpinism and Scottish Mixed etc.
Clubs and Groups that hill walk
Clubs and Groups that ice climb
Clubs and Groups that run skills courses courses such as navigation, winter skills etc
Rockhoppers Mountaineering & Climbing Club
The Rockhoppers Mountaineering and Climbing Club really is one of London's most active clubs in London, as you will see by there extremely busy meet schedule.
The club covers all aspects of mountaineering, from rock climbing to hill walking, high mountaineering to trekking, winter ice to summer sport climbing too.
They welcome climbers of all skills sets so you don't have to Ueli Steck to join the club.
As well as meeting at The Castle on a regular basis they also have a jam packed schedule of weekends away, heading away from London on every other weekend - check out their meet schedule.
The club is great value for money and we could speak more highly of the club. So if you're thinking about joining a climbing club they you should get in touch with them.
London Mountaineering Club
http://www.londonmountaineeringclub.com
The club boasts over 400 members and provides an extremley varied selection of activities - hill walking, scrambling, climbing and mountaineering.
They also run regualar meets at many of the London climbing walls.
As with the other clubs their trips schedule is jam packed with meets across the UK to places like The Lakes, Peaks and Swanage etc, they also run some trips or abroad.
Members are also automatically covered by BMC personal liability insurance and receive discounts on purchases at some London stores, including a 15% discount at all Cotswolds outlets.
The London Mountaineering Club also publishes a regular club magazine called "The London Mountaineer" and have an active forum/discussion board on site.
For more information check out London Mountaineering Club site or click here for joining information
Tryfan - Snowdonia
Zaheer Durrani
07/10/2011
Finger damage
Brad Jackson
23/04/2007
Dave Wills on Into The Groove at Dover
Credit: David Barlow
George in Chamonix
Credit: George Margesson
North London Climbing and Mountaineering Club
The North London Climbing and Mountaineering Club is another of the more active London climbing clubs, they have one of the best looking websites too so be sure to check it out.
The club meets every Wednesday in London at Mile End Climbing Wall. They also climb on regular basis at The Castle and The Arch but on a more informal basis.
Their trips away schedule seems less formal than the other London Climbing Clubs in this section but members do go away almost every weekend to climb all over the place.
Check out the clubs website for more details or click here for information on joining the North London Climbing Club
Marylebone Mountaineering & Climbing Club
The Marylebone Mountaineering Club was founded in 1974 and boasts around 100 members who live mostly in and around London.
The activities of the club are centred around the once monthly meets which take place all over the UK. Many informal trips are also organised outside of the meet program with foreign trips, typically to the Alps or sport climbing in Spain and Italy.
As with other clubs there are various excursions to the London climbing walls and a large group go to The Castle on regular basis.
Membership is £18 a year and is open to anyone over 18. The club is affiliated to the BMC, and members will receive the same benefits as individual members of the BMC (third party insurance, free Summit magazine, reduced subscription rates to High magazine).
In order to join, potential members are asked to attend two weekend meets. On the second meet you will bring along an application form where you can then join the club.
The 8th Day Adventure Club
www.8thdayadventure.co.uk
I know we've said this before but The 8th Day really is one of the most active clubs in London. The club covers many more activities than just climbing, ranging from mountain biking to dragon boating and a whole heap in-between.
Whilst not a specific climbing club, they do have a group of climbers who meet at Mile End wall every Monday and visit the other walls sporadically. As Mile End has a lot of bouldering complete beginners are welcome to go and get stuck in to see if they like it.
The club also arranges the occasional outdoor climbing session around the UK and beyond and members also often take their kit on the many mulit-activity weekends to the likes of Snowdonia/Devon/Peak District etc and so combine climbing with whatever else is going on.
It's a nice relaxed club with the opportunity to do other stuff alongside climbing too. The 8th Day really is one of the best multi-sport clubs in London and we can't speak more highly of them (it might be due to the fact that one of the London Climbing Guide crew has actually been a member of the 8th Day!).
Click here for more information on joining the 8th Day.
The Alpine Club
www.alpine-club.org.uk
The Alpine Club, is the world's first mountaineering club, has members from around the world. It was founded in 1857 and since then they have been at the leading edge of worldwide mountaineering development and exploration.
The Alpine Club is for experienced mountaineers and climbers only!
To become a full member you must have first have climber at least 20 alpine climbs or equivalent to a level of PD. There are other membership levels for the less experienced climbers but we would recommend you join one of the other clubs listed here to gain experience.
The Alpine Club promotes a code of climbing ethics, which seeks to protect mountains, mountain regions and their people from any harmful impact by climbers. The club is globally recognized as influential on these issues. Membership to the Alpine club entry really is one of the aspirations of any climber/mountaineer.
For more information on the Club check out the website www.alpine-club.org.uk
ICAS Climbing Club
https://www.facebook.com/ICASClimbingClub
ICAS Climbing Club is a BMC affiliated rock climbing club based in SE London with over 50 members who often get outside on the rock. The group climb regularly at both trad & sports crags in the UK and abroad as well as the occasional bouldering trip.
They are a friendly, supportive and adventurous club which brings climbers of all backgrounds & abilities together to share the unforgettable experiences offered by rock climbing.
They have an indoor climbing meetup group that climb every Tuesday & Thursday at the Reach, and they also have monthly social meets and their outdoor club meetings are held every second Tuesday also hosted at the Reach. Anyone is welcome to go along and find out more.
Ibex Mountain & Hill Walking Club
The Ibex Mountain and Hill Walking Club is open club for those who like hiking, mountaineering, trekking and the outdoors in the UK and abroad.The club is based in London and provides an inexpensive way to enjoy hill walking and mountaineering across the UK and further afield. They have an extensive programme events and weekend trips in Wales, the Lake District and elsewhere in the UK. Indoor and outdoor climbing, trekking holidays, sailing and a range of other activities on an informal basis.
Information on joining the club can be found here
NOT SO TRAD
NOT SO TRAD is a gay and lesbian climbing club, largely based in London but with members spread across the south of England. They are a very friendly group of climbers of all ages, grades and aspirations. The group is mixed and welcomes all gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender climbers and their friends to enjoy climbing in a fun and friendly atmosphere.
They meet weekly on a Wednesday all year-round, at The Castle climbing wall along side this they have a spring-to-autumn program of weekend or longer trips each year to locations such as Portland, Wales, the Lake District, Cornwall, the Peak District as well as at least one international trip.
If you are interested in joining NOT SO TRAD, look through their website, read the FAQ and check out their JOIN US page for contacts and details about how to get involved.
Brixton Climbers' Club
http://www.brixtonclimbers.org
Brixton Climbers' Club are a group of people living in South London who normally gather together for climbing at the Brixton Rec, Crystal Palace Sports Centre, The Castle, The Arch, etc. They also organize trips most weekends to the sandstone crags around Tunbridge Wells, as well as to the Peak District, the limestone of Dorset, North Wales, Scotland, etc, etc.
The group is integrated by a very large variety of people of different nationalities and welcome novices and experts alike, as well as boulderers, sport and trad climbers, mountaineers and winter climbers. So whether you are a novice or an expert, and specially if you live somewhere around South London, Brixton Climbers' Club is the ideal club for you.
If you are interested in joining, the best place to start is through their Yahoo group.
London Rock Climbers
The London Rock Climbers are a group of people looking for others to climb with and to share experiences, tips, knowledge, passion and enjoyment of rock climbing. It is not an instruction group and no tuition (lessons, training or instruction) is given so we recommend that you are at least a compete climber and belayer before you contact the LRC.
The club meets regularly with weekly sessions at The Castle and the Westway and as a group they organise climbs abroad. The club is run through their meetup.com webpage so for more information then check out their page.
Croydon Mountaineering Club
The Croydon Mountaineering Club (CMC) was formed in 1971 to bring together people in the area with similar interests and to make access to the mountains easier.
The Croydon Mountaineering Club is a growing club with a very active membership and is open to anyone eighteen or over interested in any mountaineering activity - hill walking, traditional and sport rock climbing, ice climbing and alpinism - at any level of ability.
Loughton Mountaineering Club
The loughton Mountaineering Club are an informal and friendly, Loughton (Essex, UK) based mountaineering club. Their membership as with most clubs isnt restricted to Loughton.
Those that can, gather on the Monday before thier monthly Meet (see thier facebook page for more information on Meets) in a local public house (The Victoria Tavern in Loughton).
Memebership to the club is reasonably priced at £20 for the year and you can check out more information here
Tuesday Hillwalking & Climbing Club
Tuesday Hillwalking & Climbing Club is a London-based climbing club which welcomes adult hill walkers and climbers of all abilities and currently has a membership of about 50-strong.
The club meets in London for social events, lectures and for occasional trips to local climbing walls. Away meets, both in this country and abroad, are a key feature of the club's activities, ranging from weekends in the English Lake District, Derbyshire, Wales and Cornwall, camping (mainly in the summer) or staying in club huts, to longer trips to Scotland and Europe.