Lenton Climbing Centre opens Nottingham’s first bouldering only training facility

Nottingham Climbing centre has opened a brand-new location in Lenton and is set to introduce even more people to the popular trend of bouldering.

The state-of-the-art bouldering centre occupies the previous Skateland Park in Lenton featuring three professional climbing walls, hang out areas and designated training facilities soon to be built.  

Bouldering is a form of free climbing where traditional outdoor rock climbers would transition indoors during the winter months to continue their training on set climbing walls.  

Ethan Walker, 35, climbing coach at Lenton Climbing Centre said: “The trend has come about from a training perspective, as people are noticing they are becoming physically stronger training indoors.” 

Across the UK more people are taking up bouldering as a form of physical exercise because of its strength and conditioning based workouts.   

Ethan, who has been climbing for 29 years, said people are using bouldering as an alternative to the gym because of its relaxed environment and collaborative style of training.  

He added, that when climbers are bouldering they are “using different muscles they probably wouldn’t use day-to-day or perhaps even at the gym so they can get a different type of workout but on a climbing wall.” 

Robert Craig, 26, who has been rock climbing and bouldering for over seven years is using the sport as an alternative to the gym and a way to socialise with other climbers. 

He is excited that the centre focuses on bouldering and that it feels new and fresh to try a variety of different courses. 

“It’s something Nottingham needs in the city having more training gyms means that more people are climbing, and the more chances (it creates) for people to go outdoor climbing and train,” said Robert. 

Ethan added that despite the training element, climbing is “super accessible for all ages” – it’s a sport “where a seven-year-old and a 60-year-old can climb together on the same challenge and complete the course.”  

Lenton Climbing Centre plans to run weekly coaching workshops providing services for adult improvers, and one-to-one private sessions to help people improve their climbing technique and ability. 

If bouldering feels too complex for beginners Ethan says anyone can take part: “Bouldering is problem solving in a nutshell, connecting the dots to get yourself up the wall using the least amount of effort. It feels incredibly fun and rewarding to complete the challenges and get yourself onto the next level.” 

The training area and gym will be a space where climbers can improve their technique all year round on three set training boards built with different steeps and complexity.  

Climbers can practice on the same universal boards as other athletes around the world in the centre. 

Everyone will be able to use these facilities to train, but restrictions apply for under 18s. There will be no extra fees for accessing the training area.