I was really sad that I came here on my last day in London and not my first!!! I prob would've gone a few more times, but alas such is life. This place is really cool with so many rooms and climbing routes. There were plenty of top rope, lead, auto belays, and boulders. There is climbing indoor and outdoors, really the playground of my dreams. There's even a cafe and food here, honestly I would never leave this place. And the best part is it's so affordable even for the one time visitor. The con is it's some what far from Central London and that deterred me from going the first time. For any climber visiting London, this is a must!!! read more

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I mean... it's a castle. One with its innards ripped out and replaced by variegated cell walls dotted with multi-coloured hand- and footholds. Does it -get- much cooler than this for a rock climbing gym? The three floors of top roping, lead climbing, and bouldering merely comprise a fraction of what this mega-centre has to offer. They now have a more traditional gym space, walls of lockers (remember to bring a pound coin to use them), a kit shop, and a cute little café on the top floor. On top of offering an awe-inspiring venue, the staff I've encountered have been absolutely lovely. Even when they spot something going less-than-right, they come by to gently offer words of wisdom rather than scathing criticism. Plus, as manual as the check-in process here is*, the front desk employees keep things moving right along. I thought that climbing was going to be one of those things that I might have to give up for good after I moved away from NoVA and my beloved Sportrock Gym there, but I've discovered a whole new level of climbing gym brilliance at the Castle. --- * My former climbing gym had a swipe card system which automated the check-in process completely. Whilst it's not a hassle, it would reduce the work required of the front desk staff here nominally. read more

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Overall I had a pretty good impression of this climbing centre. Although it is a bit on the older side, and many of the holds are a bit older...the variety here is amazing and it definitely fits the bill for those that want to boulder, sport climb, and even do some training as well. I came here on a Thursday evening. The tricky thing about coming during the evening time is that it is very crowded. So do you be mindful of this, as many do get off work and school and evenings are the best time to climb. So for those that don't know, this place was a castle, hence the name. So there are many floors of climbing, and they're all in different areas of the castle. The main entrance when you walk in is where you can pay and also sign up to register to climb. As you walk in there is some top roping, as well as lockers and a bit of bouldering. As you go up the stairs you'll find more lockers, toilets, and more areas for climbing. There are a few rooms for training purposes, and other smaller walls to help train for other things as well. There is also a section for just traversing circuits! They also have a café where they grow all their own stuff in the garden that they have! They even also have a outdoor bouldering area! Where the café is on that same floor, there are the problems for the competition wall, as well as all the lead climbing. Now if you want to lead climb, it's possible that you have to wait your turn, as it can be very crowded. Do you be mindful of others as everyone else is also waiting to get on the wall, so make sure not to hog up one route all for yourself. Do you take turns and swap off! It's a pretty solid centre, I plan to make it one of my regular places to train! read more

The Castle is one of my favorite places in London, I am slightly reluctant to review it for fear of attracting more people. If you enjoy climbing, it is hard to beat The Castle for variety of climbs, laid back atmosphere and good music. Even if you are not normally a fan of indoor climbing, this place is still a fantastic oasis, where you escape the hectic London lifestyle. I often while away several hours a week here, chilling in the cafe, climbing with my friends and running around with my friends' children. If you are a beginner, it is probably best to get yourself on a course, as you will not be allowed to climb on your own without any basic safety knowledge. The course offering the best value, is the Afternoon Introduction which costs 50 pounds for five hours of instruction. For more experienced climbers, you will need to pay a small joining fee of 4 pounds, then 11 pounds for each session (6.50 if you are a student and show up before 4pm). There are a wide range of routes for all levels and plenty of bouldering areas, built into the multiple levels of the old water tower. The cafe serves basic snacks and drinks at a reasonable price, and is a great place to watch people climb while you take a rest. The Castle is very child friendly, with many parents bringing their kids on a Saturday morning. There are specific sessions for the over 9s, but if you bring younger children, you will have to teach them yourself. Babies are welcome too, but it is much easier if you can bring a third adult to look after them whilst the other two are climbing. The best times to climb are before 7 on weekdays and before 12 at the weekend, after this, the wall becomes extremely crowded and noisy. There is little the Castle can do about this, except to try and expand capacity, which it has done frequently over the last few years. Though apart from the overcrowding, this is a great way to spend a few hours escaping the London chaos, if you can't get yourself out into the countryside. read more

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Are you adventurous and love the outdoors? Do you live in London and think "Crap, it's too cold outside but I want to do something great!"? Then I suggest you pay a visit to The Castle Climbing Centre. It's a great place to go with a couple of friends or even by yourself to learn to climb. Fitted with multiple high walls and routes for all levels (beginners, intermediate and expert) and very well equipped, The Castle Climbing Centre is only a 7-10 minutes walk from Manor House. The signing up process can be slightly long as one signs away (pretty much) a death certificate as I call it in case of injury which cannot be liable to the business. The centre has changing rooms with showers, a store to rent ropes and climbing shoes for about £5 after signing up. The sign up cost is £12 for non members. It is easier coming with a member your first time due to safety reasons. There is only a little surprise which I love! A cafe at the too floor with sofas where one can relax after climbing or just accompanying someone. It has a great atmosphere and can be pretty busy so I suggest you he smart about parking ! The staff are quite friendly and happy to help in tying ropes or whatever it is one needs. I've been here a couple of times and would go back with a friend I've recommended. In fact, my arms hurt from Saturdays visit ! read more

The Castle Climbing Centre - Climbing Near Me - London, XGL

Came here for a taster plus session which involved trying out different types of rock climbing techniques? from abseiling, bouldering to roped climbing. It wasn't much of a work out but it was fun and we got to stay for as long as we wanted to afterwards to do some more bouldering. You're not allowed to start unsupervised roped climbing without doing a climbing course first (~£70) but it's definitely worth it if you plan on regular visits. The £33 taster session included a max 4 person class with free shoes and equipment rental. There's free lockers (£1 deposit), changing/shower rooms and a simple cafe. There are loads and loads of different sections for different levels and some walls get pretty freaking high. I believe it's the biggest rock climbing centre in London and it's definitely somewhere you need to go if you have even the slightest interest in rock climbing. read more

The Castle Climbing Centre - One of the many many rock climbing areas #colourblast - Climbing Near Me - London, XGL

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Now this is a marvellous place to visit especially if you are into climbing but don't have any real mountains nearby. Just because you happen to live in a built up city doesn't mean to say you cannot climb a mountain,as you can always go for an indoor climbing wall which is a lot better because you don't have to worry about the cold,icy conditions.This one in Green Lanes that I like to frequent used to be apumping station and some-one has put it to good use. It has two big floors with first class equipment with varying degree of bouldering walls,a huge range of courses for all levels run by some very friendly women. Recently the climbing opened up a new cave room with a scaleable ceiling. It is a membership club and the prices are a bit steep,but don't let that put you off-if its something you really want to do. read more

The Castle Climbing Centre - Climbing Near Me - London, XGL

The Castle in my opinion is the best climbing centre in London. It's an old Water Tower that has been converted and has three floors of walls for climbing and bouldering. Some of the walls are really high and the grades go from easier to almost impossible, with upside down walls. The staff are experienced and friendly and run a range of courses from beginner to advanced. There is also a great shop for shoes, harnesses and outdoor equipment. The cafe on the top floor is great for a break and tea and tiffin. I learnt to climb here and still climb there now. Great place! read more

The Castle Climbing Centre - Climbing Near Me - London, XGL

Only in London would you find a castle in the middle of a mile of council flats, and within this castle find a rock climbing gym. This place is amazing, and having gotten a small taste of it, I now want to go back for more. Plenty of wallspace, lots of variety, good vibe, nice cafe, fair prices, etc, etc, etc. Definitely rad. How did this castle come to be? The website only tells us that it was previously a water-pumping station. But before it was a water-pumping station it was surely a castle, right? I mean it couldn't not have first been a castle. Don't know if I want the real history or would rather just stick to the one constructed in my imagination... read more

Looking for a different kind of workout in London or maybe just watched Cliffhanger one too many times? Why not head to The Castle; London's best indoor climbing centre. The Castle Climbing Centre started off life in 1852 as a water pumping station but since opening as a climbing centre in 1995 has become one of the leading climbing facilities in Europe. Having a good level of experience climbing from back in the US, I took a friend along who was a complete noob to show em' the ropes. The Castle is enormous in scale with many different sections and areas to test your skills. There is a choice of bouldering, roped climbing and even abseiling, which is done from one of the towers! There is even a little cafe and a shop where you can buy or rent any gear you might need. It might seem a bit pricey as a non-registered member at £13 or £12 as a member, but signing up as a member for £5 gives you the option to come at off peak times for only £7 per visit. After signing all the paperwork preventing you from suing them if gravity injures you, it was on to the action. I was going to teach my friend how to belay, but he didn't do his homework and I wasn't going to let a guy whose shoelaces are always undone try a figure eight or bowline knot on my rope.....so bouldering it was! There are a lot of different ability level routes and areas to choose from with the bouldering areas covering parts of the ground floor, upstairs and the larger new boulders outside, more closely resembling those you'd find in the wild :) Overall, an enjoyable afternoon out, but with a rock climbing centre a lot closer to where I live, this well known treasure will have to remain an occasional treat! read more

This is known as the best climbing centre in London. I'd go one further. If there is another indoor climbing centre in the entire UK that claims to be better than the castle, they must be PHE-NOM-E-NAL. Seriously this place has everything and I mean everything a climber of any level could want. You can abseil down the tower, inside and out. You can boulder on so many different surfaces, the mind boggles. With flat walls, over-hangs, walls where the angles can be changed, you'll never get bored. There are massive walls for rope climbing, training rooms, and a number of well thought out courses so you can learn how to traverse this monolithic structure. If you are experienced they throw regular competitions so you can test yourself. When you get tired there is a nice social area with a cafe where you can chill. When you are ready to go again the centre often employs a DJ to get everyone in the mood. This is without question the best climbing centre I have ever seen. read more

If you want to take on a new hobby, may I suggest climbing. There is a fantastic climbing centre for all levels. There is a monthly membership plus a mandatory training course which is paid for extra on top of your membership. You must be serious before you invest in the membership and all the gear. It is best if you have a friend who wants to climb as well because for this sport having a strong partner is your life line. The climbing centre is spread over two flours with 450 routes to take, it would take a long time to get bored here. There is a cafe which is a little pricey with basic snacks for energy before you climb and a shop for any gear you need. The instructors and staff are really good there, is a friendly atmosphere, good tunes, and if you are lucky you might get to see Jude Law read more

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Went with a bunch of friends, much better to go with a group actually, so you could all take turns belaying and climbing and resting. Some were registered there so that meant that we could be their guest without having to pay extra to register ourselves. Part of registering was taking a test of your climbing skills. I do not live in the area so I didn't want to register and I was not skilled enough for their test. There are so many climbs to be climbed! and boulders to conquer. All the things coming out of the cafe looked and smelled great. But we were going for a roast later so I was waiting for that. It was nice that the routes had a decent range of options so that we could all stick around the same area and all still have a challenge. Cheap rental prices, harness, lockers, etc. Hopefully we'll have another climbing adventure here soon. read more

It's fun, because it's climbing. But I didn't love The Castle. Don't get me wrong: it's a cool place. It looks great, both inside and out, and there's definitely a good atmosphere. I just struggled to make it work for me. A bit of context: I've been bouldering for about 6 months, at The Arch, which is devoted to bouldering. I'm not climbing with ropes at this point. And while it's kind of cool to see both types going on in one space, it made it - for me - a bit difficult to work out where to go. Bouldering areas were spread out, so while overall there were a good number of routes, I felt like I would complete what I could fairly quickly, and then need to hunt for the next group. When I finished, I realised there was a section I hadn't seen yet, so I'd missed out potentially. While I'm sure some people love getting lost in here, I found it a bit tiresome, especially as I asked at the start where to go for bouldering. Really, I just wanted to get stuck in but it was hard to get a groove going. Also, I realise that this might mean I'm just a terrible climber, but I found the routes much harder than what I was used to. Not in a fun challenging way - just in an impossible way. I might have been in the wrong place for someone of my level, but even trying routes that claimed to be very easy, I often found myself struggling. Of course, many people can probably do these routes, but it doesn't make me feel like it's a good place for beginners. There were some good elements. I liked the outside area, and I saw they had routes for kids, so it was obviously child-friendly. Overall, however, I wasn't a fan - and what with a session being a few pounds more expensive than what I'm used to, I don't think I'll be back soon. read more

Just a few months late... Of course, being an avid climber and finding the Castle a conveniently short walk away from me, I am a bit biased. But I'm also a bit spoilt with 4+ rock gyms back home, not to mention Sender One. With that said, I've experienced a variety of climbing gyms, the best to the worst, and the Castle is indeed fit for royalty. The concept is obviously cool and I've taken quite a few pics to show off to friends, haha. A "rockclimbing castle" can come off sounding a bit gimmicky, but quality and professionalism abound here. PLUS: This is a huge three floor space, with several offerings and a lot of variety. It covers all the basic types of climbing nicely (as mentioned in other reviews), has a seemingly endless amount of courses, hosts competitions, organises group events, sells equipment, and even has a cafe serving up freshly grown greens from the outdoor garden in the back (which you can check out). MINUS: In trying to do it all, the layout is quite confusing. The women's change rooms are on the first floor while men's are on the second. The lead climbing is in the same space as the cafe (which has no rubbish bins), with some random bouldering elements thrown in. The space designated for stretching is awkwardly amongst lockers and traversing practice. I explored this whole space and still could not for the life of me find the "gym space" staff at the counter mentioned to me. PLUS: There is quite a bit of space devoted to bouldering (including sections for traversing and feature climbing) scattered throughout the three floors. Hundreds of harness free routes along with a wide range of difficulty. This is just excellent. Too often I see bouldering left to the wayside in larger gyms. MINUS: Again, in regards to my hunt for the mysterious "gym space," the Castle doesn't have weights, other strength building equipment, or any cardio machines. This is a huge minus for me as I prefer a multi-faceted work out to cap off my usual gym routine. PLUS: They do have a campus board AND a system board. And even a finger board. Definitely necessary if you're looking to get serious about climbing and take it to the next level. Don't overlook these tools! MINUS: I found the grading system a bit confusing as routes marked more difficult than others were quite easy, and vice versa. Very odd. Perhaps this is a "lost in translation" sort of deal happening with the conversion. PLUS: They have a "buddy system" for climbers who come alone but would like to do some top-roping. Obviously, your chances of finding a partner still depend on several other factors, but they've made it easier for single climbers like me. MINUS: I saw a lot of unsafe belaying practices here. Staff didn't seem too strict on the type of device, as you can use anything from a Gri-gri to just a standard ATC (called something else here? I asked about this equipment over the phone and got a confused response). But perhaps this makes it more difficult to ensure that climbers know basic safety and belay methods. Hmmm. Makes me a bit uncomfortable since you need to have a really high level of trust for your belayer, I think. PLUS: The price is right. Only £7 for students if you go during off-peak hours. This rate is unbelievable. ---- To summarise, this is a huuuge facility with copious options to satisfy a wide range of climbers, and is relatively successful in its endeavours. The environment is friendly and energetic, and the attention given to bouldering and traversing skills makes this a great spot if you'd like to climb but are coming solo. Also a fantastic place to entertain your visiting friends! read more

It's simple - this is the BEST climbing centre in London. Whether it's top roping or bouldering. The castle has loads of routes. In the summer they even have outdoor bouldering. And one final tip - they have what's called a bouldering ladder where you take on bouldering routes numbered 1-20 and they get progressively harder. A great way to build up skill and track progress. read more

As far as climbing centres in London go The Castle is the best all-rounder of the bunch and definitely the first choice for a beginner for the variety of easier, forgiving top-roped climbs for the basics and ample bouldering. For the more advanced climber there are lead walls stretching up to 14m and a newly opened 12m led section (deep in the bowls of the complex where it's very cold in winter but cool in summer). In particular I'd recommend for seasoned climbers who have recently found themselves in London 'The Session'; a great service which pairs you up with other lone climbers (and on Wednesday boulderers). After a year of living in London and through just a few sessions I've made a number of great friends and never in want of a belay. The criticisms I would draw are few and minor but worth mentioning: firstly the Castle isn't the cheapest climbing centre in London, £47 a month direct debit isn't the best bang for your buck. Secondly as a regular I've noticed the staff have on occasion been cold, unhelpful and on one particular occasion plain rude, but they're mostly quite pleasant. Finally, in comparison to other London centres the Castle certainly stands out as the best all-rounder however it if you're looking at a particular activity you'll find it better and cheaper elsewhere. If you want to lead the Westway has more choice and more frequent resets while I find the bouldering problems more enjoyable and varied at the Arch.. Overall, great all round climbing centre! read more

I always like taking my life in my hands and what better surroundings than with a bunch of polite English people. That's right, I'm the one up the wall swearing, sorry about that. I've been to the Castle a few times and it's a great place to spend a few hours. It's slightly reminiscent of your school gym in terms of smells and facilities but then again it's not a day spa so suck it up. I've been up most of the walls and for a novice like me they are pretty challenging. They also have bouldering which looks beyond impossible for a newbie and i believe they change the climbs around every so often so the regulars don't get bored. This place is such a yuppie family destination so don't be surprised to see tiny children running around demanding cream crackers. read more

I went along for the afternoon introductory course last Thursday and although (for a absolute beginner, i.e non-climber!) climbing the walls was pretty hard work on the arms (and I definitely felt it the next day!) and getting to grips with the climbing techniques, harness and rope knot tips was at times challenging, it was good fun and I'm glad I did it! Jack our tutor was friendly and explained the basics well. You felt well informed and supported before you went anywhere near the wall! The introductory course I registered for was for half a day starting at 2.15-7.15pm. Six students to one tutor. The course cost £50.00 (per person). It a great course for those keen to start climbing independently as soon as possible, those short of time, as well as for people wishing to refresh old skills. I was the only complete beginner on my course and at first felt a bit daunted, but with some coaching and guidance I felt I held my own! There are a variety of other courses for different levels and at different (peak times) available: http://www.castle-climbing.co.uk/courses-and-bookings/introductory-courses.html Our course programme included climbing warm ups, how to put on a harness, tie knots & belay for a partner. By the end of the course I felt competent to climb with a partner without instruction - quite an achievement for an absolute novice. Now I've just got to get the confidence to go back! The good thing is there are plenty of classes you join so you can climb with a partner (if, like me, you don't have too many friends up for the challenge!). Women with altitude is the first one I'm going to try - wish me luck! read more

My first visit was yesterday and my friend tagged along with me at the last minute. I'm a total newbie at this and my friend did this before. I didn't know what to expect apart from what I've read on their website. I wanted to try bouldering/climbing for some time now and maybe add it to my regular exercise routine in addition to gym. After filling out the form online. All I had to do was to get my gym kit and cycle down. Reception staff were very efficient and quickly processed my new membership. Guy at the reception was very helpful and quickly and very precisely unanswered all my questions. Customer service is excellent. I had to rent climbing shoes as it is my first time. It's 2.50 which I think is reasonable. Be aware of bo, this is something to be expected although they could do more to spray the shoes with odour remover. I've read that Castle has a lot of bouldering options and that is true, there vast amounts of walls designed for this for various levels of experience. Overall my friend and I had a lot of fun and left without injuries. I'll certainly be back and advise more of my friends to join. Didn't have a chance to try coffee shop but it looks nice. read more

A very big rock climbing gym inside of a building that looks like a castle (it was never a castle, just a water pumping station). It's got a lot of space, lots of walls, lots of problems (I mean that in a good way -- rock-climbing problems, not problem problems). it's better than the climbing centre in Bermondsey, and the one at London Bridge closed down. I don't know if there are many other climbing centres in London, but I don't really need to look any further. This is the place I will be going to. The staff here is pretty nice. Safety is paramount to the whole operation. There's an eco-slant to the whole thing which is charming. Also, I had a flapjack cake in the cafe that was fantastic. read more

The Castle has been a part of my London experience since day one (three years ago) and is probably one of the best rock climbing centers that I have ever visited. It has four floors (plus an outdoor bit) of rock climbing and is continuing to grow. The routes vary in hardness and terrain type. Honestly, there could be no complaints with all of these options. They even have some routes that are multistories that are super scary! The staff at the Castle are usually friendly and helpful. I fell off the outdoor bouldering wall and slammed my back and the staff responded excellently. I have two favorite areas of the Castle. The outdoor bouldering routes are really great on a sunny day! My other favorite route is on the 2nd floor (by the cafe) in the left corner as I love bridging the walls. The Castle also includes a cafe and climbing store. The climbing store is generally overpriced and one can typically find cheaper stuff online. That said if you want advice or need your stuff in a hurry then this is an option. The Castle also has a bunch of community events including choirs, gardening clubs, etc. I believe that they even have a program where you can volunteer in the garden and get a free pass to the rock gym! There are quite a few groups that climb here often so it's easy to make friends. Price-wise the Castle is reasonable and what one would expect from a rock gym. They of course offer MANY options in terms of memberships, student discounts, one-offs, etc. Overall, I would totally recommend the Castle. How cool is it to say that you rock climb in a Castle? You cant really ever get bored here and it's been a great part of my time in London! read more

I've been to a few climbing gyms, mostly in Australia and in London, but this one is the best one by far. It's atmospheric, being in a building that looks like a castle is pretty cool. It's big, which means that even when it's crowded you can always climb, and when its not, you have heaps of variety. It has a great mix of begginer, top-rope, lead climbing, and my personal favourite, lots of bouldering. It also has a nice little cafe, some funky music playing and reasonable membership deals. The crowd is a nice mix of begginers, rambling club types, regular hacks and gym monsters. Highly recommended! read more

Absolutely love this place. So much fun. I'm on a 4 week climbing course here and the instructor is brilliant. Lots of challenging climbs set on several floors for both bouldering and harnessed rope climbs. Either just go for the bouldering or rope climbs after learning to safely put on a harness, check yours and your partners harness and belay devices. Also has a community garden for growing produce which is then used in the on-site cafe for tasty snacks/meals. read more

Certainly one of London's best climbing walls. Offering a good selection of routes over 3 floors. There are a large amount of top ropes in place to suit the beginner as well as a good selection of leading walls and a range of bouldering to suit all types. The first floor is dominated by a range of top roping and leading walls alongside a slabby to vertical bouldering wall and some more advanced training facilities, campus boards etc. The middle floor offers a range of bouldering including some nice steep traverse around two large blocs, well set up especially for the beginner. It also boasts some traversing and the best bouldering area in a slightly dropped level. There are a good range of graded routes here from the 4s to 6s to suit all. The top floor offers the tallest leading walls, a concrete featured bouldering wall and coffee shop. Grades throughout are quite tough compared to most opther climbing walls, expressed in French and english tech grades for routes and V and English tech grades for Bouldering. Whilst fairly expensive for a one off visit, around £15 including joining fee, there are longer term unlimited usage tickets available which offer verry good value if you can visit more frequently. e.g. £115 for a quarter which means you can climb for 7 or 8 quid if you are prepared to visit a couple of times a week. Easy access from Manor House tube stop on the Piccadilly line. The only downside is probably the inevitable popularity although you never have to wait long as there are plenty of routes to do. read more

I have climbed here a couple of times now, sampled the shop, the cafe and brought along groups of local kids too, it's a great place. The staff are a friendly bunch too! If there is a niggle it's parking but it's a small niggle given the other easy transport links to get here. read more

The new showers are awful ! What a waste of money. The old showers were excellent, the new showers have a trickle of water coming out of tiny holes, they have put in clear glass doors so everyone getting changed can watch you desperately trying to rinse the soap of with the miniscule amount of water that trickles from the pinhole that is supposed to be a shower nozzle.. shame :0( Johnathon. Ps, the Castle is a lovely place to climb with really friendly people and a good cafe, the shower are now rubbish and the lockers are too small, the old red lockers were excellent.. read more

The Castle climbing wall is, in my opinion, the best indoor climbing centre in London. Housed in a beautiful old castle, the centre provides the perfect alternative to the gym. I'm not much of an indoor climber, I much prefer the great outdoors, but living in London the options of rock climbs are limited so indoor walls it is. The Castle has over 450 routes with more than 90 roped lines so there are plenty to choose from. There are also 250 bouldering problems which are spread across two floors of the building. As with any climbing centre there are courses for beginners, intermediate & advanced, as well as various other options, such as women only sessions. It's a sociable place, decent music played as you climb and if you don't have a climbing partner you could stick to bouldering or sign up for a climbing partner. So much better than going to the gym!! read more

Lovely climbing centre with a wide variety of indoor climbing options and friendly staff, and it's actually in a castle! Or at least a really big old house that was built to look like a castle! read more

As someone who wrote a glowing review of Mile End Climbing wall, you may wonder what on earth I'm doing here? Well, I'm not a spy; after some thought I've decided to make the migration. I'm after a more active social scene and some new faces. For me, 2009 is about doing new stuff so in terms of climbing that means a) stopping bouldering as those traverses are wreacking havoc on my fingers and b) trying a new place. I'm far too lazy to bother schlepping it all the way over to the Westway and back after a hard day's work, so The Castle it is! I was always so resistant, as a staunch Mile End supporter, of people's protestations that the Castle was a great and wonderous experience now I see what all the fuss was about. For a start, the place is HUGE in a 'oh no, I think i've lost my friends' kind of way. They do some really well thought-out classes, such as climbing with grace and learning strong moves as well as the usual leading, bouldering and taster staples that you'd find at your usual wall. They have DJ nights on Thursdays, a well stocked climbing shop with hire facilities, a cafe with a dissapointing lack of healthy stuff on offer (what are you trying to do, people? Fatten me up?) But they don't charge for lockers, which is ace. The variety of climbing styles here is exemplary. Caves? Check. Lead climbs? Check. Toproping? Check? They also had the kind of punishing overhangs that I used to be addicted to pre-carpal tunnel They're open very late too (till 10 on some nights, so why go out to the club at all?) Oh and best of all they even have 'Women with Altitude' sessions on Mondays - a women only meet where you can find new climbing partners or if you are so inclined to (ahem) 'meet new people'. Am I getting my membership here next week? Heck yeah! read more

This place is incredible and a good substitute for going to the pub. It is a disused waterworks that looks like a castle, by the resevoir and boating clubs. Inside the walls are studded with climbing routes, from beginners' bouldering to expert scaling heights. There are introductory courses and different advanced courses in techniques. You need to show that you have the basic knowledge and safety skills before you can become a member; otherwise you need a member to accompany you. There is always great music playing and a comfy sofa to lounge upon if you need a rest. The cafe has wonderful toasties and cakes and teas and you can sit in awe watching the more experienced climbers hanging from the ceiling. Outside is a hammock, where those less energetically inclined relax and smoke. read more

This indoor climbing centre is easily the largest rock climbing venue in London. Some plus points: - very well equiped - lively - includes an on-site specialist shop where you can purchase and hire gear from - has courses of very different climbing grades which get changed weekly so you never get used to a certain climb - based in a converted castle (hence the name) you can even abseil down on of the castle's towers (around 80m in height) - very friendly atmosphere where novices and experts mix easily, and advice is given freely The only bad thing is that the changing rooms are a bit run down, but at the end of the day it's the climbing that important. read more

Edit (December): Well, the all-organic, green spirit has its drawbacks in winter... The upper space is heated, and crowded. The lower space isn't heated so much, and freezing. As are the showers. You're warned :-) Maybe the best indoor climbing center in London. It's a former Victorian mock-castle factory, so plenty of space. Routes are changed often, there are smaller and longer ones, some to be climbed as lead (no top rope), and five bouldering zones. The changing rooms are clean, lockers are in full view so safe; there is a small cafe, free wifi, and a small gear shop (harness, shoes renting possible). The whole place is managed with an eco-friendly policy, but still is very professional. read more

This place is awe inspiring inside and out. When I first looked at it I thought it was a museum inside or something, but the place is amazing. It seems to cater for all types of rock climbers not just all levels. They have all the help and equipment you would need if you were starting out. They have a great cafe, where after a hard afternoon on the walls you can sit back and watch others go up and down. They don't just let you hit the walls, if you are new you have to do an induction and if you know your stuff you have to show a member of staff that you do. I think this is great as it keeps the place safe and therefore fun. read more

Best indoor climbing in the world!

Need to reply to a few of the comments above. It is not actually an old castle - it is an old pumping station which was designed to look like a castle. There is another climmbing centre which is about as good. (or was 5 years ago - not been recently) which is the West way climbing centre in west london. Mile end and Biscuit factory are also acceptable venues, but not on the same level as the other two. Having said that, the castle is awesome. Excellent venue. Friendly staff. Routes well set and changed frequently. Brilliant boldering. read more