There was a group of beginners climbing within a formal session as well as seasoned climbers at the centre which was a really great mix. I thought that I would feel a bit silly and out of place having never climbed before but the staff were very welcoming and it was good to be amongst others trying climbing out for the first time. The climbing session, which you pay a flat rate for as long as you like (we were at the centre for a few hours) and rental of a harness and footwear was very reasonably priced. The centre also has very good tea and biscuits to recoup some energy with.

The walls were really challenging with a huge amount of choice. Not only could you climb up the wall with the foot and handholds, but there were added features such as tiny finger grips or large cracks and chasms within the wall structure itself. One crack runs from floor to ceiling and apparently can be climbed entirely using just this, no mean feat. The other type of climbing I was taken with but was pitiful at was bouldering. Having never climbed before I was not aware of this type of climbing which involves moving along hand and footholds within a cave area which is very low to the ground which means you don’t need ropes. There are also plenty of crash mats within the area so a fall is well cushioned. As you are hanging pretty much, if not completely upside down, gripping to the wall and moving along it with the weight of the body on your fingertips and toes is a killer. This is something that I would like to get good at and apparently learning this can really improve overall climbing skills and endurance.

Red Point is a really impressive climbing centre, it is the only one I have been to so I don’t have anything to compare to apart from seeing the odd wall put up in the Bullring or when I have gone indoor snowboarding at Milton Keynes I watched some people tackling Vertical Chill. If you haven’t been I would definitely recommend. If you don’t have any friends that climb and can show you what to do Red Point have plenty of instruction.