Teen Social
What it is: Our Teen Social is a casual, drop-in session aimed at 16-19 year old experienced boulderers. A Highball coach will be on-hand to offer advice on techniques and skill until 21:00. This is an opportunity to climb and socialise in a safe and welcoming environment with others of a similar age group. Ideal for those who have come through our NICAS Bouldering program. No commitment required, each week can be booked separately.
When is it: Every Friday 6:30pm – 9:30 pm (arrive and leave at any time)
Who’s it for: Individuals aged 16-19
Price: Entry priced at standard Concession rate £11.50 or multi-pass/membership holders.
Climbing is a fantastic activity for teenagers. It’s exciting, social, and develops good balance, coordination and strength. The only complication is that, because of the nature of the sport, there are a lot of rules we all need to abide by. They apply to all climbing centres in the country and are designed to keep everybody as safe as possible.
Here’s a quick summary of the rules:
Can register for unsupervised climbing once they have achieved their Greencard (see below).
Can attend any of the adult courses where they can learn to climb independently and without supervision; effectively this is a fast track Greencard.
We have a range of supervised climbing sessions suitable for teenagers, from one-off taster sessions, to pay as you go club sessions and ongoing coaching.
All these sessions can support the achievement of a Greencard
A Greencard allows teenagers aged 14+ to climb and/or boulder without the supervision of an adult. It is a privilege earned by displaying safe climbing under supervision and having an understanding and acceptance of the risks. Teenagers who wish to climb unsupervised must attend a course or a number of supervised sessions before taking the unsupervised access test in the presence of a parent or guardian*.
Note: A Greencard is a privilege, not a right. Young climbers who climb dangerously or behave immaturely could have their Greencard removed.
Teenagers aged 14+ who want to have unsupervised access to the bouldering walls will need to attend an Intro to Bouldering course.
Once the climber demonstrates a clear understanding of the risks of indoor bouldering and consistent safe bouldering and behaviour, the instructor will ask the climber to invite their parent/guardian to join them for the sign off briefing*. 16 & 17-year-olds can opt for direct access via the Bouldering Induction.