Introduction Course Information Pack

This package contains information that you have hopefully already learned in
your introduction course as well as some new information to increase your
knowledge about climbing. Use it to reinforce what you have learned and as
reminder of important safety skills if you have not climbed for a while. It is
important that you practice these skills on your own soon after the
course and on a regular basis. There are special sessions facilitated by
Castle staff on weeknights to encourage you to practice ( The Session and
Women With Altitude, see Next Steps).

I. Safety Skills
II. Types of Climbing
III. Vocabulary/ climbing terms
IV. Climbing Skills
V. Basic Kit
VI. Next steps
VII. Further Information

I. Safety Skills

Following completion of this course you ought to feel comfortable in

understanding and performing the following essential safety skills.

1. Harnesses
Doubling back buckles
Correct tie-in points on different kinds of harnesses
Identifying the belay loop on different harnesses
Correct positioning of harness on body
2. Tying In
Re-threaded figure of eight knot
Safety knot
Where to tie in on the harness
3. Belaying
Threading the belay device
Taking the rope in safely
Holding a fall
Lowering a climber
Stance/position
Ground anchors- when and how to use them

Ground Anchors:
How to use ground anchors
When to use ground anchors
Ground anchors are available free from reception. You may also provide your
own anchors using a rope or sling to anchor the belayer to the appropriate
anchor points. Best practice notices are posted throughout the centre and on
tags attached to the ground anchors.

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 CHECK IT! Use the CHECK IT! signs located throughout the centre as
a reminder to check yourself and your partner before every climb.

Best practice: Floorwalkers and duty managers are always on hand to

advise you on best practice. There are also best practice notice boards for
traversing, bouldering, top roping, lead climbing and ground anchors located
throughout the centre.

It is important that you consolidate these safety skills and that you practice as
often as possible. If you have not come climbing in a while, look over this list
and make sure you understand and remember these skills. If you have any
doubt, ask a member of staff to help you.

II. Types of Climbing

Free climbing: Climbing using only the rock to advance. The rope is only
used to protect a fall. Both sport and traditional climbing are types of free
climbing.

Bouldering:
Short, technical climbing that may only require a few moves.
Close to the ground, usually over some sort of matting.
Practiced indoors and outdoors

Traversing: Progress horizontally rather than vertically along a

wall.

Indoor climbing:
Top-roping: (a.k.a. bottom-roping). Climbing up a wall using
a rope to protect a potential fall. The rope is already in place
through anchor points at the top of the climb.

Lead climbing: Climbing up, using the rope to protect a

potential fall. The climber must clip the rope through running
belays (runners, extenders, quickdraws) as he/she progresses
up the wall.

Outdoor climbing:
Sport climbing: Outdoor climbing where the crag has been
equipped with bolts in which quickdraws are placed to protect
the leader.

Traditional climbing: Outdoor climbing on rock that has not

been equipped with bolts. The leader must place protection in
the natural features (e.g. cracks, spikes) to protect a fall. The
second climber then removes the protection as they climb.

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Aid climbing: A form of ascending which relies on using gear/protection
to advance.

Grades: The Castle uses both UK and French grades to describe the routes.
The UK grade refers to the hardest technical move on the climb. These
grades range from 4a to 7a (4a, 4b, 4c, 5a). The French grade refers to
the overall difficulty of the route and range from 4 to 9a+ (4, 4+, 5, 5+, 6a,
6a+). Outdoors, UK grades will also have an adjective to describe how well
protected the route is ranging from Moderate to E10 (Extreme).

III. Vocabulary/climbing terms

1. Carabiners: a.k.a. crab, biner. Also spelled karabiner.

-screwgate or locking carabiners can be locked into a closed position
-HMS refers to the shape of the carabiner. These pear-shaped
carabiners should be used in conjunction with belay devices.

2. Belay device: Generic term for any friction device used to safeguard a
climber.
-specific belay devices include: ATC, Bug, Gri-Gri, Eight, Sticht plate,
Sheriff, Tuba and more.

3. Harness:
-tie-in points are where you pass the rope through when you tie in,
connecting the waist and leg loops. The tie in point varies depending
on the type of harness used. If you are unsure of where to tie in,
please ask a member of staff.
-the belay loop is where you connect the belay device to your
harness.
-doubling back is rethreading the straps through their buckles so as
to lock them off.
-Full-body harnesses are recommended for children under the age
of nine or adults with no definable hips.

4. Knots:
-Figure of Eight
-Re-threaded Figure of Eight: this is the knot we actually use to tie
in with. Having passed the rope through the tie-in point(s), we follow
the figure of eight knot with the free end of the rope.
-Safety knot: a.k.a stopper knot a knot used to secure the free
(tail) end of the re-threaded figure of eight. We usually use a half
double fishermans knot

5. Ropes
-live rope: the end of the rope going to the climber.
-dead or brake rope: the end of the rope coming out of the belay
device.

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6. Climbing commands
-Take!: asking belayer to take in excess rope
-Slack: asking belayer to release more rope

7. Other terms
-abseiling: when a climber descends a rope.
-lowering: when the belayer controls a climbers descent
-on-sighting: successfully completing a route with no prior
information on ones first attempt
-flashing: successfully completing a route with prior information on
ones first attempt
-beta: information about the route (e.g. where the crux move is, how
to do the moves)
-red-pointing: successfully completing a route (without rests) having
practiced it before (refers to leading a climb)
-b/o: bolt-on hold
-s.o.s.: screw on smear. Small hold attached to the wall by screws
(instead of bolts).

IV. Climbing Skills

Footwork
Edging: using the inside or outside edge of toe-box on a hold.
Smearing: pressing feet flat against a featureless wall.
Bridging: placing feet on either side of a corner.
Matching/swapping feet: transferring weight from one foot to
another on the same hold.
Rocking over: shifting weight onto a high foothold (sitting on the
hold).
Heel/Toe hooks: using the heel or toe around a hold or arte to
balance oneself.
Flagging: pressing foot against featureless wall to balance.

Hands
Palming: pressing against a hold or wall (usually used when bridging)
Crimping: pulling down on a small hold.
Side-pulls/laybacks: pulling on a hold horizontally, leaning away
from the hold to maximise its effectiveness.
Underclings/undercuts: Upside down holds. Best used by
stepping up into them with confidence.
Locking off: Having pulled on a hold, holding oneself in position with
one arm to move the other.
Jugs: Nice, big holds.
Arte: outside corner of wall, protruding corner.

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V. Basic Kit
A basic indoor climbing kit would consist of:
harness
boots
belay device
screwgate carabiner
chalk bag

These items are available for hire in urban Rock (shop across from
Reception).

VI. Next steps

Registration/ Payment Plans: To register, a climber must know how to

put on a harness, tie into that harness and belay a climber safely. Once
registered, you may opt for one of our payment plans (monthly, quarterly,
six-month, annual, direct debit or bulk-buy) or maintain the standard plan
with which you pay 9.50 per visit. If you will be coming regularly, it worth
getting a payment plan.

Novice climbers: Once registered, the member has access to The Castle
and may bring in up to two novice climbers, provided that the registered
member agrees to be responsible for them and supervise them. It is
recommended that climbers new to the sport consolidate their skills
before taking on such a responsibility.

Social climbing sessions:

As a free service for registered climbers, The Castle provides two informal
sessions hosted by members of staff. These experienced climbers will be
available to recommend routes/boulder problems, to encourage you and
answer any questions you may have. It is a great way to meet other climbers
of all levels of experience.
The Session: Wednesdays from 7 to 9.45 pm, Fridays 7:00 to
9.45 pm, Saturdays from 3 to 6 pm.
Women With Altitude: Mondays from 7 to 9.45 pm (women
only)

Advanced climbing courses:

Lead Climbing: After you have consolidated your safety skills

(minimum of three months) and are climbing graded routes (4c and
above), you may want to learn how to lead climb. This is an advanced
skill and we strongly recommend learning safely and comfortably from
experts. Four hour courses are run regularly on weekends with a 4:1
student to instructor ratio.

Advanced Bouldering Technique: Initially, you may progress very

rapidly up the grades. However, at some point you may become stuck

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 at a plateau, unable to crack those higher grades. Then its time for an
intense afternoon of bouldering technique. This four hour course
covers warming up, stretching, technique, setting problems and more
in a small group ratio of 4 students per instructor.

Personal Tuition: Personal tuition is available at any time to refresh

safety skills, work on bouldering technique or introduce novice climbers
to this sport.

For further information and to book course please visit our

website www.castle-climbing.co.uk- or see Reception.

Children: Children are always welcome to come under the supervision of an

adult registered climber (see Novice climbers). For 8 to 18 year olds,
instruction is available through Geckos, an independent company which uses
The Castle. For more information contact Dean on 07776 176 007 or visit
Geckos website- www.castle-climbing.co.uk/geckos.

Boulder Ladder: The Boulder Ladder is a monthly competition designed to

reward participants who show the greatest improvement from one
month to another. The entry fee is 1 and prizes are 50 in each of
the following categories- male, female and junior (under 16). Entry
forms and rules are available at Reception. More information is also
available on our website.

VII. Further Information

For further information, The Castle recommends the following:

Beginners Guide to Rock Climbing

How To Rock Climb
Moving up the grades
The Handbook of Climbing
Rock Climbing Skills: The Basics and Beyond (video)

The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) also has a wealth of

information about both indoor and outdoor climbing. The New Climber
booklet is available for free from Reception. Other booklets and information is
available on The BMCs website- www.thebmc.co.uk.

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 Price List
The Castle Climbing Centre, Green Lanes, Stoke Newington, London N4 2HA
Tel: 020 8211 7000, Fax: 020 8211 7720, Email: [email protected]

STANDARD ENTRY FEE

REGISTERED CLIMBERS: 10.00 per visit

Registration fee: 4 one-off fee

NON-REGISTERED CLIMBERS: 10.50 per visit

OFF PEAK CONCESSIONS: Students/ OAP/ UB40s before 4 p.m. Mon to Thur and all day 5.50 per visit
Friday, Saturday 10-12
Concession Registration fee: 2 one-off fee

NON-REGISTERED CONCESSIONS: before 4 p.m. Mon to Thu and all day Fri 6.00 per visit

UNDER 18: 5.50 per visit

FREE
Or when supervised by an adult climber with a payment plan

PAYMENT PLANS
Annual Six Month Quarterly Monthly
STANDARD 350 187 105 53
CONCESSION 178 95 56 27
Off peak only

BULK BUY:
Bulk Buy Memberships are for the sole use of the named cardholder only

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 11 visits for 100 or 20 visits for 158
(Off peak concessions 11 for 55 or 20 for 84)

MONTHLY DIRECT DEBIT:

36 per month

Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 2pm-10pm, Sat-Sun 10am-7pm, Bank Holidays 10am-10pm

w w w . c a s t l e - c l i m b i n g . c o . u k