Climbing Wall

A climbing wall is a tall, artificial wall covered in coloured holds that you grip and stand on as you climb to the top. Climbers wear a harness clipped to a rope, so they're held safely all the way up and gently lowered back down. It's a great way for families to try rock climbing without a cliff in sight.

Walls can be indoors or outdoors, and many have several routes side by side. Some are gentle slabs with big, chunky holds. Others are steeper, with small holds and overhangs that lean out over your head.

Top rope climbing is where most people start. The rope runs from your harness up to an anchor at the top and back down to a belayer, the person on the ground who takes in the slack and holds you if you slip.

Some walls use an auto-belay instead. It's a device at the top that takes in the rope as you climb and lowers you slowly when you let go.

Bouldering is climbing on shorter walls with no rope, above thick crash mats. Lead climbing is for experienced climbers, who clip the rope into the wall as they go. Speed climbing is a race up a set route against the clock. Sport climbing, which brings bouldering, lead and speed together, made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games.

Every session starts with a safety briefing. Your Activity Leader fits your harness, checks it and clips you onto the rope. Then they show you how to use the holds. Big ones you can wrap your hand around are called jugs, tiny edges are crimps and smooth, rounded ones are slopers.

The secret is to climb with your legs, not your arms. Keep your arms fairly straight, push up with your feet and try to keep three points of contact on the wall. When you reach the top, or decide you've gone high enough, you lean back, sit into your harness and walk your feet down the wall as you're lowered. Once everyone feels confident, there's often a challenge to try, like racing the clock.

Yes, and lots of children take to it straight away. Climbing is a bit like a puzzle, as you work out which hold to reach for next. There's no need to reach the top to feel proud, because every step higher is a win. Families can climb side by side on neighbouring routes, and cheering each other on is half the fun.

Wear closed-toe shoes with good grip and clothes you can move in. Shorts, leggings or trousers work best, as skirts and dresses don't sit well under a harness. Take off dangling jewellery, empty your pockets and tie back long hair.

You might also like Tree Climbing, Zipwire and Flying Trapeze.

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