Being a member of the Imperial College Mountaineering Club is about having fun climbing, whatever your level. We provide the equipment and an awesome social atmosphere to allow people to pursue their interest in climbing. We’re a tight knit community active in all climbing disciplines including bouldering to winter and beyond and as a beginner our members and their experience are some of your most valuable resources. This guide focuses on getting started indoor climbing with the club.
Who is this club for?
The club formally welcomes:
- Current/former Imperial College Students (undergrads & postgrads)
- Imperial College post-docs / staff
- Associate members of the Imperial College Union, including students from other institutions, the Royal College of Art and Royal College of Music.
Regular indoor sessions
The club’s members generally meetup to climb indoors a few times a week:
| Day/Time | Center | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 6-9pm | Ravenswall | Bouldering | postgrad, undergrads welcome |
| Wednesday 1-6pm | WestWay | Bouldering + top-rope/lead | mostly undergrad |
| Thursday 6-9pm | WestWay | Bouldering + top-rope/lead | mostly postgrad |
If you’re just starting out, the Wednesday WestWay or Monday Ravenswall sessions are the best options, as no training is needed to boulder.
Where to start ?
Westway
So how do you get started with your first session of climbing? Well there are a number of gyms in London but ICMC members regularly go to Westway Climbing Centre to climb since it has both roped climbing and bouldering while being fairly close to campus. If it’s your first time climbing we really advise going with an experienced friend or club member who can guide you through the basics. If you don’t have any friends that climb, reach out on the WhatsApp chat or to someone on the committee. Entry prices are listed below. As you can see it’s much cheaper to go off-peak as a student so make sure to remember your college card when you go.
The easiest way to go to Westway from South Kensington is using the 52 or 452 bus behind the Royal Albert Hall. The nearest tube station is Latimer Road which is served by the Circle and Hammersmith & City line.
| Peak | Entry | Off-Peak |
|---|---|---|
| Student Entry | £9.50 | £6.00 |
| Adult Entry | £12.50 | £9.50 |
| Entry times | Mon-Fri 5-10pm & Sat/Sun 8am-8pm | Mon-Fri 6am-5pm |
The LCC (Ravenswall, Vauxwall, Euston Wall, …)
The London Climbing Centres have the most climbing centres in London. The main ones the club goes to Ravenswall and Eustonwall.
Other notable climbing gyms
There are many other cool gyms accross London:
- Climbing Hangar (Parsons Green): excellent route setting, slightly cramped
- City Bouldering: close to White City Campus
- The Castle (Stoke Newington): the other roped climbing gym, quite far north
What should I bring?
There are a few things you’ll need for your first climbing session:
- Comfortable clothes that don’t restrict your movement.
- Your student ID
- A friend with experience in the type of climbing you want to do
Who should I talk to?
There are many ways to reach out to us! You can talk to us on WhatsApp, on Instagram, or even by email.
Make sure to check our FAQ page.
Club membership
Club membership is not required to attend the indoor climbing sessions, but the club has a lot more to offer!
Buying a club membership will give you access to:
- Weekend outdoor climbing trips
- Winter / Easter / Summer tours to climbing destinations further afield
- Borrow equipment from our club stores, which contain almost everything you could need to climb outdoors!
- Discounted entry at Ravenswall + included shoe rental, anytime Monday and Friday, offpeak the rest of the week.
You can buy a membership here.
Climbing theory
Want to learn a new form of climbing? Learn the theory beforehand using the links below. These tutorials come from VDiff Climbing, and may be slightly dated - there often isn’t a single solution to a problem in the climbing world, so trust those more experienced with a pinch of salt.
- Intro
- Climbing technique
- Top rope
- Lead
- Sport
- Self rescue (advanced sport)
- Trad
