Note: This course is run over TWO EVENINGS – 6.30pm to 9.30pm on Monday and again on Wednesday. That’s 6 hours total teaching time. Participants will need to sign up for both sessions to complete the course.

The aim of this course is to break down the lead-climbing and belaying process into small chunks and practice each separately, spending the second session putting it all together and practising/tweaking your technique to ensure the entire process is smooth and confident. We run through the following skills, continually refining them until they are committed to (muscle) memory:

Belayer Skills:
– Threading the belay device
– Partner checks
– Communication
– Hand position on the ropes
– ‘Spotting’ the climber
– Quickly taking, and giving rope
– Short-roping
– Watching for climber mistakes, providing feedback
– Catching leader falls (small to large)
– Feet position on the ground, on the wall

Climber skills:
– Knot tying
– Communication
– Partner Checks
– Clipping the rope (and common mistakes)
– …More clipping (it is harder than it looks)
– Taking a leader-fall (we start small, don’t worry!)

Gear: you need your own harness and rock shoes for this course, everything else is provided.