Winter Fun
Why have a winter fest? Emily talks about the reasons behind the upcoming winter fest in Aviemore and what's happening. ...
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Articles
Imposter Syndrome
Do you ever feel like you don't belong? Well, you do! Roxy talks about her experience of Imposter Syndrome. ...
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Dogs at Meetups
In Articles
Some people love their canine friends. Other people are scared. Here is our guidance for anyone thinking of bringing a dog to a Womenclimb meetup...
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2019 in Review
How WAS 2019? So many climbing achievements from women in the UK and around the world, from getting outdoors for the first time to new speed records. ...
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Top Tips for Exploring Nature
Do you know how to spot different trees and wildlife? Kathryn...
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Mountain Training Vacancies
In Articles
Men apply for jobs when they meet only 60% of the qualifications. Women? They only apply if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Mountain Training roles are out and they want more applications from women. Could this be you? ...
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Climbing in the Olympics – how it works
The Olympics is coming. And climbing is in it this time round. Get everything you need to know, here at Womenclimb, so you go into your competition viewing with all of the intel. ...
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EyeSend Belay Glasses // Review
In Articles
Have you tried out belay glasses? What do you think? EyeSend created a pair of adjustable belay specs that we tested out. Find out what we thought. ...
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An Introduction to Routesetting with Emma Twyford
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]At the climbing wall, a well set route is a pleasure to climb. It keeps us engaged, challenges us in different ways and gives us a kick when we top out. We may not realise it at the time, or even think about it, because when it's...
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#Tasty Tuesday – Winter Squash Soup
The PERFECT winter warmer for those chilly crag days - squash soup that's quick too prepare and tastier than a sarnie!...
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Winter Warriors – The Beginnings
What makes an amazing climbing friendship? Gemma and Charlie are delivering our 2020 winter mountaineering courses and they tell all about their heartwarming story....
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Buying your First Climbing Shoes
Where do you even get started buying your first pair of climbing shoes? What should you think about? Womenclimb is here to help you make those decisions as you start your climbing journey...
Read MoreHow to Find an Outdoor Climbing Course
In Articles
Whether you're looking to get out on rock for the first time or build up your existing skills, finding the right outdoor climbing course can be challenging, especially if you're new to the sport or have done all your previous learning from friends and are...
Read More#TastyTuesday: Halloumi Burgers with Asian Twist
In Articles
Quick tasty vegetarian snacks for the crag or climbing wall can be hard to think up. Our resident foodie, Alice Rosso, brings you a #TastyTuesday recipe to make your mouth water.
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Introduction to Mountain Training UK Awards
In Articles
Mountain Training UK have lots of skills courses and qualifications, but what are they all about? Find out here with Emily Bennington's brilliant summary.
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Pride in Our Climbing Community
Last year Climbing Magazine published a feature article on Jamie Logan, one of the great pioneers in North American free climbing and all around badass. After blazing a path of first ascents and first free ascents across North America, Jamie Logan transitioned to female in...
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The Trad Journey – Part 3/3
By now, you’re hopefully feeling some psych for getting out and trying your hand at trad climbing. At first you may spend a long time seconding (following) your climbing partner/s up a variety of trad routes to get into the trad vibe and get used...
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The Trad Journey – Part 2/3
The next stop on your trad journey, is, of course, the kit. All of that lovely shiny expensive climbing gear that clinks so nicely at the local crag. The trad climbers metal skirt. But what is it all? What are those dangly, noisy items trad...
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How to improve your lead climbing outdoors: Intro
Climbing is a mental challenge for me. I’ve felt embarrassed and frustrated in equal measure at my slow progress in trad lead climbing outdoors. If I had a pound for every time my friends and climbing partners said ‘you can easily do that – it’s well within your capability’, before...
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Final Ascent: The Legend of Hamish MacInnes Film Review
Hamish MacInnes is a renowned Scottish Mountaineer, credited with inventing the metal ice axe, the MacInnes stretches used in mountain rescue and many first ascents of mountains around the globe. This film charts his life almost in reverse. Currently 89, the film documents his life...
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Getting back into climbing
Whether it’s running out of time, life getting in the way, or recovering from injuries, sometimes you have to take a break from climbing. This seems to be something I do pretty often, every year. Getting back on the wall can then feel like a...
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The Trad Journey – Part 1/3
The road to trad climbing is littered with lingo, gear, and a very specific set of skills. But don’t let that put you off! If you want to get into trad climbing but aren’t sure where to start - look no further! What even is trad...
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Climbing Exercises for Beginners
Starting out with climbing can seem quite daunting at first: completely new kit, knots and belaying techniques that need to be learnt, and the lingo that goes along with a new sport. If you’re just starting out, try...
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Destination Guides – by you!
Do you have a favourite crag you want to shout about? Have you stumbled on the perfect set of beginner's boulders? Esoteric or popular; piddly 9 metre single pitch gruntwork or long multipitch exposure; everything in between and around...
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Film Review: ‘Liv along the way’
This short 24 minute Salomon film, shown as part of the Mountains on Stage Lineup, demonstrates the formidable strength of Liv Sansoz. Her aim is to climb all the summits in the Alps that are over 4000metres, of which there are a hearty 82, in...
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Climbing Books to Enjoy This Summer
As the Easter weekend proved, summer is well underway. More daylight and longer hours means much more time spent outdoors, but that doesn’t mean you need to neglect climbing completely during your down time....
Read MoreWTF is the Women’s Trad Festival?!
If you were one of the lucky ticket-holders to the Women's Trad Festival (WTF) last year, you'll probably know that tickets sold out in 4 minutes. Yes, you read that right. We caught up with 3 of the the organisers - Charlie, Hetty and Ellie -...
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Womenclimb Founder Members Announced
The news you've been waiting for. I am thrilled to announce Womenclimb's official Founder Members. These incredible women have etched their names in Womenclimb history: Siddrah Aslam Anna Knight Lorna Fewtrell Joan Bambrick Mimi McNaull Gemma Sutherington Jo Carran Claire Brooke Jo Chitty Jo Cooke Lila Khoja Vaila McClure Anouska Anderson Gillian Hutton Hannah Sydney Mary Scott Paula Holt Angela...
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Womenclimb’s First Member
Congratulations to Siddrah Aslam who has won our competition to win a year's free Womenclimb membership and has become Womenclimb's first ever official member. I first went bouldering with my friends in my early 20's. As soon as I started getting higher up the wall...
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#6 Easy Access Resources
If you've ever felt lost and not sure how to progress, our downloadable resources can help you to identify areas to develop and learn new climbing skills and techniques, all in one place. No more hunting round the internet for trustworthy and reliable resources once...
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#5 Get Better, Get Training
Plenty of us want to get better, but don't know how. That is where Womenclimb training comes in. Join women around the UK who have already benefitted from our dedicated training programmes, face-to-face and remote-access online. Whether it's the practical skills for climbing or managing...
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Climbing and the Olympics: Part One
Are you excited?! Just in case you haven’t heard (are you living in a climbing-free cave?), in 2016 it was announced that Sport Climbing, along with Skateboarding, Surfing and Karate, would be trialed at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. But a climbing competition? How do you...
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#4 Exclusive Discounts
At the heart of what we do is this: people. When you sign up as a member of Womenclimb, you are creating and becoming part of an authentic community that is committed to supporting women to achieve their goals, in more ways than one. ...
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Why go to a Womenclimb Meetup?
Ever wanted to climb, but none of your friends are available? Ever felt daunted by a particular route, unsure how to go about it? Join one of our monthly Indoor Meetups, all across the UK! Each meetup is led by a wonderful Womenclimb Ambassador: ‘I became an ambassador for Womenclimb because...
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#2 Indoor Meetups
Have you ever been in a position where you really want to go climbing, but no-one else is free? Or you want to push yourself further, but just don't know how? Womenclimb Meetups are for you! Every month, as a member, you will get FREE...
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Destination Guide: Thorn Crag
I’ll be honest. I discovered Thorn Crag as a result of a somewhat desperate Google search: “easy bouldering UK”. As that search indicates, I am by no means a boulderer. A nasty ankle injury bouldering indoors early in my climbing career, compounded by a trip to Font with...
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Reasons to become a Womenclimb member
Have you ever felt like you can’t find the right climbing partner?Would you like to climb more and get better at climbing? Do you want a confidence boost?Have you hit a climbing plateau? Natasha Hirst photography Womenclimb membership is here to help with these things and...
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Training Exercises for Bouldering
Going to the bouldering gym to crush your project is a satisfying and fun way to climb, but what about those days when you want something a little less intense while still...
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Women’s Leadership Opportunity
The Outward Bound Trust has launched an exciting new Women's Leadership Course (closing date 22nd April 2019). Kate O'Brien, Project Manager at the Trust, spoke to us about the scheme to give some insight into what the scheme is about and who they are looking...
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Outdoor Meetup Success
Excited climbers joined the first official Womenclimb Meetup at Stanage Popular End to meet new climbing partners, learn new tricks and gain confidence in their outdoor climbing as the UK trad climbing season kicks off, now the clocks have gone forward. Here's what we got...
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Bouldering in Finland: Part Three
Then and Now, Courtesy of the Ice Age “Finnish bouldering is as good as anywhere, and there is a lot of it”, one keen climber summed up in the Finnish climbing documentary Cold Stone. It is easy to second that. You’ll notice granite blocks dotting the forest floor...
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Bouldering in Finland: Part Two
Spring Fin Bouldering, Åland Island Life Anssi Laatikainen photography Spring sunshine is brushing the surface of red granite blocks in Åland’s Djupviksgrottorna (more casually, Grottan). The granite here is slated in such a way that the ubiquitous roofs look like they’ve been constructed from stacked up Lego blocks. The hold-potential of those...
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Bouldering in Finland: Part One
Planning your next Adventure Holiday: Lappnor Projects Weak rays of autumn sunlight reach through the twigs of an evergreen forest. A dirt road slithers between the trees, becoming more and more uneven as it runs deeper into the forest. It is Sunday in mid-August, and the boulder...
Read More7 Reasons I Chose my Climbing Gym
There has been a recent explosion of bouldering gyms around Sydney, and having climbed at each of them, let me tell you why I travel one hour each way to get to the gym I chose. It’s in Lane Cove, and it’s called 9 Degrees...
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20 Ways to Motivate Yourself on a Can’t Be Bothered Day
The days are getting longer, the air feels a little warmer, the spring is coming. Now is the time to get into the climbing gym and get ready for the season, so you can reap the fruit throughout the summer. But what happens when you...
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Climb Catalunya Interview // Natasha Hirst
20 women, 4 climbing coaches, 1 photographer and 3 hosts = one amazing climbing trip. In November 2018 we came together for a very special climbing trip in Spain. It was a spectacular trip, filled with new friendships, climbing firsts and lots of laughter....
Read MoreBouldering in the Falklands
Falkland Islander Lisa Watson is a keen boulderer and editor of the Falklands local newspaper. She and her partner Jonny Summers are on a mission to build the Islands first bouldering gym. Find her on Instagram @lisapenguin and on Twitter @lisafalklands Being capable of shearing 300...
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Best VS crags
Spring is finally here and our trad gear is rattling to get out of the closet and onto the crag. For some early season inspiration we thought we’d bring you five of the best crags in England and Wales (sorry Scotland and NI!) for climbing...
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Bouldering. 101.
Noticed a new bouldering gym pop up in town and want to try it? Good. New to bouldering? Even better. Here’s a cheat sheet for you: The wall Natasha Hirst Photography The indoor bouldering gym usually hosts a 20 foot (or 6.1 metre) wall. It is an artificially constructed...
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Bouldering Vocabulary
Natasha Hirst Photography Enjoying the bouldering wall, but not sure what the lingo's all about? Here's a quick guide to get you started: Barn door: when the body swings open from the same hand and foot being positioned on the wall Beta: information about the moves, approach...
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