How did I get on at the Women's Climbing Symposium? I talk about my WCS experience and what I got out of it. Read on to find out about my journey. I’ve been climbing indoors and out, for around 5 years, but overhangs and climbs requiring any arm muscles have always intimidated me. It’s never been an area I have felt comfortable pushing … [Read more...]
Celebrating our friends’ successes
Our mini-series this week is celebrating the climbing achievements of our friends - the friends who support, motivate or challenge us; the friends who have faced their climbing fears; the friends who have overcome obstacles through climbing; the friends who are just awesome to climb with. We'll also be sharing exclusive stories from Mina … [Read more...]
Women’s Climbing Symposium 2018: A Report
The Women’s Climbing Symposium is a UK based event with speakers from across the world talking about their climbing experiences and renowned coaches helping to develop individual climbing skills, aiming to ‘Connect, Develop and Inspire’ women in the climbing community. The event is organised by bouldering queen and olympic-hopeful Shauna … [Read more...]
Celebrating our success: Michaela Tracy
Our final story in this week's mini-series comes from Michaela Tracy, one of the UK's top multi-discipline climbers. Having been climbing for nearly 20 years, Michaela has some impressive achievements under her belt: redpointing sport 8bs, E5 trad onsights, boulder problems up to 8A, and podium wins in national and world championships. We caught up … [Read more...]
Shirts On or Shirts Off???
Should Climbing Gyms Adopt a Shirts-On Policy? Climbing culture is about inclusivity, which is why shirtless climbing can be a sensitive issue. In this article, Tess talks about her thoughts on why going shirtless should be accepted within the climbing community. Exercising shirtless is widely practiced among other sports, so climbing … [Read more...]
Busting Climbing Myths #4: Trad, Lead, Sport, what do these terms all mean and do I need a partner?
As with any sport, there is always a whole bag of new lingo to pick up and climbing is definitely a guilty candidate. There are many different types of climbing and some may suit your lifestyle and time more than others. Whatever one you like the most, it’s very easy to transfer skills from one to the other. Bouldering This involves climbing … [Read more...]
Busting Climbing Myths #3 – Everyone is looking at you…
“No one is thinking about you. They're thinking about themselves, just like you.” Unfortunately, this doesn’t always apply in the climbing world. Our third myth is slightly different, in that it isn’t a myth. To be truthful, people are watching you, but it doesn't mean it's a bad thing. Let’s have a look at reframing those thoughts and exploring … [Read more...]
Building the first Bouldering Gym 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. So what's it like climbing in the Falklands? … [Read more...]
White Spider // London // Review
I have wanted to climb at the White Spider ever since I began climbing in London, but it always felt a little bit too far as it is completely on the other side of town for me. But finally, I managed to coordinate things so I could climb there on a Friday night on the way to an outdoor climbing destination. And we managed to get there on the day the … [Read more...]
Film Competition // Women in Adventure Part 3
Women Climb needs your films! There are not enough women in adventure films – you can help be the change we all want to see. We are delighted to announce the third Women in Adventure Film Competition in association with The BMC and ShAFF. This year’s competition has a £1200 prize fund to give you an added incentive, on top of the feel good … [Read more...]