The Mountaineering Scotland Ready to Rock program offers you the opportunity to experience the world class climbing and bouldering we have on our doorstep in Scotland, learn new skills that will help you on your own climbing journey, and inspire a lifelong passion and respect for climbing and the outdoors.
The courses offer introductions to rock climbing and bouldering, sport climbing and trad climbing, catering for beginners through to more experienced climbers and everything in-between! The mixed and women-only sessions run through the summer at locations across Scotland, lead by experienced climbing instructors in partnership with the Association of Mountaineering Instructors.
Here's a brief description of what's on offer - scroll down for more info, dates and locations:
| Course name | Who's it for? |
|---|---|
| Introduction to outdoor bouldering | If you’ve never tried bouldering before or boulders indoors and want to try it outdoors |
| Coached Outdoor Bouldering Sessions | If you boulder indoors or out at all experience levels, to
enjoy a day of social bouldering supported by an expert coach |
| Introduction to Rock Climbing | If you have never climbed or have done a little indoor
climbing and wants to try climbing outdoors |
| Progression Rock Climbing | If you have regular experience of climbing indoors and can competently put on a harness, tie a figure of eight knot and belay from the bottom of a route. |
| Learn to Sport Climb | If you consistently climb 6a indoors and are a competent bottom-rope belayer. Experience of indoor lead climbing and belaying beneficial but not essential |
| Sport Climbing Improvers | If you have experience of sport lead climbing and lead belaying indoors, and sport lead climbing outdoors or have attended Learn to Sport Climb course |
| Learn to Lead Trad – Seconding & Leading | If you are consistently lead climbing indoors, a competent lead belayer and have some experience of climbing outdoors (ideally our Progression Rock Climbing session) |
| Trad Climbing Improvers | If you have attended a Ready to Rock Progresion course or a Mountain Training Rock Skills course, or have min of 5 Trad lead climbs. |
A first step into outdoor Bouldering. This one-day course offers you the chance to experience outdoor bouldering under the supervision of our expert coach, learning some new skills that can start you on your outdoor climbing journey.
This course is ideal for members who have never climbed before or boulder indoors but would like to try climbing on real rock.
Instructor to climber ratio 1:8.
The course will cover:
Equipment
Prerequisites
Cost
Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr
This one-day course is run as a member’s bouldering social accompanied by an expert coach to give you all the tips and tricks to get the most out of your climbing. It's an opportunity to meet up with other psyched boulderers from across Scotland and visit some of the best bouldering venues around.
This course is ideal for members who boulder, indoors or out at all experience levels, and would like to visit some of the country’s best venues.
Instructor to climber ratio 1:8.
The course will cover:
Equipment
Prerequisites
Cost
Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr
This one-day course is a first step into outdoor rock climbing. Experience outdoor rock climbing with the safety of a Bottom-Rope, learning some new skills that can start you on your outdoor climbing journey.
This course is ideal for members who have never climbed before or done a little climbing indoors but would like to try climbing on real rock.
Instructor to climber ratio 1:6.
The course will cover:
Equipment
Prerequisites
Cost
Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr
This one-day course is designed to take your indoor climbing skills and applying them to outdoor Sport Climbing. Learn the art of Sport Climbing and pick up some skills to help you become an independent sport climber.
Instructor to climber ratio 1:4.
The course will cover:
Equipment
Prerequisites
Cost
Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr
Now you’re a sport climber let’s make you a pro. Learn some advanced technical and movement skills to make your Sport Climbing as safe and efficient as possible on this one-day course.
Instructor to climber ratio 1:4.
The course will cover:
Equipment
Prerequisites
Cost
Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr
This one-day course is designed to progress your outdoor climbing and teach you about how to effectively move on rock, protect yourself and take that first step to becoming an independent outdoor climber.
Instructor to climber ratio 1:4.
Please note: This is not a lead climbing course but a progression on the way to becoming a lead climber.
The course will cover:
Equipment
Prerequisites
Cost
Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr
This two-day course is designed as the next step on your journey to becoming a safe and independent Trad Climber. Looking at the skills to be a competent second and looking at what’s involved in lead climbing.
Instructor to climber ratio 1:2.
The course will cover:
Equipment
Prerequisites
Cost
Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr
Women's Courses
Now you can trad climb, let’s make you a pro. Through perfecting ropework skills and gear placements, to making the best decisions and problems solving, it’s time to perfect your Trad Climbing on this one-day course.
Instructor to climber ratio 1:2.
The course will cover:
Equipment
Prerequisites
Cost
Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr
In the event of poor weather, Mountaineering Scotland will not cancel any course. Most of our sessions can be run despite unfavourable weather, and other venue choices may provide dry rock. It will be at the discretion of the Lead Instructor to make, and participants will be contacted with full details prior to the course.
The instructors for these courses will hold an MIA or MIC and be members of AMI, the Association of Mountaineering Instructors. You'll find the name of the instructor for each course next to the venue and date for that course.
As a rock climber, there are many good reasons to join Mountaineering Scotland, which is the representative body in Scotland for mountaineers, hill walkers, climbers and snowsports tourers. There are numerous discounts which can repay your annual subs in one shopping trip, and a whole host of other membership benefits.
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ClimbScotland is a registered trademark of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland Limited
Mountaineering Scotland is a registered trademark of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland Limited
