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Ready to Rock: outdoor climbing

Ready to Rock courses are run in a partnership with Mountaineering Scotland and the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI).

Please note:

Locations: The exact locations for the courses will be decided prior to the events by the instructors depending on weather and rock conditions, but they will take place within the general area stated. You will be contacted by the instructor in advance with all the details.

Ready to Rock - outdoor climbing courses Scotland

This one-day course is for members who have never climbed before or who has done a little climbing indoors but would like to try climbing outdoors on real rock.  

Instructor to climber ratio 1:6

The course will cover:

  • Fitting harness and helmet
  • Tying in to the rope
  • Belaying from below and lowering
  • Abseiling
  • Crag etiquette and use of guidebooks
  • Movement coaching on real rock

Equipment

  • All technical equipment will be provided by the instructor other than rock shoes (these are not vital for this course)

Cost

  • Mountaineering Scotland members: £60

Not a member? Join us from just £23.50/yr 

  • 26 April 2024 - Introduction to Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Bennybeg - Bookings open
  • 7 & 14 May 2024 - Introduction to Rock Climbing (two-evening courses) - Blackford Quarry - Bookings open
  • 11 May 2024 - Introduction to Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Kingussie Crags - Bookings open 
  • 28 September 2024 -Introduction to Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Kingussie Crags - Bookings open 
  • 6 October 2024 - Introduction to Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Kingussie Crags - Bookings open


Women's Courses 

  • 18 May 2024 - Women's Introduction to Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Kingussie Crag - Bookings open
  • 04 August 2024 - Women's Introduction to Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Blackford Quarry - Bookings open
  • 21 September 2024 - Women's Introduction to Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Blackford Quarry - Bookings open


This one-day course is designed to take members who are competent indoor climbers or those with some experience of outdoor climbing and help them develop their outdoor traditional climbing. 

 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

  • Recap of the basics (see Introduction to Rock Climbing)
  • Placing and removing gear
  • Building and equalising belays
  • Abseiling with a prussik
  • Belaying from the top of a route
  • Movement skills coaching

Equipment

  • All technical equipment will be provided by the instructor other than rock shoes

Cost

  • Mountaineering Scotland members: £85

Not a member? Join us from just £23.50/yr 

  • 28 April 2024 - Progression Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Kingussie Crag - Bookings open
  • 5 May 2024 - Progression Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Kingussie Crag - Bookings open
  • 10 May 2024 - Progression Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Creag Na h-eigh - Bookings open
  • 12 May 2024 - Progression Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Kingussie Crag - Bookings open
  • 15 June 2024 - Progression Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Rosyth Quarry - Bookings open
  • 11 & 18 July 2024 - Progression Rock Climbing (two-evening courses) - Rosyth Quarry - Bookings open
  • 14 July 2024 - Progression Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Kingussie Crag - Bookings open
  • 12 October 2024 - Progression Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Kingussie Crag - Bookings open

Women's Courses

  • 23 June 2024 - Women's Progression Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Kingussie Crag - Bookings open
  • 31 August 2024 - Women's Progression Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Rosyth Quarry - Bookings open
  • 29 September 2024 - Women's Progression Rock Climbing (one-day course) - Rosyth Quarry - Bookings open

This one-day course is designed to take members who can competently climb indoors and translate these skills to outdoor sport crags. 

Participants must be consistently climbing 6a-6b indoors and be a competent top-rope be-layer. Some experience of indoor lead climbing would be beneficial.

Instructor to climber ratio 1:4

The course will cover:

  • Lead belaying
  • Lead sports climbing
  • Threading lower offs
  • Movement coaching

Equipment
  • All technical equipment will be provided by the instructor other than rock shoes

Cost

  • Mountaineering Scotland members: £85

Not a member? Join us from just £23.50/yr 

  • 21 June 2024 - Learn to Lead Sport (one-day course)  - Bennybeg - Bookings open
  • 13 July 2024 - Learn to Lead Sport (one-day course) - Kingussie Crag - Bookings open
  • 16 August 2024 - Learn to Lead Sport (one-day course)  - Dollar Quarry - Bookings open
  • 1 September 2024 - Learn to Lead Sport (one-day course) - Bennybeg - Bookings open
  • 13 October 2024 - Learn to Lead Sport (one-day course) - Kingussie Crag - Bookings open


Women's Courses

  • 21 July 2024 - Women's Learn to Lead Sport (one-day course) - Bennybeg - Bookings open
  • 5 October 2024 - Women's Learn to Lead Sport (one-day course) - Bennybeg - Bookings open

This two-day course is designed to take members who can competently lead climb indoor or on sports routes and have some experience of climbing outdoors and introduce them to leading traditionally protected routes.  

Participants will be a competent indoor lead climber with some experience of outdoor climbing or be a competent outdoor lead sports climber.

Instructor to climber ratio 1:2

The course will cover:

  • Movement technique on real rock
  • Footwear and equipment
  • Belaying a trad lead
  • Lead climbing
  • Placing and removing traditional gear
  • Setting up belays
  • Setting up retrievable abseils
  • Background planning

Equipment

  • All technical equipment will be provided by the instructor other than rock shoes

Cost

  • Mountaineering Scotland members: £240

Not a member? Join us from just £23.50/yr 

  • 4 & 5 May 2024 - Learn to Lead Trad (two-day course) - Glen Nevis, Polldubh Crags - Bookings open
  • 8 & 9 June 2024 - Learn to Lead Trad (two-day course) - Creag Na h-eigh and Dunkeld - Bookings open
  • 8 & 9 June 2024 - Learn to Lead Trad (two-day course) - Glen Nevis, Polldubh Crags - Bookings open
  • 6 & 7 July 2024 - Learn to Lead Trad (two-day course) - Rosyth Quarry - Bookings open
  • 20 & 21 July 2024 - Learn to Lead Trad (two-day course) - Glen Nevis, Polldubh Crags - Bookings open
  • 10 & 11 August 2024 - Learn to Lead Trad (two-day course) - Glen Nevis, Polldubh Crags - Bookings open
  • 24 & 25 August 2024 - Learn to Lead Trad (two-day course) - Creag Na h-eigh and Dunkeld - Bookings open
  • 14 & 15 September 2024 - Learn to Lead Trad (two-day course) - Rosyth Quarry - Bookings open

Women's Courses 

  • 4 & 5 May 2024 - Learn to Lead Trad (two-day course) - Rosyth Quarry - Bookings open
  • 10 & 11 August 2024 - Learn to Lead Trad (two-day course) - Glen Nevis - Bookings open
  • 17 & 18 August 2024 - Learn to Lead Trad (two-day course) - Rosyth Quarry - Bookings open

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.

Check out instructor profiles.



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.

Discover more about joining Mountaineering Scotland.

Membership of Mountaineering Scotland