Ready to Rock: outdoor climbing courses

The Mountaineering Scotland Ready to Rock program offers accessible opportunities for our members to experience the world class climbing we have on our doorstep in Scotland, learn new skills that will help them on their own climbing journey, and inspire a lifelong passion and respect for climbing and the outdoors.

These courses cover introductions, sport climbing and trad climbing, catering for beginners through to more experienced climbers and everything in-between. 

Unsure which course is right for you? Take a look at our suggested course pathway below:

Ready to Rock - outdoor climbing courses Scotland

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:

  • Fitting harness and helmet
  • Tying into 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)

Prerequisites

  • Open to any Mountaineering Scotland member who wants to give outdoor climbing a try

Cost

  • Mountaineering Scotland members: £77

Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr 

Women's Courses 


Ready to Rock - outdoor climbing courses Scotland

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:

  • Lead belaying
  • Lead sports climbing skills
  • Threading lower offs
  • Movement coaching
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Equipment

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

Prerequisites

  • Participants must be consistently climbing 6a indoors.
  • Participants must be a competent Bottom-Rope belayer.
  • Some experience of indoor lead climbing and lead belaying would be beneficial but not essential.

Cost

  • Mountaineering Scotland members: £110

Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr

Women's Courses 


Ready to Rock - outdoor climbing courses Scotland

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:

  • Advanced Sport Climbing skills
  • Advanced belaying skills
  • Projecting skills
  • Advanced movement coaching
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Equipment

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

Prerequisites

  • Participants must have some experience of Sport Lead climbing outdoors or have attended a Ready to Rock Learn to Sport Climb course.
  • Participants must be consistently lead climbing indoors.
  • Participants must be able to belay another lead climber.

Cost

  • Mountaineering Scotland members: £120

Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr


Ready to Rock - outdoor climbing courses Scotland

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:

  • 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

Prerequisites

  • Participants must be able to put on a harness, tie a figure of eight knot and competently bottom-rope belay another climber.

Cost

  • Mountaineering Scotland members: £110

Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr 

Women's Courses 

Ready to Rock - outdoor climbing courses Scotland

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:

  • Movement technique on real rock
  • Competent seconding skills
  • Belaying a trad lead
  • Placing and removing traditional gear
  • Setting up belays
  • Setting up retrievable abseils
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.

Equipment

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

Prerequisites

  • Participants must be consistently lead climbing indoors.
  • Participants must be able to belay another lead climber.
  • Participants must have some experience of climbing outdoors (ideally through prior Ready to Rock Progression courses).

Cost

  • Mountaineering Scotland members: £260

Not a member? Join us from just £28/yr

Women's Courses 

Ready to Rock - outdoor climbing courses Scotland

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:

  • Advanced movement technique
  • Lead climbing skills
  • Perfecting traditional gear placements
  • Setting up complex belays
  • Decision making – understanding risk evaluation and management.
  • Solving common problems

Equipment

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

Prerequisites

  • Participants must have attended a Ready to Rock Progression course, or a Mountain Training Rock Skills course, or have a minimum of 5 Trad Lead climbs.
  • Participants must be consistently lead climbing indoors.
  • Participants must be able to competently belay another lead climber.

Cost

  • Mountaineering Scotland members: £140

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.

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