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Welsh International |
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Sod the gym. If you want a hot body and a raised heart beat get yourself to an indoor climbing wall. Jon Kirk, climber, news hound and former Chalk magazine editor, picks the best Click to view Top 5 British Climbing Walls.
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Best Routes (Welsh International Climbing Centre) |
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 If you’ve got a head for heights, then this is the place for you. Nestling in the South Wales valleys, the WICC boasts the largest, and most imposing wall in Wales. Reaching the top of its 52ft-high main wall, which sports more than 30ft of horizontal overhangs, has become a right of passage for all visiting climbers. |
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“Well, we knocked the bastard off,” Edmund Hilary said famously after conquering Everest. The same phrase is not uncommon at the WICC, after climbers reach the top of its main lead wall.
At 52ft, though not the highest in Britain, it remains the tallest wall in Wales, and with at least 30ft of overhangs, poses a formidable obstacle for all but the strongest of climbers. |
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 Built at a cost of more than
£1 million in 1997, locals say the WICC stands-out in the picturesque Taff Bargoed valley like “Sydney Opera House rebuilt by Homebase”.
Nevertheless, don’t let its vulgar exterior put you off a visit: it contains 20,000sq feet of climbing, which includes more than 400 routes of varying difficulty (from F4 – F7c under the British grading system), and a large, but uninspiring, bouldering area.
Unusually, the wall has two walls made specifically for leading with hand-placed traditional gear – perfect for practicing outdoor climbing in a dry and (marginally) safer environment.
If you’re climbing by yourself, the WICC also has a mechanical auto-belay, which lowers you down slowly using a clever inertia system.Taster sessions are available for novices, families and children. According to its website, experience is not necessary, “just nerve”.
The WICC also houses one of Britain’s few indoor caving systems, with instruction available most days.
Should you choose to stay over in the 48-bed bunkhouse, be sure to take advantage of the gym and sauna on site.
There are also enough activities in the hills around the complex to satisfy even the most intrepid explorers. Gorge scrambling and kayaking are among them.
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| Need to Know |
 The wall is open between 9am –10pm Monday to Friday, and from 9am – 6pm weekends. Prices start from £5 for adults, £4.50 concessions.
You can reach the WICC by car on the A470 towards Merthyr Tydfil, following brown signs to Nelson and to the centre. By rail, take the Merthyr Tydfil train and get off at Quaker’s Yard.
For more information or to book accommodation, visit www.indoorclimbingwalls.co.uk or email info@indoorclimbingwalls.co.uk |
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Pros -
Highest wall in Wales, with challenging overhangs
On-site accommodation
Additional facilities include caving complex
Cons -
Bouldering area a little uninspiring, though large |
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