[tim palmer]

Just saw there is another climbing wall opening in Bristol making five by my count (redpoint, TCA, uni wall, undercover rock and the new one).  Are there that many climbers in Bristol?  Are the existing walls busy every night?

[Duma]

Yeah bloc opens today. Not sure the uni one counts to most people, so that makes 4. The current three are doing ok as far as I can tell, but bloc will be a direct tca competitor (bouldering only) so interesting to see how it pans out.

[cha1n]

If the rumours about bloc are true (ex tca manager learns how to run a wall then goes about opening another whilst still employed by tca) then I don't think I'll be going there and to open it only 5 minutes from tca is a bit cold. At least redpoint was targeting a different section of Bristol.

To answer the original question, if you go to tca on an evening you'd quickly realise that there's enough people to go around. It reminds me of being in a crowded nightclub!

[SA Chris]

Can't be many cities in Britain without a dedicated bouldering centre within 2 hours ish drive; Aberdeen and Inverness?

[Stubbs]

I think population density may be against you Chris!

I know some TCA guys come on recently, could they confirm or deny the rumours mentioned above?  You wouldn't think you needed non-competition clauses in climbing wall contracts!

[abarro81]

From the photos on their website it looks pretty crap bth

[Muenchener]

Munich is (checks Wikipedia) about twice the size of Bristol and has four fairly fairly large public routes/bouldering walls and one dedicated bouldering wall (plus various smaller/older/private venues). All of them are unpleasantly full on weekday evenings. I'm aware of current plans/projects for another routes wall and two more dedicated bouldering walls; I don't doubt for a minute that there's enough of a market for all of them.

[cha1n]

Well the way I heard it (and I'm just realising that I should have been 100% certain before mentioning something) was that TCA saw the proposal papers for a new wall in the area (I guess the local council has to approach local competitors?) and saw Simon's name down as the person opening the wall. He was still employed as a manager at the time but was asked to leave pretty sharpish. Can't for the life of me remember who I heard it from but I always thought Simon had an insincere air about him. Like a telephone salesman does or something...

[Duma]

As someone who sets occasionally for TCA and so doesn't pay to climb there, I don't feel I should comment too much on the background. Paul Twomey (TCA) does post here very occasionally so he may comment.
I've spoken to a couple of people who were there yesterday and they were pretty positive, no-one I spoke to has seemed blown away by it.
Thought it looked alright in the photos Alex, bit too much grey.
Apparently TCA was still pretty busy yesterday eve though...
Will try and get down there this weekend and see for myself anyway.

[SA Chris]

I think population density may be against you Chris!

You saying we're thick?

[boulderingbacon]

Bloc which is the new centre is really good. Photos don't seem to do it justice. The walls are really nice and high and some very well set problems. Had all the local wads in on Sunday when I was there and they were all saying good things. I thought it was one of the best indoor walls I've been too tbh the only thing I could fault was there training panel and campus board but as it's not my local wall I won't be going there to train, only to climb.

[Duma]

Went today - impressions (subject to the disclaimer about my TCA links above):
It really is a bit grey, hopefully the mat tops that are due to arrive soon will improve this.
Height is about perfect.
Setting was good in general, some really fun slab problems. Noticed a few reachy things, but not a general theme.
Grading was as variable as these things always are.
Holds are currently pretty brutal on the skin, this'll settle down pretty quick though. Good shapes in general.
Circuit boards not very inspiring, ditto training bit in general.
Wasn't as extensive as I thought it would be for some reason, still lots to go at though.
The top out boulder seemed a bit of a pointless gimmick to me - a mantel using no holds at all isn't very tricky, so wasted really.
Ditto the big roof under the top out boulder - worst setting here, pretty pointless jug swinging even on the trickier things.
There's a lot of slabs, and less steep sections than I'd have expected given its size. don't know if this this is +, -, or neither, will need good setting to keep all that off vert interesting without being morpho though. They got a few setters in for the opening, not sure how it'll settle out once it's the just the regulars.
TCA's espresso is better.

Anyway, I'll obviously still be at TCA most of the time, but trying to put that and the politics between the two centres to one side, both are definitely worth regular visits by any bristol based boulderer, which can't be said of UCR or Redpoint.

[sherlock]

Can't be many cities in Britain without a dedicated bouldering centre within 2 hours ish drive; Aberdeen and Inverness?

Oi! Ian T's garage is only 75 mins from Inverness

[SA Chris]

Where the strong go to get stronger!

There's some great home walls around here too, commercial centre would be nice though.

[andyh]

Slightly off-topic but Reading Wall is terrible and so crowded I can rarely face going.

Next nearest proper wall is London. M4 corridor is crying out for a decent bouldering venue. Someone please build one.

[Ged]

both are definitely worth regular visits by any bristol based boulderer, which can't be said of UCR or Redpoint.

Personally, I find the bouldering at UCR to keep me much busier than at TCA.  So seems a bit harsh to say it's not worth regular visits. 

[Duma]

both are definitely worth regular visits by any bristol based boulderer, which can't be said of UCR or Redpoint.

Personally, I find the bouldering at UCR to keep me much busier than at TCA.  So seems a bit harsh to say it's not worth regular visits.

Fair enough, I'd prefer to use UCR for the routes (if I ever did any!) as it's the best in bristol for that IMO. I've not been for a while, but the bouldering hasn't inspired me in the past. Of course YRMV etc.
Anyway, I'll pm you further as obviously I'm interested in the TCA stuff, but it's prob off topic here.

[sherlock]

Where the strong go to get stronger!

There's some great home walls around here too, commercial centre would be nice though.

Or in my case where the weak go to get injured

[shurt]

If Bloc is higher than TCA then that is a good thing. I climbed at two walls I never normally do over the last week - Loughborough and The Depot in Nottingham. The Depot was better and one of the main reason was the height, the extra moves you get on every problem are great. I'll be checking Bloc out this week and hope its as good as TCA. The problem changeover at TCA has been slowing down recently which isn't great.

[Duma]

Yeah the extra moves that the height gives you is good.

The problem changeover at TCA has been slowing down recently which isn't great.

This is largely a result of all the comps over the winter which take time out from the regular setting schedule - hopefully this'll get back up to speed now we're out of the comp season.

[ben]

Can't be many cities in Britain without a dedicated bouldering centre within 2 hours ish drive; Aberdeen and Inverness?

There's us at the other end Chris!  Brissol is the closest dedicated bouldering centre.. 2h45 away.

Muenchener - have PM'ed you about Mch climbing walls, gonna be out there with work next week

[SA Chris]

Ah, I thought Simon Young's place was dedicated bouldering. Seems to have expanded?

[Oldmanmatt]

Mine is! And it's closer than Bristol...
Smaller.
But definitely closer.

[SA Chris]

There you go! I though you had roped climbs too matt.

[ben]

Mine is! And it's closer than Bristol...

yep good point - unfortunately 2hrs for an evening bouldering is a tad excessive!

Chris - Simons is a mixture