[Fiend]

It's that time of year when I reluctantly and briefly as possibly insert myself into the festering spunkpit that is London, and to prolong / distract myself from the misery I intend to do some easy bouldering at an indoor wall.

Last year I went to the Arch Biscuit Factory which was quite decent despite being surprisingly smelly and everyone wearing socks and having tiny lockers.

This year I will be arriving into Euston so looking for something easily tubeable from there (thinking Vauxwalls or West1) AND I am somewhat broken so need a physio-encouraged easy circuit or two. The standard have been set high by Eden Rocks up here that have delightful varied and slopey easy circuits on steady angles which is what I'm after (unlike the mundane juggy yobbishness of TCA easy circuits), so I'd like something of that ilk - if I can do loads of problems  only up to 6B and not pull on some massive Core bucket that would be ace.

Recommendations please thanks

Also it will be Monday PM if anyone wants to come along and laugh at me.

[cowboyhat]

The best wall in London is Stronghold at Tottenham Hale.

100s of problems in the grade range you're describing and really great setting.

Its 15 mins on the tube and then only a two minute walk.

https://www.thestrongholduk.com/

[joel182]

Lots of good options within about half an hour of Euston.

West1 is inside a leisure centre and has very limited bouldering, best if you live close and want routes up to about 7a.

In my opinion the quality of setting around London is generally high, and it’s often the same setters going round all the walls.

VauxWall and VauxEast are both good modern bouldering walls, decent range of angles and holds. VauxWall is in old railway arches, and so the walls are a bit smaller, can be cramped but that shouldn’t be a problem on Monday.

Stronghold is another good modern bouldering wall, taller walls and more spacious than the Vauxes.

The Castle, being split over many levels, is less well suited to circuiting that the other walls, but the off-circuit problems should add some nice hold variety in the grade range you’re after.

[Fiend]

Cheers beasts. Stronghold does look good indeed. Although looking at all the blobs and slopers in the photo it might make me cry that I can't try harder stuff there at the mo....

[sxrxg]

Would agree with the above. Whenever I am in London for meetings now I tend to head to Stronghold and then get a train from Euston back North. Super easy on the tube and then a short walk. Good setting at all grades when I last visited and also doesn't seem to be quite as rammed full of idiots as the other London walls I have been to.

[lorentz]

  to Landan Taaahn!

I've been climbing at the Arch for years but recently made the switch to Vauxwall because I live South and it's just less of a faff to get to.

Been really, really pleasantly surprised. Love the setting. Vauxwest (Stockwell arches) gets fairly busy. Vauxeast never seems to get busy like the Arch did in peak hours. Great venue. Good circuitboard and a moonboard in the downstairs training room and upstairs is a spacious split level room of wall centred around a lower level central block. The only thing that let's it down to my mind is the coffee... Get one on the way down would be my advice. It's open 9am 5pm Christmas Eve.

Stronghold and Harrowall also get excellent reviews, but I'm to southerly inclined to get that far on the tube... (Less time to climb!)

Anyway, just my opinion. Enjoy your time in the big smoke. It's not all bad down here...

[Fiend]

The best wall in London is Stronghold at Tottenham Hale.

100s of problems in the grade range you're describing and really great setting.

Its 15 mins on the tube and then only a two minute walk.

https://www.thestrongholduk.com/

Thanks cowboyhat for that terrible advice. You were totally right, the setting was really good, the easy stuff was actually nice, so I did the whole blue circuit and then got carried away of course and did 10 of the easier whites cos they were too much fun and backed off several more and now my elbows are aching and will probably never recover aaaargh.

Edit: okay getting carried away might have been entirely my fault but whatever

[joel182]

Thanks cowboyhat for that terrible advice. You were totally right, the setting was really good, the easy stuff was actually nice, so I did the whole blue circuit and then got carried away of course and did 10 of the easier whites cos they were too much fun and backed off several more and now my elbows are aching and will probably never recover aaaargh.

Edit: okay getting carried away might have been entirely my fault but whatever

At least you managed to avoid the board?! 

[SA Chris]

doesn't seem to be quite as rammed full of idiots as the other London walls I have been to.

[Fiend]

Back down this year, this time I'm aiming for middling bloque tours unless I spanner myself in the next month (quite likely given how decrepit I am). So what are the Stronghold's Christmas opening hours, ta? So I can spend the least time possible in the rancid arsedump of the City ofc....

[tomtom]

Back down this year, this time I'm aiming for middling bloque tours unless I spanner myself in the next month (quite likely given how decrepit I am). So what are the Stronghold's Christmas opening hours, ta? So I can spend the least time possible in the rancid arsedump of the City ofc....

On tour? Cool. Which one is you Fiend? :D

https://www.poptop.uk.com/greaterlondon/suppliers/tribute-band/elvistributeband/

[cowboyhat]

Sorry for the delay, Stronghold xmas opening hours;
M 23 12-10
T 24th 10-6
25th/26th closed
F 27th 10-10
S 28 9-7
S29 9-9
M 30 10-10
T 31 10-6
1st closed
T 2nd 10-10

[Fiend]

Cheers boss. Booking trains today so that's useful.

Can you guarantee that there is no chance of sycophantic scrote "Andrew Macfarlane" being there on Christmas Eve with his head buried deep inside Louis Parkinson's arsehole, filming him for yet another clickbait "WATCH LOUIS SMASH LONDON'S HARDEST COMP CIRCUIT" video that gets 365,000,000 views for some bewildering reason??

[cowboyhat]

Fortunately they attend different churches

[Yossarian]

In terms of rammed-ness, how does the Stronghold compare with The Arch and Mile End? Going to working up in town next week so would be climbing 7-9pm.

It appeals for various reasons, esp getting back to Charing Cross on the tube in minimal time. What’s the board setup like?

[cowboyhat]

Can't compare; I haven't been to the arch or mileend for a long time.

Weekday evenings are busy but not rammed though it has already dropped off a bit with the Christmas season. Noticeably quieter last night.

There is a large 45 with a mix of set problems and beastmaker holds, attached to a very large circuit board where the angle eases.

[Fiend]

See you on Christmas Eve, Yoss??

[petekitso]

I can't speak for anything since August when I broke myself completely (sob . . .) but prior to that Stonghold certainly tended to be a fair bit quieter than both Mile End and the Arch during those hours. Still busyish but not unpleasantly so. The Arch in particular is horribly overcrowded in the mid-evening but generally pretty quiet in the earlyish mornings though if daytime is an option (and if you are going via London Bridge).

[Nutty]

I loved early mornings at the original Arch under the railway arches at London Bridge. Get there for opening (6.30am), have a free cup of tea while warming up, get a decent session in then shower and leave for work. Only ever two or three other people there at that time - you could have a whole room to yourself. So much better than overcrowded evenings.

[Yossarian]

I might struggle with Xmas Eve unless I can bring a child or two, but won’t rule it out...

Went to Yonder on Sunday which I thought was great, and not too busy at all. Lovely training area, pretty decent problems and impressive comp wall. Cafe looked good, general vibe was very pleasant and, despite location, it didn’t feel like we’d just gatecrashed a Lil Peep lookalike kefir and psychedelic-microdose-infused organic beer tasting.