[andysnook]

Hi folks,

As an avid caver & potholer I've been having a blast clambering around rocks underground.  Thought for a long time about giving climbing and/or bouldering a go.  Thing is I'm very put off by the business of paying someone to teach me how to get around on a climbing wall, I'd rather just get out there and get on with it.  I've certainly never parted with a penny learning to cave - just met loads of cool people who showed me the ropes and now I'm happy to do the same for others.

Anyone got any tips for how best to get started ?  Where/Who/etc.

I'm in Bristol BTW....

Thanks 

[dontfollowme]

more helpful replies will follow but I understand these guys http://www.climbingworks.com/Bristol/HTML/Climbing-Works-Bristol-About.htm are opening a wall near you. Bouldering is a sport where one can just have a go - buy some shoes, chalk and a pad and get out there. Good luck.

[Houdini]

dontfollowme is wrong (just here mind  ).  Bouldering is not a sport as  t h e r e   a r e   n o   r u l e s. 

[lagerstarfish]

there are no rules

...but there are ethics

[Houdini]

Which are unenforcible by an adjudicator who is not there.  To counter and say Peers is not good enough.  Rules & ethics* are different animals.

For example, I am free to flount ethics as I choose.  I am not free to break the rules of a sport, as my name is not Diego.

*ethics are also geography dependent - which dilutes their potency further.

[Bubba]

Oh god, this is all too ukc - sport, pastime, hobby whatever 

Welcome to the forums anyway Andy

[Houdini]

No it's not Bubs you cynical devil.  Are you a sportsman?  I'm not.

UKC can't match the eloquence either 

[Houdini]

Oi Andy!

Know of any neat underground boulders?  Always fancied going underground to boulder.

[DubDom]

sport comes from the old gaelic: spoirt (surprisingly enough!) which just means fun. I like that definition. That's good enough for me.

[andysnook]

Oi Andy!

Know of any neat underground boulders?  Always fancied going underground to boulder.

Hi mate, I sure do - usually they arent so big, but i know a place in south wales that has boulders the size of houses.

There is plenty of climbing available underground though (up/down walls or pitches) - mostly either free-climbed or not at all.  Most full on "up" climbs are attempted by very few due to logistics and the implications of a fall.  Any downward pitch is either an easy climb or we use ladders or abseil gear.  Dragging all the protection down to some of these places isnt always practical.  More importantly we usually wear wellies underground, not the best climbing shoe i'm sure 

Anyway - thanks all for your thoughts, it's all very helpful 

[fatdoc]

i'd suggest going via the BMC to the affiliated clubs bit of the website www.bmc.co.uk (if it's still there), meet some peeps, scrounge some gear and beg some kind hearted soul to take you along, that's how most of us first tried the sport / activity / hobby / obsession  / way of life [ reckon that will appease even Houdini]...

I'm sure you'll find people to introduce you to bouldering specifically this way, but as you already have rope skills I am sure you'll love some crag trad climbing. Getting some good, not too painfull climbing shoes is a real must, otherwise to at least try the sport (oh, god no.... activity / etc...  - see above) it shouldnt cost you in gear or tuition. It is a myth that you must serve an apprenticship at a climbing wall before having a go outside. This is important not for aesthetics, but climbing indoors bears little relation to climbing outside, either in terms of technique or overall experience.

Good luck, and welcome to climbing!!

[Jaspersharpe]

sport comes from the old gaelic: spoirt (surprisingly enough!) which just means fun. I like that definition. That's good enough for me.

I don't boulder for fun.

[Houdini]

sport / activity / hobby / obsession  / way of life [ reckon that will appease even Houdini]...

I prefer curse . . .