[Wipey Why]

I'm giving serious consideration to moving to London for my career. It is the only market in the UK where my line of business remains strong.

I will have to bite the bullet and live with a lack of real rock if I do so. However, what are the facilities like in London indoor wise? Any beta info is appreciated.

(I've done a search but nothing really similar came up. Mods feel free to delete , merge, move etc.)

[slackline]

Rubbish apparently

[Stubbs]

The Castle, Biscuit Factory and to a lesser extent the Westway all have very good training facilities.  All have got some good hard bouldering, fixed boards (I think the Westway does) and campus and fingerboards.  There is a good positive scene among the people who use these facilities, and because the fixed boards only have hard problems on (from my experience at the Castle) they tend to remain quiet on weekday nights when the walls are packed.

Your choice of wall will be down to your choice of area to move to, which is a whole other kettle of fish!

[chillax]

Prescient thread as I'm in much the same situation. Though I'm not sure how much Staines is a part of London. Apart from Ali G, I have next to no knowledge of the place other than location. Is it as crap a place for a climber as it appears?

[Stubbs]

Positives:
- Looks about equidistant between Reading and Westway climbing walls
- Right side of London for getting to Portland and S Wales
- Close to Heathrow for getting away!
- Probably a lot cheaper than living in London

[SA Chris]

Also far enough away from Southern Sandstone for you not to feel like you should bother going

[Ti_pin_man]

White Spider might be your closest, its bouldering is ok and has tons of roped routes.  For pure bouldering Craggy2 is better but a bit more out of town.

[Monk]

I am rapidly nearing the end of a 7 year exile to the South East, returning to the Peak next week. I won't lie - I'm ecstatic about leaving. I've not been living in London, but a little further west (Hampshire, Reading and Oxford). I've lived in some nice areas and met some nice people but I have missed easy access to rock immensely.

Negatives:
1. You really miss the evening outdoor sessions, but it dulls with time.
2. You really miss the quick hit to the crag.
3. If you can't find a partner for a weekend/day trip it can be incredibly frustrating to sit at home in perfect weather or very expensive to go on your own.

Positives:
1. I have travelled to far more varied crags - seeing as everywhere is an epic journey, you might as well mix it up. 
2. I have been much more focused when I have got to the crag. No longer putting off an attempt on something until you get perfect conditions.
3. There are more and more good indoor walls springing up, and there are loads of friendly climbers about.
4. The South West is within reasonable reach, and the South West is awesome.
5. You are closer to Europe/ a wide choice of airports.

In summary, living in the South East is OK and even has it's good points but there is no getting away from the fact that it is too far from decent rock.

[Jerry Morefat]

Attracted by the bright lights, I lived in London for a bit a few years ago. Before I left all my mates told me how rubbish it would be. How I'd have to live in a tiny room, fork out loads to go to an overcrowded climbing wall and how much I'd miss being close to rock. I chose to move regardless and discovered my mates were right! It was shit. I now live an hour from the Peak and it's far better.

[Wipey Why]

Thanks for your comments, positive and negative

[chillax]

I concur, cheers for the replies all! If I get the job, I'm definitely going to take it as its a pretty good career opportunity. Nice to know it isn't as dire a situation as I thought it might be! Though I think I'll miss immediate access to crags no matter where I end up. Squamish has a way of spoiling you in that regard. I'm not averse to extended solo sojurns either, so anywhere within 3 or 4 hrs drive should be fair game. Now just crossing my fingers that I can land the job. Also apologies to Wipey Why for jumping on the bandwagon

Hope alls well in Squampton the-transient-siger!

[Falling Down]

I moved to London last August aged 42 having lived in Manchester, Sheffield and The Peak since I was born.  I'm enjoying it.  It's very different to the life I was leading before and I'm getting and learning a lot from the experience via different avenues that weren't available before.

If climbing lots is your main thing in life right now however, don't move here.  It's not just the climbing on rock but the people and the surroundings.  I miss my friends and their friends.  People you see regularly out at the crag who you've known for years.  I miss the smells (peat, heather, frost, rain, farms), the sounds (grouse, curlew, sheep, farming, streams)  and the sights of being outdoors in the Peak district, particularly those parts that I was so intimately familiar with over many years from running over the same ground or climbing the same routes and problems, feeling each season come and go, being intimately in touch with the weather and the locale.  Galpinos was here two weeks ago and we were missing each other driving back from the crag after a days bouldering in Winter, listening to 5 Live footy and stopping for a pint in the pubs that are familiar.  It'll be weird this Spring and Summer not being down by the Wye after work or at the weekend with Martin and the other boys and girls.  All that said, I really don't miss the obligation and the "where should we go today"  necessity that a local climber suffers from.                                                                                   

Climbing isn't my main priority right now though and I'm happy.  I love the age of the City, its history and the opportunities to explore; the libraries; the music; the arts; the food and the people.  I'm going to the Westway as much as I can and plan to get down to the South coast and the South West as much as possible, recalibrating my ingrained idea of climbing from a few hours snatched on a Saturday or Sunday to full weekend trips to the South Coast or Cornwall where I've never climbed before.   Trips abroad have suddenly opened up too.

Anyway, a rambling post, but hopefully of some use.

[Falling Down]

Also, considering it's you. There's loads more fanny at the walls 

[Monolith]

I moved to London last August aged 42 having lived in Manchester, Sheffield and The Peak since I was born.  I'm enjoying it.  It's very different to the life I was leading before and I'm getting and learning a lot from the experience via different avenues that weren't available before.

If climbing lots is your main thing in life right now however, don't move here.  It's not just the climbing on rock but the people and the surroundings.  I miss my friends and their friends.  People you see regularly out at the crag who you've known for years.  I miss the smells (peat, heather, frost, rain, farms), the sounds (grouse, curlew, sheep, farming, streams)  and the sights of being outdoors in the Peak district, particularly those parts that I was so intimately familiar with over many years from running over the same ground or climbing the same routes and problems, feeling each season come and go, being intimately in touch with the weather and the locale.  Galpinos was here two weeks ago and we were missing each other driving back from the crag after a days bouldering in Winter, listening to 5 Live footy and stopping for a pint in the pubs that are familiar.  It'll be weird this Spring and Summer not being down by the Wye after work or at the weekend with Martin and the other boys and girls.  All that said, I really don't miss the obligation and the "where should we go today"  necessity that a local climber suffers from.                                                                                   

Climbing isn't my main priority right now though and I'm happy.  I love the age of the City, its history and the opportunities to explore; the libraries; the music; the arts; the food and the people.  I'm going to the Westway as much as I can and plan to get down to the South coast and the South West as much as possible, recalibrating my ingrained idea of climbing from a few hours snatched on a Saturday or Sunday to full weekend trips to the South Coast or Cornwall where I've never climbed before.   Trips abroad have suddenly opened up too.

Anyway, a rambling post, but hopefully of some use.

Excellent post Ben and you've just about managed to summarise my own thought processes over the past six years far better than I could have done for myself.

I have an offer for Part II architecture in London in September and my head's been in bits for about 7 months about it. I think it could be the end of the road for me though on that path; it's just been too grim for too long. London as many people have touched upon here is such an easy tick box for career/education progression but it's also way too removed from the core of my outdoor being. That fucking city makes me feel schizophrenic for the simultaneous love and hatred I have for it!

[seankenny]

Ben's excellent post pretty much sums up what I feel about living in London too. Monolith is right, if you're a climber you're probably going to have a love/hate relationship with the place.

I miss Yorkshire, easy access to the grit and the moors. The sheer rudeness of the south east still drives me mental, even after seven or eight years. But the city itself is endlessly fascinating, more so if you're willing to give it a bit of time and effort to learn about its history. There's a palpable sense of ancientness that you get in few other cities.

I've found the climbers I know down here tend to be highly educated and from all walks of life. Being a climber in London might not be good for my climbing, but it means I meet a really wide range of people, which is good 'cos you need something to talk about on those long, long drives.

I live in an outer borough, full of Poles and Indians, with barely a hipster or an Australian in sight. To me, this feels like the London of Londoners much more than Clapham or Shoreditch, and whilst I've been doomed to long tube journeys it has the advantage of being close to the motorways for escape. So Staines might be quite interesting, if you're willing to take the anthropological view. Possibly not quite such rich pickings for a single chap - unless you're into working class Sikh girls...

[chillax]

Possibly not quite such rich pickings for a single chap - unless you're into working class Sikh girls...

I have absolutely nothing against them! Who knows, maybe the pasty Irish flesh might be considered interesting? Unlikely I admit, but a guy has to have hope....

[Muenchener]

There's a palpable sense of ancientness that you get in few other cities.

London is older than the North Sea, or so I once read somewhere. Around about the last Ice Age, when the Dogger Bank was the Dogger Downs and the Thames was a tributary of the Rhine, London was the lowest feasible place to cross the Thames and there was a settlement there.

(I've never lived in London but have always loved visiting. Unfortunately, since I have a nine year old son, my next visit is likely to involve the guards at Buckingham Palace)

[Wipey Why]

I'm relatively young and I don't intend to be in London forever, but it is the best place for my career. You've said what I was kinda expecting.

Climbing is a big part of my life and has been for many years, but not the only part (I am really going to miss driving a car). At least Falling Down has shown me a plus side.

[Ti_pin_man]

but not the only part (I am really going to miss driving a car). At least Falling Down has shown me a plus side.

Buy an old road bike and shoot cars down that way, its the best way to get around the city, its an adrenaline rush and keeps you from getting fat

[crimp]

I lived in Bermondsey, south of the river near London bridge for 4 years.

I gave up on climbing walls pretty quick. On tube it'd take an hour or so to reach the castle. In same time i could get off mainline train at tonbridge wells with me iron hoss, and have access to most of southern sandstone, and some nice scenery and country pubs. Same travel time, much better afternoon out on real rock. Grades are a bit stiff mind, but may suit you if you're a grit wad.

If you want to frighten yourself, nip to south coast and marvel at some of Mick Fowlers chalk frightfests, shake your head, have a pint, then go home.

[Monk]

That's a good point, actually. Southern sandstone is much maligned (and it is like nowhere else I've been), but there is actually some really good and really hard climbing to be had. It can be a great place to go on a nice afternoon.

[crimp]

Yes agree with monk. There is some very good southern sandstone. And there's enough to go at for years at all grades. I found it hard at first, being weaned on limestone. And the locals are fond of sandbagging visitors.

I would advise to keep bowles, harrisons, and high rocks for weekdays. Can be tad busy at weekends. Seek out the more esoteric stuff like bulls hollow, happy valley, high rocks annexe, etc for weekends.

i reckon it's much better than the high priced overcrowded climbing walls in London. And like i said, about same travel time. Plus nicer train journey through the Kent countryside than the grotty tube and grey London streets

[crimp]

Here you go. Whet your whistle.

[seankenny]

Possibly not quite such rich pickings for a single chap - unless you're into working class Sikh girls...

I have absolutely nothing against them! Who knows, maybe the pasty Irish flesh might be considered interesting? Unlikely I admit, but a guy has to have hope....

It might well be a draw. I can't say "go for it" in Punjabi, but if I could, I'd say it now...

[crimp]

With staines, you're not far from M4 corridor for escape to west country and south wales.

And you'd be near reading train station, which is only an hour and a half from bristol village, and the countrys top premiere urban crag and best cider. In fact half way between Avon gorge and temple meads station, make sure you stop at the golden guinea and see how many pints of their own blackbeard cider you can drink.

So within hour and a bit train ride, you would have bouldering and trad and sport climbing in easy day trip reach.

Not so bleak after all.

Mind you, i wouldn't move back to that hellhole for any amount of love or money.