The best rock climbing walls in London

This north west London climbing spot is home to London’s biggest bouldering wall. For those of you who aren’t fluent in the language of Scarpas, belaying and problems, bouldering is when you free climb without ropes and harnasses. It’s got the whole range of walls, suitable for beginners and pros, and has also got a café, gym and a variety of kids climbing sessions. HarroWall is owned by London Climbing Centres, the people also behing VauxWall East and West, BethWall Green, CanaryWall and EustonWall (that last one doesn’t really work, does it?) Climbers can book a day pass starting from £12, or become a member from £62 per month. 

The Reach claims to be south London’s biggest climbing wall and is home to over 300 boulder blocks, 77 roping lines, 64 lead lines and 12 auto belay lines. If you’re in need of some new gear, you can pick up the essentials in the on-site shop, or hire what you need from the front desk. Kids and adults alike are all welcome, while they offer courses designed for beginners and those who are more confident on the wall.

At the refurbished The Climbing Hangar, you’ll find three whole floors packed with indoor climbing opps. Take an induction sesh, then hit the wall, where you can manoeuvre your way around for as long as you like each day. Make sure you pick up a punchcard if you’re interested in semi-regular climbs but can’t commit to a monthly membership – it’ll score you 10 visits for the price of eight.

There are 110 lines and 350 routes to explore at Westway’s impressive climbing centre, so kids and adults alike will have plenty to tackle here. Sign up for tuition to become a climbing pro, stop by for a casual session or, if you’ve caught the climbing bug, nab yourself a monthly or annual membership so you can be one with the wall on a regular basis. Looking for a spot to hold a unique party? You can book the space for up to 30 people, too.

If you’re well into your climbing, VauxWall’s twin venues have got a lot going for them. The first of London Climbing Centres’ mini-empire of climbing and bouldering centres around the city, VauxWall West has been going strong since 2014. Located just a rockover from Vauxhall station – it occupies six railway arches underneath where the trains pass through – the venue features hundreds of climbs suitable for all experience levels, as well as a newly renovated cafe, weights room and gear shop. In 2018, it was joined by VauxWall East, just a 20 minute walk away, where ypu can get involved with everything from Sunday morning socials to the ‘Boulderama’ meetup on Wednesday evenings.

Climbing might be growing in popularity, but Mile End Climbing Wall has been welcoming wall-scalers since 1986. There are beginner-focused lessons a plenty, or sessions that will help more experienced climbers up their skills to the next level – with a bit of work, you should have no trouble ascending towards your physical peak. Children from eight to 16 can attend beginner climbing sessions on weekday evenings and Saturday and Sunday mornings. Once you’re back on the ground, treat yourself to a steam in the venue’s traditional Finnish sauna.

This climbing centre is splendidly housed in an old Victorian pumping station and boasts a whopping 450 routes and 90 roped lines. You can begin working your way around some of them at special taster sessions, or experienced climbers can jump right into scaling the walls. There are plenty of kid-friendly slots here, including the Gecko Club, which runs special courses and holiday clubs (under-16s can only climb with the supervision of an instructor or a parent). 

This climbing wall boasts a seriously handy Bermondsey location, and an impressive range of challenges given how central it is. Inside a brick former warehouse you'll find a 15,000 square foot space with 300 set problems for you to scale (or try to), alongside a strength training gym, cafe and shop. No kids are allowed here: instead, this stylish, daylight-flooded space is full of office types testing themselves to the max. There’s also a new sister venue in nearby Surrey Quays, which offers more fun and frills including food trucks and activities.

First opened in autumn 2022, this 9000 square foot venue near Bankside Pier is the largest climbing centre in Zone 1. Open from 7am to 10pm on weekdays, it’s a great choice for a pre- or after-work climbing sesh, with weekly reset indoor bouldering walls that are safe to climb without equipment and suitable for progressively graded frm total beginners to expert level. As well as offering a range of coaching packages for both under 18s and adults, The Font also features a fitness gym and a range of classes to improve strength, flexibility & mobility, plus a cafe and bar that offer members a place to socialise pre- or post-climb. It has an even larger site in Wandsworth, and a third due to open in Hounslow. 

This rainbow-coloured climbing centre in Chelsea is aimed at anyone new to the world of climbing. There are 21 wall challenges to try out in a standard 60-minute session from Monday to Sunday – but it doesn’t come cheap. Prices start from £12.50 for toddlers or £22.50 for everyone else. Clip ’N Climb boasts more than just your usual climbing walls, though, including the ‘Vertical Drop Slide’ and ‘Stairway To Heaven’ attractions (both of which you can access for an additional charge). The venue can also be hired out for special celebrations, including three options for children’s parties.

Stronghold now boasts two locations, both offering workshops, courses and walls filled with challenges to overcome. The Tottenham Hale centre comes with a gym area, Moon board, Circuit board, 40-degree wooden board and a dedicated space for kids, plus a café to refuel in. Over in London Fields, meanwhile, you’ll find a gym area and Kilter board, while you can grab a beer once you’re back on two feet to reward yourself for all the work you’ve just put in.