Anchors and Lead Climbing

Learning to lead climb opens up a new world of experiences. The beauty of traditional climbing is that it offers each of us a unique conundrum of physical and mental challenges. Creating your own line, and balancing power and endurance, trad climbing forces you to solve a larger puzzle.

Our individually tailored courses are designed to teach you the techniques you need to be self reliant, and to understand the principles of leading and anchoring safely.

Individual instruction in a small group allows you to learn at your own pace and can include additional topics e.g. multi-pitch climbing and self rescue.
        
The first step towards learning to lead climb is setting up safe anchor systems for top-ropes, abseils and belays - enabling you to climb outdoors independently, and covers the following:
 
• Proper use of equipment
• Different types of protection
• Knots, hitches and ropework
• How anchor systems work
• Top belays and bottom belays
• Safety at the top of the cliff
• Review of Basic Techniques and Experience
• Placing protection in a range of placements
• Route selection, planning, problem solving
• Equalising Protection - Estimating Forces - Fall Factor
• Escape from System - Rescue Techniques