Reaching New Heights in the Climbing Club

09 December, 2025

During the Autumn Term, the Climbing Club took part in weekly sessions at AVertical World and enjoyed an evening at the Dundee Mountain Film Festival. Each Wednesday, pupils in Years 9 to 13 attended climbing sessions, with a core group of eleven climbers making steady progress across the term.

Several pupils began indoor lead climbing and continued to take part in bouldering competitions independently. A key moment for the group was Will B completing a demanding 7a roof climb, which proved motivating for many of the younger climbers.

In November, Ewan W won the AVertical World youth bouldering competition. This was followed by the Christmas competition on Friday, 5 December, where a team of pupils entered with the support of parents. Emil placed first, with Ewan finishing second.

The term concluded with a Saturday masterclass at AVertical World on 6 December. Led by instructors Craig and Niamh, the session focused on technique and footwork, with pupils rotating through bouldering, top-roping and lead climbing. The day finished with a visit to the Dundee Mountain Film Festival, where a talk by mountaineer Leo Houlding rounded off the experience.

Looking ahead, the Climbing Club continues to grow, with numbers increasing to twenty-two pupils from Years 7 to 13 for the Spring Term. Plans for next year are already underway.