The ClimbScotland RealRock program offers accessible opportunities for young people to experience the world class climbing we have on our doorstep in Scotland, learn new skills that will help them on their own climbing journey, and inspire a lifelong passion and respect for climbing and the outdoors.
What is RealRock?
At ClimbScotland, we believe in offering holistic opportunities to our young climbers. We run a program of RealRock sessions, supported by DMM, that cover outdoor bouldering, sport climbing and trad climbing, catering for beginners through to more experienced young climbers and everything in-between.
Outdoor sessions for young climbers can often be prohibitive due to cost, therefore we use the money we make from RealRock sessions to subsidise the costs and help keep them affordable.
The RealRock program
The RealRock program has three main elements, covering bouldering, sport climbing and trad climbing.
RealRock – First steps
Boulder
Boulder sessions are aimed at introducing young climbers to outdoor bouldering. We run these with an experienced climbing coach with a maximum ratio of 1:6.
We’re big believers in the social element of bouldering and as a result we run one bouldering session for all ability levels. Calum and Robert have both bouldered to a high standard (Font 7C) as well as regularly introducing newcomers to the sport. With this in mind we can offer a great session for beginners or experienced boulderers as we often use venues that have problems with a mixture of difficulties.
Who is it for? Boulder sessions are perfect for anyone who wants to try or improve at outdoor bouldering
Cost:
- Mountaineering Scotland / ClimbScotland Gold Members: £27 per person
- Non-members: £46.25 (including 12 month ClimbScotland Gold membership)
Roped Taster
Roped Taster courses are designed to take competent young indoor climbers and help them make the transition to climbing outside. We do this by climbing with the safety of a top-rope at sport or trad climbing venues.
Content of the session will vary dependant on participants and venue, however broadly we aim to look at several of the following topics:
- Movement technique on real rock
- Technical skills
- Footwear and
- Equipment
Please note: Lead climbing is NOT covered (see sessions below for this)
Who is it for? Roped Taster sessions are perfect for anyone who wants to give outdoor climbing a try
Cost:
- Mountaineering Scotland / ClimbScotland Gold Members: £27 per person
- Non-members: £46.25 (including 12 month ClimbScotland Gold membership)
Book quickly and easily online via the Mountaineering Scotland web portal:
RealRock – Sport climbing
Sport Intro
These courses are run at a 1:4 ratio and are designed to help those who can climb indoors transfer their climbing skills to outdoor sport climbing venues. Content of the session will vary dependant on participants, however the aim is to develop participants sport lead climbing skills. This may include looking at some of the following topics:
- Movement technique on real rock
- Footwear and equipment
- Lead belaying
- Lead climbing
- Background planning.
Participants must be consistently climbing 6a indoors and be a competent top-rope belayer. Some experience of indoor lead climbing would be beneficial.
Who is it for? Sport Intro sessions are perfect for anyone who wants to lead sport routes outdoors
Cost:
- Mountaineering Scotland / ClimbScotland Gold Members: £40 per person.
- Non-members: £59.25 (including 12 month ClimbScotland Gold membership)
Sport Improvers
These courses are run at a 1:2 ratio and are designed to help improve your sport climbing grade outside and cover more advanced techniques than the intro such as movement coaching, projecting routes and retreating from sport climbs safely.
Participants must have some experience of leading outdoor sport routes and be able to belay another lead climber.
Who is it for? – Sport Improvers sessions are perfect for those who can lead outdoors already but want to improve
Cost:
- Mountaineering Scotland / ClimbScotland Gold Members: £60 per person.
- Non-members: £79.25 (including 12 month ClimbScotland Gold membership)
Book and pay quickly and easily online via the Mountaineering Scotland web portal:
RealRock – Trad climbing
Trad Taster
Just want a day out experiencing trad climbing with an experienced coach? This is the session for you. We run these days at a 1:2 ratio and the focus is as simple as heading to a trad crag and getting loads of climbing in. The focus here isn’t on becoming a lead climber, rather becoming a competent ‘second’. With a smaller ratio, we generally don’t setup top-ropes on these days and instead your coach will lead up routes with you following behind on the safety of a top-rope. This is what would usually happen when climbers go to a crag for the day.
Participants must be able to put on a harness, tie a figure of eight knot and competently bottom-rope belay another climber. Some experience of lead climbing is useful but not essential.
Who is it for? Trad Taster sessions are perfect for anyone who wants to know more about trad climbing
Cost:
- Mountaineering Scotland / ClimbScotland Gold Members: £60 per person.
- Non-members: £79.25 (including 12 month ClimbScotland Gold membership)
Trad Intro
These days also run at a 1:2 ratio, however the focus is on building up skills towards you leading on traditionally protected routes. We break down trad climbing into its individual elements and practice each in turn under the supervision of an experienced coach with a top-rope back-up until you feel ready to lead.
Content of the session will vary dependant on participants, however the aim is to develop participants trad lead climbing skills. This may include looking at some of the following topics:
- Movement technique on real rock
- Footwear and equipment
- Belaying a trad lead
- Lead climbing
- Placing and removing traditional gear
- Setting up belays
- Setting up retrievable abseils
- Background planning.
Participants must be consistently lead climbing indoors and have some experience of climbing outdoors (either personal or through prior RealRock courses).
Who is it for? Trad Intro sessions are perfect for anyone who wants to lead trad routes or start building up to their first trad lead
Cost:
- Mountaineering Scotland / ClimbScotland Gold Members: £60 per person.
- Non-members: £79.25 (including 12 month ClimbScotland Gold membership)
Book and pay quickly and easily online via the Mountaineering Scotland web portal:
Rock Skills
In collaboration with Mountain Training we offer Rock Skills courses through our RealRock program for young people over 14.
Rock Skills courses are designed to provide structured training opportunities for people who want to learn more and become independent climbers. We will be integrating Rock Skill Learn to Lead Sport and Trad into our program. This will give you access to a nationally recognised training scheme, and get you started on the Mountain Training pathway.
Who is it for? Rock Skills sessions are perfect for 14+ who want to learn to lead on sport or trad and get started on the Mountain Training pathway
Costs
- Mountaineering Scotland / ClimbScotland Gold Members: £100 per person for two day course
- Non-members: £119.25 (includes 12 months ClimbScotland Gold membership)
Book and pay quickly and easily online
IMPORTANT BOOKING INFORMATION
Full booking instructions can be found at the bottom of the page, but please note when booking, fill in the participant (child’s) details rather than your own when initially setting up an account otherwise you will not be able to book the session.
Planning your RealRock session
- If in doubt about a climbers suitability for any of the above courses please get in touch with us at
- We aim to be at the crag for a full day dependant on weather and energy levels.
- Parents/carers must provide their own transport to the climbing venue.
- Under 14s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the whole session.
- Participants need their own belay device and rock climbing shoes.
- We may cancel or reschedule if the weather means we cannot run the session.
- Exact venues may vary if the weather necessitates a change.
- Photography and video are taken at these events to promote through our website and social media. Please advise a member of the team if you do not wish to have your or your child’s photograph taken.
- You can find our full booking conditions on the Mountaineering Scotland website.
How to book
Book and pay quickly and easily online via the Mountaineering Scotland booking portal:
- Existing members who are first-time users of the portal will need to set up their login via the ‘forgotten password’ link and follow on-screen instructions. When you are in, go to the ‘Events and Courses’ tab, go to ‘Climbing Training’ and select the RealRock session you want.
- Non-members will need to login to the portal via the ‘Join us’ option. Enter your details and follow on-screen instructions. Go into the ‘Your details’ tab and complete the required fields before heading for the ‘Events and Courses’ tab, and go to ‘Climbing Training’. Select the non-member price for the RealRock session you would like to attend. This includes 12 months ClimbScotland Gold membership.
- After booking you will receive a payment receipt and an event booking confirmation email with the booking conditions attached.
- A further information email will be sent out two days prior to the session taking place.
- New members will get their membership pack through the post in about a week – find out more about what you get as a Mountaineering Scotland member here.
- For parents / carers on Income Support please contact us directly regarding a further concession.
2024 RealRock Calendar
Please note: The location will be confirmed two days before the sessions take place. This allows us to be flexible with the weather and the hunt for dry rock.
Any questions?
Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at:
Meet the Coaches
Robert MacKenzie
Regional Development Officer (West)
Calum McBain
Regional Development Offer (East)
Kirsty Pallas
Mountaineering Scotland Safety Advisor
Thanks to our supporters…
Massive thank you to DMM Climbing who support our RealRock programme by providing awesome kit that makes our sessions possible.
