What has ‘noticing’ got to do with climbing? Does it surprise you that ‘noticing’ is a powerful way for us to develop as climbers? It’s something many of us rarely take the time to do in a conscious way, because why would we? Life is busy and we want to be out there doing the thing we love – climbing! The idea of taking time to notice is often alien to our lifestyles – built to maximise our productivity and squash in as much adventure, fun and activity as possible. But noticing really does have the power to transform every aspect of our lives, including our climbing, and so today we invite y ..read more

If you spend most of your climbing time on roadside gritstone crags, it can be hard to see why any climber would need to learn to navigate. Even in the dark, it’s easy enough to find Stanage car park. I am a good navigator, I hold an NNAS (National Navigation Award Scheme) award and I’m working towards my ML (Mountain Leader training). But I never used to connect navigation to climbing. That was before my ill-fated trip to Raven Crag.  Ah, which Raven Crag, I hear you say, there are so many! Well, my friends, that was part of the problem. A damp day in the Lake District gave me the ..read more

If you’re looking for a career change to start working in the outdoor industry, Womenclimb Founder & CEO talks us through some of the things you might consider to help make your transition a smooth one.  Changing jobs can feel like an upheaval, and changing career is often a step further. As a career adviser in my day job at a University campus, almost every day I get to see people who are changing their career, so this has given me a good perspective on what’s important to consider when you’re thinking about making a change. It’s really important to recognise that there is no sing ..read more

There is always a first time for everything. And whether that’s putting on a climbing harness or summiting a four thousand metre peak, a lot of the feelings are the same. Here at Womenclimb, we wanted to celebrate those firsts. Let us know in the comments about your special ‘first time’. Becci Pearson: My first day out climbing Before this sunny June day, I had climbed for a total of 4 hours back when I was a child on adventure camp. I remembered almost nothing about it, apart from finding it really fun. Now I was 26 and just out for a laugh with my friend Jodie having booked a day in the ..read more

Would you like to improve and support the development of indoor climbing schemes for young people and adults? The Association of British Climbing Walls Training Trust (ABCTT) would like to invite our Womenclimb Members, Supporters and followers to help shape the future of NICAS!  They are looking for new people to join their Board of Trustees, who administer NICAS (the National Indoor Climbing Award Schemes). Photo: Patricia Novelli – Mile End Climbing Wall The ABCTT strengthened its board in 2016 and 2019. Now they are looking for Trustees and Advisors who particularly bring the fol ..read more

A message from our Founder & CEO, Emily Pitts. Very often we get asked to do things for free, as volunteers. It’s important for us to balance our personal lives, work lives, home lives and social lives, so this can sometimes make stepping up difficult. We know that the outdoor sector is inhabited by men more than women, and by white people more than those from ethnic minorities. It is HARD to be in a room where you’re the only person that looks like you, whether that’s ethnicity, gender, class or any other defining feature of our identity. It can be lonely, tough and demoralising. But ..read more

What should you get if you’re just starting out buying a sport climbing rack? Esther Foster, Mountaineering & Climbing Instructor, shares her thoughts on this topic: 1: Sport Climbing Specific Quickdraws   Considerations: Route length: Regular sport climbers who climb abroad will often have 20 – 25 quickdraws. If you’re in the UK, 10-12 may be enough, but this depends on the types and lengths of route you intend to climb, so do your research first. Ask on UKC or Facebook (e.g. Womenclimb Find a Climbing Partner) if the guidebook doesn’t give you the information you need. Le ..read more

In our last article, Mountaineering & Climbing Instructor Esther Foster shared her experience to help make decisions about getting started with gear. Today, she’s talking us through a trad rack and what you might buy at the start of your climbing journey: What exactly should I buy? 1. Trad climbing rack – the bare bone essentials, if climbing with someone else’s rack Belay device with HMS carabiner Nut Key – to remove gear when you second a climb 2 x screwgate carabiners  Prussick loop – 5mm-7mm diameter cord using for abseiling, which an outdoor shop will cut to size for you 1 ..read more

Today, Mountaineering & Climbing Instructor Esther Foster, who is based in the Lake District, takes us through the first steps to choosing gear if you’re ready to take those steps. Starting to climb outdoors can be a daunting experience, especially when you consider all the technical skills you need to learn and the amount of kit you may have to buy. Don’t let these things hold you back though; we have more information and opportunities available to us than ever before, and there is a whole world of rock climbing just waiting to be explored! This series aims to give you a few pointers o ..read more

Climbing may be number one on the hobby list for many of us, but typically hiking isn’t that far behind as we try to maximise our adventure time. In the UK we’re blessed to have some of the most stunning long distance hiking routes. So to help you plan for UK based adventure holidays in the future we’ve pulled together five of our favourite routes to get you inspired. From week-long wanderings to mammoth month-long trips, there’s something to suit everyone. But don’t feel like you need to complete these routes in one trip, the beauty of many of the UK’s long distances routes is that they c ..read more