Climbing Programme
6-9 August 2026 | Peak DistrictAll inclusive in the price of your ticket
Courses led by qualified instructors and sessions hosted by other climbers are all included in the price of your ticket.
We offer a wide range of experiences across all three disciplines – trad, sport and bouldering – for beginners through to advanced climbers. If instruction isn’t for you, and you’re an experienced outdoor climber in that discipline, consider joining one of our hosted sessions instead.
Please read each session’s prerequisites before booking as if you are not eligible for the course you select, you could cause yourself and others on the course to be unsafe.
For hosted independent climbing sessions, imagine you are the most experienced person at the session: do you feel safe? If not, consider an instructed course instead.
Note some climbing crags may require a walk of 40+ minutes on uneven steep terrain whilst carrying personal gear. If this is problematic for you, please make sure to let us know using the Accessibility questions when purchasing your ticket so that we can ensure you’re in a suitable course.
Instructed courses
Courses are for those new to climbing, new to outdoor climbing, those looking to hone or improve skills already gained outdoors, or even simply those who wish to have access to an instructor who knows the local rock well.
Transport will be provided for instructed courses. Please ensure you are at the meeting point promptly to join your group.
You can book onto instructed courses when you purchase your ticket. There will also be a chance to book onto courses that have not sold out at a later date.
For comparison with standard fees, please refer to the course listing provided by Mountain Training.
Please note that not all instructors will be Black people or people of colour.
First time climbing
Courses that do not require any previous climbing experience
Introduction to top-rope climbing (RockSkills)
-
Date: Friday, Saturday or Sunday
Duration: 1 day
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:6
Description: AKA Mountain Training RockSkills Introdution, this is the ideal starting point on your climbing journey whether you want to try out top-rope climbing or just want a fun day out with other community members. This course is all about having a go and experiencing rock climbing for the first time. This course will introduce you to how to safely use a harness, rope and belay plate to keep you and your climbing partners safe.
We hope to offer a LGBTQI+ only day of this course once we have confirmed a second instructor.Prerequisites: No prior climbing experience (indoor or outdoor) required.
Instructor / Provider: Ashok Sakhardande sponsored by Mountain Training (with thanks to ClimbOut festival)
Climbing techniques and movement on rock on top rope
-
Date: Saturday and Sunday
Duration: 2 days
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:9
Description: Where did the colourful holds go? This course will help you transition from indoor to outdoor climbing focusing on safe belaying and skillful movement whilst on a top rope.
Prerequisites: You have tried climbing indoors or outdoors before, either bouldering or roped climbing, and want to learn more.
Instructor / Provider: Instructor tbc / sponsored by Adventure Expertise
Introduction to outdoor bouldering
-
Date: Friday
Length: 1 day
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:6
Description: Try bouldering outside. This course will introduce you to the essentials of route selection, bouldering mat placement, climbing, spotting, and descending. Ideal for people with little or no outdoor bouldering experience.
Prerequisites: No prior climbing experience (indoor or outdoor) required.
Instructor / Provider: Instructor tbc / sponsored by Adventure Expertise
Inclusive programme
Courses designed with paraclimbers and Disabled climbers in mind
Climbing for All (sport climbing at Horseshoe Quarry)
-
Date: Sunday
Duration: 1 day
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:4
Description: Led by the instructor who helped BMC form and then manage their GB paraclimbing team, this day out sport climbing will be about exploring, bringing forward ideas, sharing and learning. Together we will contribute to the case for making outdoor climbing more accessible. Z-pulleys, vertical hoists, and toilet tent provided, plus other specialist equipment you might require and an additional trainee instructor will be on hand to support the group.
Prerequisites: You can be experienced in outdoor climbing or brand new to the sport, this group is small and well resourced enough to allow everyone to feel progress and learning. Note this course is designed specifically for those with mobility differences.
Instructor / Provider: Graeme Hill sponsored by the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI)
Climbing for All (trad climbing at Burbage North)
-
Date: Saturday
Duration: 1 days
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:4
Description: Led by the instructor who helped BMC form and then manage their GB paraclimbing team, this day out trad climbing will be about exploring, bringing forward ideas, sharing and learning. Together we will contribute to the case for making outdoor climbing more accessible. Z-pulleys, vertical hoists, and toilet tent provided, plus other specialist equipment you might require, and an additional trainee instructor will be on hand to support the group.
Prerequisites: You can be experienced in outdoor climbing or brand new to the sport, this group is small and well resourced enough to allow everyone to feel progress and learning. Note this course is designed specifically for those with mobility differences.Instructor / Provider: Graeme Hill sponsored by the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI)
Let us know if there’s another course you’d like to see
Indoor climbing experience
If you’ve rarely if ever climbed outdoors, but have climbed indoors, these are for you
Learn to lead sport
-
Date: Friday and Saturday
Duration: 2 days
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:3 (Cat), 1:6 (Trev)
Description: Dream of becoming an independent sport climber? This course will introduce you to the skills required to lead sport climbs including route reading, efficient movement, placing quickdraws, cleaning routes, and safe outdoor lead belaying. This course is also suitable for sport climbers wanting further instruction and supervised practice. The content will be tailored to ensure all participants improve their skills no matter their starting point.
Prerequisites: You can confidently top rope routes graded 6a indoors, and are a competent top rope belayer.
Instructor / Provider: Cat Forster sponsored by the Association of Mountaineering Instructors and Trevor Massiah
Advanced outdoor bouldering for indoor climbers (V3+)
-
Date: Friday or Saturday
Duration: 1 day
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:8
Description: Already regularly bouldering V3 or above indoors and want to have a go on real rock? On this course you will climb with a group of similarly skilled boulderers to learn about route reading, climbing, pad placement, spotting and descending boulders.
Prerequisites: You can confidently boulder V3 or above indoors. No prior outdoor bouldering experience required.
Instructor / Provider: Mohammed Saqib Yasin and tbc
Outdoor bouldering for indoor climbers (V1-3)
-
Date: Friday or Saturday
Duration: 1 day
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:8
Description: Already regularly bouldering V1-3 or above indoors and want to have a go on real rock? On this course you will climb with a group of similarly skilled boulderers to learn about route reading, climbing, pad placement, spotting and descending boulders.
Prerequisites: You can confidently boulder V1-3 indoors. No prior outdoor bouldering experience required.
Instructor / Provider: Mohammed Saqib Yasin and tbc
Learn to lead trad (for indoor/sport climbers)
-
Date: Friday and Saturday
Duration: 2 days
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:4
Description: Dream of becoming an independent trad climber? This course will introduce you to the skills required to lead climbs using trad gear including route reading, efficient movement, placing good gear, building safe belays and safe outdoor belaying. This course is also suitable for trad climbers wanting further instruction and supervised practice. The content will be tailored to ensure all participants improve their skills no matter their starting point.
Prerequisites: You can confidently lead climb routes graded 6a indoors and are a competent lead belayer who has held lead falls indoors.
Instructor / Provider: Matt Jones sponsored by GO Vertical
Experience trad climbing (including LGBTQI+ only)
-
Date: Friday and Saturday
Duration: 1 day
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:2
Description: What is trad thing people keep talking about? On this course you'll take on the role of trad 'second', following your guide up a series of routes learning as you go. If you've never removed a cam before, this is the one for you.
Prerequisites: You can climb 6a indoors on a top rope, can lead belay and have tried climbing outdoors.
Instructor / Provider: Marcus Cross
Relaxed top roping (including women+ only)
-
Date: Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Duration: 1 day
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:6
Description: For those who want a relaxed day out climbing trad routes on top rope with the support of a qualified instructor. You will improve your route reading and master more efficient movement, whilst reinforcing your safe belaying skills.
Prerequisites: Prior climbing experience inside and the ability to confidently belay is preferred for this session. Beginners are encouraged instead to select the RockSkills course. The women+ only course is for all women and non-binary people.
Instructor / Provider: Katrina Kramer (volunteering)
Outdoor climbing experience
If you’ve climbed outdoors before, these courses are for you
Trad climbing belays and ropework
-
Date: Saturday and Sunday
Duration: 2 days
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:6
Description: Want to start roped climbing outdoors independently? This course will start to teach you how to set up belays using trad gear. It is also be a good refresher for lead climbers wanting to improve their trad belays. Note: This course is focused on gear placement and ropework rather than climbing technique.
Prerequisites: You can confidently top-rope belay and have tried climbing outside.
Instructor / Provider: sponsored by Adventure Expertise
Learn to lead trad
-
Date: Saturday and Sunday
Duration: 2 days
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:2
Description: Dream of becoming an independent trad climber? This course will introduce you to the skills required to lead climbs using trad gear including route reading, efficient movement, placing good gear, building safe belays and safe outdoor belaying. This course is also suitable for trad climbers wanting further instruction and supervised practice. The content will be tailored to ensure all participants improve their skills no matter their starting point.
Prerequisites: You can confidently lead climb routes graded 6a indoors, have seconded a number of outdoor climbs – ideally trad – and are a competent lead belayer who has held lead falls indoors.
Instructor / Provider: sponsored by Glenmore Lodge
Progressing into trad
-
Date: Friday and Saturday
Duration: 2 days
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:4
Description: Not quite ready for our learn to lead trad? This course builds on your existing experience and helps you learn how to second routes, place protection, construct belays, belay a lead climber safely and develop your movement skills.
Prerequisites: You should be able to confidently tie in, belay top rope climbers and climb on top rope. Ideally you should have outdoor climbing experience too.
Instructor / Provider: Janice Tan and Grace Alsancak-Hay sponsored by Plas Y Brenin
Self rescue for experienced outdoor climbers
-
Date: Sunday
Duration: 1 day
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:4
Description: Want to learn what to do if your climbing partner takes a bad fall or can't second the route you've led? This course will focus on the basics of escaping the system and hoisting. This session is appropriate for those interested in self rescue during trad and sport climbing including multi-pitch.
Prerequisites: You can confidently lead climb sport routes graded 6a outdoors or the trad equivalent and are a competent lead belayer.
Instructor / Provider: Matt Jones sponsored by GO Vertical
Outdoors movement coaching on top rope (including women+ only)
-
Date: Saturday and Sunday
Duration: 1 day
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:2
Description: Want to improve your movement on rock? Spend the day with a qualified climbing coach focusing on movement efficiency and body positioning, footwork and balance on natural rock, route reading and decision making, managing fear and building confidence on top rope.
Prerequisites: Prior climbing experience outside and the ability to confidently belay is preferred for this session, as we want to focus on climbing movement, not teaching the basics.
Instructor / Provider: Sandra Berlin
Learn to lead trad (for experienced trad climbers)
-
Date: Friday and Saturday
Duration: 2 days
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:2
Description: Dream of becoming an independent trad climber? This course will introduce you to the skills required to lead climbs using trad gear including route reading, efficient movement, placing good gear, building safe belays and safe outdoor belaying. This course is also suitable for trad climbers wanting further instruction and supervised practice. The content will be tailored to ensure all participants improve their skills no matter their starting point.
Prerequisites: You can confidently lead climb routes graded 6a indoors, have seconded a number of outdoor climbs – ideally trad – and are a competent lead belayer who has held lead falls indoors.
Instructor / Provider: Rachael (WMCI) sponsored by Plas Y Brenin
Fear of falling in sport climbing
-
Date: Friday and Sunday
Duration: 1 day
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:6
Description: Is your headgame holding you back? Spend the day developing your understanding of why we get scared and how confronting that fear with knowledge and experience can mark a step up in your enjoyment and skill in lead climbing.
Prerequisites: You confidently lead climb 6a or above outdoors. You are a competent belayer who has held lead falls.
Instructor / Provider: Graeme Hill, Trevor Massiah
Trust your gear (trad)
-
Date: Sunday
Duration: 1 day
Expected instructor to participant ratio: 1:6
Description: This workshop focuses on building confidence in protection, gear placement, and anchor construction. Practice placing really good gear, such as nuts and cams, and build trust in those placements under the guidance of an expert instructor.
Prerequisites: Best for intermediate trad climbers, who have mastered basic placements but want to improve their grade, or feel more comfortable with leading.
Instructor / Provider: Cat Forster
Hosted independent climbing sessions
We offer a number of hosted independent climbing sessions. These are bookable events available to competent outdoor climbers. There is no instruction, simply a chance to climb together with a group.
Transport will be provided for social courses. Please ensure you are at the meeting point promptly to join your group.
You can book onto hosted sessions when you purchase your ticket. There will also be a chance to book onto sessions that have not sold out at a later date.
Unlike instructed courses, gear is not provided automatically, but we hope to have spares of some things.
We hope to be able to add more hosted sessions at a later date.
Bouldering with Molly Thompson-Smith and Zoë Peetermans
-
Date: Friday
Capacity: 8
Description: Join Olympian and comp superstar Molly Thompson-Smith and pro climber Zoë Peetermans for a relaxed day out bouldering on Burbage Valley's South Boulder circuits. We'll climb as a collective and try to send every problem in the circuit between us.
Prerequisites: You must be a competent outdoor boulderer with experience of navigating and hiking into a crag carrying your equipment, finding routes using a printed or digital guide, placing mats, bouldering safely and spotting other climbers.
Photograph: Sam Pratt
Bouldering with Ashima Shiraishi
-
Date: Sunday
Capacity: 8
Description: There is no instruction on social sessions, this is simply a chance to climb together with a group headed up by Ashima Shiraishi.
Prerequisites: You must be a competent outdoor boulderer with experience of navigating and hiking into a crag carrying your equipment, finding routes using a printed or digital guide, placing mats, bouldering safely and spotting other climbers.
Photograph: Charmian Griffin
Trad climbing with Janice Tan
-
Date: Sunday
Capacity: 8
Description: There is no instruction on social sessions, this is simply a chance to climb together with a group headed up by the wonderful Janice Tan. If you’ve climbed with our community, you may well have experienced Janice’s generosity before. If not, you’ll have a great day out!
Prerequisites: You will need to be a confident trad climber with experience of gear placement, and leading and belaying trad routes. No minimum grade required. You will need all your own gear.
Sport climbing with Shu Ning Lim
-
Date: Sunday
Capacity: 8
Description: There is no instruction on social sessions, this is simply a chance to climb together with a group headed up by fabulous Shu Ning Lim. A regular at Wanderers climbing events, if you haven't met warm funny Shu Ning yet, you will be very lucky to do so at our festival.
Prerequisites: Session for experienced independent climbers to climb together with a host. You must be a competent belayer who has held lead falls. You will need all your own gear.
Photograph: Quentin Corker-Marin
Trad climbing with Marcus Cross
-
Date: Sunday
Capacity: 7
Description: There is no instruction on social sessions, this is simply a chance to climb together with a group headed up by the Marcus Cross of Pink Peak Limited. Many of you will have met Marcus in 2024 when he stepped in at the last minute and saved the day after an instructor had to pull out. You'll have a brilliant day out climbing with him.
Prerequisites: You will need to be a confident trad climber with experience of gear placement, and leading and belaying trad routes. No minimum grade required. You will need all your own gear.
Bouldering with Helen Tang
-
Date: Sunday
Capacity: 8
Description: There is no instruction on social sessions, this is simply a chance to climb together with a group headed up by Helen Tang. Helen's has worked previously as a climbing instructor, including instructing at the first Wanderers of Colour climbing festival. This year she generously joins us as a volunteer and will ensure you have a great day out climbing.
Prerequisites: You must be a competent outdoor boulderer with experience of navigating and hiking into a crag carrying your equipment, finding routes using a printed or digital guide, placing mats, bouldering safely and spotting other climbers.
Sport climbing with Helen Tang
-
Date: Saturday
Capacity:
Description: There is no instruction on social sessions, this is simply a chance to climb together with a group headed up by Helen Tang. Helen's has worked previously as a climbing instructor, including instructing at the first Wanderers of Colour climbing festival. This year she generously joins us as a volunteer and will ensure you have a great day out climbing.
Prerequisites: You must be a competent outdoor boulderer with experience of navigating and hiking into a crag carrying your equipment, finding routes using a printed or digital guide, placing mats, bouldering safely and spotting other climbers.7
Bouldering with Saqib Yasin
-
Date: Sunday
Capacity: 8
Description: There is no instruction on social sessions, this is simply a chance to climb together with a group headed up by Saqib Yasin. Saqib is a climbing instructor, and is instructing the bouldering programme on other days of the Wanderers of Colour climbing festival but today he generously joins us as a volunteer and will ensure you have a great day out climbing.
Prerequisites: You must be a competent outdoor boulderer with experience of navigating and hiking into a crag carrying your equipment, finding routes using a printed or digital guide, placing mats, bouldering safely and spotting other climbers.
Bouldering with Bevan Hollingworth
-
Date: Saturday
Capacity: 8
Description: There is no instruction on social sessions, this is simply a chance to climb together with a group headed up by Bevan Hollingworth aka @drop_knees_not_bombs. Bevan is a seasoned community session lead and was originally coming to the festival as an attendee but volunteered to host this session. The group will be climbing 6s and 7s and this is one of the sessions where if you'd like to push your grade, you'll be amongst others who'd like to do the same.
Prerequisites: You must be a competent outdoor boulderer with experience of navigating and hiking into a crag carrying your equipment, finding routes using a printed or digital guide, placing mats, bouldering safely and spotting other climbers. Ideally you’d be looking to climb 6s and 7s.
Independent climbing
Independent climbing is for compentent climbers.
There will be many climbers coming to this festival who are comfortable choosing where to climb and have their own transport.
If you are looking for a partner to climb with that day, please let one of the facilitators know before the breakfast briefing so we can include this in the day’s announcements. There will also be social activities from the first evening to support you in finding climbing buddies.
We ask that everyone climbing independently is a competent outdoors climber, is honest about their competence and that everyone makes sure to do all the necessary gear and safety checks before commencing every climb. While we are happy helping you find someone to climb with, both parties remain responsible for their own and each other’s safety and wellbeing.
All photographs on this page not otherwise attributed are by Roxanna Barry.
Any questions or suggestions regarding the climbing programme should go via our query form.