Bouldering
Walls up to 4.5 metres over deep matting, climbed without ropes or a partner. Problems are graded by colour and one wall is reset each week.
Induction$15
Pull on, top out, come back tomorrow
Bouldering and roped climbing on walls set for first timers and strong climbers alike, with courses for adults and clubs for children. Book an induction and the team shows you how to fall, belay and pick a route before you leave the ground.
14 mroped walls
Weeklynew boulder problems
Age 5and up in kids club
- Bouldering and roped walls
- Courses for adults
- Kids clubs after school
- Induction on every first visit
Six ways to climb at Crux
Every first visit begins with a short induction for the area you want to use. Evenings and weekends fill up, so visitors and members book a session slot ahead.
Auto belays
Twelve lanes where the device lowers you gently when you let go, so a full height wall can be climbed alone after a short briefing.
Induction$15
Top rope
Climb with a partner on ropes already hung from the top. Pass a belay check first, or learn everything on our beginner course.
Belay check$10
Lead climbing
Clip the rope as you go on the steep lead wall, after a lead check or the lead course. Bring your own rope for lead climbing.
Lead check$15
Training area
Fingerboards, a steep system board, rings and a small weights corner for climbers building strength between sessions.
Entryincluded
Groups and parties
Birthday parties for children aged 6 and over, team days and school groups, each led by an instructor with all the kit included.
Ten climbersfrom $220
Entry, passes and memberships
Prices cover the walls, the matting and the training area. Climbing shoes and harnesses can be hired at the desk on the day.
Day entry
a visit, from$18
- Off peak price before 16:00 on weekdays
- $22 at evenings and weekends
- Under 16s from $12
Monthly membership
a month$64
- Climb at any time the wall is open
- Ten percent off courses and hire
- Bring a guest once a month at half price
- First look at each newly set wall
Ten visit pass
ten visits$160
- Use it at peak or off peak
- Works for bouldering and roped walls
- Top up at the desk
Memberships run month to month and stop with 30 days' notice. Hire costs $5 for shoes, $4 for a harness and $2 for a chalk bag. Payment is settled at the desk once a booking is confirmed.
How the colour circuits compare
Every problem in the boulder area carries a coloured tag. These rough grade ranges help climbers arriving from other walls or from outdoor crags.
| Tag colour | Rough V grade | Rough Font grade | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | VB to V0 | 3 to 4 | First sessions and warming up |
| Green | V0 to V2 | 4 to 5 | Climbers in their first few months |
| Blue | V2 to V4 | 5+ to 6A+ | Regular climbers building technique |
| Purple | V4 to V6 | 6B to 7A | Strong climbers and project days |
| Red | V6 to V8 | 7A to 7B+ | Training sessions and club comps |
| Black | V8 and above | 7B+ and above | The hardest problems in the building |
Grades are a guide rather than a promise, and the setters argue about them as much as anyone.
Learn to climb in four evenings
The beginner course runs on Tuesday or Thursday evenings from 18:30 to 20:30. It costs $120 with harness, shoes and rope lent, and it ends with your belay check.
Harness and knots
Put on a harness, tie a figure eight knot and check your partner's knot before anyone leaves the ground.
Belaying
Take in, lock off and lower a partner on a top rope, with an instructor holding the back of the rope.
Moving on the wall
Footwork, resting on straight arms and reading a route from the ground before setting off.
Belay check
Show the instructor you can belay safely, then climb top rope on your own visits from that day on.
Kids club after school and on Saturdays
Kids club is for children aged 5 to 15, in small groups sorted by age and experience. Instructors teach balance, movement and safe falling first, and older groups learn knots and belaying as their confidence grows.
Every kids club instructor holds a climbing instructor qualification and a first aid certificate, and has passed the background checks required for working with children.
- One instructor for every six children
- Sessions from $16, or $56 for a block of four
- Parents of under 8s stay in the building
- Roped climbing only with an instructor
Around the wall
Bouldering caves, a 14 metre lead wall and the auto belay lanes, all under one warehouse roof.
Overheard at the chalk bucket (example reviews)
Came along for a friend's birthday and stayed for the course. Four evenings later both of us passed the belay check, and now we climb twice a week.
Our son was nervous of heights, so the instructor kept him on the low boulders until he asked to go higher. Three weeks later he reached the top of an auto belay lane.
The setters change a wall every week, so there is always a new problem to try. Honest grades, clean holds and a deep, soft floor.
Before you tie in
Is a climbing partner needed?
No. Bouldering and the auto belay lanes are climbed alone after a short induction. Top rope and lead climbing need a partner who has passed a belay check, and the desk can often pair you with one.
What should first time climbers wear?
Stretchy trousers or shorts and a top that lets you lift your arms above your head. Climbing shoes are hired at the desk, and any shoes you bring must be clean of mud.
How safe is bouldering?
Falling is part of bouldering, so the induction teaches you how to land and roll on the matting. Injuries can still happen, and climbing is at your own risk once you have signed the visitor agreement. Climb down when you can rather than jumping from the top.
Can people climb with an injury or while pregnant?
Ask your doctor first and tell the desk what they advise, because our staff cannot give medical advice. If anyone is hurt in the building, staff give first aid and call your local emergency number when it is needed.
How old do children need to be?
Kids club starts at age 5. Under 16s climb with an adult who stays in the building, and children under 12 need that adult beside them on the floor unless they are in a club session.
What happens if a course evening is missed?
A missed evening can be made up on the next course with space. Booked sessions cancelled at least 24 hours ahead move to your account as credit for another visit.
Book a session or a course
Pick what you would like to do, the day and the number of climbers. The desk confirms by email within a day, or offers the nearest session that still has space.
- New climbers start with a short induction
- Shoes and harnesses can be hired on the day
- Payment is settled directly with the wall
Find the wall
Look for the warehouse with painted holds on the end wall. Bicycle racks sit just inside the gate.
Talk to the desk
Converted warehouse beside the canal towpath, a short walk from the tram line
Wall hours
| Monday to Friday | 10:00 to 22:00 |
| Saturday and Sunday | 09:00 to 20:00 |
| Public holidays | 10:00 to 18:00 |
Quieter times
Weekday evenings from 17:30 and Sunday afternoons are the busiest times. Late mornings and the last hour before closing are the calmest, which suits a first visit.