Welcome to Cliffs Barn Climbing Centre
Latest:
Next Competition Date 6th March 2008
Routes:
Main Room - All routes changed 11th Feb 08
Cliffsbarn Climbing Centre was opened in 1992 as part of a farm diversification project. Ed and Mark realised the potential that the space of the old milking barn had, and with the help of a family friend and soon to be extraordinaire wall builder Colin Rockley they clubbed together to create the Legendary ‘Barn’.
Initial visitor predictions were soon exceeded as the unique wall design, friendly and warm yet slightly competitive atmosphere, and the start of the bouldering boom combined to create thriving wall community.
The design of the wall was pretty much unique in its time as it was the first to use featured paneled walls when most others were moulded resin/concrete. It also has a massive range of angled surfaces to climb on, from slab to horizontal roof, a complete circular traverse, and then there was the cellar.. the first wall to use curved plywood combined with wooden holds.
Over the years the ‘Barn’ became a local training facility for many a ‘hotshot’, the likes of Pete Black a weekly regular, cranking many a hideous rock over, the ‘pexhill’ crew, Mick Lovatt, Ian Vickers, Gaz Parry, and someone who recognized the potential of the cellar as a ‘power endurance’ training facility (like you do?!) Neil Carson.
Unfortunately the success of the ‘Barn’ was to encounter troubled times. A serious problem that is still the plague of all Climbing Walls, the suing culture, saw a number of injuries in 2002 and subsequent insurance claims. The inevitable result was the closure of the barn.
Fortunately over the intervening years, Rock and River an Outdoor Pursuits Centre that made its base at the farm, grew as a business and in 2005 became able to support the high insurance cost for the wall. Also the return Paul Robins an old devotee to the barn, who joined Rock and River 2005, took on the role of running the barn.
Over the last few years the barn has steadily picked up momentum and is now a thriving wall again. A few refurbishments have been made, a new cellar built, refab to the main wall with ‘volumes’, a regular competition series and new walls planned for the future.
So if you’ve never visited the ‘Barn’ before or you are an older member, then its worth the effort to make a visit.
Click the above pages for access to the latest news, new route information, competition dates and other interesting info.
