Climbing Tower

Those of you who have driven up the Buxton Road since the beginning of April may have wondered what the Horstead Centre was having built in the garden. Was it a ski-slope, a water slide, a piece of modern art ….?

In fact it is a purpose built climbing tower. It has been built by a specialist firm Entre-prises and is a free standing climbing structure. The tower has been constructed using sprayed concrete on a reinforced bar and steel mesh frame, designed to simulate a granite crag.

It includes an internal bouldering and climbing area rising to a height of 4 metres and external climbing routes; to offer a range of overhanging, slab and vertical profile climbing lines. There are two platforms on the tower accessed by gently sloping ramps.

The tower has exceeded our expectations and is currently being enjoyed by both our resident groups and visitors. It is already exciting a lot of interest with every visitor asking to bring a group to use it. There are 13 different climbing routes varying from the easy to very difficult, complete with overhangs. The inside-climbing cave can be used for bouldering as well as climbing. There are two abseiling routes, either down through the cave or from the top platform. The zip wire is also now in use running across the garden.

It is unique, certainly within East Anglia and possibly within the country. Although there are bouldering structures in existence none of them have the inside cave element or are designed to cope with disabled climbing.

At the moment we are concentrating are using the tower with our abled-bodied groups, ensuring that our operating procedures are correct, etc. Then we shall explore ways in which we can work with those with disabilities, including getting wheelchairs access. One problem has been highlighted; that is how to get the young people to stop at the end of the session - they are enjoying it too much!

The Horstead Centre Climbing Tower is available for group use with preference being given to youth groups and adults in training and education. The tower is only available when not required by the resident group using the Centre. The tower can be used by groups either with Horstead Centre instructors, if available, or by the group's own qualified instructor(s).

Open Day

Saturday, 19th October 2002, 10am to 3.30pm for anyone to come and have a look, and if you bring trainers, have a quick go.