If you are keen to take up climbing, it is a good idea to start with a climbing course and learn the basic skills from the experts. Once you are feeling a little more confident, then moving on to a guided climbing trip is the next logical step.
Most of the time, the guides are the same instructors that will have taught you on the course, so you will already know them and trust their expertise. So, what is it that makes climbing such a good option as a sport?
Building friendships
When you are climbing with a partner, you need to be able to trust them completely and learning how to climb will help you to build that trust and give you a chance to work on developing good relationships.
The bond you create will be truly tested. Climbers look out for each other, and even when you meet strangers while you are out climbing, you will be able to appreciate just how strong the bonds are.
Health benefits
Taking part in outdoor sports has been shown to give the participants a strong boost in self-confidence and bring down stress and anxiety levels. Very quickly, you can become far healthier both physically and mentally.
It is a sport that requires concentration, and it will bring you closer to nature. Climbers have a great deal of respect for the environment, and there is no better way to be a part of it.
Social life
There is a social scene connected to climbing, and once you have gone through your climbing course and made a few friends, you’ll find that you are invited to a wide range of events. Climbers will arrange to take trips together, so if you are keen to boost your social life, book that climbing course!
Organisational skills
You may not realise it but learning climbing and everything that goes with it means that you can give your organisational and problem-solving skills a boost. When you climb, you are constantly trying to work something out – where you can rest, how you can manage all the gear, etc. In time these are things that you easily get used to as you develop your own techniques.
Travel
There will always be places that are close to home where you can go climbing, but once you have these skills, you can go all over the world and test them out in new and exotic places.
As much of your money will go on the equipment you need, you will need to be prepared to travel on a shoestring sometimes, but it can definitely be done. Many climbers have made trips where they have camped or slept rough.