Hi everyone

I’ve volunteered to co-ordinate the re-routing at Copleston climbing wall this winter (although I’m also very happy to step back if someone else fancies taking on the lead role). This year’s main re-routing effort will take place over the weekend 18 – 20 January.

If you’ve been involved with this previously I hope you will be able to help again this year. We will need a good few experienced people to ensure a successful weekend. If you’ve not taken part before please find more details below, and please consider joining us this year.

We will have access to the wall from Friday evening right through to Sunday afternoon. If you are able to help please let me know when you are likely to be available. If you can join us for the whole weekend that would be great, but shorter periods are also very valuable. No need to give a firm commitment now – I just need to be able to gauge the likely strength of the team at this point.

This is an enjoyable opportunity to set new challenges at the wall for the rest of us to try out and to revive interest in the wall for the new year.

Hoping to hear from lots of volunteers – many thanks in advance.

Martin

Details – primarily for people who’ve not been involved before.

We should have uninterrupted use of “our” end of the sport’s centre from 6.00pm – 10.00pm Friday evening and from 9.00am – 5.00pm Saturday and Sunday.

If we have sufficient volunteers, the plan will be to strip the entire wall on the Friday evening. That leaves all day Saturday and Sunday to set routes. The target will be to set two or three new routes on each line, giving keen route-setters the chance to fill the gaps over the following weeks.

The Copleston wall can feel rather stale at this time of year with most routes not changed for quite a while. But the club’s annual re-routing session gives the wall a new leash of life and is well worth doing. Setting challenges for other people adds a new dimension to climbing which many of us find really enjoyable. We should also have some new holds to experiment with this year.

If you’ve not had a go before, please consider volunteering this time.  To set routes you need to be proficient at the basic climbing skills at the wall but help is available with the additional skills required. Even if you don’t feel confident to set your own routes, there is other work to do supporting those who are setting. However, everyone who wants to should have the chance to set at least one new route.

Please get in touch if you need any more information before deciding whether to be involved this year.