Alien Rock 1

Doors Open Days are a regular thing in our beloved Edinburgh and provide people with a chance to do and see things they usually can’t or won’t see. Alien Rock was ostensibly on the schedule for Doors Open but what this meant was that you could come into the facility but not try anything unless you paid. How this differs from any other day is beyond me and so I will never know what Alien Rock is like or whether my kids would have enjoyed regular sessions there. Boo.

As we get further in to the cold dark winter I can see Alien Rock being more of a feature for me than Ratho for my climbing needs. Based in an old church down in Newhaven, Alien Rock 1 (Alien Rock 2 is based at a separate site and is only for bouldering) allows you to climb in the winter without your fingers dropping off. (Which is a bit of a risk at Ratho during the winter.)
Alien Rock is warm, light and intimate. Not having the same height of climbs as bigger venues the emphasis here is on technical climbs rather than ones that require lots of stamina to finish. You can spend a lot of time just examining the routes, trying to figure out how get over an overhang or where your ideal holds are. It makes the climbs feel more challenging and rewarding when you manage to complete them, and completing them can be hard! Be prepared to fall off a few times!
They cater for a varied range of skill levels from entry level top rope climbing right up to some pretty technical lead rope climbing. I’ve also been told that there is a small bouldering area upstairs above the office but I’ve never been up there yet. Alien Rock also offer courses for those wishing to learn or improve which are also pretty competitive priced.
As with most other climbing centres the cost of equipment hire isn’t included in your entry price which can make a climbing session really pricey at around £13 for entry and hire. If you plan to climb here regularly it’s definitely worth investing in your own shoes and harness. There is also a White Card membership for £22 for a year which cuts about 30% off the price of your entry, plus you get a 10% discount on items in the store.

Um Can I say Awesome! Love love love this place. Best climbing gym in the city. Have great routs for all skills. Awesome friendly staff. Good coffee, rental gear is cheap if you need to rent gear. Staff will help you and you can get lessons if need be. Great great place I can’t express how awesome this place is.

«I’m going to aim for a 6+ with overhangs. I think you’ll be great with the belaying, and a 4+ once you’ve got your weight balance right.»
What to the what now?
I have been rock climbing before at places where they use bungee ropes, so there’s no need for knots and belaying, and you can just scramble up and jump down. And I knew I loved it. So when some good friends offered to introduce me to the proper world of rock climbing, I was in for a treat.
Alien Rock is quite far out of town, but worth the trek. It’s not that big, and on a Tuesday evening was quite busy. We never had to wait for a wall, there was always space. The staff were friendly, the atmosphere here is laid back but filled with serious climbers. I had no formal training but my friends are serious climbers so they could sign me in. It was £15 for access, and the renting of a harness and shoes. Not bad for 3 hours of climbing.
Now, if I could review my friend’s ability to teach me, I would give them 5 stars or more! They taught me the rope looping for the belay (get a wee person, put a scarf on them, and poke them through the eye!) They patiently helped me belay one another, and then climb myself. By the end of of 3 hours I was doing 5+ with overhangs. And I loved it!
The group of people who come here are all experienced climbers, friendly but also in their own climbing world. Nearby climbers were giving my friend advice when she got stuck on where to go half-​way up a wall. The staff go round and constantly check people’s harnesses are correct. THere’s an atmosphere of mutual support and shared love of climbing.
I can see myself becoming a regular here. I’ll need to look into what the process is for someone who has no training officially but does now know the ins and outs. I totally know what a 5+ means and how to belay. Get in!
Jen’s new addiction…

Fantastic place, climbing here is brilliant this is what all cities should do with old churches etc.
Only negative is that they need to sort the music, I think last time I was climbing they had Mozart playing, I like Mozart but not while I’m climbing. Brilliant place though and the team are lovely and helpful.
C

Ever had a bad experience rock climbing or abseiling? Well I did as a teenager and had been terrified to try ever since. But something about scrambling up a wall endured within me and about 2 yrs ago, I braved another climbing arena in the area for an aerial assault. Not climbing, nor abseiling, but it re-​awoke a recurring want to challenge my fear of abseiling. I don’t like losing, especially to fear!
Finally, I booked myself in for a class at Alien Rock. Here, they run a 3hr intro session into climbing showing you safety and climbing techniques, including bouldering (i.e. without ropes, eek!). At the end of the session, you are given a membership card so you can return to AR for further climbing sessions, this time without the teacher.
Our teacher Chris was very patient. I guess he has seen many people in the past being terrified out of their wits, either through the effort to climb up and down the wall, or (personally for me) being responsible for holding the rope and belaying the person climbing. He did help me out with the whole terror of abseiling — although I am not cured, I was able to return and the more times I do it, the more relaxed I will be.
The introduction is £45, 7−10pm so fits around most people’s work schedules. Hire of shoes and harnesses are available from the shop and you’ll drop about 12 – 13 quid each time you go unless you bring your own gear and/​or sign up for some of the deals they have going. On the plus side for those who don’t like numbers, once you are in AR, you are in. There is no time limit — you can go for 30mins, 2 hours, a whole day if you want. Been there, tried it, definitely a convert.

Rock climbing is rubbish. It’s rubbish. It’s rubbish, it’s rubbish, it’s rubbish rubbish rubbish. Well, this is what I initially thought, until I lived with two ex-​punk, Spanish rock climbers who, as you’ll probably have guessed by the way I’ve described them, really liked rock climbing.
It’s a fantastic facility, even if I don’t trust crash mats to fall on even from half an inch away, the staff are really professional and didn’t laugh at my inability to get more than a metre off the ground as much as my pals… which was really nice of them and they helped me as much they possibly could. It had a real community spirit and sense of family.
I actually had a really great time because I laughed so much. My arse felt great the day after too… Maybe if I could do it every day I’d look like Hulk Hogan like I’ve always dreamed of.

Alien 2 is a large bouldering wall with many different problems at different grades. Often busy, the staff are friendly and the routes change on a regular basis. Watch out for the temperature changes though as in the summer it can be extremely hot even with the roller doors up and in the winter it can get pretty cold. Just like the real thing then!

I adore Alien Rock! Yes, I’ve been out to Ratho (which is where most people seem to harp on about when referring to indoor climbing), but for meRatho comes nowhere near close.
It’s the atmosphere within Alien Rock which does it for me. The converted church provides a really unusual setting, and the building is neither too big nor too small to serve its purpose. It’s comfortable, warm, friendly and welcoming and the staff are always at hand to assist or to have a good ol’ laugh with.
It’s the perfect location for a fun afternoon — do a bit of climbing amongst the company of friends, stop for a coffee and a piece of cake (yes, they do serve the most wonderful coffee in there) whilst watching the other climbers from the seated area upstairs. Do a bit more climbingthen another coffeeand yeah, you get where I’m coming from. And you can stay there for as long as you like too. Well, I reckon you might get kicked out when the staff are trying to head home, but you’ll probably be exhausted by then and ready to drop straight into your bed anyway. Did I mention what excellent exercise climbing is? It’s not all about the coffee and cake eating, y’know.
Alien Rock provides a good range of climbs at a broad range of levels, which change frequently so you’re never short of a challenge (or several at any one time). There are plenty of top roped climbing walls, and some lead climbing walls too if you’ve got your own rope to take along with you. Harnesses and shoes are available for hire if you don’t have any of your own kit (and you can borrow one of their belay devices if you don’t have one yourself). Induction classes are available for the absolute beginners, and I believe they run a fair few other sessions too, for those who don’t have anybody to climb with. The upstairs climbing room is for bouldering (climbing without ropes) and the floor is lined with crash mats for this purpose. There’s a very small shop available on the premises which is linked to Tiso. If you purchase a discount card at Alien Rock, you get entry for a reduced rate over a year and 10% off all purchases from the shop too.
Children and adults are welcome alike. Get climbing. Do Alien Rock! You’ll love it!

Alien Rock is quite simply the coolest rock climbing club I’ve ever been to. Built inside a converted church right on the edge of the Firth of Forth it combines a simply amazing venue with great facilities and a challenging variety of walls that cater to both the absolute beginner as well as more experienced climbers.
Head there in the early evening with a few good friends before things really heat up and stay til close — its a great way to spend an evening.

Alien Rock is a great place to spend some time, they have a lot of different graded climbs and whether you’re a novice or an experienced climber they will have something for you.
You can take your own gear or hire some on site and the staff are always friendly and willing to give you some advice or handy tips before or during a climb.
There is also a room upstairs where you can practice on overhangs, small grips etc.
They do have a small shop so you can pick up well-​needed refreshment.
Well worth a visit

The original and some still say the best. This old church has been converted into a climbing center that challenges all abilities. They have hire facilities for shoes and harnesses, basic top roped walls and challenging leading routes. There is even a little shop there for those wishing to purchase their own quality gear with expert advice. It’s not fancy, it’s not plush, it’s down to earth getting up high. Well worth a climb.