I am always slightly depressed at this time of year as the weather changes and it gets hard to get out climbing. We managed to get up to the peak district last weekend but the rain the night before meant the rock was too wet to climb. In order to keep my fitness levels up I now start using climbing walls for the winter at least the climbing holds won`t be slippy on a climbing wall. I try to use the advanced level climbing holds as this really boosts my confidence. The climbing wall I use has just bought new climbing holds for the advanced wall and that is superb. It really feels as if you are working hard both physically and mentally. They have spaced the climbing holds perfectly so that you have be mentally agile as well as physically. It`s the only thing that makes the winter bearable!

I have just enrolled for a course of eight lessons at my local climbing wall. I haven`t been so scared for years. Thank goodness my instructor was extraordinarily patient and kind to me. He encouraged me to focus on the red climbing wall holds, and to use the yellow if I really felt I needed to. I had never come across climbing wall holds before and it seems extraordinary to be clinging on to them whilst attempting to make my way up a near vertical wall. He has persuaded me that the climbing wall holds are set in such a way as to help me initially and as my climbing progresses to test me. After two lessons my adrenaline levels haven`t been these high for many years and I am absolutely hooked. My instructor has told me that on my next lesson I am moving on to the next wall which seems to have a totally different arrangement of climbing wall holds on it, but I am looking forward to the next challenge.

I have just taken a group of 10 boy`s rock climbing for the first time. It was fantastic watching them go from very scared to absolutely lovely the climbing. It`s difficult to persuade them to have faith in the rope and of course the rock climbing holds. As we started them they were determined to use every rock climbing hold on the way up. They seemed to think that if the rock climbing hold was available that they should use it. Within an hour on the wall they had stopped using one colour hold and were focusing on the other. I think that this is the perfect age to start kids climbing as their agility was fantastic and their ability to move on to quite an advanced climb in one morning session was fantastic. I have been persuaded to take them back to the wall next weekend as well. I think if they can maintain their enthusiasm over the winter they are going to be well prepared for a simple climb come the spring and some better weather.