First time climbing?

Welcome — the Mothership is Bristol’s home of bouldering and one of the easiest, friendliest places in the city to start. Bouldering is climbing close to the ground over soft mats, with no ropes and no experience needed.

New to bouldering? The easiest way in is an induction — a short, friendly session where a staff member shows you around and gives you the pointers you need to head off and climb on your own. Come solo, or bring friends and family along to learn together.

Prefer to jump straight in? Just turn up and hire shoes at reception. Over-16s can boulder unsupervised. To save time, complete forms before you arrive — this includes our short safety video.

When it comes to paying, you can pay per visit or buy a pass for discounted entry. View prices. And if you’ve never visited a TCA centre before, our Pay Once, Climb Twice offer means your second visit is completely free.

Looking for roped climbing rather than bouldering? You can try that at our other Southwest centres, The Church and The Arc — see roped courses.

Book an Induction

Yes — the Mothership is a great place for families to try bouldering in Bristol. Under-16s are welcome to boulder with a registered adult and each adult can supervise up to two others per visit. There are some restrictions for under-8s, whether bouldering or roped climbing, so it’s worth checking those before your first visit — See FAQs

We run regular term-time classes and holiday climbing during the summer for young people here at the Mothership, so there’s a fun, structured way for kids to build skills and confidence. For bouldering the Mothership is your best bet in Bristol, as bouldering at The Church is limited. If you’d prefer roped climbing, head to The Church (Bristol) or The Arc (Chippenham), where under-18s climb with a registered adult. Visit locations for more on youth climbing.

Experienced climbers can save time by completing forms online in advance.

Absolutely. Our café here at the Mothership is open to the public — no registration or climbing required — serving great coffee, sweet treats and savoury snacks. Just passing? We do takeaway hot drinks for a quick caffeine (or decaf) fix. You’ll also find a shop stocking climbing shoes, clothing, gear and guidebooks, open to non-climbers too.