Teen Bouldering Passport

At TCA, anyone 16 and over can boulder on their own and register as an adult would. The Teen Bouldering Passport brings that forward. It lets 14 and 15 year olds climb without a parent, guardian or instructor with them.

To get one, the teen and a parent or guardian attend a 15-minute induction together. Once our team has signed the teen off, they can come and climb whenever it suits them.

What is the Teen Bouldering Passport?

It’s a sign-off that lets a 14 or 15 year old boulder independently at TCA. Without it, under 16s need a parent or guardian in the building for every session. With it, they don’t.

The passport covers bouldering. It doesn’t cover rope climbing.

Who can get one?

14 and 15 year olds who want to climb without supervision, and their parent or legal guardian.

The parent or guardian has to be there for the induction. An adult friend, an older sibling, an aunt or uncle can’t stand in. No parent/guardian at the induction no passport.

We can accommodate one parent or guardian per child, so the induction stays a manageable size.

What happens in the induction?

15mins with a member of our team. We’ll show you round, explain how everything works and go through the rules for climbing here: how to keep yourself safe, how to look out for people climbing nearby and what we expect from everyone sharing the space.

At the end our team signs the teen off. Occasionally we’ll ask someone to come back and repeat the induction before they climb independently.

Afterwards you’re welcome to stay and climb for as long as you like at no extra cost.

How much does it cost?

Day entry doesn’t change: £8.90 off peak, £9.80 peak. A passport doesn’t commit you to a monthly pass.

If you want one, a monthly pass for a passport pass-holder is £35. If a parent holds a pass, the teen can be added to it for £16 a month instead, which covers supervised and unsupervised climbing. Our £35 passport pass must be purchased in-person at reception.

A teen’s own pass for supervised climbing only stays at £26 a month.

Why £35?

Climbing unsupervised at TCA starts at £52 a month. We’ve introduced a £35 rate for 14 and 15 year olds so they aren’t paying the full unsupervised price while they’re still getting started.

FAQs

• Can they use it at other TCA centres?
  Yes. The first time they visit a different centre they’ll need a quick intro to the facilities. Just ask the Duty Manager when they arrive.
• What happens at 16?
  The passport stops being necessary. From their 16th birthday they register as an adult and adult pass rates apply.
• Get an induction
  You do not need to book an induction ahead of time, they are available on request daily at every centre apart from The Church.

Images by Chris Blackwell