Arethusa Climbing Centre

First visited to attend a birthday party on the fun walls that my daughter was invited to. While waiting she saw the Mez and the G13 bouldering areas. A few questions at reception and I learned that an "Intro to Bouldering" taster session would cover everything I needed to climb safely and adequately supervise my little monkey. That session was three days later and we climbed together for about six months, often twice a week. She got a real buzz climbing and it really boosted her confidence. I got hooked too and now I come here instead of a traditional gym. One to one coaching sessions and "Workout-Wednesday" classes are a particular highlight. A big thank you to the staff at TCE.

· via Google

The Climbing Experience in Maidstone is a fantastic climbing gym that caters for all ages and abilities. The staff are climbers themselves; professional, friendly, and always happy to offer advice, share beta, or just chat about climbs you’ve conquered or trips you’re planning. The café is warm and inviting and serves some of the best coffee in Maidstone. Beyond climbing, the centre also has a dedicated kids’ fun wall, a yoga studio, a weights and fitness room, and even a sauna (bookable on request). The bouldering is excellent, with new problems set weekly and, in my experience, some of the best problems in the South East. Facilities include a spray wall, MoonBoard, bouldering league, “vert of the week”, plus a great mix of terrain; slab, vertical, overhang, cave, arch, and a full competition wall. Competitions run quarterly with mini-comps in between, and the setting ranges from old-school crimp-fests to modern comp-style problems using dual-tex holds and volumes. There’s a generous spread of grades from 4 to 7c+, with the occasional 8a thrown in for good measure. There’s also an excellent coaching programme for both kids and adults, from complete beginners through to elite level, with some squad members on the junior British climbing squad. Social sessions, including women’s climbing, and regular training and technique sessions run throughout the week. Well worth a trip if you’re visiting from out of town, and if you’re local and new to climbing, it’s a brilliant place to start your climbing journey.

· via Google

The instructors are attentive, approachable, and always offer helpful tips during the session. Plenty of time is allocated for each activity. Even when the Fun Walls are at full capacity, everyone still gets a fair amount of time by taking turns.

· via Google

We had such a great experience here! I brought my 9-year-old daughter and her friend for a climbing session, and they absolutely loved every minute. A special mention has to go to Ethan, who was fantastic. He took the time to explain everything thoroughly, making sure all the kids participating understood how everything worked and helping them feel confident before they started climbing. He was patient, friendly and really made the experience enjoyable. To top it off, he even let them spend the last 10 minutes on the bouldering wall, which was such a lovely surprise and really finished the session off perfectly. That extra gesture wasn’t expected but was very much appreciated. We’ll definitely be back and would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a fun activity with great staff!

· via Google