If you’re looking for a climbing centre with wow factor, the brand new Climb Quest in Milton Keynes has it all. My boys love to climb just about anything so were really excited to be kindly invited along by the owners try out a session.
Newly opened on the 8th Feb 2020, Climb Quest is nothing like you might imagine an indoor climbing centre to look like. It’s packed full of vibrant climbing walls with a dazzling array of variety.
With the bright colours you might imagine the indoor climbing walls are just for kids but they have incorporated a great range of difficulty levels from easy to tricky, which will challenge all ages from 4 year olds up to adults as much or as little as needed. I saw one Mum and her son race each other up on either side of a see through wall. For younger ones they have a separate Little Rockers session for over 2’s.
What’s great as a parent is that they use an auto belay system which means you or your kids can climb as high as you want and let go at any point without falling or needing something holding a rope for you. There were lots of experience and friendly staff on the ground helping everyone out.
If you’re looking for an extra thrill there are a couple of exciting experiences you can add to your entry ticket. The vertical drop slide is the only challenge where you are not clipped onto the climbing rope. Sliders firstly put on a racing suit plus safety helmet. You then lie on the bottom of the slide and take hold of the t-bar, connected to the winch that will lift you towards the top of the 6 metre drop. The slide has number marks to see how high you can stay on.
I watched a brave Mum take on the ‘Stairway to Heaven’. It’s a set of 13 green poles that gradually increase in height. Definitely something different to try for anyone with a head for heights.
If you fancy relaxing while your kids climb, there’s a lovely little cafe serving yummy cakes, pizzas, sandwiches and refreshments. You can get really close to the action either sitting downstairs or on their mezzanine. I set my 3 year old with a few toys upstairs and he had a great time shouting encouragement to his brothers as they climbed up to our height.
Autism Friendly & SEND sessions
On the 1st Sunday of each month, Climb Quest run a special session for those climbers with special educational needs. Between 9 and 10am, they provide a calm environment for all members of the family to climb. Music is turned right down if needed, and there are plenty of instructors to help. They also restrict numbers in the session to 14 so it’s not too overwhelming. Sessions are £10 per climber, and tickets can be booked in advance through their booking site.
The centre has a climbing hoist that they can use to help those who find it difficult to climb. They can help two people per session with the hoist. If you would like to pre-book the hoist for your child, please email or call them in advance so they can get it set up.
