The Valley Climbing Centre

Fantastic experience: The winter bouldering series is set really well

Positive experience: Great gym with a good variety of routes and styles. Good size gym and whilst it does get busy I’ve never felt too cramped. The training area downstairs is top tier too! and just as spacious. My only slight niggle is that I’ve noticed often when they take holds off to reset them they do it by grade and often the grades are next to each other (i.e. this week blacks and maybe yellows(?) were off - which are each a grade apart) making it a bit tricky as you’re either climbing below (easy and a bit boring) or too high (a welcome challenge, but can become frustrating)

Fantastic experience: Brilliant climbing centre with friendly staff.

Fantastic experience: The Valley Climbing Center is fantastic for both beginners and seasoned climbers! As someone new to climbing, I love how they rotate a color each week, keeping routes fresh and exciting. The climbing community here is super friendly and supportive, making it easy to feel comfortable. The center is spacious, so it never feels overcrowded, and the added workout area downstairs is a great bonus. Highly recommend!

Fantastic experience: Staff lovely, good facilities and not too pricey

Fantastic experience: Had a great time with my son. Central, variety of climbs, both easier ones for me and challenging ones for him.

Fantastic experience: Great bouldering gym

Positive experience: Good facilties and nice routes but I feel the customer service is very poor, I guess they are so busy they really dont seem and need to care about paying customers. Very cold

Positive experience: A great place to climb with lots of options and they change their walls regularly. It is definitely one of my favourite places to climb! Staff are also super friendly. Not so great on the beginning holds (orange, white, yellow) definitely needs to invest in some new holds as they are slippy with grime.

Positive experience: I absolutely love this place, and I would come multiple times a week if I could. Great staff, huge open space, with a good variety of walls. I just wish the prices were lower. Its very difficult to have a hobby like this with a low income job. (£10 for the day with shoe hire for £3.50). It would be nice to see some more accessible or worth it choices for weekly or monthly subscriptions.

Fantastic experience: I heartily recommend this top of the range pup petting service. Visitors are encouraged to strengthen their hands by regularly hanging from their fingertips on supplied equipment. This in comparison to other similar services hosted by pubs or parks, considerably prolongs the duration of behind the ear tickles as well as contributing to a firmer smoothing of the fur from head to tail. Nice to see a business committed to best practice in the sector. 10 out of 10 - Patticakes.

Positive experience: Really fun place with great walls that change regularly, only let down by the occasional bad experience with staff

Negative experience: This gym has VERY serious safety issues! If you don’t wanna get injured or killed, please don’t go to this gym!! I had an incident here and asked for the staff’s help, but they refused to help! I climbed on a high slab wall where there are very few holds to climb down, just crimps, I got stuck at the top and asked the staff to help - either to install a couple down climb jugs or get a ladder, but they said no!! They can’t do that due to insurance reasons. They’re just standing there DOING NOTHING AT ALL watching me crying and shaking being stuck, terrified and desperate on the wall for 10mins!! I’ve injured myself before so I didn’t wanna jump from 3 or 4 meters high, they just said you have to! They would rather you collapse and injure yourself than helping you when they still can!! It was the most horrifying experience with no help from the staff or the centre! All the other gyms I’ve been to all have downclimb jugs, just not this one. 0 star!

Fantastic experience: Wonderful place! The staff is very kind and polite, they will never leave you in trouble :) There is enough routes for both beginners and experienced climbers, and there are a lot of them! The first floor is dedicated entirely for bouldering, while the ground floor is split into two parts: climbing zone with plenty of routes and the MoonBoard, and the gym area with the most common machines. So if you buy a membership, you get access not only to a bouldering center but also to a gym! I'm in love with this place! <3

Fantastic experience: The staffs are really nice. Very welcoming

Fantastic experience: An awesome place. Friendly staff with new routes set often. Good for beginners and those who think they are better than they are

Positive experience: Some good climbs and good wall angles but lacking in climb down holds. A lot of the lower grade climbs not listed on griptonite. Top out boulder was fun.

Positive experience: It's a good gym in general but they have a "comp" wall that is down more than it's up, the comp routes are generally pretty samey and it creates huge crowds as they're making use of 2/3 the space they could be

Fantastic experience: Best climbing wall ever! Routes are changed frequently so you’ll always have a challenge. Plus, delicious coffee, lots of non dairy options available. Super friendly staff, spacious gym downstairs. Great climbing vibes, definitely the best climbing wall you’ll find in the north

Fantastic experience: 1st time at The Valley Climbing Centre, really big and spacious set on 2 floors with gym equipment downstairs, lots of great puzzles to solve, nice coffee and friendly environment and staff.

Fantastic experience: Solid climbing gym. Plenty of facilities downstairs

Fantastic experience: We have so much fun here! The staff are very friendly, and they regularly redesign the climbs so there’s always some new challenge to try out week to week. We went for the beginner induction as a new one-off activity to try out, but had such a great time that we’ve kept going back for several more weeks afterward and plan to continue. It’s such a great full body workout and way more fun than a normal weights gym.

Negative experience: Just a warning that mats are quite hard here. I landed badly and have a serious injury now. Have been to other climbing gyms where the mats are softer and seem to absorb the impact a lot better.

Fantastic experience: Good variety of climbs and 6 moonboards downstairs

Fantastic experience: An excellent facility that is well ran and maintained, affordable, and the staff are very helpful and friendly. There is a nice community there.

Positive experience: Great bouldering gym, plenty of options but can get a little too busy during peak hours

Fantastic experience: Busy but not crowded

Fantastic experience: Really great, very well maintained. Ausome staff... just all around great place to visit

Fantastic experience: As a beginner I have plenty of routes to try out. My more advanced friends enjoy the facility as well.

Positive experience: Great bouldering facilities but the setting could use some more variety

Positive experience: Main area was way too dusty, in desperate need of a good clean. Good training area downstairs though

Fantastic experience: Brilliant facilities, good setting, training facilities 5 .

Fantastic experience: Best place to grow in confidence for all ages and abilities

Fantastic experience: Great customer service and a fun friendly place. My son is now obsessed with climbing so bought us monthly memberships and aim to come a few times per week. Staff always friendly, super helpful and polite

Fantastic experience: extremely polite and knowldgable staff, fun climbs, very beginner friendly.

Positive experience: Nice climbing centre and relatively large, staff are always friendly. It does get busy so be prepared to wait around if you're going at peak times. There's a good variety of climbs but unless you're relatively skilled, there isn't too much variation. The easier climbs are replaced much less often than the more advanced ones so there is little re-visit quality unless you're climbing 5+ or above.

Fantastic experience: Staff friendly and helpful. Loads of routes of differing abilities, well worth a visit!

Fantastic experience: Good route setting. Loads to do at all levels of climbing

Fantastic experience: Great routes. Good gym

Fantastic experience: Fabulous experience for newbies or experienced. Friendly staff

Fantastic experience: Don't get to the valley as often as I would like, it's a great gym worth 5stars definitely.

Fantastic experience: A great atmosphere for all. It doesn't matter what level you are coming in, there is a climb for everyone

Fantastic experience: Great Experience, Very friendly and experienced staff, clean, good atmosphere. I have been bouldering with them for some time and would recommend them to anyone wanting to learn

Fantastic experience: Great climbing gym with lots of climbs ranging in difficulty, climbs are changed at a good frequency. Climbers and staff are really friendly.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic bouldering centre located right in the heart of the ouseburn. The centre is really well illuminated, there is ample storage and many problems to solve. Grades are coloured so easy to identify difficulty level and they use griptonite to log climbs. Training area downstairs is excellent though approval needed for under 18s to train there. Two moon boards. Some weight and cardio gear etc too. It's generally an older crowd in the centre overall, very few if any young climbers in when we've visited. My daughter has just turned 7 and I'd guess the next youngest was 16. Pretty friendly vibe overall, although we did have one guy get very aggressive when my daughter was climbing a problem adjacent to him. There was a good metre separating the problems at the closest point and he was climbing quite static, but clearly felt as though could cause injury if coming off on a dynamic move. His point may have had some validity of it weren't for the fact he was ranting like a spoiled child. Other than that everyone else has been spot on! Customers really friendly and welcoming even though it's been really busy. Staff are excellent. Very helpful and knowledgeable. Gave us some great coaching tips and advice. Coffee really good too. They could maybe do with some more storage cubicles. Car parking is tight but there is some on street parking just would be wise to be respectful of other residents further up. Update: Still a member months later and still loving it. Rules on having to be on mats with anyone under 16 is annoying and unnecessary. Any younger climber climbing here is likely very competent and safety aware.

Fantastic experience: Really good gym, with plenty of good routes, an excellent training area, and friendly staff. Having all the routes registered on the griptonite app really helped the experience as I was there on my own and it gave me goals and focus to my session. Good coffee too!

Fantastic experience: Best bouldering centre in the north east by far. Really friendly helpful staff and excellent services and equipment

Fantastic experience: I'm only a novice when it comes to Bouldering, but I found the routes at Valley varied but challenging. It's a very big open space too, so even when it's busy it doesn't really feel like it.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic facilities, routes are varied and updated on a regular cycle. The main climbing area is a great size with plenty on offer. The also use Griptonite, so you can easily log and track your progress. The training area and gym in the basement is nearly as big as the main area, awesome! Changing rooms, lockers, hot showers, and fresh coffee, what more do you need!?

Positive experience: I visit here often as it's one of the best venues for bouldering in the N/E. Their layout and route setting cannot be faulted. The only reason for no 5* is that the centre suffers from a lot of chalk dust hanging in the air

Positive experience: Large center with a great traning area. The boulders are too soft for me.

Fantastic experience: Fun

Negative experience: Staff are rude and ventilation is terrible. A literal cloud of chalk to fill your lungs and make you cough. Climbing is okay but the holds and filthy and some you can barely tell the colour.

Positive experience: bit crowded and some hold were very dirty

Fantastic experience: If you like bouldering then this is the place for you in newcastle, there are lots of places to climb but for a solid bouldering experience then this is the place for you. 10/10 would recommend

Fantastic experience: Great climbing centre with plenty of variety, good selection of shoes on offer and very helpful staff, Bella was excellent and trying to help me decide on a new set of shoes as my decade old pair are looking worse for wear, very busy centre, but very freindly staff and patrons

Fantastic experience: Such lovely staff and fab route setting.

Fantastic experience: cljmbs

Fantastic experience: Great day out for all the family, though i think I broke something I didn't know I had, but it will heal once I pop it back in... OUCH!!! lol

Fantastic experience: Great climbing wall with a huge variety

Fantastic experience: Probably the best bouldering venue in Newcastle

Fantastic experience: A comfortable environment with a challenging climbing experience. Hot drinks are provided and the staff are friendly.

Fantastic experience: i love climbing rocks

Fantastic experience: Loved it, I climb regularly in the north west but was visiting this way and decided to to give this place a try, there's plenty of routes to try with adequate area to rest and socialise.

Fantastic experience: Great gym and very well equipped. Problems are set to humble you though. Geordies are a tough bunch. Respect!

Fantastic experience: Staff friendly and good choice of bouldering. My preferred place for bouldering indoors locally. Can be busy depending on day and time.

Fantastic experience: Great place for climbing

Fantastic experience: Fantastic bouldering with a nice and friendly atmosphere, as for the problem setting WELL its as good as it comes with grades right across the range. Go and see for your self you will not be disappointed.

Fantastic experience: Funny afternoon out with friendly staff.. First time trying out anything like this and felt very welcome. The centre has a friendly backpackers sorta vibe...

Fantastic experience: Fantastic bouldering centre. Routes regularly change. Good range of challenges. Reasonable prices

Fantastic experience: Great climbing wall

Fantastic experience: Amazing bouldering wall variety and very friendly staff, best bouldering wall climbing centre i've been to in a while. Gym equipment downstairs a little dated but still functional!!

Fantastic experience: Really great bouldering centre with tonnes of climbs of varying difficulty, very friendly accessible vibe for people who climb a lot or who are just trying it out. There is a little cafe area on the side too for a refuel after a climb. It also has changing facilities and a massive warmup area below the main climbing space. Parking available outside but can be full very quickly, so might be worth parking further up Byker Bank.

Fantastic experience: Amazing staff and atmosphere

Fantastic experience: Best climbing place in Newcastle. Nice and helpful staff as well :)

Fantastic experience: Brilliant climbing facilities, really friendly staff and such a welcoming vibe. Child friendly as long as they are supervised, my 9 yr old daughter loves it!

Fantastic experience: Class climbing wall.

Positive experience: Awesome gym with plenty of nice problems in the 6a-6c+ range. Basement training/warm up space is the best I’ve seen at any climbing gym. Friendly staff, decent prices. Grading is similar to Eden Rock, Edinburgh. Knocking a star off for the lack of changing facilities. The male changing room needs the door to open the other way for privacy and some benches and hooks set up. Literally just an empty room with a loo, sink and a broken shower just now. Also to be really picky, the black and grey holds can be easily confused when climbing, often leaving me wondering if I did a black route properly. Replacing one with another colour would go a long way.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic facilities and really awesome, friendly and helpful staff. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this indoor wall/gym and am there myself whenever I can be!

Fantastic experience: Good climbing centre for all abilities, friendly staff and easy to book. Much better than Newcastle Climbing Centre

Fantastic experience: Great place to climb, everyone there is lovely and helps you with whatever they can

Negative experience: In a nutshell - this is a bad climbing gym. The fact that it is so highly rated shows that people have zero expectations for climbing gyms. Here are some things that are wrong with this climbing centre: * There are no appropriate changing rooms. So when a person comes for the first time, where is he supposed to change his clothes? Given the size of this place, it is just weird. * The gym seems to be focused on Quantity over Quality. There are loads of boulders but most of them are either of poor quality (have lost their color, there are no markings where the start and end is) or are very generic. Given the abundance of boulders it is clear that they are not changed very often, which is even worse. * The grading system is unclear. Some other gyms have a clear and good system (evaluating boulders by numbers and letters, for example 5B, 5C, then 6A etc.) I have heard that a lot of gyms have the system that this gym had (based on color that indicate range of possible difficulty), but it is just not as clear as it could be. * the worst thing in the gym is the falling mat. It is very very hard. Maybe it is just a standard in this country, but it is generally not fun to climb when you know that if you drop you will get hurt. The falling mat is barely softer than the ground itself. I have been in other gyms, so this was a downer. There is no vibe to climb mainly due to the awful falling mat (the biggest of issues). The best way to summarise the gym is: a lot of boulders with not much quality. A bit of soulless place.

Fantastic experience: Quality climbing gym! Great section downstairs for warming up. Really good variety of routes and super friendly people! Definitely worth the money

Fantastic experience: Interesting range of bouldering with walls up to 4.5 m. Downstairs training area. Good selection of shoes and other climbing accessories for sale. Soft grading 6C here is probably 5+ at Ibex in Darlington.

Fantastic experience: Good fun but very taxing on the fingers and forearms as you'd expect. Great set up though. Lots of wall space to climb and a training type area in the basement. Will definitely be back

Fantastic experience: So many walls. Great training facilities too downstairs.

Fantastic experience: A clean and polished gym that has a great selection of grades. I started climbing here and me and my friends often come and see if we can complete all the yellows. I bought a big pack of passes before the pandemic and even after re-doing their website they were able to give me all my passes back after one or two emails. Very transparent and honest. Atmosphere is great and I imagine there are very few places where it's easier to have a laugh with a stranger who's struggling up a wall. With a pass being £9.25 and the shoe hire being a couple quid extra, it's not a replacement for the gym (as much as I'd like it to be). But considering the quality of the facilities, the friendly staff and the joys of bouldering I'd say it's worth every penny.

Fantastic experience: Amazing indoor climbing centre. I love the atmosphere and the facilities this place offers. I’m not a very experience climber, but it has stuff for all levels. Would recommend for anyone who wants to try something new!

Fantastic experience: Excellent climbing centre with a good range of routes that are well maintained and changed on a regular basis. Excellent and comprehensive training area downstairs, including gym basic gym equipment, traverse wall, hangboards and a few other things. Can be a little busy at times but understandably so as it's a good wall.

Fantastic experience: Fantastic way to spend an evening

Fantastic experience: Great climbing centre. Shoe hire available. Good range of routes, changed often enough to keep things fresh. Offers guided climb sessions. All round lovely staff and fab atmosphere between all climbers.

Fantastic experience: Best climbing gym in the north east, always updating sets and so much variety in terms of styles of climbing. Staff are always very friendly and willing to give advice when requested :-)

Fantastic experience: We had an exceptional induction session at The Valley, which felt more like private coaching! Our instructor was so kind, helpful and supportive, whilst challenging us to do much more than we thought we could. Thank you for such a fun morning.

Fantastic experience: Love this venue, well organized, airy and pleasant. Glad it is open again.

Fantastic experience: Favourite place to boulder in Newcastle!

Fantastic experience: The best bouldering wall in the north east by a long shot and the staff are very friendly too. A dedicated world Cup style wall and large training area can also be found here. It does get quite busy sometimes so choose your time wisely

Fantastic experience: Great, friendly staff who are more than ready to help. Really chill environment. Would definitely go again

Fantastic experience: the one and only

Fantastic experience: Welcoming climbing gym

Fantastic experience: Great walls nice service