Climbing at Eden Rock | Edinburgh, Scotland

Situated south of Edinburgh, Eden Rock is Scotland’s largest indoor bouldering space, and it’s without a doubt the best place to boulder if you’re based in/around the city.

With hundreds of routes graded by colour across the two main rooms of the centre, there is something for everyone - from the total beginner to the seasoned climber. Hosting overhang climbs, sloped walls, a ‘top out’ section and beastmaker training facilities, it’s a great place to improve your climbing skills, whether you’re strictly into indoor bouldering or you’d like to improve your strength for trad or indoor roped climbing.

Climbing shoes must be worn at all times in the centre, and remember to leave your water bottles and bags outside of the climbing areas, which are marked off by the “crash mats” aka soft landings.

The space and venue itself is super relaxed and hosts a really friendly community. Once you’re through reception, there are a couple storage spaces to store your belongings, washroom facilities, a pre or post workout space that has a small amount of gym equipment like stationary bikes and rowers, and a cafe and seating area, where you can grab a coffee or traybake and chill out in between climbs.

Heads up! There are two storage spaces once you’re through reception. There are two large open shelving units near the washrooms, and grate-style lockers past the cafe/ rental shoe area to the right. We recommend leaving valuables at home, and just bringing the essentials to climb.

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WHAT’S IN THIS POST

Getting Here
Prices & Memberships
FAQ

Eden routinely does new route setting, which means that if you do visit often, walls will change up giving you new routes to try each month.

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Visiting Edinburgh? Here are our top tips for exploring the city ..…

How to get here

 

Eden Rock is situated in the Edgefield Road Industrial Estate in Loanhead, just south of Edinburgh and the bypass.

If you’re driving,

Driving is the most straightforward way to get here, and there’s loads of free parking at the front of the centre when you arrive.

for maps; Edgefield Road Industrial Estate, Loanhead EH20 9TB

If you’re using public transport, the nearest stop to Eden is on Edgefield Road (Stop: Loanhead, Edgefield Road), about half a mile from the centre. This stop is serviced by the 37 bus (towards Penicuik Deanburn). See where the 37 picks up here.

If you’re cycling, the centre does has a bicycle rack out front. Keep in mind that if you are cycling in from the city centre, choose a route that allows you over the bypass safely, the best route is via the A701 Burdiehouse Rd towards the B702 on Straiton Road.

As of 2023, their opening times are Monday- Friday 10am to 10pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 8pm, but be sure to check their updated hours before you go.

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Rates & Memberships

There are two entry fees to consider when bouldering at Eden; the membership fee and the entry fee.

Membership

If you’re planning on bouldering regularly, the registration to become a member is a mere £5 a year, and after this first visit, you’ll be allowed to simply sign in and pay your entry fee going forward. This registration helps the centre vet if the climber understands how to boulder safely.

If you’re an experienced climber already and are comfortable bouldering, you can register online, or you can do so at reception on your first visit. The staff will ask you a few safety questions about bouldering before you get your membership number. If you’ve never climbed before, or have only done roped climbing, Eden run very reasonable induction courses to give you an overview to keep yourself and others safe.

If you’re only planning on visiting only sporadically with another member, the one day membership is £1.50, and you’ll have to be signed in by this member.

Entry

Then, there are the entry prices. You can opt for a daily entry (a standard adult with a membership is £10 per visit, and a non-member is £11.50), or you can opt for a pass, either paid by direct debit monthly or per annum, and it allows you to climb as often as you’d like. If you’re hoping to come multiple times a week, the latter is well worth it.

If you’re planning on opting for the daily entry route, coming every now and again, consider their punchcards, which give you a block of entries - “11 for 10” and “23 for 20”, as a bonus they don’t expire.

This section of the centre hosts a ‘top out’ wall, meaning once you’ve completed your route, you can walk over the top of the wall to the attached balcony area and come back down via the stairs. If you’ve never done a top out climb, we recommend watching someone else do it, and of course, use at your own risk.

FAQ

Eden’s routes are graded by colour throughout the centre, making it easy to climb within your ability and track your progress.

Is there any roped climbing?

No, Eden is strictly a bouldering gym, so head to Ratho (EICA) or Alien Rock if you’re looking to do some top rope or lead indoor climbing.

Can I climb here without previous experience?

If you have zero experience with bouldering, you will be asked to enrol in one of Eden’s 30 minute (£12.50) or 60 minute adult induction courses, which take you through safe practice and show you some basic technique. It’s worth doing even if you’ve only ever done roped climbing or if you haven’t been climbing for some time. Once you’ve registered as a member (or have been signed in by a member), Eden is entirely unsupervised.

I’m a solo climber, can I use the facilities?

Eden is a great place to come if you’re a solo climber as bouldering is done independently. However, if you are looking to meet some people within the climbing community, Eden is a really friendly space - there’s loads of regular climbers who use the facilities in the evenings and weekends, so you’ll be in good company.

Do they have rental equipment?

Yes- shoes are all available to rent at reception as they must be worn at all times in the centre. As of 2023, hire shoes cost £3 for adults per session. There is also a wee shop next to reception with climbing shoes, attire and other related equipment if you’re hoping to invest in your own.

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Other Climbing in Edinburgh

If you’re looking for other climbing experiences in Edinburgh, check out our posts on Climbing at Ratho and Alien Rock, both of which specialise in top rope and lead rope climbing.

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Indoor climbing can be a fantastic way to build up your strength, endurance and technical ability for trad climbs outdoors or to improve your skills indoors. It’s a fantastic full body workout and can be a really fun cross-training exercise for athletes who compete in other adventure sports.

Happy climbing,
Sam

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