Climbing and Mountaineering Club

Who are we?

UCLCMC is UCL’s Climbing and Mountaineering Club and has been running since 1985!

Over 150 members of all climbing abilities and from all backgrounds sign up with us each year. Together we learn and practice bouldering /roped climbing, both indoors and outdoors, and connect with a variety of like-minded people.

The community we have built over the years is our absolute pride and joy! Our members always look out for each other and are guaranteed to uplift you during climbing and beyond. All our returning members concur that their time with UCLCMC helped them make lifelong friendships as well as life-changing memories!

The club also takes safety and inclusivity extremely seriously - we are Pride in Sports accredited and have signed the Zero Tolerance to Sexual Harassment Pledge.

What do we do?

We climb!

UCLCMC members meet every Wednesday and Friday evening around 6 pm at The Castle Climbing Centre in North London. It is a short commute from UCL’s main campus on the Piccadilly Line, taking you from Russell Square to Manor House. Look out for our lovely purple “Climb UCL!” t-shirts to find us! Please note that climbing gym entry is not included in the membership. After, we often go to a nearby pub, The Brownswood, to catch up over some snacks and drinks.
We also have a competition team! Who completely smash it at competitions such as BUSC, LUBE and NULSCC throughout the year. If this is more your speed, you can also enrol in the team, through qualifying at trials held early in the academic year. Recruits selected by our Team Captain and Vice-Captain then begin training alongside Team UCL, and have the opportunity to represent us at UK wide competitions :)

We host socials!

The club also hosts a variety of socials throughout the year: keep an eye out for our traditional Halloween costumed pub crawl (non-drinkers welcome!), frequent summer slackline socials in London parks, group outings to various climbing centres around London, as well as exclusive deals at gyms and a yearly inter-university event… Boat ball anyone?
Your 2025/2026 committee is also working on collaborative events with other UCL societies to connect different student bodies, discover new skills and encourage our members to try something new!

We go on trips!

UCLCMC organizes not one, not two but three (!!) trips each year.

The first yearly trip takes place in late October before the first half-term break. This weekend trip to Portland, Dorset is an opportunity for newcomers to try outdoor climbing for the first time, learn the ropes and make friends within UCLCMC. It is always a ton of fun!
The second yearly trip is set in late January. Members leave for a weekend in Scotland to discover ice climbing and winter mountaineering together. No prior experience needed and beautiful views are guaranteed for all those who dare rise to the challenge!
The final trip of the year is a week-long escapade abroad over the Easter Break. UCLCMC has previously adventured to sunny Sicily, Ariege in France as well as El Chorro and Costa Blanca, Spain! These unforgettable trips are always the perfect mix of fun, chaos and of course, climbing. They also offer the amazing chance to learn lead climbing, partake in hikes or even try via ferrata!

Can I join? What membership should I get?

All beginners are absolutely welcome to join! Bouldering is fairly easy to get a hang of and our members will happily help you get started. You’ll be surprised how quickly you progress!

If you want to join us for our taster sessions but don’t feel like committing quite yet, grab a free taster membership and join us for one of the trial sessions we run in the first couple weeks of Term 1.

Want to become a member? We love to hear it! Just upgrade your taster membership to the regular one. Our £35 membership fee covers:

The eligibility to join our climbing trips
The eligibility to join our competitive team
Access to all our social events
Access to our gear cupboard from which you will be able to borrow thousands of pounds worth of advanced climbing and mountaineering kit for free*. This is available both for club organised trips and your own adventures too!
A student membership with the BMC (British Mountaineering Council) granting you insurance while rock climbing in the UK and significant discounts in most outdoorsy/climbing and mountaineering stores across the country
Discounted entry (including shoes/chalk rental if applicable) at LCC climbing gyms across London!
Our lovely “Climb! UCL” club t-shirt!!