Not So Trad
The LGBT climbing club, formed in 2007 out of a Gay Outdoor Club group, now more than 100 members from their 20s to their 60s with an equal gender balance. The fixed meet is every Thursday at the Castle Climbing Centre, gathering from 7pm, about 15 people, then the Brownswood pub. Not a teaching club: you need to climb and belay already. Full membership £35.49 for 2026, and you can climb as a prospective member for up to three months first.
- Who it's for
- Everyone
- Where
- North London
- Going since
- 2007
- Find them
- WebsiteJoining form
When and where
Thursday 7pm
Every Thursday
Castle Climbing Centre, Green Lanes, first-floor seating area next to the lead walls, N4 2HA
Not a teaching club: you need to be able to climb and belay already. The Castle runs taster and belay courses. · £12.50 concession entry instead of £18 if you tell reception you are with the club, plus the Castle's £3 registration fee if you are new
Climbing starts at 19:15. Attendance averages 15, then the Brownswood pub over the road. The club calendar shows the block as 18:00 to 20:00, which conflicts with the indoor-meets page; the page's 7pm is used.
Sunday
Monthly, aimed at the first Sunday
The Reach, Woolwich
Most recently 6 September 2026.
What it costs
- £35.49 Full year standard membershipIncludes BMC club membership with civil liability insurance and retail discounts of 10 to 20 per cent.
- £28.88 Concessionary rate, student or disability
- £26.56 Discounted rate, unemployed
- £17.75 Half year membership, from 1 July 2026
- Free Prospective membershipClimb with the club for up to three months before joining.
Never done it before
If you can already climb and belay, turn up at the Castle on a Thursday from 7pm as a prospective member; one or two indoor meets before joining is fine. If you cannot belay, do the Castle's belay course first, because the club does not teach.
What they don't say
- No end time is published for the Thursday meet.
- No time, price or postcode is published for the monthly meet at The Reach.
Every fact here was checked on 10 September 2026, against 8 sources. Training nights and fees change, so if something is out of date, tell us.
Hear when something new is added.
New clubs, changed training nights, and the occasional weekend. No more than that.
Or come and meet people all at once.
A weekend away with a group of gay men, and nothing to prove.