Colindale Clip 'n Climb
BEST FOR
Ages 4+
ENTRY
from £18.50
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
London
What it’s like
33 climbing walls with auto belays, an 85-minute session that's mostly climbing, and a four-tier soft play bit for the under-nines.
The walls are the point here. Thirty-three of them, all on automatic belays, so nobody's holding a rope and your kids just clip in and go. The site says the challenges vary in difficulty, which is the honest way of saying a nervous five-year-old and a cocky eleven-year-old can both find something. Staff help the ones who freeze halfway up, which matters more than it sounds.
The session runs 85 minutes, and 30 of those are briefing and harness fitting. So you're paying for 55 minutes of actual climbing, and if you turn up late they won't push the clock back for you. £21.50 standard per child, £18.50 if you book off-peak online. That's a lot for an hour, and it's per child, not per family. Adults who aren't climbing go in free to help, which takes the edge off if you're the one standing underneath.
For little ones there's Mini Mountaineer at £15.50 for 2 to 4 year olds, and Mini Mountaineer+ at £17.50 which stretches to 7. The four-tier soft play area covers kids 9 and under, so a toddler and a seven-year-old can both be in the building without one of them being bored. Booking's not optional at weekends and holidays, they say the arena gets very busy, and Mondays in term time the whole place is shut.
Food is a café on site with hot drinks, nothing grand. Parking is the fiddly bit: free at Asda across the road for 3 hours, free at Aldi and M&S next door for 2, and they charge you if you overstay. Burnt Oak and Colindale tubes are a 10 to 15 minute walk. Ground floor is wheelchair accessible, the upstairs party rooms are stairs only.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- 4 to 11; under-4s get Mini Mountaineer instead
- Booking
- Arena can get very busy at weekends and holidays — book ahead online
- Parking
- Free next door — Asda 3 hours, Aldi/M&S 2 hours
- Food
- South Ridge Café on site with hot drinks
- Wheelchairs
- Ground floor wheelchair accessible
- Getting there by bus or train
- Burnt Oak and Colindale tubes about a 10-15 minute walk
- Parties
- Clip 'n Climb parties from £21 off-peak (£26 peak) for ages 4+, 60 min climbing, equipment hire, 40 min in party space
- Worth knowing
- Accompanying adults who don't climb get in free to assist their child
- Turn up 5 minutes before a normal session, 10 minutes before a party
- Closed all day Monday in term time, but open Mondays in the holidays
- Adults who aren't climbing get in free to help
- £50 deposit locks in a party booking, and it's not admission
- Upstairs party rooms are stairs only, no lift
Plan your visit
How much is it for one child?
£21.50 standard, or £18.50 if you book the off-peak online price. That's per child, and adults who only assist don't pay.
How long do we get on the walls?
85 minutes total, but 30 of that is safety briefing and harness fitting. The climbing itself is 55 minutes and late arrivals don't get it extended.
Do we need to book?
Weekends and school holidays, yes, they say the arena gets very busy. Midweek in term time is the calmer bet if you want to chance it.
Can my two-year-old join in?
Not on the main walls, it's 4 and up. Mini Mountaineer is the one for 2 to 4 year olds at £15.50.
What's the difference between Mini Mountaineer and Mini Mountaineer+?
£15.50 for 2 to 4 year olds, £17.50 for 2 to 7. The plus version is the one if you've got a five or six-year-old who'd feel left out otherwise.
Is there soft play too?
Four tiers of it, for kids 9 and under. Good for a younger sibling who isn't climbing yet.
Do I have to pay to watch my child?
No. Accompanying adults go in free to assist inside the climbing area.
What do they wear?
Trainers or similar. No open toed shoes, flip flops, crocs, boots or heels in the arena, and long hair needs tying back.
Is there parking?
Free at Asda over the road for 3 hours, 2 hours at Aldi and M&S next door. They do charge for overstaying.
What about food?
South Ridge Café on site, hot drinks and the usual. Fine for a quick stop rather than a proper meal.
Can I leave them and go shopping?
Under-18s need a responsible adult on site the whole time.
Can we have a birthday party there?
Parties start at £21 a child off-peak, £26 peak, for ages 4 and up. You get 60 minutes climbing, equipment hire, 40 minutes in a party room and a slushy for the birthday child. There's a £50 deposit to secure the date.
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