Whickham Thorns Boulder Park

The first man made outdoor boulder park in Britain was made by Enterprise for Whickham Thorns Outdoor Activity Centre. Officially opened in October 1998 the boulder park has proved extremely popular with top climbers and novices alike. The boulder enjoys a sunny aspect and its use is free and unrestricted.

Parking and Approach

Situated off Market Lane, Dunston, Gateshead NE11 9NX. Turn off the A1 Western Bypass opposite Gateshead Metro Centre. Take the Dunston/Whickham exit then turn south to the traffic lights where you need to turn right. Park in the Whickham Thorns Activity Centre car park. The boulder park is easily reached in less the a minute from the car park.

Etiquette

Using a rag to keep your boots clean makes good sense, it can even make the problems feel easier. Nylon brushes often used to brush chalk and pebbles from the holds.

Guide

There's a PDF floating around which was created at the same time of the construction of the wall. Currently available (to view) at Steve Crowe's website: https://climbonline.co.uk/2020/11/02/climbing-guide-to-whickham-boulder/

Many variations and other combinations of problems have been created over the years. Feel free to add your own problems and pictures to this page!