If you’ve been brightening up the bleak winter months with visits to the Castle, you will have noticed the diggers and mounds of earth round by the outdoor boulders. You’ve probably guessed that the extremely popular boulders are getting a refurbishment ready for the long hazy days of summer!
We’re psyched to be able to expand this unique and hugely popular part of the Castle. The predicted opening date is for May 2023.
What's Changing?
The expansion of the boulder field will provide space for 50+ additional boulder problems! "This will make it the largest set at the Castle by far with 120+ boulders across the grades all in one place for you to try." grins Mike Langley, Castle Wall Development Manager.
The small boulder (the closest to the Green Lanes entrance to the Castle) will more than double in size, with a new overhang introduced on one side. To create sufficient fall zone we’ll be digging and extending the raised area for the boulders out to make way for the new boulder, which will also include a new sloping walkway for safer and more pleasant access from Green Lanes.
The central boulder is the biggest change. The feature boulder is being retired and will be replaced with a brand new one. The fibreglass panels have had a long life, being part of the original wall when the Castle first opened in 1995, but after many years it has finally reached the end of its life as an outdoor boulder. The structure will be broken down into panels and donated to charitable causes by our team. The new central boulder will be roughly the same size as the existing boulder, but the shape will be different to offer more angles to climb. This will now be a top out boulder and will join the setting schedule which will allow for more creativity and inventive setting from our dedicated team to keep things interesting and ever-changing!
No changes are planned for the existing largest boulder, which will stay cordoned off for safety reason until the works are completed.
We’re expecting these to be ready for May, when there will be a grand reopening party – watch this space!
Sustainable Impact
"We carefully consider the environmental impact of wall builds and choose the most environmentally friendly options whenever possible." explains Mike. He goes on to explain: "To avoid using concrete for the outdoor boulders foundations, we are using timber telegraph poles. This innovative approach works by building a ‘sunken raft’ from the poles for the boulders to sit on. Compared to simple concrete foundations, this process requires complex engineering, a lot more work and harder labour, but it is worth it."
The extended landing zone of the outdoor boulder area will be filled with rubber recycled tyres from London buses that have been shredded to absorb impact from falls. By carefully considering the use of materials before embarking on a project we're able to reduce our impact and make use of the resources we already have.
