Climbing
"You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know." Rene Daumal
Climbing is a unique sports option. It offers the physical and mental challenge experienced in any sport, and also tests the nerve and character of an individual climber when faced with a particularly daunting move. At Oundle the sport is expanding to allow participants to experience the many different aspects involved. The school climbing wall is used to learn the basic principles of climbing and rope work before the group head off to other walls in the area to test themselves on countless routes of various grades. New bouldering problems are often set and worked on by those who enjoy this particular discipline, whilst others learn more advanced techniques that will allow them to head off into the mountains to seek vertiginous adventure. Later in the Quarter, pupils get the opportunity to climb outdoors, in Leicestershire quarries, Peak District Edges and even on Sardinian sea cliffs.
Having completed a Quarter of climbing, students should be well enough equipped to pursue the sport on their own, whether this be bouldering, cragging, sports climbing, competition climbing or maybe even basic mountaineering.
Too see photos from the recent climbing trip to Sardinia, visit the photo gallery page.
Master in Charge: Mr A. Brighton
Coaches: Mr S. Heath, Miss C. Thompson