Climbing Wall Instructor: run safe sessions indoors
Mountain Training's Climbing Wall Instructor award is for experienced indoor climbers who want to instruct climbing and bouldering on artificial walls.
In this guide
- What it is: The award for instructing climbing and bouldering sessions on artificial walls.
- What you need first: You must be 17 to register (18 for assessment), have at least 6 months of climbing on a variety of walls and be a member of the BMC, Mountaineering Scotland or Mountaineering Ireland.
- What you'll learn: The technical, management and teaching skills to run safe, engaging sessions.
- How long it takes: 2 days of training and a 1-day assessment (at least six hours). Mountain Training says the average time from training to passing is less than a year.
- Cost: Registration is £69. Training and assessment prices are set by providers.
- What's next: Rock Climbing Instructor (climbing track)
If you live at the wall, this is how you start sharing it. The award suits wall staff, people running sessions, and young climbers who've completed NICAS Level 4 or 5.
Before training
- Visits to three different walls on at least 15 occasions, including at least one major public wall.
- 10 led routes at French grade 4 or equivalent.
Before assessment
- 30 personal climbing visits to at least three different walls.
- 40 led climbs on walls, and confidence leading at French grade 4.
- Helping to supervise at least 15 instructed sessions on at least two different walls, including a large public facility, with your own reflective comments on at least five of them in DLOG.
- A current first aid certificate from an in-person course of at least one full day (8 hours) with an assessment.
Mountain Training also offers a Bouldering Wall Instructor award and an abseil module for Climbing Wall Instructors.
Source: Climbing Wall Instructor and Qualifications, Mountain Training, checked October 2026.
Governing body: British Mountaineering Council (BMC) for England and Wales. Leader and instructor awards come from Mountain Training, and coasteering standards come from the National Coasteering Charter, so these are the official places to find out more.
Typical prices, checked October 2026. The club or coach sets and bills the price.
The club map lists some of the UK clubs for this sport. It is a starting point, so check with the club before you travel. To have a coach found for you, use the enquiry form.
