Rock Up

Indoor climbing at Rock Up near Northampton is the sort of place that makes sense if you've got a spare afternoon and someone in your group who's been banging on about trying rope work. It's a proper climbing wall facility - the kind where you can boulder (that's climbing without ropes, on shorter walls with crash mats underneath) or do top-rope stuff if you're qualified or willing to learn.

The venue pulls in a mixed crowd. Kids find it brilliant because there's something satisfying about the problem-solving bit of climbing - you've got to work out which hold to grab next. Adults tend to get properly into it, testing themselves on harder routes. If you're fit and coordinated, you'll get a kick out of it. If you've never climbed before, don't worry - they teach you. Fair warning though: your forearms will absolutely ache the next day.

It works well as part of a broader East Midlands trip if you're based at somewhere like Grendon Lakes, just five miles away. You wouldn't drive hours just for this, but combined with a park stay and maybe a wander around Northampton's town centre, it fills a rainy afternoon or a day when everyone needs doing something different. You'll want to allow two to three hours including a briefing if you're new to it. Ring ahead about their current rates, session times, and whether you need to book - the details weren't to hand, but most climbing centres operate on a pay-per-session basis and fill up on weekends.