RockReef Activity Centre on Bournemouth Pier

In my earlier posts, I mentioned that we went to the Moor Valley Country Park and Southbourne beach during the summer holidays.  Another place we went to was the RockReef Activity Centre on Bournemouth Pier.

Both my children are into rock climbing and we haven’t had much opportunity to take them.  Whilst on holiday, we came across RockReef Activity Centre on Bournemouth Pier.  We did a bit of research while eating our lunch and phoned them as their website didn’t give us enough information about the activities before we booked it online (small saving if booking online).

We booked the RockReef Adventure package which included the Fun Climb and HighLine and lasts for 1.5 hours.  After arriving at the reception, the children given their safety kits, briefing and were belted up. As there were only 5 children participating in the group, the whole briefing was quick and soon we were off to climb the walls. The walls are equipped with auto-belays, so you don’t need a person to hold the rope at tension.  However, adults are required to be the clipper, which is to clip the ropes to the child’s harness.  Sounds easy, and it is, but it was actually quite tiring after 1.5 hours. They actually allow a ratio of three children to one adult – that must be even more tiring running around after them! Luckily, Mr C was there to help out clipping Mr K while I clipped Ms C. I would recommend tying your hair up if you have long hair. Climbers have to have their long hair tied up but they didn’t say anything for the clipper and I was getting my hair caught with their safety clip! There were a few times I almost ripped my hair out!

Anyway, there were 28 exciting, fun looking and challenging walls including the speed wall, Tetris wall, ice wall and the real rock wall.  Each wall has its own unique challenge and both children loved trying them all out! This is one of the best climbing gyms we have seen!

Around 30 minutes later, we went up to the second floor for the HighLine. This obstacle course is a continuous belay system that allows you to complete the challenging obstacles. Mr K was at the front and soon he just zoomed off and within minutes, he had completed the whole obstacle!  He did find some of the obstacles very hard to cross but he was not afraid of it. Ms C was happily taking things at her own pace and overcome the obstacles too. We were very proud of them! We did find that it slightly more expensive than some of the other climbing gyms we’ve been too but it was money well spent! They all had a great time!

Unrelated to the RockReef centre, there was a hidden cost (£1 for adult, 60p for child) for entering Bournemouth pier.  The pier toll ticket gives us access up to early next year but I do find it strange for them to charge us!  Later, we went around the town for a walk before we headed back to our caravan.