Depot Climbing grows from a Pudsey bus depot to a Leeds climbing favourite

Leeds has a thriving indoor climbing scene, and Depot Climbing is one of the names at its heart. The company's story in the city began in an old bus depot in Pudsey, a fitting origin for a business that has kept its name ever since.

Over the years, Depot has grown into a group of climbing centres, giving climbers in and around Leeds different spaces to suit different styles of climbing. Each site has its own character, but all share the same focus on making climbing accessible.

One of the biggest recent changes came at Big Depot Leeds. Depot rebuilt the centre in 2023 and announced it was open again in January 2024, giving regulars a fresh space to explore.

The rebuilt venue offers more than 200 routes across around 1,000 square metres of climbing surface. There are 12 auto belays, which allow climbers to tackle routes without needing a partner to belay them, and a mezzanine bouldering area with up to 60 boulders.

Bouldering fans have another dedicated option in Armley. Depot's bouldering wall there opened in June 2022 and was described as Leeds' largest and most comprehensive bouldering wall when it launched, with its own gym area for strength training.

That variety is part of the appeal. Climbers can switch between roped routes and bouldering, train in the gym or simply enjoy the community that gathers around the walls on a busy evening.

Indoor climbing has become a popular way for people of all ages to stay fit and make friends, and centres like these make it easy to give it a go. Many people start with a taster session and find themselves coming back week after week.

For more experienced climbers, regular route setting means there is always something new to try, and the social side of climbing keeps the atmosphere lively.

Depot Climbing publishes details of its centres, opening times and introductory sessions on its website, which is the best place to plan a first visit.