A day pass buys the run of the gym for as long as you want to stay, including the yoga and Pilates studio, and shoes and chalk can be rented at the desk. No membership is needed, and because bouldering uses no ropes there is nothing to learn before you start.
Bloc11 is a bouldering gym, which means climbing without ropes or harnesses on walls low enough to jump down from, over thick matting. The Diep River gym sits in an industrial unit on Estmil Road, a short drive from the M5, and is the older of the operator's two Cape Town branches.
Because there is no rope work, there is nothing to learn about belaying before you start. You put on a pair of climbing shoes, pick a coloured sequence of holds and try to get to the top. Problems are set across a wide range of difficulty, so a first-time visitor and a competitive climber can use the same wall on the same afternoon.
A day pass covers the whole facility for as long as you want to stay, including the yoga and Pilates classes in the studio. All the equipment you might need is available to rent, so there is no reason to travel with your own shoes or chalk.
Bloc11 runs a free beginner class at 10am every Saturday for first-time visitors, which includes entry and rental shoes. Places are limited and booking is recommended.
There is a cafe on site serving coffee and snacks, with wifi, and an onsite physiotherapy practice for anyone who needs it.
Highlights
- A bouldering gym open to non-members on a day pass
- All the equipment you need is available to rent
- Yoga and Pilates classes planned for climbers, with a weekly schedule at this branch
- Onsite physiotherapy
- A cafe with coffee, snacks and wifi
- A free beginner class at 10am every Saturday for first-time visitors, including entry and rental shoes