Health and Safety Executive

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Climbing

Climbing is climbing, traversing, abseiling or scrambling over natural terrain or outdoor man-made structures (other than structures designed for such activities) which requires, in order to be carried out safely, the use of equipment for, or the application of special skills or techniques in, rock climbing or ice climbing.

The most commonly encountered climbing activities are rock climbing, abseiling, ice climbing, gorge walking, ghyll scrambling and sea level traversing.  Climbing walls are exempt from licensing, as are abseiling towers and ropes courses.

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Updated: 2010-03-23