Field Journal

A new world-class climbing facility is ready to start work in the Highlands.

Duncan McCallum, CEO/Founder of The Ledge in Inverness, launches a crowdfunder campaign after securing a property for their world-class indoor climbing facility.

The dream for a world-class climbing wall in the Highlands is almost coming to fruition, with The Ledge securing its property and launching its Crowdfunder campaign this month. Led by Duncan McCallum, who has been raising funds to establish the centre and find a location, the team are starting work and aiming to open the centre this autumn. ‘For a commercial foundation, there are 200,000 people in the Highlands who don’t have access to a climbing wall, and 2–3 million visitors per year who don’t have a lot of activity options when the weather turns foul and they may prefer to be indoors. So for that reason alone, we know that it has scope. But this goes so far beyond a commercial business,’ Duncan says.

In addition to the world-class climbing walls, The Ledge will open a gym, yoga space, cafe, and retail space. The extra room will facilitate more opportunities for visitors, but also support Duncan’s bigger vision: The Ledge Charity.

‘The building sits in an area of very high social deprivation in Inverness. The kids living in this area are generally at high risk of becoming custodially experienced. Many of them are trapped in a cycle of poor life-skills attainment. It creates low self-esteem and perpetuates cycles in generations. We can offer a programme to these at-risk youth that will give them something to strive for’. Duncan hopes that while the crowdfunding campaign gets them to the final amount of investment needed to complete renovating the property, the campaign will also encourage engagement within the local climbing community. To learn more about The Ledge and contribute to their campaign, head to their website here.