The Highs Of The North Face Climbing Festival 2026

2 DAYS. 14-METRE DEEP WATER SOLO WALL. 131 ATHLETES. ALMOST 16,000 CLIMBERS, FANS, PRESENTERS, DJS AND CREATORS. 1 FESTIVAL – THE NORTH FACE CLIMBING FESTIVAL 2026 AT LONDON’S ROYAL DOCKS

By Georgia Chapman | @georgia_chapman99 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WHAT’S THERE TO DO?

Watch the competition

Not only do you have the excitement of the speed racing, the technicality of the holds, the pressures of the crowds – but at the end of the competition, the climbers can leap 14m into the Thames below or hang off the automatic belayer; either way, there’s often a big splash and an excited shriek from the crowd.

Whether you’re a fan of climbing or sports events, you have to admit it’s extremely impressive seeing Joe Goodacre and Nathaniel Coleman climb and spin in absolute synchronicity during the men’s final.

And the winners are…

Deep Water Solo Women
1 – Julija Kruder
2 – Noa Shiran
3 – Cloe Coscoy

Deep Water Solo Men
1 – Joe Goodacre
2 – Nathaniel Coleman
3 – Tolani Etchar

Listen to speakers

The festival hosted the peaks of the climbing community, including Alex Honnold, Bouldering Bobat, Nina Williams, Brooke Raboutou, Conrad Anker, Molly Thompson-Smith, Siebe Vanhee, Caro North, Angelino Zeller and Fay Manners.

Listening to Alex Honnold was immense. Alex is an American Climber who most notably was the first person to free solo El Capitan in Yosemite in 2017. About 3,000ft (914m) of granite with no ropes. Just his hands, his feet and immense stamina, both physically and mentally. He is still the only human to ever free solo El Capitan.

Alex discussed whether his free soloing El Capitan had clouded his career and other climbing triumphs:
“The film has overshadowed everything I’ve ever done. I’m proud of it and was amazed by it. I met Prince William, and it’s opened up incredible life experiences. I went from living in a van to coming to the BAFTAs and meeting Prince William.”

When asked about speed climbing (the premise of the festival):
“It offers an obvious yardstick for progress. Every other sport uses time; [you] only measure progress as a climber [with speed].” Alex does a lot of different physical activity in his personal time; hiking and even biking from Colorado to Alaska. When asked about the Alaskan 2,000-mile bike trip, he admitted he didn’t want to ride a bike for 2 years after.

I did catch a glimpse of Conrad Anker’s talk; however, I unfortunately was not able to sit in on the other speakers due to the busyness of the day.

Try your hand at the activities

From bouldering to slacklining to grip testing, climbers from around the world can enjoy fun and accessible activities to enjoy in between competition runs and conversations with brilliant climbers.

Eat, drink and be merry

Although the entrance to the event won’t break the bank (it’s free), the food on site might. Expect £18 for a burger and chips. £8 for a hot dog. There is a Tesco Express when you walk from Canning Town to the docks, so you can always pick up some picky bits in there or even pack a lunch; it’s a long day, and it’s tough paying that much.

Shop till you drop (not 14m)

At the onsite store you can buy The North Face tops, carabiners and a multitude of climbing paraphernalia. You can even get the items personalised to however you like – making the moment more meaningful and special.

Two step on the floor – not the wall

Lastly, a big thing that piqued my interest in the event was the promise of some amazing DJ sets. Ross from Friends, Girls Don’t Sync, DJ AG, Femi Koleso, JYOTY and Rinse FM were not only bringing music to your ears but kept the energy through to 10 pm. The Jubels were flowing, the vibes were high, and the festival was electric. More than just climbing, more than just a free event on the docks – an immense experience that I was so happy to be roped into.

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