If new or progressing in the sports, whilst learning how to tie a girth hitch belay master point through the medium of Instagram can be helpful, actually hiring a proficient and qualified mountaineering guide to run you through the technical and tactical skills and techniques needed for progression is a really good idea.

It sounds obvious, but it's easy to forget. Steady breathing helps reduce tension and keeps your movement controlled, particularly through harder sections where holding your breath only makes things worse.

Take the time when packing your kit into your sack in an orderly fashion that won't see you pulling out a jumbled mess of rack, shoes, rope and packed lunch at the bottom of the climb and having to spend 15 minutes sorting it all out (much to your mate's frustration).

Climbing shoes often need a clean, chalk and sweat from climbing walls and dirt and grime from outdoors. Spit and a good rub with the ball of your thumb will do wonders for clearing this off and providing some missing friction.