Just outside Gloucester, 270 Climbing Park is changing the game for adventure centres in the UK.
As part of a £7 million development, the centre has opened the tallest outdoor climbing wall in the country. It stands 18 metres high, 35 metres wide, and includes the UK’s only outdoor speed climbing wall built to competition standards.
But there’s much more to explore. 270 also has a full indoor climbing centre, a multi-level bouldering arena, a high ropes course, and outdoor activity areas. It is designed for everyone, from beginners to elite athletes.
Behind the scenes, the team uses Papertrail to manage safety across the whole site. From daily belay checks to six-month inspections on the ropes course, and tracking expiry dates on helmets and harnesses, Papertrail helps the team stay organised, compliant, and ready.
Making Safety Simple and Consistent
270 Climbing Park runs a wide range of activities that are always changing with the seasons. With so much happening, the team completes hundreds of safety checks every month. Papertrail’s Frequency Manager makes this easier by keeping inspections consistent and helping the team stay on top of what needs to be done.
“This is perfect for the auto belays. We do weekly checks, six-month checks, and when you add the inspection, it drops straight into the checklist automatically.”
- Liam O'Hara, Safety & Maintenance Officer
During busy times, like school holidays, the high ropes course might run several times a week. When things are quieter, the schedule slows down. With Papertrail, the team can adjust inspection plans based on how often equipment is used. This avoids extra admin and helps prevent missed checks.
“We can mark days as non-operational and it doesn’t show as overdue. That flexibility is really useful.”
Clear Oversight of Equipment
From climbing gear and route-setting tools to ropes, helmets, and safety lines, Papertrail gives the team full visibility of each item’s condition and lifespan.
“If something has an expiry date, we add it straight away. Papertrail flags when it’s approaching retirement, so we’re not caught out.”
- Liam O'Hara, Safety & Maintenance Officer
With the Future Inspections view, staff can plan ahead and avoid last-minute scrambles. They usually get a month’s notice for six-month inspections and about five days for monthly checks.
“You get a heads-up before anything’s due. It’s a really helpful safety net.”
A Flexible System for a Busy Operation
With indoor walls, outdoor areas, bouldering zones, and a high ropes course, 270 has a lot to manage. A clear digital structure is essential. The team uses Papertrail’s folder system to organise equipment by activity, how often it's used, and who is responsible.
“I used to be wary of using too many folders, but now we use both folder and record views. It’s so much easier to manage.”
- Liam O'Hara, Safety & Maintenance Officer
This setup also makes audits straightforward. Whether it is AdventureMark or the annual high ropes inspection, the team can quickly show a digital record of every check.
“We had an audit last week. They asked how we manage inspections, and I just showed them Papertrail. The auditor just said, ‘Yeah, that’s brilliant."
Ownership and Accountability
Papertrail also helps the team take more responsibility for their own equipment. Each person or department manages their own kit, which reduces time spent chasing updates.
“Ben, our route setter, uses Papertrail for all his kit. It means he’s managing it directly instead of me asking, ‘Where’s that harness?’ or ‘Has this been checked?’ It gives everyone more ownership.”
- Liam O'Hara, Safety & Maintenance Officer
When staff change roles or take over new areas, nothing gets lost. The inspection history is already in place, making handovers easy.
“We had a new team member take over the high ropes course. The previous inspections were all there in Papertrail. It made the handover really smooth.”
Looking Ahead
As 270 Climbing Park continues to grow, Papertrail remains a key part of their safety system. It supports the team as they deliver safe, exciting experiences across a complex and fast-growing site.
From cutting down on paperwork to staying ready for audits, Papertrail gives the 270 team more time to focus on what matters. Helping people enjoy climbing, bouldering, and outdoor adventures with confidence.
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