Ellis Brigham

With countless racks of outdoor clothing upstairs and climbing, hiking, skiing and snowboarding equipment downstairs in the basement, this is the largest of the mountain sports shops on Southampton Street. It also houses London’s only ice-climbing wall, 8m (26ft) high. The wall is in a refrigerator, starting in the basement and rising through the ground floor, where there are viewing windows. Two people can climb at any one time (£50 per person per hour, £25-£35 if you have your own kit and don’t need instruction). Book at least a day ahead for weekdays, and around six weeks in advance for weekends.