Friday 23 September 2011

ML Refresher

Today I have been out working on a ML refresher course, the time was spent looking at areas of the syllabus which the pair felt a little un confident with. We kicked off the course with a brief look at ML rope work at Bwlch Oeddrws followed by an evenings night navigation from Tan Y Grisiau

Sunday 18 September 2011

The Boots On The Other Foot!!!

I have changed roles this week from being the Instructor to the instructed. For the past 9 days I have been on a MIA training course Mountaineering Instructors Award training course at Plas Y Brenin National Mountain Centre. The course is the training aspect of gaining your MIA which qualifies you to instruct all aspects of Mountaineering and rock climbing under summer conditions. The course covered teaching the SPA syllabus, Personal climbing, Teaching climbing, climbing problem solving and rescues, teaching mountaineering and scrambling skills including teaching the ML syllabus, Sea level traversing etc. A fantastic course which was incredibly intensive. From this I now have a consolidation period in which I need to go and practice all of these skills prior to returning for assessment hopefully later next year.

Saturday 10 September 2011

Summer ML Training Course

Over the last week I have been working on a summer ML training course. This is a training course for those who wish to lead others in the mountains of the UK professionally and covers all of the skills to do so. Over the 6 days we looked at Navigation, Security on Steep ground roped and un roped, Mountain Weather and hazards, followed by a 2 day expedition in the Moelwens where we looked at navigation in more detail and at night as well as expedition skills. Throughout the course the weather was testing for the team providing good realistic conditions for what they could encounter in the mountains of the uk.

Tuesday 6 September 2011

Lundy 2011

Following our amazing trip last year I returned to Lundy with Pete, Chris & Dan for yet another if not better few days. We had 4 days on the island with each day being near perfect conditions for climbing before the storm set in on our departure day. We all ticked some fantastic routes and all going stronger than last year came away with a feeling of satisfaction.