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

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.

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.

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.

Peak District Climbing And Navigation Courses

Over the past few days I have been working over in the peak district for a mate of mine John Bale who had unfortunately had a car accident and was unable to work. The first course over the weekend was an introduction to climbing course where we spent the first day at Birbridge North where we spent our time top roping a number of routes followed by a day on Stanage Edge where the team seconded me up a number of Stanage Classic climbs. The second of the courses I ran was a Bronze NNAS which is a 2 day introduction to navigation award where the team were trained and assessed by myself over the 2 days. The first day was spent looking at introducing the skills needed to navigate a simple section of terrain with the second day putting this into practice with less input from myself. What a fantastic 4 days in the peak blessed with sunshine every day

long Time...

I haven’t posted in a long time, well not since the end of the winter season. During this time I have been ticking of a lot of the north Wales rock routes when I have had a day off in preparation for MIA training course later in the year. I had my first trip to the fantastic Gogarth North stack which I have had my eye on for a long time and finally plucked up the courage to get on.

Spring is on the way

With things still warm high up and a spring like feel in the air we decided to head out for abit of rock climbing on Ardverikie Wall HS,4b which clams to be the best rock climb of its grade in Scotland. Not that I have climbed much rock in Scotland but I think I may agree even though it was dripping wet in places it provided 6 fantastic pitches of climbing which was a much better alternative to winter.