Slate Action

I have spent the last couple of days doing some consultancy work in the office so it has been nice this afternoon to get some climbing done. Bryn and I headed to Bus Stop quarry and climbed Gnat Attack, E1 5b and Fools Gold E1 5c on the slate in the sunshine.

Clogwyn Y Person Arete

I have been out with Nicki and Mark today on the Clogwn Y Person Arete. Nicki is a writer for Trail Magazine whilst Mark is an accomplished climber and photographer. The weather was not great for Mark and he hard to work hard to get his shots but the article should be out in the next couple of months and will look at the various skills involved in using a rope on grade 2 and 3 scrambles.

Arolla to Zermatt Alpine Trek 2008

I spent last week out in the Swiss Alps leading 5 clients on the Walkers Haute Route from Arolla to Zermatt. The trek averages 12km a day with height gain of about 1400m per day on average crossing some spectacular high mountain passes and giving views as far afield as Mont Blanc, The Matterhorn and the Bernese Oberland, often all in the same day. We had a week of beautiful sunshine and despite some impressive blisters all did really well and completed the trek. Thanks to Roger, Gabrielle, Rob, Sandra and Josh for a great week.

Advanced Scrambling - Skills day

We headed to Tryfan Bach this morning to spend the morning looking at building rock climbing belays and placing protection for grade 3 scrambles. We then moved on to the Milestone Buttress and Sam & Andy lead Milestone Gully and organised an abseil descent. Once again the weather stayed bright and sunny!

I am off to the Alps for a week now but Kate will be checking emails and answering the phone.

Advanced Scrambling - Up Dolmen Ridge & down Cneiffion Arete

I have been joined for two days by a group of 4 friends who want to do some grade 3 scrambles. Friend and fellow instructor Bryn joined us for the day and took two of them off to head up the Cneiffion Arete, Gribin Ridge and down Seniors Ridge. I took Andy & Sam up Dolmen Ridge on Glyder Fach, up to the Cantilever and then down the Gribin Ridge and down the Cneiffion Arete. A great day in nice sunshine.

Great Orme - Lower Pen Trwyn

I have had a day off today so after spending the morning at home I headed off to the Orme with Andy this afternoon in search of some dry rock. We found some in Parisellas Cave and did a spot of bouldering before nabbing a couple of sport routes, Golden Pond, 5+ and Dolphin Therapy, 6a+ which were a bit wet but fun!

Advanced Scrambling

I was joined for the day today by Keith for 1 day of private guiding on grade 2 and 3 scrambles. Keith had never been on a grade 2 scramble before so we started off to the right of the Idwal Slabs and did a grade 2 scramble up and over the top of the slabs. We then headed up into the nameless cwm and climbed the Cneiffion Arete (grade 3) before heading up the Gribin ridge (grade 1) , over Glyder Fawr and down the back of the Devils Kitchen. It rained non stop all day although we did get this very nice rainbow at one point.

AMI Workshop - Improvised Rescue Day

We headed to Tremadog today and I took 4 of the trainees to look at improvised rescues whilst Baggy took the remaining 6 to look at teaching multi pitch climbing. My little group spent the day tied up in knots whilst I created ever worsening scenarios for them to cope with ending in full multi pitch crag evacuation with an unconscious casualty. The weather held for us remaining dry and bright all day. After work I teamed up with Lou & Simon to climb Merlin Direct, HVS 5a.

AMI Workshop for MIA Trainees

I have been working on an Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI) workshop today. The AMI is the professional body for Mountaineering Instructors and runs a range of workshops all year round to support members in further training and CPD. This course is aimed at trainees who have completed their MIA training and are preparing for assessment. We had 10 students and I was working with Mark "Baggy" Richards. The students chose for the day to be spent looking at roped scrambling techniques when working with clients and Baggy and I took 5 clients each and had a thoroughly wet day in Cwm Idwal in persistent rain! I arrived home tonight with no item of clothing dry which is always the sign of a good day! No photos today then.

Site Specific Training

I have been working in Stourbridge today for a school that has a climbing wall. I provide them with annual staff training for them to supervise people using the climbing wall and help prepare safety procedures and the like. The school have done well to get a lottery grant and update the wall since my last visit so it was good to give the new holds a try!

Family Rock Climbing Day 2

We headed to Holyhead Mountain on Anglesey today for another day of lovely sunshine and good rock climbing. The Rayner family were all cruising up Severe and even did their first multi pitch rock climb this afternoon as a family of 4!

Family Climbing Course

I have been joined by Ian, Jan, Catherine & Magda for two days of family rock climbing. We headed to Tremadog today and managed to avoid the rain that was falling over the mountains and climb a good range of V Diffs and Severes on top ropes.

Mountain Leader Refresher & climbing at Gogarth

I have been out with a friend of mine Tim today to kelp him prepare for his Mountain Leader assessment in November. We went up on the Carneddau behind my house and enjoyed fine views, beautiful sunshine and the company of wild ponies. We teamed up with Andy in the evening for a quick route on Gogarth.

Lockwoods Chimney

It has been lashing with rain all day in Snowdonia today we we decided to round off our Classic Rock week with a classic chimney climb. Lockwoods Chimney is a traditional route with a capital "T" and is probably the most physical Diff in North Wales! It offers great sub-terrainean chimney climbing over several short pitches and a great 45m abseil from a window in the cliff face to the deck! Needless to say the camera didn't make it!