Autumn ends…
The latter half of Autumn has been busy! With courses running in both North Wales and Pembrokeshire – personal guiding, NGB training and assessments in climbing and mountain leadership, a lead climbing course and a big wall climbing skills course, it’s ben super fun! Here’s a whistle stop tour of what we’ve been up to…
After arriving in Snowdonia to work on some ML courses, we had a day spare so managed to get the classic mountain rock route Amphitheatre Buttress done with Joey, who hadn’t done it before. Chilly conditions necessitated a swift ascent, but ace to get this done in dry conditions in late October!
The classic Amphitheater Buttress route shot…
It was on to an ML assessment for the next 4 days after that, working for Wet and High Adventures. We had a damp but fun steep ground day on Tryfan before a 3 day exped over the Snowdon range from south to north. We started in glorious conditions in Cwm Tregalan but the candidates did well in some cold and wet conditions for the remainder!
Cool clouds coming down in to Cwm Tregalan on the ML assessment
A quick whizz back home to Pembrokeshire for the weekend to run an RCI assessment, we basked in the sunshine in comparison to the last couple of days! Strong passes all round and a fun easy time for me!
RCI Assessment in Pembrokeshire
Straight back in to it with some more ML action for Wet and High Adventures after that, starting out running the first 2 days of their training course. A pleasure to spend the time with a group of experienced and keen mountaineers. Cold conditions meant snow high up so the tops avoided for the start of the week, but generally very agreeable weather! I was out for the 3 day assessment exped again with a group of well prepared candidates who all put in good performances, and with a magical sunrise for our final camp it was ace to wrap up the week with them!
ML Assessment in Snowdonia
I had the pleasure of taking Dave and son Alex for a days scrambling after that, it was a shame the weather was a bit grim, but we had an ace time on Tryfan. I used to work with Dave in Cotswolds Outdoor, so it was great to share with him what I do know as a career!
Guided Scrambling in Snowdonia
Back down in Pembrokeshire we had our final RCI training course of the year. A day inside for some climbing wall action was followed by 2 days out in the sun – good old Pembs! The candidates had all done their SPA training before, but were keen to see what else the RCI now included. It’s worth remembering if you did your old SPA training and are considering an assessment next year, all the RCI pre-requisites will be mandatory from the start of 2019 – why not book a refresher with us?
RCI Training in Pembrokeshire
We then had a 3 day learn to lead climb course running with Ranulf and Alexander. The guys learnt loads over the few days, climbing some ace routes, and it was mega to hear they were putting their new skills in to practice the very next day with some leads all on their own! That’s what it’s all about!
Learn to lead climb course in Pembrokeshire
The next few days we were delivering a big wall aid climbing skills course. Rob and Jeffrey had driven over from the Netherlands to learn how to hopefully get themselves and their kit up some big walls! We had a day inside cementing all the basics and developing their skills in the warm and dry, then it was outside using it all for real. We were blessed with some warm sunshine, first at Carreg y Barcud, then at Caerfai the next day. The chaps were very keen and competent, so we looked at the process of aid climbing, different ways of seconding the routes, specialized gear suck as sky hooks, hauling and portaledge skills – and as it was so nice I couldn’t not get them to lead some classic north Pembrokeshire trad climbs too!
Big Wall Aid Climbing Course in Pembrokeshire
Now our Autumn courses are over, its full steam ahead training and getting kit ready for the winter in Scotland! Join us on a Winter Skills Course!