Back in Pembrokeshire…
Its been a fun filled winter, but now I’m back in Pembrokeshire, our season on the rock here has started! It’s been a busy start, with a fair bit of time on the computer – important stuff being a business owner, but not why I got in to the outdoors at all! Managing to work a bit at the Haverfordwest climbing wall, I’m able to do what I love and stay dry (and train a little!), but thankfully we’ve been getting outside too!
With a first outdoor sunny rock climb of the year back in Pembrokeshire at Saddle Head, warm and with Porpoises sauntering in the water down below – psyche for climbing rock has increased!
Sunny Sea Cliff spring climbing in Pembrokeshire
This weekend we’ve run our first Single Pitch Award assessment of the year. We had really broad mix of candidates; a stunt man, an RAF engineer and a teacher, all looking at gaining their SPA for different reasons. We spent the first morning indoors at the Haverfordwest wall, looking at the climbing wall aspects of the syllabus, and reviewed the home paper whilst the rain stopped. After lunch we headed up to Wolfs Rocks to look at some of the group climbing parts of the award. Pretty breezy up there but dry at least! Not many people think of Pembrokeshire as having inland climbing – and the routes here aren’t amazing – but there is some incredible bouldering in this lovely spot if you’re ever visiting. It’s in the excellent Climbers Club guidebook to North Pembrokeshire, volume 1…
Managing some warm up bouldering during this weekends SPA assessment..
Day 2 of the SPA assessment and with windy but dry weather we went to Newton Head for the guys to all do some personal climbing. Everyone led some super nice routes and set up a personal abseil each, before looking at group abseils. We re-visited a couple of bits from the previous day before a coffee and individual feedback. A long day on the rock and a lot of effort put in from the candidates. I’m pleased to say they all passed!
2 of the SPA candidates leading at Newton Head
Top rope set up at Newton Head during the SPA assessment this weekend
Managing a group abseil during this weekends SPA assessment
We have an exciting summer ahead, with work trips planned to some bigger mountains overseas, but I’m really psyched to be back in Pembrokeshire and ready for some adventurous sea cliff rock climbing in the sun! Come and join us for an adventure!