Porth Clais Sunny Climbing Sessions…
The weather has continued to be cracking this week, and each day I’ve been out at Porth Clais, either for my own work guiding, with school groups for TYF, or running Technical Advice sign off’s for local climbing instructors. I feel very lucky to get to do my own fun work with great clients, and work for other companies with my mates, it never really feels like work, not like sitting at a computer in an office anyway, and when it’s nothing but clear water, wall to wall sunshine and warm, dry rock – Porth Clais is a real treasure.
Its a sea-cliff venue, but as friendly as they come, and with some excellent bouldering to focus on technique, a short walk from the car and a really great place to sit and watch the wildlife. The top of the crag is pretty friendly, so you can get kids up there and involved with whats going on, and helping with the set-ups – and the climbs are ace! If Porth Clais were an inland crag I suspect it would be hideously rammed, as it is, its only ever on bank holidays that it gets congested – and then us locals know the secret places to go to escape the crowds!
First up I took Myf and Andrew to Porth Clais for their first time ever rock climbing, they faced some fears and pushed their limits and both climbed superbly, then we headed over to Porth Y Fynnon for a scramble in and climb out, giving them a real taste of adventure! In the afternoon I was with a few of the local freelance instructors, who use Porth Clais on a regular basis for climbing session. The crag falls outside of the SPA remit as it is tidal and an abseil approach, so they need to go through a training and sign-off process to be able to work outside of their remit. They guys went through some hoists and rescues until I was happy they would be safe to lead sessions at Porth Clais for the next year, until the next sign off!
Myf Climbing for the first time at Porth Clais – feeling the nerves lowering in!
The next few days went by in a bit of a blur! I was working for TYF with some of the school groups they had in for the week, each day we went to Porth Clais with a different bunch of children, all year 6’s, and I was super impressed how they flung themselves off the crag, climbed, scrambled and bouldered everything we could throw at them! The determination of some of them despite their fears was inspiring and hopefully the climbing taster sessions will have inspired them to get to their local wall and take up the sport!
Mark hoisting a “stuck climber” out at Porth Clais on a TA sign-off..
What a week in the sun, running climbing sessions at Porth Clais! We have definitely had our fair share of the sun these last couple of weeks, if only it were like that all the time!!!
Climbing group sessions at Porth Clais