School Groups etc…
A busy few weeks have passed in Pembrokeshire, summer is in full flow and we have been treated to some amazing weather (with the odd tougher day thrown in!) School groups, private clients, CPD workshops, SPA courses and Technical Advisor days – great that work is so varied, with variety being the spice of life and all that!
Pembrokeshire is a popular place for schools to come for their multi-activity residential trips, with a few centres locally taking large groups of youngsters adventuring. Initially I was with TYF for a couple of weeks, doing a mix of climbing, coasteering and walking. Seeing young people push their comfort zones and try new things is always inspiring, and often serves to remind us to follow our own advice and step out of our comfort zones too!
Walking the Pembrokeshire coast
In amongst the schools stuff with TYF I had a day delivering Technical Advice and sign offs for Newgale Lodge on their high ropes course. Checking their PPE, making sure the RAs and SOPs were up to date and assessing their staff on the safe use of the course. It’s a great facility up there that should be used more locally!
Also squeezed in those weeks was a day with other Mountaineering Instructors from the South Wales area. It was the first AMI area meeting and we were keen to discuss our roles as Technical Advisors delivering sign offs to SPA holders working on sea cliffs outside of their remit. Great to spend a day professionally developing our industry in the area, the write-up of what we discussed will hopefully be in the next issue of Professional Mountaineer…
AMI members discussing hoists and sign offs for SPA holders working on sea cliffs
We snuck some sport climbing in this week too – in Pembrokeshire! At a venue I’d been to a couple of times before, but was never that inspired by the (loose!) routes. This time however, we climbed several routes on a different section of crag and I was pretty impressed! Still with the odd loose bit but nothing drastic, the bolts seemed solid if a tad spaced, and the routes thoroughly enjoyable! Might even go back!
Sport climbing in Pembrokeshire!
A day out with private client Paul followed. Last year I had assisted Paul in helping his climbing partner out of the bottom of the cliff where they were crag-fast. It was a non serious situation but Paul recognised the need to up-skill and become a safer sea cliff climber. We looked at hoists, ascending a fixed rope, escaping the system and using the guide plate to maximum usefulness. Already an SPA holder Paul took loads on board and we climbed some lovely routes along the way. Hopefully now he has a big tool box of skills to help him and his partners out in the future!
Using the guide plate to ascend the abseil rope!
A weekend of glorious sunshine followed for our latest SPA training course, the 4th full course of the year which is amazing! Hopefully word is spreading how good a venue for SPA training and assessments Pembrokeshire is! I had 4 keen and experienced candidates so we were able to cover loads of the syllabus and delve deeper into certain aspect of it. From the Haverfordwest leisure centre climbing wall to Wolfs Rocks and Newton Head, we really had a perfect weekend for it!
SPA training course in Pembrokeshire
SPA training course in Pembrokeshire at Newton Head
This last week I’ve been lucky to be working for Sealyham Activity Centre – where I first worked full time in the outdoor industry many moons ago, when I was but a fledgling Instructor. It a big multi-activity centre, offering a huge range of sessions, but this week I’ve been mostly climbing for them, with a little bit of high ropes course thrown in. I was so impressed with the young people for their positive attitude and willingness to give anything a go. Comfort zones were pushed, hard routes climbed and many abseils done! Always inspiring to see what kids can do given the chance, with half the fear of an adult!
A school group climbing in Pembrokeshire
Strong! A school group abseiling in Pembrokeshire
Max wanted a tandem abseil to boost his confidence! Awesome effort! Mid abb selfie here!
At the start of the week we went out for a bit of Deep Water Soloing at Abercastle, a venue I hadn’t been to in ages, but where we put up all the first ascents years ago when I worked at Sealyham initially. It was great to get back on some of the routes years later, with a good crowd. We fell off plenty but what a refreshing evening by the sea! Pretty lucky to live somewhere we can nip out and DWS ten minutes from home!
DWS in Pembrokeshire at Abercastle
As the sun sets after a day climbing with a school group, after work DWS in Pembrokeshire
My final day of work in Pembrokeshire before I leave for Africa and a stint guiding on Kilimanjaro was with Charlie again, who came last month with son Tom. This time rope-gun Tom stayed at home and we were joined by Art. Charlie and Tom are climbing the Old Man of Hoy later in the summer, and all their climbing is training for that. After getting a taste of sea cliffs last time, today’s goal was to get some exposure and climb some big routes! We were greeted by perfect sunshine despite the murky forecast, and climbed some great routes with the sea booming down below!
Charlie leading on the sea cliffs on a private climbing day in Pembrokeshire..