Qualifications Blog Category

MIA Trainee Workshop – Improvised Rescue

Today we headed over to Castle Rock, the day started with a few shoers ont he walk in but soon cleared up.

We looked at…

• Lowering/abseiling past a knot
• Prusicking
• Simple solutions to simple problems
• Escaping from the system
• Hoisting both in and out of the system
• Dealing with more complex scenarios i.e. an unconscious climber on a traverse

The lads are now well equipped with the confidence and final few skills before they all go for there assessment.

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MIA Trainee Workshop – Navigation

This weekend I am running an Mountaineering Instructors Award workshop for the Association of Mountaineering Instructors, navigation & environment was the topic for today. Most of the lads on the course had popped down from Scotland and none of them had spent much time in the Lakes so we headed over the the Coppermines and spent the day quest from ring contour to re entrant. Three of the team had their Winter Mountain Leader so instead of looking at the detail of map & compass skills, we sent the day interpreting contour features and really understanding how they relate to the map. We used a Harvey’s 1:25 Super scale, OS 1:25 and an enlarged OS 1:50.

Enlarging an Ordinance Survey 1:50 map by 200% gives the same maths and scale as a 1:25 map but with out the detail that gets in the way using an OS 1:25.

Through the day the lads switched from map to map, set legs, and really got to grips with the land to map and map to land memory.

A top day was finished off with a pint of Blue Bird

Mountain Leader Re-Assessment

Tonight was a Summer ML Re-Assessment, John had put in a huge amount of effort since his deferral earlier this year and displayed a really strong demonstration of navigational skill.

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AMI Trainee Workshop Day – Instructing Climbing

This workshop was in North Wales, I ran it with Steve Long. The Days kick off at Plas Y Brannin National Mountain Centre where we talk through the aims and goals of the people on the course.

Today we had 4 really cool people who are working towards there MIA Assessment this year.

This refresher day  looks at the how to structure and plan a day teaching/coaching/instructing climbing. The area we covered during our day at Tremadog were; information gathering, choosing routes for your clients, what to teach before you leave the ground, differentiation of clients, goal setting, teaching progression at stances and teaching non beginners.

AMI Trainee Short Roping Day

Today I ran one of the AMI trainee days in the Lakes.

This day was designed around looking at Short Roping and allowing the trainees to consolidate and learn new tricks before there MIA assessment.

We headed up the decent path of Raven Crag then up the decent of Gimmer Crag then on to the scrambles on the side of Pike ‘o’ Stickle.

That evening I met up with Alan Hailwood and legged it up to White Ghyll, Al is from the North so rock that is dry, quick to get to and not covered in moss was a delight for the lad.

I led him up Waste Not Want Not E1 5b, Do Knot Direct E1 5b, Slip Knot VS 4c and Laugh Knot then to the pub.

Mountain Leader Assessment

29th March to 3rd April 2010

Mike Margeson and I run all of the Lakeside YMCA’s MLTE courses.

Mike ran the first 2 days of the course and then I headed out into the fresh snow for the expedition element of the assessment.

We left the night nav until the second night due to the quantity of snow.

Sprinkling Tarn and Scar Lathing provided 2 nights under the stars with 3 great mountain days in and around the central fells.

The 4 people on assessment had a really good time and learnt as well as being assessed.

If you are looking to do an ML or SPA course please get in touch for dates and costs.

See you on an adventure soon…

A short taste of the kind of things we do.

• School Residentials
• Adult Skills & Qualifications ML, SPA & CWA
• Educational Activity Days
• Family Adventures
• Winter Skills and Guided Ice Climbing

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Video by Aqueous Films, Stills by Real Adventure

Caving Skills Module for Kendal College Day 2

With a revision of water level history, present, and forecast using the College over head projector and various website (site’s we use are under the resources page/weather forecasts on the Real Adventure website) we where soon on our way over to the dales for Day 2.

Very little rain, frozen ground and only a touch of snow behind the walls with a forecast of snow flurries and low temperature gave way to a an explore deep into the Ease Ghyll system using County Pot as our way in and out.

The team explored their own way through the system after further tuition on cave navigation, guide book interpretation and survey reading.

A top day was had with a cold retreat back to the van in snow that made driving out form bull pot a challenge.

Cave Leader Level 2 Refresher Day

A day in Bull Pot Kingsdale looking at efficient rigging, rope management, and simple rescues with 2 instructors from Outward Bound Ulswater.

This day was through Ingleborough Hall

Check out their website more adventures.

Ill be back at Ingleborough in January.

Caving Skills Module for Kendal College Day 1

The first day of this 2 day module started off at Kendal College in the class room with a look into water conditions for caving. History of rain fall, present conditions and forecast were looked at. The conditions where looking like high water levels at present that would drop throughout the day.

Off to the Dales with plan A Long Churns.

The team of 8 students learnt the beginnings of how to make a safe judgement on water levels when caving, cave navigation, the spirit of caving through self exploration and the dangers with case example of cave flooding and how people have got it wrong in the past.

The churns where heaving that day and was a real eye opener for the students who saw just how powerful water can be in a safe and controlled way.

A brief look at calcite formations where looked at and research topics given for the next session.

Back with the team on the 17th Dec for day 2 (vertical + detailed cave navigation + guide book interpretation) . Plan A – County Pot Plan B – Bull Pot of the Witches.