Technical Courses Blog Category

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Learn to Climb – Day 2

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We headed over to the Limestone at a place I first stepped foot on a crag when I was 12, Hutton Roof. Sarah was still on the way to being 100% over her fear of “the edge” and heights so this venue with more careful coaching allowed gave her the head space to take onboard the technical aspects.

After a number of routes Sarah and Michael’s brains where full so we finished the day with some more coaching on movement and bouldering.

Learn to Climb – Day 1

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Sarah and Michael arrived from Colchester on Thursday night and stayed in Ambleside. Michael runs a private medical practice, we spent most of our time chatting about business and databases, I popped them in touch with my database engineer and anorak Simon Fenna.

The first day we headed to Middle Fell Buttress in Langdale and looked at multi pitch climbing & abseiling, they are now well on there way to overcoming fears of heights and being able to second a leader with confidence of what they are doing and understand the bigger picture of multi pitch.

In the afternoon we headed into the valley where the exposure was less and did a spot of bouldering at the Langdale Boulders.

Sarah likes bouldering…

The Wobbly Rock – Dow Crag

Now the last time I was climbing on Dow, Helen and I where chatting with a fella who was noting how quiet the crag was and that this was due to a certain rock he had wedged on the footpath along the tarn.

Anyone who has climbed on Dow Crag in the past will remember the irritating echo of the clatter of a wobbly rock which got stood on every time a walker passed along side the tarn, sometimes walkers would notice the echo and even surf it for a while oblivious to the effect on a lead climber pulling through the crux of a route.

Well today Graham and I where walking up Coniston Old Man passed Goats Water with a Year 4 School Group from Manchester and found said rock…

After removing its wedge and surfing it for while the reprobate in us wanted to leave it in its natural state.

If you find the rock, please leave it chocked!!!

Guided Rock – Wasdale

Paul had not been rock climbing since hemp rope and hobnailed boots, he was keen to convert his skills to the present day!

During the week Paul learnt his limits using his new boots, all there was to know about basic rope work, placing gear, building anchors and abseiling.

Going away with a set of skills get himself up climbs safely he headed back South.

Paul and I will be climbing together again in September where we will build on what he has learnt and take it to another dimension.

Enjoy the video…

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Navigation Training

Kat was out today navigation training with a lad Tim from London. Tim is leading up to an event and wanted to top his skills up.

They headed to the area above Easedale and covered a number of skills on 3 varieties of maps before heading back to Grasmere for gingerbread then the train home.

Zip Line Inspection

Today I headed over to inspect a Zip Line before we use it with one of our larger courses this year.

I was pleased to see that they had removed a suspect tree from the system…

Last year we did not use it due to concerns I had, its great to see recommendations taken forward and acted upon.

Weekend Road Trip

Each year Robin and Jenny come to Scotland for a weekends play in the cold stuff.

This year we stayed in Torlundy, Robin and I headed to the ice and Jenny Skied on the Saturday, Sunday we all headed to Glencoe then home after a meal in the Drovers Inn on the way home.

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Ice Climbing – The Ben

With a high Avalanche risk today and Glen Coe out for climbing in we headed to a safe location for a great little piece of ice to teach John and Sarah how to climb ice, they had given it a go inside in a large fridge but wanted to see what it was like on the real thing.

Just past the dear fence and close to the path back to the CIC hut from the top of The Ben there is a great little icefall that can be climbed at grade 2 – 3 depending on the line you take.

A great day was had and the views and feeling the mountain gave was inspiring.

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Winter Hill Walking and Skills – Mam na Gualainn

This weekend is a winter skills course for the civil service walking group. We are staying at Kinlochleven with 18 in the team and 5 instructors.
Today I was out with the hill walking team. With the avalanche condition as they are we made a choice to stay lower and out of the main risks.
After a quick shuttle in the morning we headed up Mam na Gualainn.
There was a really thick layer of haw frost with a significant layer of wind slab on top, however the patches of slab where isolated and it was possible to avoide most dangers.
Tomorrow I am with two climbers.

Lakes Winter Skills Day – Red Srees

A very humbling experience… John, what a star (you will see what I mean when you see the video clip).

We headed up Kirkstone Pass and onto Red Srees, only just made it to the top. The griter had cleared it by the end of the day.

Skills included -

• weather report interpretation, route planning and avalanche awareness
• foot work and step cutting
• crampons skills on rock and snow
• self arrest
• emergency shelters
• winter navigation
• practical test on the snow pack
• ice skills
• simple rope work for mountaineering

On the way down we spotted a short icefall and had a little climb then back to the pub for a well earn t pint.

Today was John’s first time in crampons, first time using an ice axe and first ever ice climb.

Be inspired…

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