Wednesday, 30 September 2009
CWA Assessments and Technical Advice
For the last 2 days I have been in Glasgow running CWA Assessments ( basic and Abseil modules), a re Assessment and having a successful meeting with one of the Councils about taking on a role as their technical advisor. Back in Fort William to a sunny day today and looking forward to some exercise on the tooling wall in the cellar tonight and maybe a leg stretch tomorrow on the Ben.
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
I've been away.
I was away working for The Glasgow Academy on Skye for a few days last week and since then I've been doing a bit more sedentary work (see next post above). The weather was pretty horrific but it didn't prevent Instructors Bill, Sally, Neal and I (aided by techer Ian) helping 9 very determined students with 3 days mountaineering. We made a mass ascent of the Cioch by Cioch corner, climbed the Inaccesible Pinnacle (with Adam in a wedding dress after promising a bride to be on a hen night at our bunkhouse- the wind almost tore it off) and made an ascent of Sgur a Mhadaidh via An Dorus (on the way down the wind was blowing the rain back up the gully so hard you really couldn't look into it! Well done to the team for sticking with it in some of the wettest, windiest and most slippery conditions of the year- especially those who had never been on a trip like this before! As Bill shouts over the wind in the video- 'Exceptionally well done guys'. To see a larger version of the video click on the DailyMotion videowall to the right.
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Lochaber SPA Day 2
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
SPA Assessment Lochaber Day1
We weren't alone at the crag today with large teams from Outdoor Education courses from both Edinburgh University and The University of Highlands and Islands.
Saturday, 19 September 2009
Sharp Edge Blencathra





More Classic Rock on Friday
Gimmer on Thursday
We made use of the chain to abseil (a good example of common sense ad in no way the thin end of a wedge) down the face and then climbed C Route which gave a nice contrast to our first climb of the day- steeper and more exposed before abing twice back to the bags.
The climbing in the Lakes feels quite relaxing compared to Scotland, short walk ins, lots of groups, very clean well travelled, solid rock (and dry weather too).
Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Blue sky day on Ben Nevis
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
Tower Ridge
Monday, 14 September 2009
Rock Video 2
Here is one of Ardnamurchan this weekend. If you want to see a larger version then click on the relevant video on the videowall to the right.
Sunday, 13 September 2009
Another sunny Ardnamurchan day
Saturday on Ardnamurchan
I love it out at Ardnamurchan. The views to Rhum, Eigg, Skye and beyong are to die for, it's like Reiff in that it sticks out as a low lying peninsula into the prevailing westerly airstream but isn't elevated enough to cause any lift and condensing. So, often, when the moist air hits Glencoe its clouds and rain but that same air passed Ardnamurchan by without shedding its load.
This weekend I was working with Greg and Will, 2 pupils from Glasgow Academy who lead indoors and have sport climbed in Spain. Whilst Neal from the school was teaching Emily and Julz I had the 2 guys to introduce to the joy of trad for 2 days. We started on Meal Fhir Eoin Beag where I had the guys follow me up the crag classic Yir (VS4c) looking at gear placement and building their own belays. Then they led An Deireadh and Krakatoa with me in close attendance before we finished with a quick ascent of Great Gabbro (VS4c). We were looking at all aspects of leading: guidebook interpretation, selecting and racking gear , planning and assessing your route for protection, crux moves and rests, placing and removing gear, lead belaying, routefinding, communication, belay building, changeovers and plate orientation at stances and retreat and protecting a personal abseil..... phew.
It was another sunny day - well earnt after a month of weather misery!
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