A' Chailleach

Today was my last day working with the ATMs from WHC on their Mountain Skills module and the ratios came down so we could go steep. Rich and I headed with a pair each to the South Ridge of A' Chailleach which neither of us had done before.
The initial crags were broken and damp (occupational hazard in november, rock never seems to dry properly) but gave lots of opportunity to introduce Kag and Rebecca to mountaineering ropework. higher up it got a little more interesting and I took over to lead us up the final exciting steps.
Stunning weather, this november has really been too kind to us. We need some snow!!!

 Heading to work

 A short walk to the start of the scrambling

 Kag in control

 Glencoe looking fine!

 Chilly sandwich stop

 Direct belay

 the steep bit

 No problem

 Perched

 A82 now far below

 Rich's team going direct

 Top out… rope off

 Pretty good day out!

All 4 ATMs admiring Glencoe at its best

Cycle home not too shabby either!

Lowland Leader Award Training Day 2

 That's a big one!

 The Pike, part of the Loch Ard Sculpture Trail

 Woodpecker's nest

 We're right there!

 Learning about the Highland Boundary Fault

Resin

Day 2 of the EDC LLA Training and we were based around Aberfoyle with the team leading the walks they planned yesterday, dealing with scenarios I threw at them and learning about the local natural and cultural history.

Lowland Leader Award Training day 1

Today was the first day of a Mountain Training Scotland Lowland Leader Award training I'm Directing for East Dunbartonshire Council. We were at Mugdock Country Park where I introduced the scope of the Award and did some short presentations on kit, weather and legal responsibilities for the group before we headed outside. We compared using orienteering maps with 1:50000 OS maps and looked at navigating using both. We ended the day with some planning of routes for tomorrow and then a little nav in the dark.

 Team Nav

 Getting to grips with the orienteering maps

 Jen and her dodgey beard

Routeplanning

Amazing autumn sunset

Yesterday and today I was supervising a party of ATM students from UHI WHC on an overnight exped. We walked in the watery sunlight from the west end of Loch Arkaig to Kinbreak Bothy. After lunch and crossing the river we pressed on. I'd exerted some gentle persuasion as I was expecting a good sunset and the group agreed to camp high on Gairich Beag. It was well worth it. These pics have only been altered to tone down the amazing orange light. We got up for a quick breakfast before summiting Gairich and enjoying a sunny return.
The main right of way to Kinbreak from near the car park is a horrid boggy ATV track but the next pass to the west has a great old stalkers path over it- much nicer, a little lower, a little further but worth the detour.

 The locals

 Scott and his team below on the boggy track

 Nathan lifting his skirts to cross the river

 Light fading on Gairich Beag

 The group appear

 Bromance… Connor, where is your right hand!

 Kag enjoying the sunset

 Time to get the tents up

 G'night

 Packing up in the morning

 Breakfast

 A quick morning jaunt to the summit- cold ears Crunch?

 Gairich summit

 Team photo

Back to the bags 

Scott happy to be on a decent path!