Successful candidates and Gone Climbing

Well done to Donna and Alan who passed their SPA Assessment today. We soaked up the sun at a non midgey Neilston Quarry.

Adios for a while.... I'm off Guiding in Bolivia and return on 15th of August. I should have some contact with the world through my shiney new Iphone 4 but don't know If I'll be blogging. Expect a seriously good spell of weather for the next few weeks as I'm out of the country!

Bolivia should be good as I'll be guiding peaks I first climbed when I was 19. I bought a ticket and went out alone, made friends with some local climbers and that was my introduction to Alpinism- in the Andes.

SPA Assessment at the Quadrocks

First route of the day

Spot the midges (and the nutter in a t-shirt!)

Belay duty

Leading

The traverse

Last route of the day

Day 1 of the SPA Assessment I'm directing for Glasgow Climbing Centre and we went to the Quadrocks above Largs. the first hour or two the midges were horrific but then fortunately a slight breeze sprang up and then we had a perfect day. More of the same tomorrow.

If you are interested in the issues involved in taking groups Coasteering and especially if you are based in Scotland I can recommend this workshop with Andy Spink in October.

CWA Assessment

Back to work after a wet few days in The Lakes with Jane and Sandy. A CWA Assessment at Glasgow climbing Centre with 3 successful candidates now 'licensed to thrill'. Attaining an MLT NGB Award should be likened to passing your driving test (I'm told :-). Once you've passed its time to go off and learn to do it for real. Good luck to today's 3 new CWAs as they learn to use their award.
SPA Assessment for the next 2 days and then off to Bolivia on Saturday!!

Staying ahead of the weather on Skye

Rachel and Hannah came for a day out at the beginning of the month when we did Ledge Route on Ben Nevis. Today I joined them to up the scrambling ante on Skye. I suggested Pinnacle Ridge on Sgurr nan Gillean and with the weather due to change later on we got a good early start from Sligachan.

After a pleasant walk in we geared up and enjoyed the excellent scrambling over the first 3 pinnacles including the lovely exposed abseil off of the 3rd (well done to Rachel and Hannah who refused to be intimidated despite this being quite exposed for their first abseil!). then it was over the Knights Peak and the final fifth pinnacle before joining the west ridge to pay our respects to the summit. Just as we topped out the cloud which had been cloaking Blaven and threatening all day finally swept in to hide the views and a steady all pervading drizzle set in.

We headed off down the west ridge, threading the needle and making another abseil onto the ledge running to the bealach. Then a descent of the screes on tired legs and a soggy but happy walk down to the pub!

The Old Fox goes online!

Have a look at at Hamish MacInnes's website- talk about a full life!

CWA Day 2

Abseiling setups

Observing climbers

Who could we help improve and how?

Problem solving

Add on... and take away...

Another busy day with the team on the CWA Training course at EICA. We looked at warm ups for groups, the abseil module, things to do between training and assessment, problem avoidance and solving, observation of climbers with a view to providing basic movement coaching and different ways of attaching people to the rope. We also visited and risk assessed a second climbing wall at the Lowport Centre. An enjoyable couple of days!

CWA Training at Ratho

Moving well

Precision footwork

Sticky hands

and funky shapes

Different belay devices

Today I was directing a Climbing Wall Award Training at EICA Ratho. I was working with Tony and we had 9 candidates today. The arena was very busy with guides practising for an event this evening which made teaching quite interesting (I'm well hoarse)! Day 2 tomorrow.