Its all go!

This evening I was finishing a CWA Training. Tomorrow I'm off to Orkney for an SPA Reassessment and another CWA Training working with Duncan. Next week…. Skye!

Via Feratta in Kinlochleven

Today I was out with the team from Vertical Descents doing some training on their new via feratta at the Grey Mare's Tail in Kinlochleven. The development has been controversial for some but visually its barely visible unless someone is on it and access to the viewpoint has actually been improved by the work. The rock also isn't suitable for rock climbing being quite loose and vegetated. The bottom of the via feratta itself can only be accessed using equipment kept under lock and key and the guys have spent a great deal of time and money to create a new visitor attraction in an area reliant on attracting tourism.
It was a training day to allow others to use the vf with their own clients. First we did it ourselves, then we had the opportunity to guide some volunteers on it and finally we looked at problem avoidance an solution on it. Its great fun being more akin to the sport vf you see on the continent than the original Dolomite routes or something like the Camino Del Rey in El Chorro.
A good day out with a number of local businesses. Thanks to Ben and Joe for the day, the volunteers for turning up and all the others for the craic.

 Bill and Ben...

 Giving it a go for ourselves

 hmmm, steeper

 Proud developer of the VF high en route

 The Grey Mare's Tail

Rungs

 A paddler a bit too far from the water!

 Emma starting

 Emma getting high

 Happy volunteer

Bill getting rescued…. again...

Articles, Ads Aonach Mor and Admin

I've had a couple of things appear in publications recently:
My photo of Lou (far from a beginner) on Secretaries Direct at Polldubh made it into 'Get Into Climbing' The BMC's Special Edition Magazine for beginners.

 Lou on Secretaries Direct

BMC's Climbing For Beginners

Simon Birch and I did the Skye Cuillin Traverse over 2 glorious days last year and his article on the trip is in the latest Scotland Outdoors. (My film is here).

Simon Birch nearing An Dorus and our bivvy site

Scotland Outdoors' Article on our Cuillin traverse

On a less happy note I received this email from Bauer Media for Trail Magazine.

"The greatest mountains in the UK, according to Trail readers, are…

1.Tryfan

2. Helvellyn

3. Snowdon

4. An Teallach

5. Buachaille Etive Mor

6. Great Gable

7. Blencathra

8. Ben Nevis

9. Suilven

10. Liathach

Do you want to be known as the best Mountain Guide to go when challenging these mountains?

 Here at Trail we are currently working on our July issue, in which we are including  a special feature page in our directory for the ‘Top Peaks and the Top guides for them’.  We have a special offer on so that you can get in front of our readers and tell them exactly what you have to offer and be known as the best!

The special offer is:

A 6x2 Ad for just £150+VAT

Or

A 3x2 Ad for just £75+VAT

(We can even create the Ad for you) 

Don’t miss out on this chance to reach our readership of 68,000  that do not know about you yet!

There is very limited space available so let me know ASAP if you would like to showcase on this feature page.  The July issue goes on sale on the 12^th June and the closing date is the 21^st May."

 So all I have to do to be known as the 'best Mountain Guide (sic)' for a peak is to pay Trail. Qualifications, experience, local knowledge, reputation, customer service, flexibility none of these matter by comparison. So when you read a copy of Trail (and there ARE some very good Instructors mentioned in their pages) just bear in mind that there is zero quality control on some of their adverts recommending 'Top guides'. All you have to do is pay up!! Like lots of businesses I get calls and emails offering me these 'special rates'. Sometimes I'm on the end of a hard sell… until I tell them my annual marketing budget is less the £100 and that I'm turning work away!!

Good to see the Aonach More weather station giving readings again. Its been out of action since the lightning strike last December 19th but its back up and running as you can see here.

Today I was doing some admin. Publicising some Scottish CPD for the MTA, answering endless emails, writing a report on yesterday's TA work and prepping for a CWA Training in Orkney at the weekend. I also had a meeting with an established provider about some long term scrambling work locally. It will be great to get out even more on the fine scrambling that Lochaber has to offer and to trade on my reputation rather than advertising in Trail.

Scrambling in Lochaber

Second Day climbing with the Spiders

Yesterday was my second day with members of the Stirling Spiders working for the MCofS and I had a good day with twins Emma and Sophie. Despite a few heavy showers they followed me up Pinnacle Ridge, led the Gutter (wet rock no problems for this pair) and then had a quick climb to finish the day on Styx Buttress Right Wall. 2 more keen young climbers heading down the trad climbing path! The pictures speak for themselves.
This week looks like a week of meetings and emails. Today I was at Transition Extreme in Aberdeen doing some Technical Advice work.

Lead Climbing with Stirling Spiders

Today I was working for the MCofS with Stirling Spiders climbing club. The 9 nine climbers had 5 parents along and Pete from The Peak Climbing Wall. I was working with Becca and Eilidh heaping them gain further experience of climbing outdoors.
The forecast wasn't great so we jumped straight onto Pinnacle Ridge checking the guys' rope work and gear placements. We then headed up to The Alp for them to lead Styx Buttress, Right Wall. As we abseiled back down the rain came on hard but that didn't stop us climbing Tear. Then to finish our day we went round to the first pitch of 3 Pines to recover a nut of Pete's.
Great to see such a keen young team lapping up the real rock!

 Real rock for Becca and Eilidh

 Eilidh on rough mica schist

 Building better belays

 1 route in the bag

 What next Becca?

 becca on the sharp end

 bomber gear from Eilidh

 Styx Buttress Right Wall Pitch 2

 Topping out on a another route

 Pete's team on The Gutter

Hard Severe, wet rock, smash it Eilidh!

Top fun at Tavool canyoning stag do

Rich's stag do the last 2 days was at the lovely Tavool House (a great quiet base for any group of outdoor minded folk) on Mull. After a late first night there were a few sleepy heads but that changed once Andy got us into the canyon. I only canyon for fun, not work and every time I do something slightly unusual happens. On this occasion we found 2 bolts that had taken a battering, probably from rocks forced down the canyon under spate conditions. One was bent open and the other bent crooked. They were still fit for the job but will need to be replaced. We also found a possible culprit in the shape of an enormous chockstone that forms a recent addition to the lower part of the canyon.
After coffee and cake… and a huge curry various merry making ensued (one ibble dibbler had a record 13 dibble ibbles- don't ask), the stag arm wrestled all pleasant Andy proved himself pretty strong and flexible for one of the oldest in the party Richard sampled the nightlife through mud and bushes, with blacked out goggles on late at night- under the belief, at least temporarily that we were in the same boat and Jamie made bizarre faces whilst trying to move a 50p piece that he was under the mistaken belief was perched on his forehead… and the odd bottle of beer/wine/port/rum/whiskey was seen off too depending on for tastes. Cheers to Andy and Hebridean Pursuits for the venue, the food the activities and cheers all for the craic. A very civilised couple of days with a relatively well behaved team!

 Sleepy stag about to get a wet wake up

 Morning shower

 Battered bolts

 Andy coming down

 That rock is new

 Brian heading for the chockstone

 Chilly but happy

 Looing back up the slot to the chockstone

 Steve bridging

 Andy diving

 Last falls

 Over the edge

 Behind the falls as another one comes down

 Andy sans ripe

 Rich following the nightlife

Jamie trying to move the 50p… that wasn't there!