Skye Scrambling and Climbing

I was on Skye last week working for Rob Johnson. I spent the week with Martin and Gez and we did a mixture of scrambling and climbing. On Monday we headed to the Cioch doing Arrow, Wallworkers and Yanks, it was cloudy but dry and warm all day. Tuesday had us down at Elgol to get the boat over to do the Dubhs Ridge, Wednesday was a day of rock climbing on Sunshine Pillar. To avoid the wild weather on Thursday we went to Preshal Mor to do Boswells Buttress. Finally on Friday it we did the Cioch Blabheinn Traverse that had a bot of snow on but was great.

 

A great week with the usual great rock climbing and scrambling and great company.

 

I now have a few days off before heading back west to work on an ML Assessment for Bill Strachan.

Travels and Rock Climbing

 

 

It has been a busy few days for me with lots of traveling. Last Saturday I was at the Mountaineering Council of Scotlands Coaching Symposium at Ratho. This was a really good day with a number of different workshopslooking at how and what we coach in climbing. Looks like this is going to become a regualr event so have a look at their website for info. It was then a long drive down to the Peak District for a meeting with the Association of Mountaineering Instructors. I then headed back home as our friends Anne and Luke were visiting from Switzerland. Luke and I have managed to get a few days out climbing on the local crags inbetween the showers, it still feels a little cold for mid May!

 

 

I am hoping for some warmer weather next week as I am off to Skye for a weeks scrambling!

SPA Training - In the SUN!!!!

I have been back at Glenmore Lodge for the last few days running an SPA Training for 4 candidates. For the first time this summer it was actually nice and warm and sunny on most days. We spent some time at a rather busy Huntly's Cave, a very quiet Cummingston and a breezy Kingussie Crag.

 

Thanks to the students for their company, I hope they enjoy getting out climbing in preparation for their assessment.

 

I have 2 days off before I am down to Ratho for the MCofS Coaching Day and then onwards to the Peak District for an AMI meeting, hoping for quiet roads!

Summer ML Assessment

New pylon bases going in just east of Wolftrax

I was out on Saturday working for Scotch on the Rocks Guiding on a one day Summer ML reassessment. I spent the day with Keith in the area just east of Wolftrax avoiding the snow. This was a great area for navigation if a little heathery at times, the only down side is the new dirt track and pylon bases that they are putting in at present.

It was windy but not nearly as wet as I was expecting and Keith performed well and achieve the standard required.

SPA Assessment

Releasable Abseil

New information board at Huntly's Cave

Leading routes at a damp Cummingston

Just before the rain started

On Thursday and Friday I was running an SPA Assessment at Glenmore Lodge. We had a day at a semi damp Cummingston looking at personal skills and a day at Huntly's Cave looking at group skills. The 3 candidates did well and performed at the standard or above and all passed well done them. I hope they enjoy their work as an SPA.