WInter Lectures and Blo-Kart/X-Sail Training
On Thursday evening I was working with Davy Virdee delivering lectures on Scottish Winter and Avalanche Awareness and Avoidance. It was a good excuse to relive a few winter adventures and to get your mind back in to a more wintery mode. Thanks to everyone who attended, Davy for organising it and Alan for all his help on the evening.
A wintery Tower Ridge – one of the photos from the lecture
Yesterday I was up at St Andrews with the Falkirk Community Trust Team doing some staff training on Blo-Karts and X-Sails with Tom from X-sail. These things aren’t my normal medium, but it was a fun and informative day.
X-sail and Blokart in action on the beach
Craig demonstrating how not to wear your helmet
Dartmoor
Jen & I were down in Devon for the last couple of days catching up with Chris, Jane, Jen and Patrick. On Saturday we went for a gentle wander around Dartmoor, which took in Hound Tor and Haytor.
Haytor in the distance
This allowed a little big boot bouldering on the delightful rough granite. The rock was a little damp in places, but there were plenty of climbers out enjoying a better than forecast day.
Me bouldering at Hound Tor
Today we walked around the Otterton area taking in some of the coast and of course the compulsory cream tea.
The team near Black Hill
Traverse of The Cobbler
Yesterday, I was out on The Cobbler in the Arrochar Alps with the Falkirk High Tops Team. We completed the traverse of the South Peak and the Centre Peak which gives some nice moderate rock climbing and one abseil.
The abseil tat at the top of the South Peak had vanished so I replaced it. Hopefully it will remain where it is!
Glenmore Lodge Mountain Training Scotland Seminar
Yesterday I was up at Glenmore Lodge, the National Outdoor Training Centre, for a Mountain Training Scotland (MTS) Provider, Course Director and Staff Seminar. This event provides an opportunity for those providing and working on Mountain Training Awards in Scotland to share thoughts and experiences and give feedback to MTS.
One of the posters from the seminar
The main areas of focus for the day were an MTS Update; presentations and discussions on some of the newer awards/courses and pathways for supporting newcomers to delivering/providing Mountain Training Awards.
The newer awards/courses such as Lowland Leader Award and Hill and Mountain Skills were discussed in some detail and there was some good input and feedback from those who’d delivered these courses and assessments.
A surprisingly lively day with plenty of discussion and energy.
Rosyth
Last week I was running an SPA course. We spent the third day of the course at Rosyth Quarry. This quarry is a good choice at this time of year as it is sheltered and dries quickly after rain. It can be climbed on throughout the whole winter.
Seb climbing at Rosyth.
Pentlands Navigation Course
I was out today in the Pentlands with a group from the Edinburgh Council Adult Education Programme. We were looking Navigation for Hillwalking. We used the area just South and West of the ski area, which has some excellent featured ground for looking at contour interpretation and managed to take in the tops of Caerketton and Allermuir Hills as well.
Descending from the Pentlands with Arthur’s Seat in the distance
No rain during the day, broken cloud above the summits and only light winds. The ground is saturated, but paths and tracks weren’t too muddy.
SPA Training Day One
Yesterday I was out at Aberdour running a SPA Training with Nic Crawshaw, Kenny Lacey and nine trainee instructors. The crag was dry and warm in the November sunshine.
The team enjoying the climbing at Aberdour.
Arbroath Sea Cliffs Abseil
I was up near Red Head on the Arbroath Sea Cliffs today running and abseil for Ian, Coleen, Stuart and Lewis. The abseil was a big one; 40m of vertical/overhanging terrain followed by another 40 or 50m of steep ground.
Stuart jst commencing the abseil, Ian is on the right at the bottom for scale
The team all got on excellently, particularly as some of them hadn’t abseiled before and this was something of a baptism of fire. The rock was dry despite the recent weather and there was a strong South-Westerly wind.
