Gwilym's Adventure Blog

Mount Meru 4566m This morning I flew out from Heathrow to Tanzania where I will be away for a month working for Camps International leading a group of 29 students and 3 staff from Kennett School, Berkshire. We will be conducting a number of community projects before embarking on a Safari, some R & R on the beach and tackling Mount Meru at 4566m. I will attempt to update the blog regularly if possible, but if not I will be back on 19th August and post a full report then

This week Tim and I have been running a Pool Lifeguard course based at Quantock Lodge in Somerset. The National Pool Lifeguard Qualification contains a mixture of theoretical, practical skills and of course included elements of swimming. The 11 candidates had a mixture of experience and swimming ability. As Tim did most of the teaching I was able to spend some time in the pool practising my own skills. All candidates passed including myself as I decided to get re assessed at the same time.

This weekend I have been working for Andy Holborn on a WGL Training Course on Dartmoor. There were 12 candidates of varying ability but all were picking up the skills quickly. The weather has been challenging at time, particularly on Saturday and visibility has been seriously reduced. This does however make for good training conditions even though not good for photography.

For the last 3 days I have been based at Foxlease Activity Centre working for Haygrove School on their Year 7 Camp where I have been leading groups through the forest and also teaching kayaking on the small lake at the campsite. The weather has been variable by UK standards but after two weeks in France I would just describe it as poor. It has been difficult convincing the students that kayaking is a dry sport as most of them felt the need to fall in.

Yesterday and today I have beem working for Bryanston School in The New Forest teaching the Year 9's how to navigate. Sunday was spent coaching the croups in the skills required to travel through the forest and today they were allowed out undeer remote supervision to complete a journey on their own. Weather conditions were OK and all groups were sucessful.

Chamois on The Balcon Sud Alex, Tom and I with Mont Blanc behind Standing on the Mer de Glace Cragging in the valley So the last five days have been spent in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc where I have been climbing in the valley with some friends as well as walking the Balcon Nord and the Balcon Sud enjoying the stunning weather and the equally stunning views. I am just off for a lovely french meal in one of the towns restaurants and then I am off back to the UK tomorrow to work in the New Forest for a few days.