Gwilym's Adventure Blog

A short but sociable tandem paddle on The River Parrett at Langport this morning before heading for a pub lunch. In all fairness, the lunch was far better than the paddling but it was impressive to see all the flooding around the fields and we could have easily left the river and floated around the fields all day

An early Christmas ride with Mike and Hannah. Well, I say "ride". Perhaps someone should have brought two wheels for their bike! So it was a 14km for Mike and I whilst Hannah had a run instead. Excellent views across to the Severn estuary and plenty of puddles to ride through. No where near frozen but still very cold when they were so deep that our feet got wet.

This week I have been sport climbing in the warm December sun of El Chorro in southern Spain with good friend Jay. A mix of 2 big multipitch routes (12 pitches and 11 pitches respectively) plus 14 single pitch routes upto 6a made for a great week even though we had one wet day in a cafe with no climbing. I am already planning to come back after my Scottish Winter season as I should be stronger and lighter after a few weeks of winter climbing.

The candidates were out with Mark yesterday for more wind and rain but today was a much nicer day (although some showers) and we were on the north moor near Meldon Reservior As always, navigation played a part of the day as did environmental knowledge, leadership skills and some incidents that I dreamed up along the way. A good effort from all candidates. Well done.

A dry start with a very wet finish for Day 1 of the Hill and Moorland Leader Assessment I am directing for Wet and High Adventures Ltd . Dartmoor delivered some challenging weather as we entered the evening and I was very relieved to get back in the car at 7pm somewhat damp around the edges.

Back at Plymouth Life Centre climbing wall today but this time with some older Plymouth College students for some bouldering and top roping. Much better being inside with the weather we have had this week

Today I was out on The River Dart "Lower Section" with some Lower Sixth students from Plymouth College . A couple of them in kayaks with me and a solo plus tandem canoe with Olly. Great fun had and some excellent river running skills shown. Also some excellent river swimming skills shown by the majority of the group.

This week I am back in at Plymouth College cover some staff absence. I will be a fair bit over the next few months so I had to lean all the IT and other procedures again. The afternoon was spent down at The Life Centre Climbing Wall with a some year 7 to 10 on their afternoon activities.

It has been a busy 7 days for me in my role as a Royal Lifesaving Society National Trainer Assessor and all things Lifeguard. Saturday and Sunday were spent in Porthcawl running the first 2 days of a split Beach Lifeguard Trainer Assessor course for 7 candidates from Newton Lifesaving Club. Monday to Friday was spent at Quantock Lodge running a full Pool Lifeguard Trainer Assessor course with a Level 3 Award in Education and Training for 3 candidates with 2 Beach Lifeguard Trainer Assessor Candidates joining us at the start of the week. They will finish there course in the New Year when we get in the sea. Training, Assessing, First Aid, Pool, Beaches and Presentation skills all covered and even though it has all been enjoyable, after 7 days I am looking forward to a well earned day off tomorrow. In case you are wondering, they did teach each other to make paper hats and tie shoe laces through either the "4 stage approach" or "whole-part-whole"