Gwilym's Adventure Blog

With storms raging up high, we took the sensible option of staying low and doing some dry tooling at Onich Slabs (along with a large number of other people) Sometimes the mountains do not want us up there!

On day 1 of a west coast based Winter Climbing Skills course. We did (rather optimistically) have a look at the north face of Ben Nevis and discuss avalanche awareness and making sensible mountain decisions, before beating a hasty retreat to The Ice Factor for a couple of hours ice coaching (in the relative warm and dry).

Back out with Angus and Graeme in Corie An T'Sneachda but looking at climbing skills this time. With some input from me, the guys took themselves up Fake News (Grade II) This was another day of being observed as I work towards becoming a Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor .

Today I was out with Angus and Graeme looking at Winter Mountaineering skills in Coire an T'Sneachda. The weather did turn quite Scottish at times but there were still a couple of opportunities to take photographs I was being observed by Giles as this was part of my assessment to become a Winter Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor .

Pretty windy up high so it was away from the main Cairngorm Massif today on Meall a Buachaille looking at all things navigation.  The paths on the map don't match those on the ground so it is a great place to learn contours are the prime method to navigate by

Our attempt on Fiacaill Ridge was thwarted by wind today so we dropped back down onto some snow to look at abseiling from snow bollards, managing changeovers in bucket seats and continuing to work on confident foot work in snow (probably the most fundamental skill of all). A little bit of navigation practice them followed as we headed back out to the ski centre and of course, coffee and cake. Always nice to see some Ptarmigan but they were struggling to stay camouflaged on the limited snow cover. Practising tying knots with gloves on is an essential part of winter climbing but can be done in the warm

Today was spent with Marcus and Jamie looking at all things snow climbing. We managed to make 8 pitches up one of the remaining snow ribbons in Corie An t'Sneachda and used bucket seats backed up by snow bollards, a deadman and  a buried axe as well as a rock thread, a bit of rock gear and a rock spike. A lack of winter did not mean a lack of learning opportunities and as with most Wet and High Adventures courses, coffee and cake at the end of the day

Today I was on the hill for a 1:1 winter skills course for Wet and High Adventures Ltd . There is snow if you look for it and The Goat Track and Corie Domhain gave us what we needed for foot work (with and without crampons), axe skills, sliding and stopping and avalanche awareness.

This weekend I have been back in Porthcawl running the second part of a split RLSS Beach Lifeguard Trainer Assessor course for 6 candidates. We were warm inside and at the pool but getting psyched for a bracing dip during part 3 which will be in March

I have been out at Quantock Lodge today running a NNAS Tutors Course for 6 candidates who wish to teach the Bronze and Silver awards. Lots covered including methods of teaching orientating maps, contours, timing and pacing.

This was my second and last week as Temporary, Acting, Part Time Head of Outdoor Education.  With Storm Brendan giving us some pretty serious weather, I have ended up inside at The Life Centre climbing wall every day this week with different groups of Plymouth College students. Quote of the week from one student to me was "Sir, when are the proper instructors coming back?"

After a few days of Admin and Quality Assurance work, it was great to get out for a nice blast round the hills with Crys who was over on the mainland for a few days. Blue Sky, 14km, deep puddles, a bit mud and some great views. All this was followed by coffee and cake at The Foxy Bean cafe

This week has been a blast from the past for me. I am temporary, part time, acting Head of Outdoor Education at Plymouth College for two weeks paternity cover. A couple for indoor climbing sessions including coaching lead climbing, a few classroom lessons and a day at Haldon Hill on mountain bikes interspersed with some paperwork and other essential admin to keep the department running until everyone comes back to work. Today was so wet on the bikes, big effort from the students as we rode through deluge after deluge with mud and water flying everywhere.