Gwilym's Adventure Blog

  The last 2 days I have been working in The Brecon Beacons with a groups from Bristol Cathedral School

Yesterday was dry and very pleasant up high in the Brecon Beacons with a summit of Fan Y Big with a Gold DofE training group from Bristol Cathedral Choir School . Today was very wet and somewhat windy, so it was a short 3 hour "wet weather" experience for the groups before we turned and ran downhill back to the minibus and the journey back to Bristol

4 very mixed weather days in The Lake District working with some Gold DofE groups from Bristol Cathedral school. A full traverse from Ravenglass to Coniston with a wild camp out under Scafell pike for my team giving me the challenge of moving a minibus and running around the hills. Now sat in a cafe waiting for the second team to come in so we can get on the road back to Bristol. Going to be a late one methinks.

After another long drive back to Bristol on Monday afternoon, on Tuesday morning I drove the same minibus back up to Snowdonia with the second wave of groups from Bristol Cathedral Choir School for their Gold DofE practice. Similar routes and yet again we had amazing weather during the day but it was certainly cold at night with temps dipping below zero and ice on the tents. I really enjoy working with the staff and students from this school and look forward to their summer expeditions to The Lake District this summer.

After a long drive back from Wales on Thursday (in a blizzard), on Friday morning I drove a minibus back up there with groups from Bristol Cathedral Choir School for their Gold DofE practice. So different by the time we got there with most the snow gone other than a few patches on Cadair Idris and Aran Fawwddy. We had amazing weather for the trip with only light drizzle on the first day. Some lovely evenings in the campsites and a pleasure to be sitting around on the hills waiting for groups. Tomorrow morning it all starts again with the next cohort.

Back out in the same area today with a different group of Gold DofE students from Bristol Cathedral Choir School for some navigation training. Glad I got to go round the route in the opposite direction today just to mix it up a little bit. Apart from a few cold sleet showers, it remained dry but as per yesterday was again bitterly cold in the wind.  Looking forward to going on their practice expedition in a few weeks time.

Today I was on the hills around Pontsicill in the Brecon Beacsons with a Gold DofE group from Bristol Cathedral Choir School improving navigation before the practice expedition in a few weeks times. Cold wind but warm sun was the order of the day with layers on an off accordingly. A nice 15km route with a high point of just over 600m with views over to Pen Y Fan and Cribyn.

After a very busy few days sorting out a lot of admin after my 2 weeks away on the bike, on Sunday I drove up to The Lake District with 2 groups from Bristol Cathedral Choir School for their assessed Gold DofE expedition. They have had a real mix of weather from wet and grim (Picture 1) through to some awesome evenings out wild camping (Picture 2). This is my last planned DofE work this year (though you never know about last minute bookings) and it has been good to see so many students complete their expeditions.

I have just got back from an awesome week in The Lake District working with Bristol Cathedral Choir School students on their Gold DofE expeditions. 3 very dry days and a final wet day was the order of play and with a number of groups out there was a lot of leg work to be done. I had a day on Illgill Head and Whin Rigg, a mini exped over Scafell and Great End with a wild camp at Sprinkling tarn and then back up to Scafell Pike via Round How and Broad Crag the next day before returning to Wasdale. The final day saw me on the side of the Old Man of Coniston and Brown Pike. Well done t all the teams who did very well and all passed with flying colours

The last two days have been spent on The Quantocks Hills and surrounding area assessing 4 Bronze DofE teams for Bristol Cathedral Choir School . All teams did extremely well given the heatwave that we were treated to though I hear it will get hotter this week). I found this budgie in a tree near Bicknoller post and he/she definitely looked out of place so I wonder if he escaped or someone just let it go