Gwilym's Adventure Blog

4 days of assessing Gold DofE on Dartmoor. Great to get out and about myself whilst seeing the group in various location throughout the expedition.

This sums up my last three days. I have been on Dartmoor assessing a Silver DofE group as they moved from one shady spot to another via a few km of relentless sun.  Super early starts and sensible decision making to reduce the time spent in the direct sunlight as most of the shade spots already taken by sheep, cows or horses. DofE expeditions are meant to be challenging but this one was another level. Big effort from my team to successfully complete and I am sure the same for any other team out over the last few days (at least 10 I know of)

 After the SUP session I was straight down to Dartmoor to help out Plymouth College with some DofE groups. Sunny Saturday turning onto Showery Sunday (ok, not true, it was torrential rain).  Every cloud has a silver lining as the group finished early and Olly and I went boating on The Lower Dart.

Coming out of lock down it was great to get out and run a Rock Climbing Instructor Training course at Hound Tor (very wet) and Chudleigh (dry and sunny) Since Sept I have been teaching 3 to 4 days a week at Bridgwater College. A mix out outdoor, classroom and First Aid. This will continue into the New Year whilst coronavirus is still causing us problems. I am not expecting the blog to be that busy for the next few months

 A weekend of two halves working on Dartmoor with Plymouth College students on a Silver DofE training expedition.  Yesterday was wet and windy with the Devonport leat fuller than I have seen it for some time. Today was a drier and less windy day that even produced some significant sunshine for the groups to enjoy.

Today, I was back at a very sunny (and less windy) Hound Tor for the first day of a Rock Climbing Instructor Training course with 4 candidates It was all about going up today with top ropes, bottom ropes and lead climbing. They will all be in the climbing wall tomorrow with Mark and then it looks like we will be having a going down day on Thurs!  

 Yesterday I was on Dartmoor  running an efficient rigging course for a couple fo RCIS who wanted to know how to use their set ups systems more effectively and also how to minimise the impact on the popular routes at Hound Tor Last night, I was out wild camping assessing an instructor in his skills to camp, cook and manage a group away from the comforts of a campsite. Lovely day yesterday followed but a wet and misty morning for the walk out.

  A third ridiculously hot day on Dartmoor for the final day of the Hill and Moorland Leader Assessment course for Wet and High Adventures Ltd . If you can't find shade, create your own!

  A day of colour today. Yellow, purple and green on day 2 of a Hill and Moorland Leader  Assessment course for Wet and High Adventures Ltd . Another vey hot day and once I had finished working, it was straight down to The Rover Dart at Totness for some SUPping

  Awesome weather day on Dartmoor (almost too hot) directing the first day of a Hill and Moorland Leader Assessment for Wet and High Adventures Ltd.

A great couple of days with Long Term client Jack completing a Rock Skills Intermediate course at Hound Tor and Chudleigh Lots covered over the 2 days including 4 routes at each venue as well as learning to set up anchors, belaying and general rock climbing stuff. Thanks to Jamie for coming out on day two to help so that I could fall off a few climbs so that Jack could learn to hold a fall and lower.

This morning I was conducting a Hill and Moorland Leader 1:1 reassessment for Wet and High Adventures on the South of Dartmoor.  This was followed by lunch with my sister (outside of course) and then the evening was a teaching navigation session on North Dartmoor Good to be out and about and pretty easy to socially distance on the moor.

Excellent couple of days on Dartmoor (Dewerstone and Leigh Tor) running a Rock Skills Learn to Lead Trad course for Hannah and Marcus We got away with only a little drizzle and mainly nice weather. Loads of skills covered over the 2 days and we even managed to multipitch a 15m Mod at Leigh Tor. Both managed to lead a couple of climbs each on day 2. These course are excellent for turning indoor climbers into outdoor climbers and I am keen to run a few more once the summer kicks in properly. Working for Wet and High Training which is part of Wet and High Adventures Ltd.

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.