Gwilym's Adventure Blog

 I stayed local on The Quantock Hills this weekend working on a Bronze DofE practice expedition for Somerset Adventures . 

Sometimes (not very often) I get to work close to home. This weekend I was directing a Lowland Leader Assessment on The Quantock Hills and Somerset Coast. Super hot 2 days with loads of information shared with the candidates. I love it when I am assessing and learn something new. Passes all round. Well Done

 and we are off ... back outdoors and running courses This weekend I was directing a Lowland Leader Training course on and around The Quantock Hills for Wet and High Adventures Ltd So good to be face to face with people again and over the 2 days we looked at so much to do with the local environment, leadership, navigation and dealing with hazards. The diary is now looking pretty busy for the next few months

 What a wet two days! This weekend I have been directing a Lowland Leader Training course on The Quantock Hills (yesterday) and Steart Marshes (today). With Storm Alex passing through, staying dry was not an option so staying warm was the order of the day. We looked at all things navigation, some leadership and lots of environmental chat. It has been a very busy week of back to back Mountain Training courses.

Wet and High Adventure reopened today with a NNAS Tutors course hosted at Quantock Lodge.  4 Mountain Leaders attended with the aim to increase their toolbox of ideas for teaching navigation and to become NNAS Bronze and Silver Tutors.

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.

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

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.

Today I was on the very sunny Quantock Hills running at National Navigation Award Scheme Tutors course for 4 keen and enthusiastic Mountain Leaders. With lots of activities through the day, a few inside but as many as possible outside in the sun to look at as many ways to teach navigation that are simple, engaging and effective. As always, these courses only work with all the candidates getting fully involved. Everyone got stuck in and as a result some really learning takes place. As is always my goal on these courses, I did successfully manage to get 4 instructors completely disorientated in a classroom. Thanks to Quantock Lodge for hosting us for the day.

On the second day of the Lowland Leader Assessment I am directing for Wet and High Adventures we headed to The Quantock Hills and a mix of open tracks and forestry tracks down in Ramscombe. Lots of birds seen today from Sky Larks to Buzzards as well as the usual ponies and sheep. Congratulations to all 3 Wellington School staff who passed and will be working with DofE students in the future.

A bit of a change today with a quick 12km blast on the bike around The Quantock Hills with Matt and Hannah. Not been out mountain biking for quite some time so a bit of a shock to the system and a reminder that I should do it more often to keep my self cycle fit. Nice lunch at Paisley Cafe to replace the calories.

After a journey back south yesterday, I was out on The Quantock Hills directing the first day of a Lowland Leader Training course for Wet and High Adventures Ltd . What a day, low wind and blue skies. After a few hours in the classroom we headed up onto the hills to practice navigation and enjoy the perfect October weather.

For the last 3 days I have been assessing 3 teams from Sheldon School for their Silver DofE expedition on and around The Quantock Hills. The rain storm on Sunday was much needed to break the heat and it is the first time I have worn a waterproof jacket for some time. I was also mentoring a new assessor who I am please to say was a pleasure to work with and passed easily.

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