Gwilym's Adventure Blog

With high winds and rain forecast up high, I headed into Glen Nevis with Ben and Robin to look at some ropework and mountaineering skills on The Gutter (Diff) and some other simple mountaineering ground. This has set us up well for whatever adventure we can get on tomorrow Working for Wet and High Adventures Ltd

  I have been working for Wet and High Consultancy on The Isles of Scilly and even managed to get a few routes in.

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

After the group had an inside day with Mark yesterday, I was back with them at Chudleigh for the final day of a Rock Climbing Instructor Training course. The them was going down with both personal and group abseils looked at before revisiting some skills from day 1 to check their memories.  

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!  

 Today for the second day of the Mountain Training Rock Climbing Instructor Assessment we were at a sunny but chilly Hound Tor for lots of different group sets up for both climbing and abseiling as well as a few more routes.

I was at The Quay Climbing Centre and the Chudleigh Rocks today directing the first day of a Mountain Training Rock Climbing Instructor Assessment. Chudleigh lived up to its reputation as an afternoon sun trap making it a very pleasant place to hang out and watch the candidates climb.

 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.

Good day today, coffee, cake, lunch, more coffee and then a nice afternoon at Chudleigh with good mate Olly for some chilled cragging in the sun.  6 pitches, 4 different routes all on warm and somewhat polished limestone.

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.

A great morning on Commando Ridge at Bosigran with Rich before he had to head home. I have done this a number of times including soloing, pitching, guiding  clients and moving together. All give a great day out. Climbing kit away for a few days now as the weather is changing and the activities change to work around the weather. 

Rake's Progress, a very interesting (but not recommended) route at Chair Ladder which was supposed to be the warm up but turned into the only route of the day.  By the time we eventually found our way down to the bottom (the first descent attempt was a bit early on the tide and we couldn't get to the route without getting wet) we were already starting to cook. 4 pitches of which only pitch 2 was enjoyable. Pitch 1 was soaking wet and pitches 3 and 4 overgrown and covered in lichen. The heat ramped up and any exposed skin was starting to burn. By the time we topped out it was gone midday and the sun was baking. And yet, when we considered it over a pasty, we put it down as an adventure and laughed about it. An evening SUP at Marazion and a chicken kebab finished off the day.

A great day with Rich on day one of my little Cornish Holiday. 3 routes done at Porthgwarra during the morning followed by a pasty lunch once the tide started to come in towards the base of the routes. A few hours back at the cheapest campsite in Cornwall (£3 per night) chilling out before an early evening SUP and fish and chips down in Marazion (St Michael's Mount in the back ground). 5 more day of fun to go.