Gwilym's Adventure Blog

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.

Over the last three months during various stages of Government lockdown, I have been unable to live my normal active outdoor lifestyle. 23rd March to 10th May - Full Lockdown - Stay Home! Like most of us, the shed was cleaned and tidied by day 3 and it was time to look at more long term plans before the boredom kicked in. I was hopeful my new van would be delivered in early April and I could spend my time converting it to a camper but sadly it was delayed. Work I furloughed myself from  Wet and High Adventures Ltd  (my main income) and started looking for jobs. I was turned down by so many as being over qualified. Asda and Tesco declined my application to be a delivery driver and Iceland wouldn't even take me to stock their freezers - I even told them I was a Winter ML and happy in the cold (clearly they had no sense of humour) In early April I took a job working 4 on 4 off with Rough Sleepers who had been housed in some old student accommodation in Taunton. A varied job from ...

With the current Coronavirus situation limiting movements and social interactions, there will be nothing to report for a while. As such, the blog is on hold until normality returns.

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.

3 new Beach Lifeguard Trainer Assessors were produced this weekend at Brean Sands. It was a little chilly in the sea but all 3 did well and are looking forward to running their own courses in the near future. I have two of these courses on the go at the moment with the second one due next weekend.

Back in El Chorro to meet up with Jay and Anna for another week in the sun. A couple of multipitch routes (5 and 6 pitches) plus 12 single pitch routes ranging from 4c to 6b followed by a nice grade 3 Via Ferrata to finish. A couple of windy days that were best spent down low plus being bitten/stung by an unknown assailant give me a very swollen itchy ankle just added to the fun. I am now at Malaga airport waiting for a flight back to the UK

Today I have been at The Life Centre running an Indoor Climbing Assistant award for 6th form students from Plymouth College Lot of stuff covered today including personal skills, coaching skills and "assisting" skills.