Month: June 2016

Lead Climbing Skills Courses in Pembrokeshire

This week I’ve had Karl and Mike with me, developing their Lead Climbing Skills. They are on a learn to lead climb week with me. They started the week having done a small amount of outdoor climbing, but eager to learn, and the weather couldn’t have been better for us! Every day we had clear blue skies and good tides, and with the guys keen to climb as much rock as possible we had some pretty long days!

We started at Porth Clais, where we started with the building blocks of lead climbing skills, anchor selection and belay creation… We top-roped as many of the routes as we could, giving the guys plenty of opportunity to start cementing in their heads the fundamentals of safety. We took a walk over to Porth y Fynnon and did a few routes there, before finishing with a trip up Velvet Wall. A top first day, very productive and the chaps climbed heaps of routes!

Lead Climbing at Caerfai

On day 2 we started at Initiation Slabs, re-capping the skills from the day before, climbing some lovely routes on top-rope whilst we waited for the tides to drop enough to allow us to get to Pen y Cyfrwy. Here the guys did their first lead climbs, on routes well within their ability so they could concentrate purely on the process of leading and gear placement, without having to worry about the climbing itself… After a couple of leads each and some more fun top-ropes, the guys both managed to get up an E4! Great day developing their lead climbing skills and having a crack at a hard route!

By now the guys lead climbing skills were starting to sink in, so we headed to Caerfai, where they could knock off route after route! After some easier leads, both Mike and Karl led up to hs 4b, a superb achievement after just 2 days of lead climbing! A trip to Caerfai isn’t complete without climbing Amorican, and the guys both agreed that the route is truly superb! We had a little extra entertainment in the day by having to help a stuck climber back up the cliff. The pair were very grateful and even wrote a nice review on Facebook for us! It was through no fault of theirs that they were in that predicament, and hopefully their experience hasn’t put them off!

Mike and Karl at the base of Carreg y Barcud..

I decided the guys needed a bigger challenge, so on Thursday we went to Carreg y Bardud. Probably the biggest, most impressive sweep of sandstone in North Pembrokeshire, it has some truly classic climbs there. They were suitably impressed by the place, and I was pretty excited to see a Badger running around at the top of the crag..! They were by now putting their new lead climbing skills to good use, and again led plenty of the routes at Barcud. They also top-roped some harder lines, including Sinecure at E1 and Hypocrite at E3. Well done guys!

Karl belaying Mike up First Corner, after leading it…

It was sad that we had come to our final day, as the guys had been such good company, climbed amazingly well, and Pembrokeshire and it’s weather had been on top form! With a choice of destinations, we chose to re-visit Porth Clais, and put all the new lead climbing skills to good use and test the guys on the lead on the routes that they had top-roped back on day 1. We had it all today, hanging belays, the guys pushing their comfort zones now the process of leading and gear placement was becoming second nature, they could have a go at some harder leads. With the crag to ourselves the guys climbed all the lines they could, culminating in their first vs lead! Top effort for their first weeks proper outdoor climbing…

Putting all the lead climbing skills into practise, leading a HS at Porth Clais..

Its been a super fun week, and I have been really impressed and proud of both Mike and Karl, the effort they have put in and information they have absorbed. Now they have the lead climbing skills to go out on their own and have some adventures!

All the lead climbing skills coming together! Hanging belay and trusting the gear!

Over the weekend I’ve been running an SPA training course. The SPA (single pitch award) is the outdoor industry standard award for taking groups climbing outdoors, and is overseen by Mountain Training. Candidates have to have a certain amount of climbing experience before completing their SPA training, this follows with a certain amount of time consolidating their personal and group work skills, filling their log-books with assisting on group sessions and personal climbing at a certain grade. The amount of time this takes depends on many factors, but when candidates are ready and have fulfilled all the other pre-requisites, they can undertake their SPA assessment.

Malley leading at Newton Head during his SPA training…

Over the 2 day training we go to an indoor wall to look at how we could use it with a group, some of the rules and regulations, warm ups, games and skill coaching techniques, but the majority of the time is spent outdoors. We look at the hard skills of placing protection and creating anchor systems in a variety of contexts, for personal use and with groups, climbing and abseiling. We aim to iron out any bad habits that climbers have developed, and get everyone showing good, safe textbook style skills. Problem solving using simple safe solutions is practised, mainly by problem avoidance! Part of the syllabus is around subjects such as access and conservation, kit maintenance and climbing history/etiquette, so we spend time talking about a wide variety of subjects and sharing ideas…

Sina leading during her SPA training in Pembrokeshire

We had a mixed bag of weather this weekend, we had an amazing day at Newton Head, a lovely Limestone crag near St Govans, which was perfect for looking at the personal climbing side of the SPA, but day 2 up at Wolfs Rocks was a different matter! The candidates did brilliant in some grim weather, and I thing we were all a bit damp by the end of the day. Spirits were high and no-one (but me!) grumbled about the weather, and in-fact I would say having a but of bad weather is good to show students how careful we need to be with out personal safety at the crags when working…

Running a group abseil during SPA training in Pembrokeshire

All in all a top weekend with 4 very capable SPA trainees, who will be ready to do their assessments in no time at all I’m sure!

Group belaying on SPA training in Pembrokeshire

Another week has flown by, taking the TYF schools climbing in an on form Pembrokeshire Coast National Park! The busiest week of the year so far, I was glad to just have to take the TYF schools climbing, and not worry about logistics!

We started the week at Porth Clais, enjoying some warm weather and sun. The group started the day bouldering and exploring the area, learning some skills for the climbs on Grey Wall. When we headed to the roped climbing, the kids proved brilliant climbers, with some of them climbing most of the routes on the crag!

Climbing at Porth CLais with the TYF schools group

Tuesday saw a damp start to the day, but we trusted the weather to clear, and headed out to St David’s Head for the day. Having a plan B of some Mountaineering over Carn Llidi we started the day with some abseiling, the TYF schools kids weathering the storm in a group shelter whilst they waited patiently, super enthusiasm, their spirits were high! Our gamble paid off and the weather turned superb, warm, sunny and the rock out there dries so quickly we were able to fit loads of climbing in…

Out at St Davids Head with TYF schools…

Another day another walk out to St Davids Head, a stunning day, with a cool breeze to increase comfort levels.. the abseiling and climbing was awesome and to make the day even more special for the TYF schools kids, the Dolphins came out to say hello! Always love the look on their faces when they see the amazing wildlife out there!

Bit of abseiling with TYF Schools

Our last day out on the Head saw us on a sun drenched South side, out the wind and by the water – my favourite placed to be! It wrapped up an awesome week with great kids, they really challenged themselves, and were so supportive of each other. A pleasure to work with the TYF schools as usual!

Taking in the view of magnificent Pembrokeshire, after a top week with the TYF Schools…

Porth Clais Sunny Climbing Sessions…

The weather has continued to be cracking this week, and each day I’ve been out at Porth Clais, either for my own work guiding, with school groups for TYF, or running Technical Advice sign off’s for local climbing instructors. I feel very lucky to get to do my own fun work with great clients, and work for other companies with my mates, it never really feels like work, not like sitting at a computer in an office anyway, and when it’s nothing but clear water, wall to wall sunshine and warm, dry rock – Porth Clais is a real treasure.

Its a sea-cliff venue, but as friendly as they come, and with some excellent bouldering to focus on technique, a short walk from the car and a really great place to sit and watch the wildlife. The top of the crag is pretty friendly, so you can get kids up there and involved with whats going on, and helping with the set-ups – and the climbs are ace! If Porth Clais were an inland crag I suspect it would be hideously rammed, as it is, its only ever on bank holidays that it gets congested – and then us locals know the secret places to go to escape the crowds!

First up I took Myf and Andrew to Porth Clais for their first time ever rock climbing, they faced some fears and pushed their limits and both climbed superbly, then we headed over to Porth Y Fynnon for a scramble in and climb out, giving them a real taste of adventure! In the afternoon I was with a few of the local freelance instructors, who use Porth Clais on a regular basis for climbing session. The crag falls outside of the SPA remit as it is tidal and an abseil approach, so they need to go through a training and sign-off process to be able to work outside of their remit. They guys went through some hoists and rescues until I was happy they would be safe to lead sessions at Porth Clais for the next year, until the next sign off!

Myf Climbing for the first time at Porth Clais – feeling the nerves lowering in!

The next few days went by in a bit of a blur! I was working for TYF with some of the school groups they had in for the week, each day we went to Porth Clais with a different bunch of children, all year 6’s, and I was super impressed how they flung themselves off the crag, climbed, scrambled and bouldered everything we could throw at them! The determination of some of them despite their fears was inspiring and hopefully the climbing taster sessions will have inspired them to get to their local wall and take up the sport!

Mark hoisting a “stuck climber” out at Porth Clais on a TA sign-off..

What a week in the sun, running climbing sessions at Porth Clais! We have definitely had our fair share of the sun these last couple of weeks, if only it were like that all the time!!!

Climbing group sessions at Porth Clais

Sunny Pembrokeshire!

This week summer has really hit, and I’ve been lucky to spend it all climbing in super sunny Pembrokeshire! It’s been a real mix of work for different companies as well as myself, plus some Technical Advisor work, but weeks like it a real pleasure to be outside, whether its taking youth groups for their first experience of climbing outside, teaching lead climbing or tech advice work…

I started the week working for TYF, with Nottingham Girls school, out at St Davids Head. This spot is a great group crag and had unparalleled views across Ramsay Sound, often seeing Porpoises and Seals. The girls all did some big abseils, then spent the day climbing a variety of different routes. We had a GB bouldering team member in the group so I had to work hard to find some climbs that could keep her entertained, but all the girls did awesome. It was so warm on the crag we had to scramble out to the head land to have a break in the wind to cool off, a great start to the week in super sunny Pembrokeshire!

Climbing at St David’s Head, in sunny Pembrokeshire…

Next day was again working for TYF, but this time with Julian and daughter Abs, who already had a lot of climbing experience, so we spent the day heading along many of the cliffs between Porth Clais and Caerfai, dodging the crowds and making the most of the perfect climbing weather. We did some lead climbing, top roping and abseiling, and 12 year old Abs proved super competent and finished the day having had “the best day climbing ever”! Cheers for a great day guys!

Julian leading Red Wall, at Porth Clais

On Wednesday I was out with The Real Adventure Company, who had a team of CCF cadets from London in. We headed out to a crag near Caerfai where we spent the day bouldering and top-roping right out by the sea, almost too hot! The cadets were good fun and put loads of effort in so we could do some decent climbs and some adventurous scrambling around! Yet another top day climbing in super sunny Pembrokeshire!

The CCF cadets climbing out near Caerfai

Next up was a day working in my role as technical advisor for Newgale Lodge, on their High Ropes course, running sign off’s for local instructors to be able to us the course. The sign off process here is important to look at the skills that are outside of the SPA/CWA remit, so the guys are competent to look after themselves ascending a rope, and familiar with the small intricacies that are different to working on the crags. Also part of the day was helping some instructors that don’t hold a formal climbing qualification yet are suitably experienced enough to work on the course, and ensure they have the skill to do so safely..

Newgale Lodge high ropes course sign off.

My final day of work this week in sunny Pembrokeshire was guiding Simon and his son James around some of the classic routes in the Porth Clais area. Having not climbed in 7 years Simon was looking to regain some confidence and re-familiarise himself with the skills needed to keep them both safe so they can go and top-rope some routes in their native Wye Valley. James has been climbing indoors less than a year and it was his first time on real rock. They were great company, the weather was yet again unreal, the tides ideal for the day and everything aligned for a top day at work! We did almost all the routes at Porth Clais, either leading or top-roping then moved over to Porth y Fynnon where amongst other climbs the guys both did an E1 – absolutely superb effort chaps and thanks for making my days work in sunny Pembrokeshire so enjoyable!

Topping out at Porth y Fynnon, after a superb day guiding climbs in sunny Pembrokeshire!

This last week I’ve been working for Coastal Adventures, on a multi-activity development week, with a bunch of great young people. It’s getting busy now we’re into the ‘summer’, and luckily for us here in Pembrokeshire, the weather has been awesome. Coastal Adventures is a relatively recent addition to the Pembrokeshire outdoor industry, but is run by Martin, who has been in the area for many moons! He loves working with groups not just running outdoor activities, but using those activities to develop ourselves, learn new life skills, boost confidence and self-esteem. With funding cuts in other sectors that have led to closures of centres that provide this sort of opportunity to young people, its great that people like Martin and Coastal Adventures have stepped up to fill this gap in Pembrokeshire.

When the group arrived we set the week up with personal expectations and goals, fears and worries, then got into an afternoon on the High Ropes course at Newgale Lodge, where the group were staying. On Tuesday we spent the whole day based at Porth Clais, where we climbed and kayaked, the group all put loads of effort in and pushed their comfort zones and had a top time! A morning surf with pretty decent waves at Newgale beach left us the afternoon to prepare kit for our canoe journey down the River Teifi the next day. We went all the way down to Cardigan, passing some super nice scenery that you’ll only ever see if you get out in a boat and paddle down the river, and had a generally all-round nice time!

Sea-Cliff Climbing at Porth Clais

The teams last morning was spent Coasteering at St Nons, where they swam in the sea, got washed around by the waved, climbed, scrambled and jumped their way along the coast. A super fun morning that the team all felt they might not have been able to face first thing in the week. Weeks working on this sort of course with Coastal Adventures always remind me how much we can all push ourselves to try new things and develop our own skills, and that we should never stop trying to learn!

The team after a successful and fun week with Coastal Adventures