sea cliff Archives - The Climbing Company

Pembrokeshire Coast Path

By stu_mcinnes@hotmail.co.uk January 5, 2016 January 5, 2016 Adventures, Pembrokeshire

Running the Pembrokeshire Coast Path…

Despite not having been back long from India, this winter seems to have gone on forever! No-one will have escaped the fact that it’s been one of the wettest, windiest and miserable on record! It may mean that the Ski season in the Alps has been a slow starter, but it doesn’t have to stop you getting out and exploring, even closer to home.. During the first week of the New Year, we decided to get out on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, and combine some New Years (much needed) fitness training and some exploring the nooks and crannies of the area we live…

Hidden beaches on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path

Having lived in Pembrokeshire on and off for eight years, and spending most of my work and play time outdoors, I have been on most parts of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, and, without a hint of bias, honestly believe it to be one of the best, most scenic, most picturesque and rugged wild places in the British Isles…

Looking West on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path to St. David’s Head

In an attempt to be able to draw a line around the whole Pembrokeshire Coast Path on the Ordinance Survey map I have on my wall, we made a conscious effort to go out and explore some more of it. And it’s making this effort, especially at this time of year, that really enables you to discover new places, see amazing sights and not feel like a dire winters day is wasted! So, come rain or shine (usually more rain and wind!) we have been out running on the coastal path. The guides say the total distance is 186 miles, and climbs over 33,000ft, and given that you’re rarely likely to encounter another soul on certain parts of it, it feels pretty wild and remote.

Just a small part of the wild, rugged and remote Pembrokeshire Coast Path

During our exploration of the coastal path (which is a National Trail no less..) we’ve discovered beaches we had no idea existed, seen remote beaches full of lazing Seal and spied whole cliff faces with not a single established rock-climb on…

Some blue skies between all the recent storms of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path

It wont be long till the Springs here, daylight hours get longer, and with any luck the weather will be better. But on these dark, wet winter months, don’t stay inside and have unproductive days – the Pembrokeshire Coast Path should be explored all year round!

Get out there and explore the Pembrokeshire Coast Path!

More details on the coastal path can be found here…

Prince’s Trust in Devon

By stu_mcinnes@hotmail.co.uk October 4, 2015 October 4, 2015 Courses, Instructional, work

This week I have been working for Reach Outdoors, with the Prince’s Trust in Devon. We have been with a fantastic bunch of young people, looking at helping them gain confidence, develop team work and leadership and improve their communication skills. all through outdoor activities and a planning and review process. These weeks are always super rewarding (sometimes a little hard work too!), but this weeks group were awesome. Throughout our week with the Prince’s Trust in Devon, we have been walking on Dartmoor, Gorge Walking and Rock Climbing amongst other things. The weather has been unreal, especially for the start of October! Lets hope next week is even half as good! Though it does look like the weather is on the turn…

Climbing with the Prince’s Trust in Devon

Gorge Walking with the Prince’s Trust in Devon

Walking with the Prince’s Trust on Dartmoor

This weekend has been spent in Dorset, getting some sunny sport climbing done on Portland. Coming from Pembrokeshire where every trip entails an adventurous abseil into a big crag for some trad climbing, it was great to rock up and do some relaxing sport climbing after my week with the Prince’s Trust in Devon…

Climbing on Portland

Climbing in Pembrokeshire

By stu_mcinnes@hotmail.co.uk September 29, 2015 September 29, 2015 Courses, Pembrokeshire, work

Last week we had a few days off at last! And it was a joy to be out on the crags climbing in Pembrokeshire for fun! As we hadn’t been on the limestone in a while, we spent a few days down there. Initially with Alun, but Bramble also got out of his kayak and came with us one day! Great company and some new places explored, and steep, adventurous routes done!

Climbing at St Govans

Steep ground Climbing in Pembrokeshire

Climbing through the Blow Hole

After a few days personal climbing in Pembrokeshire, I had a great day teaching lead climbing skills to Steve and Nikki. Being strong indoor climbers they picked up all the new skills quickly, and both did their first lead climbs in the Porth Clais area. Amazing weather and good company, hopefully they will both be back out on the cliffs again soon!

Steve on a course lead climbing in Pembrokeshire

After a busy Monday to Friday it was a quick trip to North Wales for the weekend… I was attending a “Train the Trainers” course at Plas Y Brenin. Run by Mike Raine, this course is aimed at those delivering training to candidates going through the national governing body awards, such as the SPA and ML. The goal is to get like minded people to explore different teaching styles and models, using mock clients. An interesting couple of days, and a joy to be in the hills in such amazing weather!

Teaching ML rope work in Snowdonia

Coasteering and Climbing in Pembrokeshire

By stu_mcinnes@hotmail.co.uk September 21, 2015 September 29, 2015 work

This last week has been a good one! The water has been as good as it gets; clear, calm, clean and some good low tides – great for some Coasteering and Climbing in Pembrokeshire! I have been working for TYF as well as getting plenty of climbing in… These September days, once the school holiday crowds have gone, truly are magical in Pembrokeshire…

We’ve had some great days Coasteering at both St. Nons and Abereiddy, with some lovely low tide explores, as well as some bigger swell adventures! Plenty of seals around too, with the pups appearing on the beaches. Be aware if you see any to keep your distance and stay quiet, don’t linger too long as the mums might not come and feed them whilst you’re there…

Coasteering at Abereiddy

In the “tumble dryer”, Coasteering at Abereiddy

After a few days in the water I was glad to be on dry land, accompanying a school group on a coastal walk, looking at map skills along with environmental issues, with the fantastic weather giving us awesome views over to Strumble Head, one of my favourite vistas in Pembrokeshire…

Looking over to Strumble Head

A weekend away climbing in South Pembrokeshire completed a really brilliant week! We did some fantastic climbs on Range East, and some new routes, but what will linger in my mind longest is the Lemon and Dill sauce we had at the Stackpole Inn! Amazing and highly recommended! We spent the day in the sun climbing in the Blockhouse Buttress area, slightly off the beaten track (due to it’s long by Pembrokeshire standards 20 minute walk in!), the area contains some fantastic routes, so go check them out!

Climbing on Range East

Alun and Sophie following a route at Blockhouse Buttress…

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Bank Holiday Weekend Climbing in Pembrokeshire

By stu_mcinnes@hotmail.co.uk September 2, 2015 September 2, 2015 Adventures, Courses, Instructional, work

What a great couple of weeks it has been! I’ve been too busy climbing, working and exploring in Pembrokeshire to write any blog updates, so here is a sum up of the last couple of weeks, and the bank holiday weekend climbing in Pembrokeshire…. The weathers been almost non-stop good, great tides and magical sunsets, great clients and new routes climbed to boot!

We had a great day with Sicco and Hannah, a father and daughter from Germany (who thankfully spoke perfect English…). Hannah was psyched to get on any climb she possible could, and at only 9 shows great promise for the future should she keep it up, whilst dad Sicco had done loads of sport climbing previously – so he cruised his first trad lead climb here on the Pembrokeshire sea cliffs.

Sicco happy having led his first trad route!

We had a day out with some local instructors who have got their SPA assessments coming up. This award lets them take groups of novices onto single pitch crags, a vital stepping stone in the ladder to being a successful outdoor instructor. We went through top and bottom roping, group abseils, and problem solving. We were luck to have some willing guinea pigs come along for the guys to practice on too!

Teaching SPA Skills to Instructors

It’s almost a tradition now for people to spend the bank holiday climbing in Pembrokeshire, and with the release of the excellent Climbers Club Pembrokeshire guidebooks, we are definitely noticing the area is getting busier, with crags that were relatively unexplored before, now having frequent visits.. Luckily for us we know more secret spots (and whole crags with no routes on!) so we were able to escape the crowds with Si and Elliot on a learn to lead course over the Bank Holiday Weekend…

Seconding a climb in Pembrokeshire

We visited several crags on the first day, looking at loads of belays and rope work, gear placements and of course climbing heaps of classic routes, and on the second day, from being relative novices, both Si and Elliot were doing their first trad lead climbs. Great effort guys and thanks for a great weekend with good company…

Lead Climbing Course in Pembrokeshire

I was lucky to have bank holiday Monday off for a rare change, and was rearing to get out and have a climb, and being super sunny and warm, a dip in the sea. Not many places in the work you can go on what is one of the busiest tourist days of the year, and have the crag to yourself, right by the turquoise sea, watch Porpoises and seals and swim in the warm(ish!) water to cool off as it’s too hot! Magical! Gotta love bank holidays in Pembrokeshire climbing with the cliffs to yourself!

Stunning St David’s Head

Once the crowds had departed from Pembrokeshire, the weather was still awesome, and the tides perfect for some exploration. We spent the day looking at lead climbing skills at a very unexplored crag near Newgale, with some excellent established routes, great to learn to lead climb on, it should be more popular – but we’re not complaining! We had the pleasure of doing a couple of first ascents during the day, the most memorable being up a pinnacle, with a proper pointy summit necessitating a counterbalance abseil decent. Throughout the day our only company was a couple of seals that watched us pretty mush non-stop… I’m excited to get back here and check out more of the new routes…

Exploring new routes in Pembrokeshire

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TFY Adventure climbing…

By stu_mcinnes@hotmail.co.uk June 12, 2015 June 12, 2015 Pembrokeshire, work

This week (and the next few weeks), I’ve been working for TYF Adventure with their schools that are visiting Pembrokeshire for an activity adventure week. We’ve been blessed with an unreal week of warm sunshine, and I’ve been lucky to work alongside some great Instructors in some beautiful locations…

A day climbing at Porth Clais was followed by 3 days climbing at St David’s Head. I’ve just been climbing this week but the schools do a bit of kayaking, coasteering and surfing. It’s a busy time in Pembrokeshire – yesterday there were 5 different groups at St David’s Head, luckily the area can accommodate that amount, but it seems the secret about how great Pembrokeshire is, it out…

Abseiling at St David’s Head

View walking into St David’s Head

Sunny Sea Cliff Climbing in Pembrokeshire

Climbing at Porth Clais

Walking to St David’s Head

Now for an afternoon and weekend Coasteering… Lets hope the sea is as warm as the rock was this week!

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Sunny climbing/mountain action in April!

By stu_mcinnes@hotmail.co.uk April 24, 2015 May 5, 2015 Adventures

These last few weeks I’ve been pretty busy! We’ve just had our first cloudy day here in Pembrokeshire in what seems like ages so I thought I’d reflect back on what has been a memorable few weeks…

In the week before Easter we ran a 5 day Learn to Lead Climb Course for Jack and Dave, and spent the week climbing loads of classic routes, then came the Bank Holiday, and the start of the properly great weather! 4 days off in a row for some personal climbing and 4 GIANT ice-creams in a row from the amazing Gianni’s in St. Davids – if you’ve not been there check them out – the best and most random flavours of ice-cream! Soph and I did loads of great routes and explored some new areas…

Soph climbing at Keyhole Buttress

Once the Bank Holiday fun was over I met up with Dan for a days climbing, and as he was already an experienced lead climber it was basically just a day out climbing for fun – work should be like that everyday!

Dan leading Red Wall

Beth came out with me for a couple of days, she was mega psyched to climb loads and learn how to keep her son safe on the crags, a really nice person and very keen to learn made for a awesome couple of days and some great routes.

Beth seconding at Caerfai

Next up was a trip to Snowdonia to work on a Mountain Leader Training course with Phill George. Phill and his other instructors are mega experienced and very laid back, so they are always a pleasure to work with. The candidates we had were all very competent, so yet again, a really easy week teaching micro nav, ropework, night navigation, leadership and expedition skills was had! Our final day of exped over the top of Lliwedd and the views to the coast were truly magical…

On top of Lliwedd on an ML training expedition

Back to the sea-side now for a weekend with local climbing instructors teaching them sea-cliff rescue skills to improve their personal climbing. Over the 2 days Dan, Johnny, Matt, Ricky, Ben and Alex learnt all sorts and gained a valuable day of professional development for their Mountain Training log books… It’s great fun teaching these high end skills and I think it’s so important for climbers venturing onto sea-cliffs and multi-pitch climbs to learn them.

Ben picking Matt up on the abseil to rescue him!

Most recently I have just spent 3 days with Andy and his son Igor, on holiday over from the Alps (lucky them!) they were keen to do heaps of climbing and for Andy to learn how to keep Igor safe when they go out climbing together… We did dozens of routes, all of which Igor (11) got up with ease – very impressive climbing from him this week, all by the sea, in glorious weather. On my last day with them I managed to sneak in a few solo climbs afterwards, then an awesome sunset surf!

Andy belaying Igor at Pen Y Cyfwyr

A fantastic few days with these guys has left me feeling really positive and psyched for the summer of climbing! Now I’ve got a bit of time off to catch up on admin and get out climbing for myself, there’s a few cliffs I’ve got my eye on some new lines – so maybe the next update will be some new routes!