Pen -Y-Fan, Central Gully

I'd had a fattening Christmas and hadn't been watching the weather. I was tipped off about the approach of snow - so quickly made it back to South Wales from England, packed a bag and met up with Ed Abbley. We wanted ice (doesn't everybody). We were disappointed not to find Nirvana - 'roadside ice'. The temp at 400m was still 1 degree C. In fact it was positively warm. So Ed Abbley and I set off for the Pen-Y-Fan North Face (actually E facing) t0 try a little mixed. We were pleased to find the temperature dropping and it reached freezing at about 600m (at last). On the ridges and summits the wind was strong and was moving the old and new snow about. We found Central Gully - and I instantly wished for an ice screw or 2 (left in the car at road side), at last we found ice. The turf was frozen (just), and there was a huge amount of rime on the rocks. It was difficult to get the camera out most of the time (or it was frozen), so I missed all the action. On the way down we found masses of sledge tracks, and we wondered who had been having the most fun. Roll on the winter...

Take care with your climbing everybody - 2 people died on the Ben this morning, tragic news. Let's all have a safe winter season...

20th Dec, A Day Of Digging In The Snow

There was deep fresh snow everywhere. Ice on the cars, on the roads, and on the climbs. We joined the queues waiting for the road to open to get to the top car park, then joined the mass of people heading for Coire an t-Sneachda. We decided to get away from the crowds and aim for the ever popular Invernookie. Just like everybody else that day we had to dig for belays and runners - all were hard to find - so it all got a bit run out..

The climb was excellent - and a great reminder of the delights of mixed Northern Corrie climbing. We waded back out to find our car yet again burried under fresh snow - we drove off knowing there would be more to come tonight - so more digging to be done tomorrow, for a car or a belay, let's wait and see..

Usk, Talybont To Llangynidr

Back on the river, we started at Talybont and made our way to Llangynidr. We stopped to enjoy Mill Falls above.

Although I like Kayaking, I can't wait for Snow and Ice that I will have to travel to Scotland to find. This week the ice toys come out of the loft :)

Wye - Erwood to Boughrood

Kayaking today, the team started at Erwood, making our way to Boughrood. I managed to get some film at Hell's Hole. We ran it twice at 2 spots. The hole was at medium height, so there were some breaks in the hole that we took advantage of. A great trip.

Adventure Training At Sennybridge

Another week at Sennybridge, further development of core values. The environments were sometimes not challenging enough for the soldiers, so we found ways to test their courage and develop their commitment to the group. Most of the environments involved icy cold water. All good fun. Hope they thought so..

Afon Gwili - Kayaking

Joe Jones and I decided to check out the Gwili. The river runs past White Water Consultancy (WWC) - and it recently flooded his car park ! But for us it was at a reasonable spate level, running fast and high (below the car park - we'd previously parked there to check out WWC).

Dave Macleod Masterclass

I got a chance for a climbing masterclass with Dave Macleod on Sunday. Here in the photo he rests his arms with his own style. It was great to talk about his recent achievements and current projects. He gave us a good workout at the PYB indoor wall, and coached us on advanced technique. After getting pumped with lactic acid we stopped for lunch. Hopefully my tendons will recover soon ..

Association Of Mountaineering Instructors

The Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI) had their AGM at Plas y Brenin (PYB) on 28th Nov. It was an exciting and well attended weekend. We all attended lots of CPD workshops and had a great time. It all got a bit embarrasing when I won 3 raffle prizes with my tickets though..

Afon Mellte

Richard Carpenter sporting a really nice dry suit - guess who hasn't got one !

Richard landing a big seal launch

Richard Carpenter, Joe Jones and I headed out kayaking today to make the most of the wet weather, heavy rain and high rivers. We headed to the Afon Mellte for a 3 / 3+ stretch. It immediately started raining - we'd def chosen the right activity for today. I gave my Infrared a rest today and had a go in Rich's Burn - a massive difference!

Lots of fun in a spell of poor weather..

Sennybridge to Aberbran - Kayaking

Me - at least you can see my great new paddle
Mo Morrison

Paul Lillygreen

Today was a day for kayaking. Taking my new pride and joy - my new paddle, I joined up with Paul Lillygreen and Mo Morrison for a quick couple of hours on the river Usk. We met up and planned to do the Usk from Sennybridge to Aberbran. My first time kayaking white water for ages - I managed to stay in my boat lol. A good start to the white water winter season... Before the climbing starts...

Adventure Training For The Army

Back with the Army again training the Soldiers Under Training. This week saw us on the water in kayaks and in caves, as well as training some of the Corporals for their Rock Leader Training next week - good luck. In the photos above the SUT's are practicing their rescues. All good fun. Paddling is definitely the sport for all this wet weather.

No Rain - So Let's Climb

Lucky enough to live near the Gower, whenever the rain stops it's time to go climbing. Sometimes this puts you in great positions for the sunset.. The beach above is Torbay with Oxwich stretching behind.

Adventure Training

Another week of Adventure Training for the Army.

Pushing their courage in a variety of environments.

Testing their Selfless Commitment.

Testing their loyalty to the group.

The week went well, despite difficult weather. We had a lot of rain and at times the temperature dropped. All week the Soldiers were pushed testing their ability to maintain maximum performance under difficult circumstances - this will help them in their difficult future careers...

A Quick Climb Between Showers

Lucky enough to live by the Gower coast I can dash off for tidal climbs even on a day with a poor forecast. This afternoon the rock had just about dried out from the rain earlier today, but with a stormy sea and heavy rain visibly getting closer in the Bristol Channel - I didn't have long. The wind's strength increased into the evening, so an arete was perhaps not the climb to choose. It made for more excitement than normal on this climb. For Gower locals, the photo should be enough to identify the climb, especially, if I say it was taken at the end of the first pitch..

Developing Soldiers

Another week at the Soldier Development Wing (SDW). We develop their core values, which includes Courage,

Discipline, Respect, Integrity, Loyalty and Selfless Commitment.

The weather stayed good for us this week. It's still quite warm and we had slight winds and little rain - but lots of hill fog. My memory of the week is the SUT (soldier under training) who capsized over 10 times, and a different SUT who nearly learnt to eskimo roll in a day! Excellent.

Heathfield School - Gold Assessment

13 Girls made it to the Gold D of E Qualifying Expedition. Their practice had been in scorchio hot weather a couple of months ago - I was a bit worried if they were ready for a wet October in South Wales. The weather started perfect for them in the first couple of days, frosty starts, clear skies - but then the sky grew cloudy, and it all fell apart. The forecast heavy rain arrived with a vengeance and the girls had to adapt fast. They had to get tough fast. All credit to them. They didn't want to be there wet to the skin, walking up hills into mist and rain - trying to trust the compass, but they made it. Particular congratulations on surviving night 3, when EVERYTHING was wet and nasty. It was great to see them in to the finish line - their boots came off FAST - and then we could let them have Lilys' birthday cake - congrats on being 18...

Congrats on passing a tough Gold assessment...

Short Roping Over Tryfan - MIA Assessment Prep

Guy Wilson on Bastow Buttress Variant ** 2/3

Today I was involved in some MIA assessment preparation for Guy Wilson and Mark Stevenson. They both have assessments very soon and they're both well on track for success. Guy has his in little over a week now.

In the excellent weather on Monday we decided to short rope over Tryfan. We started with the Tryfan Bach Approach *** (3). This is excellent and makes the approach to Tryfan more enjoyable. On the heather terrace we moved onto Nor Nor Buttress variant. We popped over the top and moved into descent mode and eventually got back to to road.

For the entire day we concentrated on 'transitions' from one mode to another, which technique was suitable and why. Both Guy and Mark were doing very well. Good luck to them both for their upcoming assessments. I had a great day, although a bit rushed because I had to dash off to Manchester at 3.30pm.

Sunday - Part 3

Nicki on the overhang of Scratch Arete - Pitch 2
Nicki on the upper slab

Matt looking good after the overhang

After lunch we had time for a final climb before getting back to PYB for tea and cakes at the end of the Student BMC Seminar - so we decided on Scratch Arete (HVS). Pitch 2 leads to the overhang and then the final slab/arete. Both Matt and Nicki have lots of experience on gritstone, so I was sure they would fist jam / hand jam their way up the final crack - but no! - They both decided to do completely different styles. Nicki prefering to lay back whenever possible and Matt going for an alternate face climb! 2 abs took us to the ground, to the car, and then to the cake .. Happy days. One of you left a small dry bag in my car.. No cake inside :(

Sunday - Part 2

Nicki showing off after the crux of One Step In The Clouds

We decided to do the Uber classic One Step In The Clouds (VS) before lunch, so yet again we dashed over hoping to beat the crouds (and rain clouds). We had about 1 minute of rain after pitch 1, but then it warmed up again - brilliant. I love this climb.

BMC Student Seminar - Sunday 4th - Part 1

Nicki on pitch 2 of Christmas Curry

Matt and Nicki
Matt on the final Christmas Curry arete

On the Sunday of the BMC Student Seminar, Nicki, Matt and I met early at 9am in PYB for a quick get away to Tremadog - to beat the crouds. We jumped immediately on one of the lower grade classics - Christmas Curry (Micah Eliminate HS). It soon got crowded, with other teams arriving below us and on the Plum. I always love this climb - awesome. The weather was threatening - we were warned of possible showers, so we all had jackets on, but soon the sun came out and we bathed in heat. We found out later that the teams who went to Ogwen had rain for most of the day and the slabs were a waterfall :( Tremadog climbing - a winner again.

BMC Student Safety And Good Practice Seminar - Saturday 3rd

Jon Garside (BMC / MLTE Training Officer) organised another successful Student Seminar this year. The Seminar was based at Plas Y Brenin on the 3rd and 4th October. Over 100 students turned up from all over Britain and the 2 day program was packed for both nights.

I was one of many instructors in the 'Instructor Army' for the weekend. On the Saturday we took a team of the students out from PYB to a local single pitch crag to look at some single pich issues - warming up, bouldering, environmental impact, suitability of venue, sensitivity towards other climbers, top roping, bottom roping, rigging, belaying, scenarios etc.. An excellent session and even the weather was good for us.

Catrin Climbing Multi Pitch Climbs At Fall Bay

Catrin doing the small traverse on the VS 'Eden'.

Catrin on Kingwall, by Fall Bay on Gower.

Catrin on 'The Bottle' on Lewes Castle East.

Catrin climbed Fafnir, Balder, Vanir, Pytt, and Trying Lines on King Wall. Here she is on Balder.

Catrin on the tricky section of Fafnir. Nothing seems to be that tricky for Catrin.

Catrin loves abseiling. Here she is abseiling down off Lewes Castle East after climbing Gethsemane, Eden, and The Bottle. These were her first multi pitch climbs and The Bottle, gave her, her first hanging belay. The whole family were involve in picnicking down on the Great Terrace, even Meg the dog was wearing a harness - for paniers (but no abseiling for Meg today).

An Evening At Three Cliffs

It was meant to be an ordinary evening of climbing down at Three Cliffs. I went with Ed to do Arch Slab and Under Milk Wood. Ed can be seen in the photo breezing Arch Slab.

When we got to the beach, we realised we had to share it initially with this heard of cows. They were looking for somewhere to chill out and sokething to drink. I think they discovered that the water was not fresh but I wanted to tell them that the beach would be under the tide in 2 hours..

That was enough for one night but then we heard a plane (normal), which then landed on the beach (not normal). A passenger got out and the plane, obviously aware of the tide timetable, made a hasty take off into the setting sun.. Wow.

20th - 25th Sept, Training Army Recruits

Training can be exhausting.

Trying to learn how to stay in a canoe.

Learning that seven soldiers is a little too many for 1 canoe.

Another week delivering adventure training to soldiers. The soldiers are constantly focused on their core values - Courage, Discipline, Respect, Integrity, Loyalty, Selfless Commitment.

An excellent week, well done to all the recruits.