Cloggy and Dinas Cromlech

With the super warm weather last weekend the high, north facing cliff of Cloggy was a welcome relief. Though not fully dry there was enough to climb with myself and friends Rhys and Si ascending the classic (even with the grass?) Bloody Slab (E3, 5c) and the fun Jelly Roll (E2, 5b).

On Monday I took a friend up some VS's in the pass - though had to lead in my trainers as I didn't realise I had left my rock boots soaking up the atmosphere on Cloggy. I returned to the pass on Tuesday armed with a different pair to lead The Thing (E2) and Memory Lane (E3) and follow Chris up the popular Left Wall (E2) on Dinas Cromlech.

Connahs Quay School

This week we have had 60 children from Connahs Quay School, Deeside attending a multi activity week in North Wales.

With 30 young people attending at a time they have been kayaking, rock climbing, jumping into the sea and sliding down zip lines. Throughout the week we have been looking to challenge and demonstrate that success is attainable with that extra determination and self-confidence.

After Work Cragging

With permanent dry weather settled over North Wales it seems wrong not making the most of it. Long evenings have been perfectly filled with cragging and bouldering. At the start of the week I asecended Mabinogion, Craig Ddu (E2 5c) and Zig-Zag and up around Cwm Glas Bach to climb Weasles Rip My Flesh (E4 6a) and Spitting Image (HVS) which had a great jamming crack.

More sun at the weekend and it now feels warm too (though I'm hoping it doesn't get too hot).

Calday School

This week we have had two groups of up to 90 children on various activities. Mountain walking, kayaking, climbing and team building, it has been go, go go!

Obviously I couldn't manage all 90 at once, so had a team of 9 talented instructors showing them all the outdoor way.

Coasteering, Climbing and Kayaking

Busy weekend of courses. Sander and Nicole from the Netherlands have been trying out white water kayaking with a trip down the sunny Menai Straits yesterday and the River Dee today. Nick and 8 year old Sophie were trying climbing outdoors for the first time. Lastly a group of 14 were on a Stag-do enjoying jumping in to the sea around the Range near Trearddur Bay.

Now onto a residential week with Calday School

Gogarth - Needle & NW Passage

No Pembroke trip as originaly planned (boo!) but Gogarth made for a good substitute. I went over there with 8 other friends.

This morning, with the tide being high, Mat led his first E1 at Gogarth - NW Passage. This provides fun and interesting moves all the way.

This afternoon we went over to main cliff, escaping the wind, and I made a clean ascent of The Needle (E3) which is a great sustained route.

BBQ to finish the day, all is good!

More Photos on Flickr

Problematic Gritstone.

The last two days I have been in the Peak for a quick trip with friends Mat, Paul and Rich to play on the gritstone crags. I always find the climbing very different and as a result a bit harder but we managed to do 18 or so routes over the two days, even though it was snowing most of Monday!

We visited Millstone, Stanage and Curbar and ticked various calssics including L'Horla, Toy, Plexity, Easter Rib, Queersville and Peapod amongst others.

Windy Straits and the Sunny Dee

This weekend I provided a kayaking course for James and Caroline. They wanted a mixture of skills to be soundly initiated into the wonderful world of white water kayaking.

On Saturday we were seeking shelter on the Menai Straits, covering various flat water strokes in the morning and playing on different tidal flows in the afternoon. With the wind being against the tide as we returned some big rolling waves were being kicked up under the Menai Bridge, bit like the River Durance in the Alps!

Today we went to a calmer River Dee, focusing on moving in and out of the flow in morning. In the afternoon we ran the main rapids through the site, with James and Caroline showing great skill through not capsizing the whole weekend!

Tremadog

Today I took 13 year old Hal out for his first day on real rock. He showed a lot of confidence and ability jumping straight on some classic multi-pitch routes.

We started out on Boo-Boo then progressed onto Christmas Curry. To finish the day we played on Oberon Slab, completing 3 different variations.

Upon finishing I managed to bump into Tim and Keith who kindly let me join them for a few routes. I followed them up Leg Slip and then a combination of Zukator and Grasper.

Gogarth

After the VHF course yesterday Dave and I nipped down to South Stack for a bit of Freebird / True Moments combination. I can't remember which pitches we did, but it was all very pleasant in the evening sun.

Today I went up Assassin and then Hyena on main cliff (E3). The wind was a little cool, but pleasant enough in the sun.

Menai Straits and VHF Radios

On Sunday, for the second day of the course, Dave and I hid from the Northerly winds and led the group down the Straits. With the wind behind us and the tide changing not much paddling was required. We put on near Beaumaris, stopped for lunch at Menai Bridge and finished in Felinheli. Nice.

Monday I obtained a VHF licence so I can now officially use a VHF radio on the sea.

Sea Kayaking Courses

This week I have mainly been in a sea boat. With a relaxing trip down the Conwy Estuary on Tuesday, after initial skills on the lake the day before, and a trip from Benllech to Moelfre with the same group.

Today I have been working for PYB ticking off caves and cliffs, as in the title of course, but no lighthouses as yet. They did get a bonus encouter with arches, a blow-hole and a seal though. Beautiful day with a little swell in the morning making for a more interesting sea. We put in at Trearddur and finished at Rhoscolyn.

Fedwr Fawr Sport Routes

This afternoon I went over to Fedwr Fawr, near Penmon on Anglesey. Myself, Suttie and Steve went to clip bolts and found a range of quality routes from F6a to F7a. They are mostly steep on a mix of limestone and a 'pebble-dash cover' of quartz. A few routes were a little crumbly in certain patches but on the whole they are solid and safe.

Cwmni Da TV Production

On Sunday Dave helped set-up the rope safety for filming with Cwmni Da TV Productions (http://cwmnida.tv/).

The coastguard were being filmed simulating a rescue on the cliffs around Penmon Head. Sea 2 Summit providing the safety cover, enabling the cameraman to position himself for the vital shots.

Llyn Peninsular, Surf and Bouldering

For Sarah's 30th we made it down to the Llyn. In the sun we sampled the bouldering at Porth Ysgo, on the rough and plentiful problems. The surf was also rolling in for a splash in the sea (though my arms quickly tired on the paddle-outs).

Sun, Rock, Sun and more Rock

I have had a few days off so I made sure I didn't let the sunny days go to waste.

On Tuesday I went up to Drws y Gwynt in the Pass to notch up routes like ' Too Hard for Jim Perrin' 'Little Sepulchre' and 'A Touch of Class' amongst other E1 cracks . Surprisingly cold though out of the sun. Yesterday I went bolt clipping and falling (bit of rock broke away to send me plummeting down head first, watching Ian swinging in the opposite direction).

Today Si and I climbed Extraction and Pretzl Logic with also a bit of playing on (the ludicrously hard) Venom. To round things up we also grabbed a quick route in the Pass on the way home.

Good.

D of E Sea Kayaking, Anglesey

Last Thursday until Sunday 12 students from King Edwards School, Birmingham completed there Gold training expedition.

Over 4 days they paddled from Aberffraw around to Benllech, including a circumnavigation of Puffin Island to play with the seals.

Fortunately the headwind on the first day didn't tire them too much. By the last day the sea was like a mill-pond.

Now they need to decide where they are going to do the assessment. Thoughts of Pembroke, Cornwall and even Croatia were mentioned. We will see.

Learning to Roll

Today I had my Dad and Peter going through the necessary skills to enable a successful roll. We used the pool and the lake to perfect both the paddle position and most importantly the hip flick.

Success was attained by Peter with my Dad coming along well demonstrating the skills - the next step being putting it all together with the necessary timing.

Intro to White Water

For the past two days I have been working for PYB on an Introduction to White Water.

Yesterday we used the various tidals flows down the Menai Straits, while today we were on the River Dee at Llangollen.

A varied group, it has kept me on my toes - keeping the coaching relevant for each individual. While John has been 'flat spinning'on waves and pulling cartwheels, Steve and Jim have been developing their existing white water manoeuvres while Andrew has been quickly building confidence on this exciting new medium.

Whith more dry and sunny weather looks like I will be travelling back down the A5 to the River Dee again tomorrow.

As an aside I had a fun evening hit in Gideon Quarries on Monday night abseiling in to join Walker and Colley on Bone People. A surprisingly big feeling route.

The white water duckling that came over to say "hello".