Blog

Have a look into our past here you will find what we have been up to and be able to see some of our thoughts and re posts of interest.

Cadet Adventure Week

POSTED: 9th April 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Young People

This week we have had a heard of 30 cadets staying near Lancaster, everyone has been on the hill, up a gorge, climbing at an indoor wall, canoeing, kayaking, and raft building.
It has been fantastic to see peoples skills develop in the different activities, there was some true talent amongst them.

Next year we are running the week up in Scotland with 2 days on the winter...

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Cumbria Bolt Fund Workshop – St Bees

POSTED: 5th April 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Bolting

I was elected chair of the Cumbria Bolt Fund in 2008. My job as chair is to raise funds, acquire bolts and equipment, co-ordinate the group to secure access to the crags for bolting and to equip people with the skills to use the bolting equipment to replace bolts throughout the lakes and surrounding areas.
The workshop consisted of a training event in the morning and many...

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Mountain Leader Assessment

POSTED: 3rd April 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Qualifications

29th March to 3rd April 2010
Mike Margeson and I run all of the Lakeside YMCA’s MLTE courses.

Mike ran the first 2 days of the course and then I headed out into the fresh snow for the expedition element of the assessment.

We left the night nav until the second night due to the quantity of snow.

Sprinkling Tarn and Scar Lathing provided 2 nights under the stars...

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Church Beck User Group Meeting

POSTED: 31st March 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Bolting, Technical Committee

Church Beck is a fantastic Ghyll in the Lake District Nr Coniston.
Tonight was a meeting of all users for the ghyll to talk about access and run through ideas for reducing erosion.

I am beginning the process of collating information of other venues throughout the Lakes that have been closed over the years and looking at way we can re-open these for use with groups and...

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The Outdoor Show

POSTED: 27th March 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Gear Reviews, Technical Committee

The AMI are invited by DMM to run the Ice Climbing wall at the Outdoor Show each year.
This year I went down to help out on the stand.

The wall is made from a high density foam and offered a great opportunity for people to have a go at using ice axes and crampons.

Thanks DMM for the invite and to all the people who I saw and coached during the day.

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Grip ‘a’ bility

POSTED: 22nd March 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Technical Committee

At this years BMC’s Technical Conference at PYB in November I will be running a workshop on Grip’a'bility. Designed to increase peoples knowledge of the ability to grip different diameters of rope by hand, attendees will be able to test and experience the load that their hand can hold on different ropes.
Today I went along to Lyon Equipment’s facilities...

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BMC Technical Committee Meeting

POSTED: 16th March 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Technical Committee

I stand on the BMC’s Technical Committee representing the Association of Mountaineering Instructors (AMI).
This is a group of highly knowledgeable people ranging from metallurgists, engineers, manufactures, textile experts who are all climbers. The Aim of the group is to issue safety advice and investigate incidents of failed equipment.

Biannually the committee...

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Weekend Road Trip

POSTED: 7th March 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Technical Courses, Winter Conditions

Each year Robin and Jenny come to Scotland for a weekends play in the cold stuff.
This year we stayed in Torlundy, Robin and I headed to the ice and Jenny Skied on the Saturday, Sunday we all headed to Glencoe then home after a meal in the Drovers Inn on the way home.

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Ice Climbing – The Ben

POSTED: 28th February 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Technical Courses, Winter Conditions

With a high Avalanche risk today and Glen Coe out for climbing in we headed to a safe location for a great little piece of ice to teach John and Sarah how to climb ice, they had given it a go inside in a large fridge but wanted to see what it was like on the real thing.
Just past the dear fence and close to the path back to the CIC hut from the top of The Ben there is a...

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Winter Hill Walking and Skills – Mam na Gualainn

POSTED: 28th February 2010 BY: Dan
CATEGORIES: Technical Courses, Winter Conditions

This weekend is a winter skills course for the civil service walking group. We are staying at Kinlochleven with 18 in the team and 5 instructors.Today I was out with the hill walking team. With the avalanche condition as they are we made a choice to stay lower and out of the main risks. After a quick shuttle in the morning we headed up Mam na Gualainn.There was a really...

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