Learning how to plan and prepare for a day in the mountains, what kit to take and wear and how to navigate your way from A to B are the basic, vital skills for a day in the hills. That is what we cover in the Mountain Training 2 day Mountain Skills course as well as enjoying 2 great days in the hills. This last weekend I was joined by Sam, Nicky, Mark, James and Joshua and over a coffee in Moel Siabod Cafe looked at how we might start planning a day out, what to consider, cho

Although we are all desperate for a bit of snow in the hills you've got to make the most of what you've got - and you can always have an adventure - and today was perfect for a bit of scrambling. Mac was keen to try something harder so we headed for Clogwyn Y Person Arete on Crib y Ddysgl. A steep grade 3 it has some good tricky moves and some good exposure and set amidst the impressive scenery of Cwm Glas. It also ties in nicely with a traverse across Crib Goch, for a full d

Guided day around the Snowdon Horseshoe

Weekend scrambling for hillwalkers course in Snowdonia

I was out with Chris and Yana on Friday for a scrambling day and their first go at a grade 3 route. Scrambles are graded 1 - 3 with 3 being the hardest. They will usually have several difficult moves, like you would find on a rock climb, very exposed sections and generally quite sustained. A rope, some climbing kit and the knowledge to use it all would be a good idea if you are attempting these higher end scrambles. Pinnacle Scramble on the East Face of Tryfan is at the highe

Scrambling and climbing weekend in Snowdonia

Scrambling for beginners course in Snowdonia

I was working for High Mountain Guides this weekend with Tom, helping him prepare for his forthcoming trip to attempt the Matterhorn - perhaps one of the World's most iconic peaks. I have been fortunate enough to stand on it's summit twice and although the climbing on the Hornli Ridge is never that hard, there is a lot of it and you need to climb down it too. Climbing any route in the Alps requires fitness and efficiency - the routes are long so you can't afford to hang about

Out on the excellent grade 1 scramble the North Ridge of Tryfan yesterday with Paula and Sally. We spent the day looking at the skills needed to make the step from hillwalking to scrambling. We started with some basic movement skills - mostly the importance of paying attention to where you put your feet, how to use foot holds and some basic climbing moves. As we made our way up we discussed route finding and following the route - how to identify a good way up, striking the ba

Today I was out with 5 gents for their first trip along Crib Goch. To get ahead of the crowds and get a parking space we went for an early start, although even at 6am the car park at Pen Y Pass was nearly full. The hills were shrouded in mist but the forecast was promising. The ascent of the East Ridge gave us no views but at east it was dry with good scrambling conditions. At the top we took a break, the clouds threatening to break. Soon they did, revealing a a fantastic vis

This weekend i was working for Snowdonia Mountain Skills on a guided scrambles course with a mountaineering club. The weather on Saturday was pretty grim across the park so we opted for the shelter of the excellent grade 1, Llech Ddu spur, knowing it would only be once we topped out we'd get battered by the wind! we opted for a roped ascent, so we could still enjoy all the steep interesting bits - even though they were a bit wet and slippery! The Sunday dawned much brighter s

Advanced scrambling skills - ropes and climbing gear.

2 day Mountain Skills course covering the skills required to get about the UK mountains

Scrambling in Snowdonia - Tryfan and Cneifion Arete

Advanced scrambling weekend with Bremex Mountaineering Club

I was out with fellow Munro Compleater (all the Scottish mountains over 3000 feet) Humphrey today for a traverse of the classic grade 1 scramble, Crib Goch. The route is actually 2 scrambles and starts with the steep and often exposed East Ridge of Crib Goch before continuing along the ridge to Crib y Ddysgl. This is a route on nearly every aspiring scramblers to do list and is rightly popular. It should, however, not be underestimated. It is in places extremely exposed and t

The last few weeks I've been fortunate enough to introduce a few people to scrambling and no better place to give it a go for the first time than the Ogwen Valley. So here is a brief round up of 3 excellent Grade 1 scrambles to cut your teeth on. Y Gribin Ridge The upper part of the ridge that divides Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach provides an excellent and easy to find and follow scramble. Best tackled right along it's crest. There are numerous worn paths on it's western flank

Back out with Rebecca and Chris yesterday, week 3 of their Tim Harrop Mountain Activities Mountain Month. We were after some climbing and with a pretty poor forecast we opted for a 'Big Boots' mountain day. Rebecca wanted to do Clogwyn Y Person Arete on the Snowdon massive, so we decided that would be our goal of the day. It's a grade 3 scramble that rises out of Cwm Glas and finishes on Crib y Ddysgl - the ridge that links up with Crib Goch. It's a pretty serious scramble wi

Last weekend Tarquin was out with novice scramblers Piotr and Magdalena for 2 days of scrambling skills. They went up the excellent grade 1 North Ridge of Tryfan on Saturday where they looked at route selection, movement skills and some basic rope skills. They came down the grade 1 Little gully where they were able to put into practice some of their new skills. Looks like a top day On the Sunday they moved up the grades and climbed Dolmen Ridge on Glyder Fach. This is a prett

Summer seemed to roar in out of nowhere last week - coinciding nicely with my 3 day trip to Scotland with Dafydd. He wanted to climb the Inaccessible Pinnacle on the Skye ridge and left it with me to decide the rest. We arrived in Glenbrittle on Saturday evening - to less than brilliant weather but the following day we awoke to dry weather and the whole ridge was clear. We set off for the steep west ridge of Sgurr Dearg. A good path led us to the foot and then some nice scram