We've enjoyed 4 days in and around the Aviemore area of the Scottish Highlands. It's been a great trip with the group getting to experience a wide range of winter mountain experiences, and developing some useful skills along the way. We generally like to finish the six days off with an expedition of some sort. It's often 3 days accessing a remote peak but, when … Read More »
Category Archives: Expeditions
Winter Mountain Experience
I love introducing people to the winter mountain experience. Winter mountains are probably my favourite environment to work in - the snow transforms the landscape into something with the potential for such incredible beauty and yet the ever present threat of harsh and threatening conditions. I'd had a couple of folk interested in this year's trip up to Scotland which went to the Cairngorms. Unfortunately, there … Read More »
Concord College DofE Practice Expedition
This was the first chance I've had to get involved with the Concord College DofE programme. I've been asked for several years now, but always been committed to other work, so I was pleased to see a gap in my diary when they asked me again this year. I met the staff and students at the college first thing this morning to check kit and agree … Read More »
Gold DofE Canoe Training
I've been really privileged this week to work with a fantastic group in preparation for a Gold DofE canoe expedition. Some had done a fair bit of paddling before (one had done his 2 star award with me a couple of weeks ago), while others were completely new to it. On Monday, we took a short trip to the Shropshire Union Canal at the Lion Quays … Read More »
DofE Practice Expedition
After a productive weekend of training a fortnight ago, this weekend was an opportunity for the candidates from Oswestry School to undergo their Bronze DofE practice expedition to put their new found skills into action. Once all the necessary kit checks were done, we dropped the three walking groups off at the Ponderosa Cafe, on the Horseshoe Pass above Llangollen. Each group had planned their own … Read More »
DofE Bronze Training
This weekend marked the start of this year's DofE Bronze expedition season for me. Oswestry School's DofE programme has become a regular fixture in my diary, and one to look forward to, so it was with a degree of expectancy I headed out for the weekend. We actually spent the first half of Saturday on the school site, looking at how to put up (and take … Read More »
Expedition in the Glencanisp Forest
After 3 day outings into the mountains of northern Scotland, it was time to set out on an overnight expedition. Whenever we've been on similar trips to this area in recent years, we've undertaken a 3 day, 2 night expedition through the Letterewe and Fisherfield Forests. However, this time, we opted for a change and decided to head further north to explore the lonely peaks … Read More »
Snow Hole Expedition on Creag Meagaidh
After Sunday's trip up Aonach Mor with Alfie for some winter skills practice, Monday saw us taking on the bigger challenge of an overnight expedition in the snow without a tent. Last year we enjoyed a two night night trip up Cairngorm, but this time opted for a one night snow hole expedition on Creag Meagaidh. Although the weekend climbers and walkers had all headed back to work, … Read More »
An Expedition Through Letterewe And Fisherfield
After spending three separate days in the hills with cadets from Ellesmere College CCF, the last three have been spent on an expedition. Each year, these expeditions try to give the cadets the opportunity to tackle mountains that most people wouldn't attempt due to their remoteness. By allowing three days, it gives them a day to walk in, a day to make their ascent and … Read More »
A Birthday Snow Hole Expedition
Alfie, my eldest son, often wants to experience some of the things I get up to but commitments like school keep getting in the way. However, each year for his birthday, I try to give him the chance to experience something that he really wants to do. This year his imagination was captured by the idea of snow holing. This was always going to be … Read More »
