Through the glorious sunshine of the last 3 days, I've had the pleasure of running a Silver DofE Practice Expedition for a group of 4 lads from the local secondary school. I actually did their training back in April around the Shropshire Hills near Church Stretton, but they are looking for a slightly more remote area for their assessment. I actually walked with them on Thursday … Read More »
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Silver DofE Expedition Training in the Shropshire Hills
This weekend has been spent in the Shropshire Hills with a group of four boys from the local secondary school, wanting to do their silver Duke of Edinburgh expedition on foot. There are a number of others doing silver expeditions at their school this year, but they have favoured the canoe option. As a result, I was asked if I might be able to put … Read More »
Shrewsbury High School at the Adventure Rope Course
For the last few years I've been involved with annual sessions at the Adventure Rope Course for the girls from Shrewsbury High School that have been doing their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award. In the past, the session has been used as a post expedition treat after all their hard work. However, this year the school decided to come earlier in the term and use … Read More »
Silver DofE Training with Oswestry School
Having returned from a Silver DofE assessed expedition on Thursday, I started working with Oswestry School on their Silver Training and Practice package on Friday. The vast majority of those involved had done their Bronze expeditions last year, and a fair number have done a lot in the hills and mountains in the meantime. In fact some have recently returned from a week in the … Read More »
Winter Gullies in Snowdonia
I had been due to spend this week up in Scotland on a week's winter mountaineering trip. Unfortunately, the group weren't able to get their accommodation booked, so the whole week got cancelled. Normally, at this time of year, it can be a bit hit and miss as to wether or not the snow is still around. So you can imagine my frustration when the … Read More »
A Level Glaciation in Cwm Idwal
I live just down the road from Ellesmere College, where I used to teach, and for the last few years they have asked me to take a group of 6th form Geography students into Snowdonia to look at glacial features. In previous years, the trip has been near the start of their time studying glaciation but things slipped a bit this year due to clashes … 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 »
Winter Skills Day on Aonach Mor
Last year my son, Alfie, decided that he'd like to go on a snowhole expedition for his birthday. We spent a three days and two nights out in the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands. We had a great time, but I figured that the reality of being in sub zero temperatures the whole time would take the shine off things. So I was delighted, although … Read More »
Military Police at the Adventure Rope Course
The temperature may have been hovering at around zero today, but 21 members of the Royal Military Police based at Donnington Barracks in Telford came across to spend the day at the Adventure Rope Course. Having been instructed to do some adventurous training, but then forced to pay for it themselves due to cutbacks, I was expecting a degree of resentment from the lads today. … Read More »
A Day on Bristly Ridge
It's been a little while since I've managed to get a day out with Chris Hughes and, in recent months, all our excursions have been onto the rivers by canoe. So we made a break from this routine and headed into Snowdonia for a day in the hills. We hadn't settled on exactly where we were going to go, but agreed on tackling Bristly Ridge. As … Read More »
