This time of year is often a bit quiet in terms of work, so tends to become an opportunity for professional development. Before Christmas, I got my Four Star Canoe Leader award which enables me to lead people on moderate water (grade 1 & 2 rivers). However, what I'd really like to do is to actually coach people in this environment. To do this, I … Read More »
Category Archives: Personal
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 »
Family Paddle
With the busyness of Christmas behind us, and just a few days till the kids go back to school, today's fine weather came at just the right time to get a day out with the family. After a bit of deliberation, we decided to go for a gentle paddle down the canal and stop off for a pub lunch. After sorting all the logistics of kit … Read More »
A Day Out With The Boys
My elder son, Alfie has been itching to get out in the hills for a couple of weeks. I think the attraction of the remoteness, and the chance to get away from the pressures of school have been a real pull for him. To be honest, I think he'd rather be able to go off on his own and enjoy some solitude, but very kindly … Read More »
4 Star Canoe Leader Assessment Success
It's been a busy weekend of long days on the water in my canoe on a four start canoe leader assessment. To be honest, I should have done this a few years ago. I initially did the training course over two and a half years ago and had every intension of doing the assessment in the following six months. However, there's always other things taking … Read More »
Personal Paddle on the River Dee
I managed to get out on the river again today with Chris Hughes today. We met at Llangollen to make a plan and, with the water level at 7.5 on the gauge at the Mile End site, we decided to do the run from Glyndyfrdwy back down to the Mill. Having spent most of the night listening to the rain hammering against the house, I was … Read More »
Canoe Skills Practice
With my 4 star canoe leader assessment booked for the start of next month, I was looking to use today to help prepare myself in whatever way I could. Having gone in search for enough water in less common rivers, Chris Hughes and I ended up spending the day at the Old Mill site in Llangollen on the River Dee. The aim quickly became to practice … Read More »
First Aid Update
As with all first aid qualifications, mine need updating every three years. With all my outdoor qualifications only being valid with a current first aid, it's rather important that I keep on top of it. Three years ago I did a REC Emergency First Aid course, so it seemed to make sense to go a bit further this time and do the REC Advanced course. So … Read More »
4 Star Canoe Training
I've been wanting to get my 4 star canoe qualification sorted out for 5 years now, but there's always been something in the way. To start with, it was purely being too busy trying to work my way into the outdoor education industry. Then, two and a half years ago, I actually did my training course. I should have just pushed on to assessment within … 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 »
