Alan Halewood

Hot, sunny rock climbing in Lochaber

2013-05-24T18:32:00.003+01:00

The dusting of snow on the hill today melted in front of our eyes as the sun shone and we sweated in its reflection off of the mica schist on Polldubh.
Alan and Ruairidh and I climbed Pinnacle Ridge (by its staircase start), 3 Pines, Spike Wall and Flying Dutchman Direct to give 10 pitches of V Diff to VS.
And it was hot... and sunny... :-)

Our second pitch on Pinnacle Ridge

Ruairidh topping out on Pinnacle Ridge

Crux behind him in the sun

Looking down the first pitch of 3 Pines

following on 3 Pines

Spike Wall Pitch 1

Spike Wall Pitch 2

Father and daughter team on The Gutter

Flying Dutchman...

...and its Direct Finish

Alan on the last slab

Topping out on Flying Dutchman Direct

Back near the car we saw Bill and Alex hard at work (could be mistaken for sunbathing by the uninitiated) watching their groups river crossing on a Summer ML Training.

A quick day on Skye

2013-05-22T13:56:00.001+01:00

Yesterday I got and early start for Skye where I was working with Delegates to UHI's Adventure Tourism Conference. I was asked to take 3 academics out for a quick day's mountaineering and we went to the Inaccessible Pinnacle. The weather was better than expected and although there was a lot of cloud cover it stayed dry other than a little drizzle on the climb itself and the winds were very low. Well done to Carl, Paul and Adele on a fast ascent to be back at Sabhal Mor Ostaig in time for the conference's opening address.
The evening went well too with some great local food, a gaelic quiz and ready steady cook on trangias (DofE groups eat your hearts out- local prawns in ginger with fresh picked wild herbs on a trangia!) to entertain the international team of guests and I saw the night out late on around the fire with a dram and a long chat with Norwegian guides.

Freshening up on their SPA

2013-05-20T18:47:00.002+01:00

Today I went with Chris, Liz and Ally to Glen Nevis to help them with some CPD for their SPA. They have all been working in the outdoors for quite a while but for a variety of reasons felt they needed an update/refresher/just some new ideas on their SPA work.
Its very sensible and mature of Instructors to go seeking opportunities like this. Most of those I know working in the outdoors recognise that there is always something to learn/practise/improve at. Running a day like this is very much about helping people develop their own skill toolboxes rather than telling them that my way of doing things is better. I like to think in terms of exploring 'pros and cons' rather than listing 'rights and wrongs'.
It was dry if a little humid at Polldubh and we looked at managing groups at the crag, bottom ropes, top ropes, releasable abseils, a variety of problems and how to avoid/solve them, some new bits of kit, 1, 2 and 3 point anchors, rigging with the rope and rigging with slings. A enjoyable, productive day with an experienced sensible team of people.

"Wildness and wet"

Thinking...

Leaving things safe at the base of the crag

Going down to get someone

What's Chris going to get caught in that figure of 8?

Teaching teaching climbing

2013-05-18T19:58:00.001+01:00

Today I was out with Rob who is working towards his MIA and wanted some input on how to teach/instruct/coach climbing. We were abley assisted by volunteers Mark and Rebecca.
The Lochaber weather was kind to us until mid afternoon and we climbed on Pinnacle Ridge, 3 Pines and the Gutter. Mark and Rebecca were quick studies and got a good intro. to trad. climbing and Rob got plenty of feedback on how he puts a climbing day together for students.

Nice to see the MCofS Realrock team out today too!

Tower Scoop. The winter that wouldn't die!

2013-05-17T18:27:00.002+01:00

Today Neil and I went up Ben Nevis. Its been a few weeks since I carried a heavy pack up a hill and I was feeling it today. Mike had been for a look at Orion Direct but we met him on the way down having found the ice on the second pitch pretty cruddy. We decided to go little higher to see what there was to be seen.
Anything in the sun is falling down piece by piece. Anything in the shade is better but not always by much! The Ciste Gullys, Thompsons, Tower Scoop, Green, Comb, Point 5, Hadrian's, Indicator Wall and Good Friday Climb all have snow and ice from the bottom t the top BUT..... Without getting on them its hard to tell whether it is any good and the temperatures aren't quite cold enough for a proper freeze on routes. AND.... There is a huge amount of debris on the move. Ice was constantly falling today and you wanted to watch for a while and choose a line not exposed to falling debris from above.
We went for a quick ascent of Tower Scoop before the sun got onto it after a sweaty flog up Observatory Gully in snow that was ankle to calf deep (an early start might make it firmer). The whole ice fall boomed a bit but it was fatter than the last time I did it and took pretty good screws.
After excavating Neil out of his bucket seat (I think his backside was showing in Australia) we carried on up Tower Gully. Plenty of large cornices up there which will only get droopier (especially after more rain). Were able to outflank Tower Gully's on the left.
Then it was a quick bumslide all the way down the Red Brun for a fast descent home!
Please let that be the end... I really just want to go rock climbing in a t-shirt!

Starting the walk in

Still winter up there

Observatory Gully

Tower Scoop Pitch 1

Neil Following

Tower Scoop Pitch 2

Looking up Tower Gully

...And looking down

Swimming past the cornice

Sunshine and clouds... but more of the former!

Pic of Coire na Ciste today

2013-05-16T18:29:00.003+01:00

Winter is alive and well on Ben Nevis. Ive seen worse cover in February!!

Scottish Sport Climbs is here!

2013-05-16T14:07:00.001+01:00

332 pages of sport fun in Scotland. My wee pic of Benny Beg meant I received a copy of Scottish Sport climbs today and I've got to say I'm impressed. Colourful crag location diagrams, approach times, good photo topos Scottish definitive guides feel like they've hit the 21st Century with this one.
Sport climbing doesn't inspire me in the way trad climbs do but over the last few years I've come to appreciate the things that make it unique and overseas trips and the odd Scottish bolt have been enjoyable. Here we have a wee feast of the latest that Scotland has to offer all over the country. The photos show it at its best (i.e. they are sunny and you can't see the midges) and the range of venues and grades is impressive.
Vive la difference! Or who wants to go murder the impossible? ;-)

What's in a thermal?

2013-05-15T10:46:00.001+01:00

The folks at Cotswold in Aberdeen have given me a long sleeved Arc'teryx Ether Crew thermal top to try out so I thought I'd give some feedback on how its doing so far.
Most of the thermals I've been wearing this winter are merino, light, odour resistant, warm, wick well but I've had real issues with durability (just putting them on seems to tear them!).
The Ether Crew has done some rock climbing at Gogarth, Hollyhead and on A55 sport crags, mountain biking in Applecross and Glen Affric and more climbing in Ardnamurchan and at Reiff.
On the cool windy days cragging near the sea each day its started buried beneath a primaloft filled jacket but by the early afternoon with the sun out its been worn alone or with a thin t-shirt on top.
On the higher activity days mountain biking its been worn alone under an Arc'teryx Alpha Active Shell jacket.
So is it any different to any other thermal? Well it compares favourably to merino tops so far. Lightweight, smooth as silk to wear (flat seams aren't felt at all under a hipbelt or shoulder straps) wicks very well (I don't seem to get a clammy back in this one) and very fast drying. I haven't worn it several days on the trot yet which will be an acid test when it comes to odour retention. It also shows absolutely no signs of wear- unusual in items of my wardrobe which get used and abused!
One other 'like' about it so far is the fact that both the neck and the wrists seem to be quite resilient when it comes to stretching. I frequently like to push sleeves up my forearms and often this means that wrist cuffs stretch and become baggy. Likewise I find that neck lines soon overstretch and loose their shape but no such problem with the Ether.
As usual you get what you pay for with Arc'teryx, they put the time and money in to design and research it means you end up with a product that is reliably of good quality.

The Arc'teryx Ether Crew LS in forest green

On the gabbro on Ardnamurhcan

Sweltering on the quartzite of Holyhead Mountain

On the sandstone of sunny Reiff

Busy weekend MTB commute , chilly week!

2013-05-13T10:49:00.000+01:00

Dr. Ross Lorimer on Climber Centred Coaching

Eleanor Hopkins on Core exercises

Saturday I was at EICA for the first MCofS Coaching seminar. A good day with some interesting presentation and an enthusiastic group of coaches/aspirant coaches of all ages (some of us feeling quite old to have our problems dismissed as warmups by youngsters LOL :-).
Sunday I hopped on the bike from Glasgow's west end out to Mugdock Country Park where I ran a day to sign off some volunteers for East Dunbartonshre Councils Duke of Edinburgh program: risk assessments, communications, information cascades, emergency procedures, hazard awareness, good camping and stove practise and navigation at the Park and the Whangie (damp). To get back to the station for the train home I decided to drop through the park and then follow the Kelvin Way marked on the OS Map. Not a good idea with my semi slicks. The northern pat of the route is a narrow muddy rut on a slope into the river- my back end was all over the shop and my tyres were spinning in the mud. Much better going from Dawsholm Park into town (disdainful looks from the Glasgow shoppers taking trains home- me covered in mud spatter, dripping and leaving tracks on the station floor :-).
The snow has already crept down the hill from 600m to below 400m this morning BRRR.

Climb and bike

2013-05-09T07:13:00.001+01:00

A morning of routes at Stone Pig cliff near Reiff (short routes, close to the road but some really good climbing) and then on the drive south we diverted to Glen Affric. Its many years since I went to this beautiful Glen and doing a loop around the Loch with a wee detour towards Alltbeithe Youth Hostel on the bike was a great way to get reacquainted. The Easterly gales made the back side of the ride tough work though!

Walking the Plank

Glen Affric

Huge force of water in the thaw

Happy birthday to me and sunny rock climbing.

2013-05-07T19:55:00.000+01:00

On Friday we went to Applecross. It snowed.

Crossing the Bealach na Ba

I was hoping to go to Rum to do a little climbing but the forecast put me off. Now the updated forecast looks ok but too late as today I treated myself to some rock climbing with Neil at Reiff and I sweated in a t-shirt!

A soggy Slanting Corner

Puckered Wall

Looking down the route while I de-pump

Sip from the Wine of Youth Again seemed apposite today!

Hy Brasil

Getting hot now!

Taking the quick way down

Westering Home

A Hats on the Hill product on Diagonal Crack

So routes sent, pump felt, airtime logged, sun soaked up. Finished the day soloing a few short easy routes whilst Neil dozed in the sun!

Langoustines, scallops, beer and banofee at Am Fhuaran Bar now!

Technical Advice and FUNdas 2

2013-05-03T00:36:00.000+01:00

A busy couple of days in the Central Belt. Firstly I was meeting some Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme volunteers and observing and assessing their work for East Dunbartonshire Council. Then today I was at an induction workshop for providers of the MCofS FUNdamentals 2. We spent a long day at EICA working through the program for the day and fine tuning the delivery we will need for the workshops. If you are interested in a workshop then contact Kev at the MCofS for a date near you.
Many thanks to Katherine Schirrmacher for coming up to Scotland to share her experiences of delivering these workshops.

Footwork, precision, accuracy and parts of holds

Vertical walls and straighter arms

Robbie the robot?

Derek setting up the next demo

Sunny day 2 on SPA Assessment

2013-04-30T18:50:00.002+01:00

Well the weather gods were kind today and we were blessed with blue skies and sunshine for the second day of our SPA Assessment today. We were at Kingussie Crag looking out on a snowy Cairngorm panorama as the guys climbed routes from Diff to E2. Well done all.

SPA Assessment day 1

2013-04-29T19:59:00.000+01:00

Day 1 of 2 with 4 candidates saw us at The Ice Factor and Polldubh.

Elsewhere violence on Everest and rejects from the Life of Brian chopping bolts in the Lakes... has the climbing world gone barking mad?

Sun on my face and rock under my hands

2013-04-27T19:33:00.000+01:00

Grand day putting in some more rock climbing mileage at Ardnamurchan. Some climbs are like old friends and it was a delight to climb a number of my favourites on some of the best rock in the UK. We climbed Greta Gabbro (both led), Crater Comforts, Yir, Claude and Volcane to give 9 great pitches of climbing and my winter glove softened hands don't know what hit them!
We had sun almost all day (a little high cloud watering it down later on) and although it was cool in the breeze I was climbing in thermals and a gillet.
Thoughts with the AMI Members enjoying the Cuillin in the snow at the weekend workshops organised by Sandy Paterson- I'd have joined you for the beers but the sunny rock called too loudly!

Al leading Greta Gabbro

Al seconding Greta Gabbro (hat courtesy of Hats on the Hill!)

Al on Crater Comforts P1

Neil on the truncated (the end 10 inches have snapped off) 'flange' of Crater Comforts P1

On top looking west

Neil on Yir P1

Great rock

Great gear

Great climbing

Al on Yir P1 (a Great route!)

Al on one of the possible Yir P2 variations

Neil on Yir P2

Al on Claude

The view to Ben Nevis on the Road to the Isles coming home- plenty of fresh stuff!

Coaching at the wall... and snow on the Ben

2013-04-26T21:25:00.001+01:00

Not me coaching today though. Max and I were observing some first year students who had planned coaching sessions for each other at The Ice Factor today. I was impressed at the level of though and planning that had gone into their sessions after feedback from a practise session last week. It bodes well for their futures the level of knowledge and effort already on display this early in their Degree Course.

On another note winter continues to reign in the hills with large deposits of fresh snow, cornice capers and avalanches today. Watch out (and heed the SAIS)... winter is most definitely still about!

An unexpected day off and more fresh snow

2013-04-25T17:01:00.001+01:00

Work with UHI students was cancelled at short notice this morning so I've been catching up on a sudden influx of bookings and spending some time with the kids. Kaye is 10 months and we are running out fo new sign language to teach her, Sandy and I were playing snap, hide and seek and on a wander to see the fire damage on Corpach hill he found his first stag horn.
Plenty more fresh snow lower down the hill today as the pictures show.

Polldubh crags and cragging

2013-04-24T21:14:00.003+01:00

Today I was working for UHI's Adventure Tourism Degree Course. The students were doing the second day of 3 with local school pupils rock climbing at Polldubh in Glen Nevis. We also saw Pete from The Ice Factor and local Instructors Neil and Rich- a sociable day.
Fresh snow down to below 1000m in Lochaber this morning but sunny on the crags all afternoon.

Neil on top of Repton's Buttress

The Mamores

Climber on SW Buttress

SW Buttress and Pine Wall

Neil and Damnation

Site specific lead climbing teaching award

2013-04-22T18:39:00.000+01:00

Back at GCC today to take 4 of their staff on a day's course in how to teach climbers to lead indoors. We played a lot of games in the morning focussing on movement and learning to clip efficiently and effectively. Then after lunch the focus was on belaying and we finished up looking at progressive ways to introduce falling and holding falls. A great fun day with a keen competent team.
Great to see Joe and a crew from Sense Scotland making use of some great adaptive climbing equipment from Equal Adventure at the Centre today.

For anyone teaching adults or juniors to lead climb Ian Fenton's book from Pesda Press is a great wee resource.

CWA Assessment

2013-04-21T23:00:00.002+01:00

Congratulations to the successful candidates on my CWA Assessment today. They coped well with their 'live' group at a very busy Glasgow Climbing Centre.

Sunny rock climbing on Anglesey

2013-04-20T14:52:00.000+01:00

My third and final day with the Glenmore Lodge team was forecast to be fine so we decided to start our trad. Rock season at Castell Helen for a little ‘Gogarth lite’ action.

In 3 teams various routes such as Rap, Pel, Blanco and Lighthouse Arete were climbed (first pitches damp and chilly)then and some of us went across to enjoy the sun at Hollyhead Mountain where I climbed Black and Tans with Nancy followed by the bottom pitch of Thread and the top pitch of something harder. My first time climbing there and it was hot, sunny and felt more like a continental sport crag than a British Trad crag near to one of the UK’s best known sea cliffs.

We bumped into various old friends including Shelagh (who used to work at the Lodge) and Robin and Twid Turner all out enjoying the sun. Happy days; the rock climbing season is on!

Many thanks to JSMTC Indefatigable for hosting us throughout our stay.

The team getting ready to abseil in

Sandy heading down

Jon explaining where the line goes to Derek and Sandy

Nancy abseiling in whilst Andy leads up the first pitch

Nancy nearly at the niche

Nancy leading off

Nancy on Lighthouse Arete

Hollyhead Mountain

Sheila in the sun

Nancy starting up Thread

Pulling over

Let the rock climbing season commence

Wales

2013-04-18T22:36:00.002+01:00

I'm down south in Wales for 3 days Staff Training with Glenmore Lodge. Yesterday and today we split into 2 different groups and each have had a days sport climbing and a day's climbing movement coaching workshop with John Kettle (to get some external input into our work- and some new ideas to steal!). Yesterday I was with John at the Indefatigable climbing wall and today I visited 2 unpronounceable crags on the A55 for some bolt clipping.
Tomorrow some proper climbing.... :-)

Poesy- sometimes the mood takes me

2013-04-16T14:58:00.001+01:00

Every now and then, usually on expeditions I get some inspiration. Must just be this season....

Something beautiful

In the early starts, yawning, forcing self from the warm soft bed

In the dozy drive, quiet roads, keys in locks, insulated mugs of swirling caffeine

In the long walk in, sweating, heavy rucksack, looking ahead

In the kitting up, rarely alone, food bolted, buckled up, clanking gear racked

In the approach, steeper than you thought, insecure in body and thought, first belay in sight,

In the first pitch, brutal awakening, with a long way to go

In the wait at the stance, doing your belay dance, wondering, peering up

In the runner found, wish there was more, wish the ice was thicker here, thinner there

In the fear, run outs, steep and hollow ice, flat and rounded hooks, last pro way below

Uncertainties: Why am I here? What need does this fulfil? Was this a good idea? What if I back off? Put them in a box. Pin them down with meagre self control. Shut them away for another time when they won’t matter.

Something beautiful

In the excitement, when the pitch goes, the hook, the perfect swing, the move made

In the weather, glorious or grim, hot aches or too hot for this hat, spin drift, sun burn

In the first view of the top, cornice, tunnel, wall, arête, plumes of snow blowing

In the moments; moves, slips, frights, escapes, laughs, sights and summits

In the topping out, relief, joy, shaken hands, but only half way there

In the way off, avalanches to avoid, long walk or steep gully, walkers to look down on

In the car, boots off, a look back, a grade ‘discussion’, plans for next time

In the pub, was it epic or easy? The glow inside and out, the well earned first one

In the sky, the snow, the ice, the rock, the smiles, the curses, the people, the silence, the wind, the pain, the fear, the relief, the exhilaration

There is something beautiful that brings me back again and again.

On a more practical note i'm on my way to the Lakes to join the staff team from Glenmore Lodge. We're off to Wales (!). Its a staff training trip with some chat on MIA courses, sport climbing and a coaching workshop from John Kettle. the way I stopped off at Glasgow Climbing Centre to chat Technical Advisor stuff, CWAs, Lead Climbing Teaching, NICAS etc.

And once again here is a link to Davy's blog- more avalanche knowledge....

Avalanches, underwear 'Cry Argentina' and alpine awards

2013-04-15T10:46:00.000+01:00

Davy Gunn provides yet more food for though on avalanches.
First up the preliminary stats from ANENA in France. A more detailed breakdown of victim by activity and survival vs burial time would be useful but the points about Recco being promoted by them is interesting as is the breakdown of who is carry 'the three essentials': probe, shovel and transceiver.
Even more pertinent after our own winter is this Article by the Mount Washington Avalanche Centre highlighting the dangers of a 'Moderate' forecast. There is still a need to recognise exactly what the forecasted level is saying and not just look at its position in the rankings 1-5. Lower hazard levels do not mean no avalanches. Enough snow, the right weather and terrain with a trigger and avalanches can happen with any forecast hazard- its about understanding your options and your limitations.
The SAIS went down to weekend only reporting in Scotland as of yesterday as reported here.

Andy K was taking a break from writing his 1000 Tips for Climbers when he produced this blog post on string underwear.... Explains why merino is so popular/effective and a change I'd noticed in the design of artificial thermals. not sure I can inflict me in fishnet tights and top on my climbing partners...

I can recommend Ian Sykes' book Cry Argentina. It's a topical 'faction' book on the build up to the occupation of South Georgia, the conflict as they took it and the retaking by British forces. It's written with the benefit of plenty of research and Ian's insider knowledge of the area as an ex FID but also sympathetically from both sides to an extent. Being ex RN and having visited many of the spots discussed in the book I couldn't put it down and read it over the last 2 days!

RobNZ has posted Marko Prezelj's excellent statement on the Piolet D'Or, competition and the media. Click on the UKC news thread and scroll down to the 10th response (01:13 Monday 15th April)

Today I'm mending kit (Seam Grip and Tenacious Tape rock my world) after the long winter and doing some NGB paperwork. Tomorrow its off to join the Glenmore Lodge Team on their way to Wales (yes... Wales) for some staff training.

SPA Training and rain in the Highlands???

2013-04-14T17:19:00.000+01:00

I've just finished day 3 of an SPA Training with a group of 4 in Lochaber. We spent day 1 at the Ice Factor, day 2 at a chilly but dry Kingussie Crag and today woke to the back end of last night's torrential rain and gales. We went to the Ice Factor again for the first part of the day before heading out as it dried up a little to put what the team had learnt into practise. Lower Falls in Glen Nevis was absolutely pumping and all the burns look swollen with the first run off of water. Thinner and lower snow was visibly reducing during the day but still plenty visible up on Ben Nevis and on Bidean Nam Bian.

Climbing at Kingussie

Holly on the lead

Rigging in the rain

The extent of the recent fire in Glen Nevis