Took a group of students up to Castle Inn quarry today. Worth remembering to check the fixed gear and where possible use your own karabiners rather than adding to the wear and tear. So of the lower-off krabs, are wearing very thin! Amazing what a bit of friction can do to metal!  It was a… Read more

Back in Wales again and arrived home to find a new rucsack had arrived from the designers from ‘Equip’ ready for a test. After all the travel that we’d both done over the last week, Monday was a slow and sleepy day at The Cottage, but on Tuesday, we ventured out into Ogwen to take… Read more

There really were some well placed check points today! I think that the last time I walked through this valley was with Paul on my Gold DofE expedition! I was pleased to find it’s still just as challenging. Stationed with my binoculars, I had a good giggle watching one team deal with a navigational error… Read more

I’ve been in the Lake District now for four days and have experienced almost all kinds of weather! I’m assessing some groups who are on a Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition. After a travel and acclimatisation the hike got off to a very wet start in torrential rain. We tried to delay departure, but… Read more

It’s been a busy week, but for various reasons, one that has been pretty much devoid of photos. I did managed to get a sunset pic down by the river though on one evening. I’ve been paddleboarding at Llyn Mymbr in fantastic conditions – after waving off Clare at the station earlier in the day.… Read more

A much improved situation with the weather today meant that I could get out into the local mountains for the first time since arriving back from the Alps.  Llyn Idwal was looking glassy and the clouds were lifting as we hiked past at lunchtime. As we climbed, the blue sky won over and the clouds… Read more