Extraordinary weather around here at the moment! Yesterday we were battling in blizzards and avoiding frostbite, today we went rock climbing in the glorious sunshine, with the minibus thermometer reading plus 18 degrees! It really felt freakishly warm.  A total contrast to the snow, but a welcome taste of spring. We made the most of Read more

Thick clouds and incoming storm conditions made a stark contrast to the stillness of the winter wonderland of yesterday. Despite difficult conditions being well on the way, I set out with some older students to venture up into the snows before the thaw arrived. We gained height quickly against a strengthening wind as the views Read more

I was due to be taking a group of students to the Yorkshire Dales today, but couldn’t even get the van off the driveway! Woke to find much more snow than expected! I’ve always fancied skiing the hill outside The Cottage, so on finding that no vehicles had dared to try and come down it, Read more

I’m opening up the Spring evening lecture series at Plas y Brenin, the National Mountain Centre on Wednesday 15th March. I’m considering it the start (and finish?!) of my world book launch tour! Winter has been having what surely must be it’s last gasp? My planned lessons were all aborted this week in favour of Read more

Even though it was a bit of an early start from The Cottage this morning, there was still time for a solid mountaineers breakfast! Well fed and with the minimalist amount of kit squeezed into my test rucsack, set drove up the valley and set out from Ogwen Cottage into what was looking like the Read more

It was far from ideal conditions for a surf today, but the group of students that I had with me were super keen to get in the water – despite the passing of a heavy shower of hail!  Not wanting to quash their enthusiasm, we set out with a mixed fleet of kayaks and surfboards Read more