Monday 26 November 2012

Donegal Rock Climbing Courses

 And Sho, the task is done and a small rock climbing army has been trained, assessed and qualified as rock climbing instructors, whilst working in secret under the cover of bright sunshine and clear blue skies on the Donegal coastline. The legion has now been duly dispatched back to from whence they came to every corner of this fair island to spread the vertical word.
 Our story begins almost a year ago when HQ at Gartan assembled the recruits and training began. A swift introduction to the ways of the vertical world began with the essentials of safe rock climbing practice and with the troops well versed in the safety chain we entered the fray in search of vertical pleasure.
 The secret to any good rock climbing strategy is in the weather and with all our covert missions operating well with in the little known Donegal rainshadow and we managed to climb from March to November with very few damp days. :-)

Donegal Rock Climbing

The chasm, Cruit Island

Gola Island, new routes

Easter Wall, Gola Island

The Outdoor Climbing Wall

 Progression is the key to appropriate teaching and over the course of the year we progressed through the learning ladder of the vertical world, top ropes, bottom ropes, belay building, escaping the system and a whole plethora of techniques and systems climbers use to stay safe whilst performing potentially dangerous activities. 

 Belay Building

Top Rope Systems

Bottom rope systems

Rock Climbing systems

A climbers committee meeting

Group work at Jock's wall, Cruit Island

 And so, as we progressed through the echelons of vertical teaching to arrive at the turning point of all seekers of vertical pleasure, learning to lead. An act of hand placing protection in the natural features in the rock and then defying logic and reason by climbing above it.
 With flying colours the troops passed through this portal and into the very real world of rock climbing.

Learning to Lead

The Perfect belay Stance

Donegal Rock Climbing

Another day at the office

 At this juncture the troops were signed off as lead climbers and off they went, very soon reports of new routes, unclimbed rock, big falls and suitably scary moments began to filter in from different parts of Ireland as the troops went on their vertical missions. 

Lead Climbing on Cruit Island

Preparing to Lead

 A massive well done to everyone on the FAS instructor course, everyone did extremely well and will go on to push their own envelopes in the greatly misunderstood vertical world.
 My favourite quote during the course came a gentleman upon completing his first lead quipped,
 "Top roping seems kind of boring now," and I'm sure Sean would agree "Exshellent Mish Moneypenny!"  

Rock Climbing in Ireland












    








  

Tuesday 6 November 2012

Mountain Training in Ireland

An sho, with the most defo passing of an outstanding summer in the distant North West, long gone are the warm sunny days and bright blue skies to be replaced with snow on the hills (Hurrah!) and white water rage on the coast line.

Ireland's Longest Rock climb

 Having spent the summer guiding people to some of the most outrageous locations in Ireland it is now the time of year to share these skills and the knowledge required to safely visit these outstanding locations and thus allow people to expand their horizons and safely visit their own outstandingly beautiful places of their desires. 

Eagles Rock, Leitrim

Glenlough Bay, Donegal

 Over the last few weeks what started as a trickle has become a flood of people requiring a vast array of different mountain training for many many different personal goals.
 Paid a visit to Dalkey Quarry and ran a days Single Pitch Award refresher course, ran several Learn to Lead courses, a Single Pitch Award Training course, a Mountain Skills 1 Training Course, directed a Mountain Leader Assessment and trained several people with very specific noble goals from sea stack climbing to standing on the summit of Everest.

Night Navigation in Donegal

 Mountain Leader Assessment

12 Bens Connemara

Mountain Skills Training

Learn to Lead Rock Climb, Donegal

Mountain Skills Training Sligo

Single Pitch Award Training

Group Abseil, SPA training

Mountain Skills Training, Donegal

 With continued bookings for many more courses one thing always stands out as a common denominator, there are people from all walks of life with a huge range of life experience all with a common goal and that is to explore, push their personal limitations and have as much fun as possible in the process. :-)