|
ROCK CLIMBING ITINERARY The following is an itinerary for one of our five day introductory rock climbing courses. This should be taken as an example only, as we always have to remain flexible as regards weather conditons and client's abilities and aspirations. As we usually work on a one instructor to two client ratio, we have plenty of opportunity to develop skills in a variety of directions during the week. Day 1. This starts with introductions, a discussion of the course outline, and collection of equipment. Most of the day is spent looking at basic belaying methods and stance management for single pitch climbs, both at the top and the bottom of the route. We will discuss the appropriateness of a variety of techniques, and various ways of belaying an ascending leader or second. There is a fair amount of technical input during this first day, so we will be careful that it does not get too confusing! Abseiling is a large part of rock climbing, both for convenience and in emergency situations, so that will also be covered. The venue will often be Huntly's Cave near Grantown on Spey, a very picturesque location, which has the added bonus of a Perigrine nest nearby, the chicks starting to fly in the mid to late spring. The walk to the venue is only of a few minutes duration, as indeed it is to the majority of sites that we commonly use during the week. Day 2. Although there is no pressure to lead routes during the week, peope often wish to do so, and this is the day on which we introduce the use of leader-placed-protection. These are known as "running belays", and are the root from which the safety structure of climbing ascents, both summer and winter, are based. Time will be spent looking at the various types of equipment used for protection and the manner in which they are deployed, and your instructor will lead one or two easy routes so that you can see how the system works. If you wish to try leading at this stage you will be welcome to do so, with your instructor climbing along side on a separate rope, helping you to select the correct equipment and place it in a safe manner. The Pass of Ballater is an excellent venue for this day, having a good selection of lower grade routes that are easy to protect. The crag is also quite short, so a number of routes can be climbed. Day 3. Training is an important part of rock climbing, and we will spend part of this day looking at developing the skills to help you advance through the grades. Bouldering is not only a popular way of training, but is also often seen as a sport in its own right. Using the cliffs of Cummingston, we will look at a variety of bouldering techniques, and also be able to lead some routes in the area. Cummingston is a sandstone cliff overlooking the Moray Firth, situated on a pleasant shingle beach, and with the added attraction of a school of Bottle-Nose dolphins living nearby, which are often seen in the shallows by the cliffs. Day 4. This day is often purely leading, and, hopefully, you will now be able to find your way round a crag using guide book descriptions. The plan will be for you to climb whichever routes you like, with your instructor climbing alongside, using the guide book and a little prompting from local knowledge! There are few better places for this than Logie Head, also situated overlooking the Moray Firth, a fin of compacted sandstone jutting out into the sea. A sun-trap in a beautiful location, the dolphins are also frequent visitors here. Day 5. This day includes a mixture of leading, looking at how to change over leads when multi-pitch climbing, and introduces emergency procedures. These emergency techniques will include assisted and un-assisted hoisting, escaping the system and prussiking. The venue could well be one already used during the week, with Cummingston being a popular choice. The day ends with the return of gear and a de-brief over a pint or two. |