CCF Crimpiau day out

Last Saturday (24th Nov) I had the pleasure of taking a group of young CCF cadets from Kings and Queens School onto the hills for an 'AT' day.  The brief was to provide a good hill day including navigation tuition and practice. The location and outline route was already chosen by the cadet unit, a route in the Carneddau area of Snowdonia, starting along Llyn Crafnant then up to the col leading to Capel Curig, up and over Crimpiau before circling back to to the col and returning along the same route.  On doing a recce I decided that it wouldn't have been my ideal choice - too much tramping along the gravel track by the lake - but it was safe enough and importantly, unlikely to be made less safe by the bad weather forecast for Thursday, which was duly delivered and resulted in severe flooding in Llanberis.

After a thorough review of the forecast for Saturday courtesy of MWIS as well as a a check on the state of the roads, we gave the green light on Friday night, met at school at 9AM and had a thankfully uneventful drive to the car park near the head of the lake, despite the narrow road and wide minibus which had our driver (who also happens to be my wife) muttering that she was choosing the route next time !

The weather was pretty much as predicted, dry, with almost no wind, although the hoped for patches of sunshine never materialised which was a shame given all the autumn colours in evidence.

My group was the more advanced  / stronger group and interestingly comprised 6 girls and 2 boys as well as the Contingent Commander ! A few exploratory questions revealed that we had a range of navigation levels within the group, so we started with basic map setting and pace count checking, talked about handrails and collecting features and then set off with some easier nav legs which would gradually get harder, a lead pair navigating to a point set by me and the others following and trying to relocate.  At the end of the leg the navigators were asked to explain why they thought we had 'arrived' using 3 to 5 items of evidence and then the re-locators were asked to say where we were and why.  The general pattern seemed to be that navigators got it there or thereabouts, but the re-locators came up with a variety of interesting variants including being by a totally different lake at one point ! The main reason for this was I think, simply a lack of concentration, not entirely surprising given they were a group of 13/14 year olds who were happily chattering to their mates and enjoying the day out :-)

We had lunch at the col and chatted about some of the plants we could see - mainly mosses and lichens at this time of year - and what they could be used for, and spotted a couple of wild welsh mountain ponies.  

Next up was the ascent onto the summit of Crimpiau which involved a couple of small, easy rock steps - almost unnoticeable to the seasoned hill walker but quite daunting to some of our young group.  With me standing by at each step they all managed them quite comfortably but the buzz they got from doing them and feeling like they were on more serious ground was quite evident and gratifying.  It also served to show how important it is to understand the comfort zones and expectations of the group you are leading.  The summit itself has a pleasing little rock cone which provided a perfect group photo opportunity along with quite a few oohs at the panorama despite the low cloud hiding the big summits.  Some of the group were amazed at how much lower the lake looked and how far we had climbed, even though the summit is only 475m.

With time moving on, we descended the easier but very wet and slippy grassy slopes of the west side, with Mr Lee, the Contingent Commander providing much amusement as he executed a full 'banana skin' slip onto his backside about 30 secs after I had warned the group :-)  There then followed some interesting but very boggy tramping round the hill - including two bog rescues - back to the col just as the anticipated rain began, requiring a quick waterproof stop.  From there, we headed down the hill to the lake at a good pace, though the reduction in chatter compared to earlier was a give away that young legs were starting to get a bit tired. At the track head we bumped into one of the more junior groups, which kick started the chatter once more as we returned along the easy track beside the lake to the minibuses, in what was now a constant drizzle, though it didn't seem to dampen spirits in any way.  A quick turn around at the buses and headed out to arrive back at school 5 minutes ahead of 6 pm target.

In summary a good day out - nearly 12km and 750m of ascent - with a very engaging and enthusiastic bunch of young people.  They seemed to enjoy themselves so objective number 1 was accomplished.  Hopefully they also learnt a few nav skills along the way !

Rembrance Day on Great Gable - Report

As previously blogged, last week-end I made a small pilgrimage to the Lake District for a rather special Remembrance Day service. We arrived at our week-end base in Eskdale on Friday night in time for dinner and quite a few beers at the Woolpack a little further down the road. Saturday was occupied by a traverse of Crinkle Crags which in the end turned out to be a tutorial from nature in precipitation thanks to a combination of rain, hail, sleet and snow and low cloud/mist ! Saturday was more subdued night, nobody wanting to be in poor shape for the following morning.

Sunday dawned beautifully clear and crisp after a star filled night and hopes were high for clear conditions on Gable. However, as we drove round we could see cloud stubbornly clinging to the top of Gable and Kirk Fell from the col of Beck Head upwards. No matter I thought, in some ways cold, murky conditions are more fitting for the occasion.

As we arrived we could already see a steady stream of people labouring their way up the grinding slope of Gavel Neese and once parking was negotiated we set off ourselves to join the upward flow of humanity. There were all shapes, sizes and ages; I reckon I saw an age range between about eight and eighty but it was probably broader than that. Some people trekked up relatively easily, others having to stop every few yards – all equally determined to get there by 11 AM. We hit the cloud at the col and from there upwards care was need as the going became more of a scramble and the rock was very greasy.

We gained the summit plateau at around 10.45 AM to be greeted by the uplifting sight of a large throng already gathered there, wrapped up against the chill mist and breeze. With a lot of people behind us, this was clearly going to be quite a large gathering. We gained a good spot close to the top and put on extra layers to wait for service to start. 

At around 10.55 an individual from the Fell & Rock Club brought the crowd to silence as he began to tell the story of how and why the service takes place on the top of Gable and to explain that an event, which began as a private tribute to fallen comrades from the Fell and Rock Club has grown with their blessing into a non religious, non political tribute to those who fell in WWI and later wars. 

Finally, at 11 AM he called for two minutes silence, which scrupulously observed by the hundreds massed around the memorial stone, many removing hats and hoods despite the cold – a sight every bit as moving as I thought it would be. At the end of the silence there was a moment’s pause before a steady dignified clapping of hands quickly gathered momentum and volume. 

And then, by 11.05 it was over, about as simple a service as one could get, but all the more powerful for its brevity in that the stunning location.  I spent a few minutes looking at the memorial stone before we began our descent.

 

I felt that my earlier suspicion that the cloud and cold would add to the solemnity of the occasion was confirmed and maybe someone/thing agreed because about 5 minutes after the end of the service, the cloud started to lift and we were treated to bright sunshine as we (controversially ?) descended via the screes of Great Hell’s Gate.

When we reached Wasdale Head again, a somewhat unusual vehicle told us that we'd had some unexpected guests !

Remembrance Day with a Difference

This week-end I am off to the Lake District, to the Wasdale / Eskdale area in fact to meet up with a group of friends of my good friend and Alps / Scotland buddy, Graeme.  The wintry feel may have gone for now but I'm still looking forward for a good week-end of walking and scrambling.  But this is a week-end with a difference because it is remembrance week-end and Sunday is 11/11.  So this year I am going to mark the occasion by attending the remembrance service on the top of Great Gable. This is a service with a proud history (acknowledgements to www.uktv.co.uk/eden):

After WWI a climbing club based in the Lake District wanted to create a memorial for members who died in the conflict. Deciding on a grand gesture, surviving clubmen purchased 3000 acres of high mountain in memory of their fallen comrades. Included in the purchase, among other peaks, was Great Gable, the most beautifully situated peak in the Lakes. In 1923 these hills were presented to the National Trust in perpetuity. Each year, a group of climbers ascends Great Gable for a Remembrance Sunday service (held on the second Sunday in November, the closest to Armistice Day on the 11th) and stands by the plaque that marks the summit. 

Over the years this non-denominational service has become one of the more popular and unusual Remembrance Sunday activities.  By 11am each year several hundred hardy souls will have gathered, regardless of the often inclement weather, to hear readings and observe a period of silence. 

 This year I shall be proud to be one of them.

IML Summer Training successfully negotiated !

My training course is finished and I've been spending the week-end chilling out and considering next steps.  Overall, a very enjoyable course with lots of new learning, it's quite different from previous courses in that there is almost and even split between classroom and outdoor learning with subjects such as Law, High Altitude Physiology, Environment and Marketing being covered as well as the core outdoor skills.

There isn't a lot new on the technical side but existing skills are expected to be executed to a higher level.  New skills such as use of slings and carabiner, movement on ground with fixed protection are introduced, expectations on environmental knowledge are significantly increased and the river crossing was rather more exciting ... if you can class wading chest deep through a raging torrent as exciting ! ... with more emphasis on use of rope, though the emphasis on avoidance remains.

The navigation speed test was on everyone's mind as it is an assessed element of the IML scheme included within this training.  This is a test of efficient navigation over mountain terrain at ML standard run on an orienteering format. Fortunately, this was run on Tuesday so we could get it over with and relax.  In the end, the test was fine and I finished about 45 mins within the time limit and all controls correct - phew !

Highlight of the course was the full mountain day on Thursday, in quite wintry conditions with a light dusting of snow above 800M. Our personal and leadership skills were put under the spotlight with unfamiliar maps and foreign route descriptions and we had to deliver an informal talk we had prepared in advance - my choice being a blend of mythology and geology on the Pyrenees.  The best part though, was just being out with a good bunch and a very experienced instructor who seemed to be able to find interesting things everywhere even in a fairly wintry environment.

The other highlight was meeting a group of like minded people, some of whom have considerable experience in a wide range of environments and were happy to share it.  We even had an Everest summiteer who was happy to be persuaded to give us an impromptu slide and video show.  I also now have a possible winter ski touring partner in Scotland :-)

Oh yes and I can give @PlasyBrenin the thumbs up for training at least.  Superb location with stunning views of the Snowdon horseshoe, quality instructors and decent food.