Saturday 31 March 2012

Trad is Rad!

Craigy on Castrol R (I think!)
With being so hectic over the last few months it was nice to have a day to get out and do a bit of trad climbing.  The venue for today was Pigeon.  Even though I have done all the routes there multiple times it is nice to get some mileage in at the start of the trad season.


Kahlua's first day out cragging!











Craigy (www.hillerscapes.co.uk) and myself managed 5 route - Phantoms (E1), GTX (E1), Castrol R (HVS), Citroen (HVS) and Yellow Brick Road (E1).  Meet two visiting climbers from America, other than that the crag was quite!  Did see the lesser spotted 
About to ab off Phantoms, note climbing behind on Yellow Brick Road
Jonny Parr out for a wee dander!

Friday 30 March 2012

'Gearing Up' with Cycling Ireland

Last weekend I had the pleasure of running the first 'Gearing Up Off Road' course for Cycling Ireland.  It's a new scheme designed to teach the basics of Mountain Biking to any beginners over 11 years old (under 11's are catered for by the Sprocket Rocket scheme).  We trained up 14 coaches from various clubs and organisations to deliver the course to their members.

Jay tearing up a corner


14 new trainers!








Cycling Ireland share Rock and Ride's passion for teaching mountain bike skills and they are working really positively to move away from purely performance sport.  If you are a club member or individual who would like to become a Gearing Up trainer, the next course is the weekend of 5th May in Wicklow/Limerick (to be confirmed).  Contact Rachel Ormerod at Cycling Ireland for details.

Tuesday 27 March 2012

Evening Rock Climbing Sessions starting 18th April

Wanna learn how to climbing safely, and in the sun?

With the long evenings and settled weather Rock & Ride Outdoors will be running weekly climbing sessions in the Mournes starting on the 18th April. These sessions will start at 6.30pm and will run until it gets dark!  

The price for each individual session is £20, but if you want to book a block we will be able to give you a reduced price.  

The sessions will take place at either Altnadue Quarry, Hen Mt, Pigeon Rock or Spellack.  Each venue will be decided prior to the session and participants will be informed.

The sessions are very much designed to be progressive.  During the sessions the instructor will look at many of the skills covered in our Touch Rock & Resin 2 Rock courses and will be able to tailor the session to the skills you would like to look at.

This is the Mournes, Binnian to be precise!

To book a place drop us an email to info@rockandrideoutdoors.com.

Monday 26 March 2012

Alpkit Sponsorship and my first blog!

So just after Xmas Alpkit  and myself started a little sponsorship deal.  For everyone that doesn't know about alpkit you should defiantly check out their website.  They are a small web based company that produce, design and sell come really affordable equipment.  With no middle man their prices are better than any shops!

The first bit of kit they send out to me was their Filo Down Jacket.  At £95 it is a total bargain.  It is half the weight of my old down jacket and the cut is very technical.  When I put it properly through it paces (hopefully in the alps this summer) I will do a proper review and write up on it!

Well here is my first official blog with alpkit, and no doubt there will be more to come!

And here is a picture from work this weekend!  Repeat bookings are coming in already!

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Site Specific Training

The traverse wall!





Today Jonny Parr was working for Rock and Ride Outdoors. He did a little induction with 6 people looking at harness fitting, tying in, belaying, lowering and other concerns associated with an indoor climbing wall.











The wall was only recently finished by Pat Nolan of Bolder Climbing Walls.  It is not massive as you can see from the pictures but it is a start, and lets hope it gets people in the local area interested in climbing!

Wednesday 14 March 2012

Meelmore with NI Bootcamp!

Looking up into Hare's Gap!





This week I had the pleasure of working with Ian at NI Bootcamp.  We were working with a really cool bunch of folk from Belfast many of which had never been into the hills before.

Descending over Spellack








Our walk ended up taking us along the Trassey Track and over Slieve Meelmore before descending over spellack.  It was a shame the fog never lifted but none the less it was a great day to be out!

Saturday 10 March 2012

Rock Climbing - Huntlys cave

Final day for Malcolm on his winter climbing course. We thought the best option was rockclimbing due to the severe loss of snow and mild conditions. So after fours days on the hill getting a few ticks done for Malcolm we headed to Huntlys Cave and climbed on dry rock and also looked at some rigging systems.

Great to see Malcolm again and manage to climb every day in what maybe the final bit of winter we have left.

I'm working again for Tollymore next week with Mountain Rescue personnel who are over for a weeks training.

Friday 9 March 2012

What a difference a day makes 'Part 2'

After yesterdays snow, temperatures climbed quicker than us! Not planning on a big day we headed back into Sneachda and tried to imagine a pristine white corrie. Things where borderline on many areas but we decided on an empty Aladdins Buttress Ordinary Route IV 5. A quick couple of abs off and back for coffee.
It could be a rockclimbing day tomorrow.

Great Jacket for Photos!

Wednesday 7 March 2012

4 days done and 1 to go, MIC training

So with Ronnie on the East and working for Tollymore and me on the West doing my MIC training the blog has been pretty busy.  It just shows how active we are, be it working or just getting out in our own time, just one of the many reasons to come out for some guiding or instruction with the guys at Rock & Ride Outdoors!

Some pics from the last few days.  I will be do a little write up for Alpkit (they help me out a bit) on my MIC training so watch this space for that!

Comb Gully Buttress looking very wintery!

Me on White Line, III but a bit lean

buried mars bar belays!
Enjoy.

What a difference a day makes!

In fact what a difference a few hours make. Limited to climbing on the Fiacaill Buttress we had a late start and arrived to find lots of people with the same idea.
Choice was to climb something nobody else was on and that became the Seam IV 5.
It started snowing and gave everything a much more wintery look.
Malcolm tried leashless for the first time which proved a hit.
Top pitch



It's a ducks life

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Wind is howling

Sitting in the chalet and the wind is howling!
Cairngorm is giving a mean wind speed of 72 & gusts over 95mph.

Happy days as some snow also forecast.

Couloir - Lochnain

Aisling joined Malcolm and I for a climb in Lochnain today. Much windier than of late giving a full on winter day. We decided to climb 'The Couloir' which has good snow for its entire length and also an interesting little icey pitch at the bottom at around grade 2.
For Aislings' first winter route it proved no problem and certainly a baptisim by fire given the wind.

Exposure aplenty



Monday 5 March 2012

Winter returns

Working again for Tollymore on a winter climbing course this week. At least the hills have a respectable coat and along with cold and clear weather Malcolm and I got on Fingers Ridge IV 5. Certainly stiff at the start  with the minimal cover but great route and fininshing in the sun.
Malcolm on the tricky first pitch

Lots to do when not so good!

When the weather and winter does its best to deter climbing what do you do. LOTS. Although the snow had mostly disappeared from the Cairngorms we managed to fill all our days with lots of technique and ropework sessions, Ice factor trip and rockclimbing in the mild weather on dry rock at Huntlys cave.

Hopefully all went away happy with a broad range of experiences to help them on the hills in the future.