Guy Steven Guiding: Autumn catch up

Sunday 8 November 2015

Autumn catch up

It has been a wee while since I have had a sit down to write a wee update, which is great as it has been such an action packed few weeks. I guess the brilliant weather has helped. Fortunately I haven't had to travel around too much as the rock has been dry and work has been local. A couple of visits to Brin Rock and Tunnel Wall helped kick of Sport Climbing season, given that I haven't had a great summer of rock climbing, I felt I was doing ok. Really enjoyed the routes I tried. Really pleased to climb Uncertain Emotions in Glencoe after a couple of visits. I also made the most of some nice days with cragging at Creag Dubh, bouldering at the Skeleton Boulder in Glen Nevis and mountain biking at Wolftrax before work kicked in. I have just finished my 3rd week working at the Joint Services Mountain Training Centre in Ballachulish (the military version of Plas y Brenin and Glenmore Lodge). I have been working on a host of instructor training courses, two weeks of rock climbing instructor training and assessments and a week of Mountain Leader Training. We visited a whole host of single pitch climbing venues, some with a lengthy drives but worth it for the dry rock and the climbing. Its been great working Monday to Friday 8am-5pm, feels like a 'real job' with time to spare and weekends to catch up with folk. With an upcoming trip away sport climbing on the Greek Island of Kalymnos I have been trying hard to build some fitness to get the most of the trip. So a few trips to Ratho (best indoor wall in Scotland...if not the UK!) and mid week bouldering have been doing the trick. This week I am working on Mountain Leader Assessment so will be out on the hills for the week which will be great, before flying out at the weekend. I'm hoping that when I return at the start of December I will be straight into winter climbing so watch this space.