Summer in Wales and BMG Summer Test

It has been a great summer for me and all the hard work has paid off.  I spent the 4 weeks after India, in the mountains of Snowdonia.  I was climbing, mountaineering and getting to know the place as best I could.  My final week there I was assessed as part of the IFMGA Guide Scheme and happy to report that I passed this first step.  A massive thanks goes out to my clients I had this season, all the other candidates on the scheme and all my climbing partners and those willing to come out on the wettest of days.  Couldn't have done it without you!  Now I can look forward to the winter aspect of the British Guides Scheme, another training course followed by a 6 day assessment!  Is it winter yet?

Great weather in Ogwen

Dave on Gambit Climb

Dave on Tryfan

Dave doing his thing

Client Sean scrambling in Ogwen

Evening cragging on the Slate quarries

Evening cragging on the Great Orme

More routes at Gogarth

Essential post climbing analysis

BMG assessor Graham Ettle at Gogarth

Sunshine and sea at Gogarth

Jack leading on the Guides assesment

Evening cragging

My teaching day on my guides test (Photo credit:Steve Long)

Pinnacle Ridge

Making our way up to the first pinnacle

Today was the final day for Nadir to get some photo's of Lee and I but unfortunately the weather was deteriorating as the day went on.  So with this in mind we left the car at 6am and made our way into the mist...
We headed up Pinnacle Ridge as Nadir had a particular shot in mind but as we reached the location it was too cloudy.  Oh well, we still got some good shots and some brilliant scrambling.

Modelling is much easier than guiding!

Power pants in action!

An Doras to the In Pinn

We were not the only ones on the In Pinn!  Good shot Lee

Today it was me and Lee out and we fancied a good stretch of the legs in the Cuillin.  Lee hadnt done much on the ridge so we blasted over a few tops.  From An Dorus in the cloud to the In Pinn in the cloud.  The cloud eventually lifted but be were on our way down by this point.

Round of Coire Lagan

Me and Lee enjoying a cloudy and wet day

Today I was out with Nadir Kahn, a photographer and Lee Fleming, a keen climber and an all round nice guy!  However he does say 'man' at the end of every sentence which is a bit weird!  I'm out with these guys for 4 days to try and get some good shots in the Cuillin and the sea cliffs of Skye as well as test out some kit from RAB and sunglasses from Jublo.  Today we opted with a round of Coire Lagan.  Up under the Cioch, onto Sgurr Alasdair, over Hart's Ledge, up Mhicoinnich and down the An Stac screes.  I go no photographs as I felt in adequate with my little camera!

Approaching the Summit of Sgurr Alasdair

Brewing up 

Another amazing shot