July onwards

We've been very busy here at Kendal Mountaineering services over the last few months - both with private clients and other organisations which use our services. Iain has been busy with centre work around the county and also in other areas too.


During the first weekend in July we travelled to Rhydd Dhu in North Wales to join the Outdoors Magic Supermeet which had been organised as a social event with a view to bringing OM members together to get to know each other and also, take part in some of the courses that had been laid on.

Unfortunately, the weather on the Saturday was poor but found Iain heading to Tryfan with three members - Kelvin, Martyn & Mike who wished to learn basic scrambling techniques. During this day, spent on ground between Milestone Buttress and the North Ridge, we covered spotting and short roping techniques and delved into aspects of indirect, semi-direct and direct belaying techniques during which we looked at gear placements and setting up anchors/belays et cetera. During this time we were liberally doused by shower after shower, but despite getting soaked everyone agreed at the end of the day that it had been most useful.

We always manage to get positive feedback from any of the courses we run. With regards to that day on Tryfan, Kelvin, recently commented

"just like to say thanks a lot for what was a great day. Since then I've taken a couple of mates who are new to the mountains, up Tryfan North Ridge, Bristly Ridge and a few smaller scrambles round there. I wouldn't have had the confidence to lead them up there if it hadn't been for your course and we made full use of the techniques you taught me for spotting someone".

Unfortunately we've no shots to show you from that day as it was so wet it would have been instant death to a digital camera. However, we did get shots from some of our other days out - see next post.

Anyway, following on from that weekend, Iain had four days working from Ullswater with a school who bring a group to the Lake District every July. Things done included Kayaking on Ullswater, abseiling & ghyll scrambling in Borrowdale and a traverse of Blencathra by the magnificent Sharp Edge. All in all, an excellent 4 days!

The next few weeks saw Iain doing odd bits of centre work plus continued renovations on the house. We went away for a weekend to see friends in Hitchin, Hertfordshire - a lovely little Market town. Towards the end of the month we had a group booking for ghyll scrambling and the next post is about that.