Prince's Trust Residential. October 11th - 14th, 2016.

After his Scrambling Skills Training Weekend in The Lake District with Clym & Ellie, Iain was back in The Yorkshire Dales the following Tuesday - working with the York Prince's Trust Group.

During the previous week, Iain had worked with a number of different groups on different days either scrambling or Rock Climbing. During this week, he remained with the same group for the duration of their Prince's Trust Residential.

During the first day, Iain collected the group from York by minibus (Iain is also PCV Qualified with full CPC so can therefore transport groups as well) and then drove to Harrogate Climbing Centre where we spent the afternoon rock climbing . Not everyone in the group chose to take part in this session, but it is, of course, challenge by choice! Photo one was actually taken the next morning during our scrambling session at Brimham Rocks.

Photo two sees Iain's group for the week at Brimham Rocks in North Yorkshire. Brimham is a great place and gets used a lot by groups from many of the areas outdoor centres for introductory Rock Climbing Sessions and scrambling.

The area consists of outcrops of Grit-stone interspersed throughout woodland on a ridge. Many of these can be climbed on to and we spent a morning doing just that - but by helping each other up and down where required. Lots of fun and very rewarding; many in the group enjoyed this activity more than they though they would!

In the afternoon the group went caving at Manchester Hole in Nearby Nidderdale and then in the evening, for a treat, we all went Ten Pin Bowling in Skipton, great fun!

On the groups second full day of activities, we drove from our base at West End near Blubberhouses to Malham to do the "Malham Challenge Walk".

The challenge walk involved the group being given a map and a list of clues designed to help them follow a route from Malham Village up to Malham Cove and then up & across the moor above to Goredale Scar and hence back to the minibus at Malham.

The weather on our second day wasn't great - rain showers were forecast for the day and a pretty heaving one started just as we arrived at the village. Now these groups can be quite challenging as if they don't want to do something, they won't be forced; and as the rain started, many were not at all keen to leave the warm & dry bus.

Fortunately, with a little coaxing by the skilled & experienced Prince's Trust Leaders, we managed to persuade the group to leave the vehicle; and minutes later, we were in warm sunshine again. This lifted everyone's spirits and we all enjoyed the hike up to Malham Cove and on to the pavement above where both photos were taken.

We continued around to Goredale, but some of our participants (who had been on the same residential the previous year) weren't keen to walk up there again, so Iain walked them back to the bus and we then waited another 45 minutes for the rest of the group to return.

The next morning, after the group had packed and cleaned West End, Iain returned them to York and then drove back to The Lake District to get ready for our next groups adventure - Ghyll Scrambling!

Kendal Mountaineering Services run all manner of great activity sessions and Skills Training Courses in The Lake District, Wales & Scotland. If you would like to know what we can offer you then visit our website here. We look forward to working with you!