Glenmore Lodge Blog

Stewart Island Circumnavigation by Carl and Giles

2010-04-06T00:12:00.002+01:00

Giles has recently returned from a holiday in New Zealand where he teamed up with Carl to circumnavigate Stewart Island by Sea Kayak. The trip was a success though they had to cope with fairly extreme weather and some tight weather windows. Needless to say on a day of 40knot winds they ascended Mount Anglem, Stewart island's own 'Munro'. Some 50km+ paddling days were necessary as was an 0500 start. With just 5 km to go they had to wait 2 hrs for the wind to ease before continuing. It was not exactly a holiday...taking 8 days in total Giles reckoned he lost 4kg in body weight.

Ben Nevis CIC hut week

2010-04-05T23:17:00.003+01:00

Giles is just back from an amazing week based at the CIC hut with two clients - Veronica Legg and Zane Denton.
We had a great week despite the attempts of the wind to thwart our efforts on Tuesday when we were one of only two teams to climb.
On Monday in great weather we climbed Tower Ridge and descended No. 4 Gully. On Tuesday we battled to Italian Climb Right Hand in very strong winds and descended by abseil, on Wednesday we climbed a steep Vanishing Gully with an abseil descent down 1934 Route, on Thursday we climbed Orion Direct, we were the only team climbing on the Orion Face and descended via Coire Leis and on Friday we were first on Point Five in sublime conditions. With an 0500 wake up it was worth the effort. We visited the summit of the Ben on 3 occasions.

Kayaking Seaon Is Upon Us!

2010-03-24T16:18:00.003+01:00

As the vast quantities of snow begin to melt the rivers are coming up and it won't be long before the paddling is first class! We have just received our new fleet of Piranha kayaks for 2010 including some of the new "2010 Burn's".

The team have speant most of today checking through the new boats and fittig them out in preperation for our first kayaking courses of the season.

MCofS Winter Skills at Glenmore Lodge

2010-03-24T10:44:00.002+01:00

Eighteen students from Edinburgh University Wilderness Medicine Society took part in a winter skills training day on Sunday 21st March. The day was arranged by the Scottish Students' Mountain Safety Officer, Roger Wild and the cost was subsidised by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland. The students were instructed by Rupert Hutchinson, Kathryn Bromfield and Mark Scales.

The day began with planning and preparation including clothing and equipment, weather, avalanche awareness and route choice. The groups practiced navigation on the way to the northern corries where secure footwork and effective use of ice axe and crampons were practiced. Self-arrest was thoroughly covered and navigation skills were developed during the day.

James Conlon, the society's training officer said,
"Many thanks for all your help in organising and subsidising the winter skills course last weekend. We all had a fantastic time and received excellent tuition in winter mountaineering."

Mountaineering Council of Scotland Vacancies

2010-03-23T12:28:00.001+01:00

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS)

Vacancies for Directors

The MCofS Board is responsible for the governance of the Council and consists of 8 elected directors, each of whom is responsible for a specific area of activity which contributes to the achievement of the MCofS Strategic Plan. We are now seeking nominations from individual members and members of clubs to stand for election to our Board of voluntary directors.

Candidates will have a commitment to mountaineering, hill walking or climbing activities, and should be prepared to instigate projects which are relevant to our strategic aims. As such, the duties are likely to include chairing an advisory group of volunteers, which will inform and support the work of our officers.

The work - with a small team of colleagues, and officers, whose shared aim is to represent, support and promote Scottish mountaineering - should be very rewarding.

We wish nominees to be aware of the commitment required. Whilst we pay expenses, the work is voluntary and will require significant time and energy. In addition to experience gained in mountaineering activities, suitable nominees will benefit from:
• Familiarity with the way company Boards work, ideally in a not-for-profit environment
• Understanding of the general principles of corporate responsibility
• Experience of the voluntary sector
• Appropriate interpersonal skills, including an ability to communicate effectively, both written and oral
• Being computer literate, with ready access to email and the internet

The minimum age for candidates is 16 and MCofS positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, or religion or belief.

We anticipate having elections for three vacancies at the next AGM. One of these will be for the director responsible for Mountain Safety and Training, a role for which we anticipate a co-optee will be appointed in the short term, and stand for election at the AGM.

We are particularly interested in individuals with skills and experience gained in the following fields:
• Marketing, membership development and sponsorship
• Corporate affairs, including the legal implications of running a limited company, and human resources
Nominees should plan to participate in the MCofS AGM which will be held at Glenmore Lodge, by Aviemore, on Saturday 4 September 2010, at 16:00.

This is a fantastic opportunity to put something back into mountaineering and to help shape the future of the MCofS. To apply or obtain further information please contact David Gibson, Company Secretary, The Mountaineering Council of Scotland, The Old Granary, West Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5QP. Tel: 01738-493947 or 07845-919150. email davidg@mcofs.org.uk

Alistair Lees Memorial XC time trial

2010-03-04T12:07:00.002+01:00

Alistair Lees Memorial XC Time Trail

28th March

Innerleithen Forestry Commission Carpark

It's back and it's better ! Voted for recently in an online poll we started as the Best Course Ever, the traditional early season XC Time Trial will be held on Sunday 28th March.

This year we will be using a 21km course, and all riders will complete one lap. This is a great event if you are just starting out at XC, with all riders leaving at one minute intervals from 11.01 and no start line tussles.

The trophy, in memory of our friend Alistair who died of cancer in November 2007, will be awarded in the Vet category. We will be taking a split time at the top of the course and a prize will be awarded for the fastest male and female riders on that section.

Full catering services will be provided at the event, courtesy of the Rice Risotto van.

Event website www.innerleithenmtbracing.com

Posted by Rob, alpine Bikes

Cardrona Pump and Jump Track

2010-03-04T12:02:00.003+01:00

After securing lottery funding towards the end of last year, with the help of Alpine Bikes customer base, the project team are proud to announce that they broke ground this morning! I'll try and get some photos uploaded when we have them, but our anticipated completition date for this to be built is the end of the month.

This'll be great for the Tweed Valley as it will give another superb facility within stones throw of Glen Tress.

I shall post a formal announcement when it's all up and running.

Rob
Alpine Bikes
Innerleithen

WOW! This week at the Lodge

2010-02-26T15:39:00.003+01:00

This has been one of the best Scottish winters in living history! This week alone we have had blue sky perfect conditions followed by over 3ft of fresh powder dropping. It has been perfect for skiing and all the winter programme although yesterday and today has called on all our instructors to be creative with how they use so much snow!

The snow plough has been going full time to keep the road clear although some of our guests would cleraly like the opportunity to be trapped here in this winter wonderland. Some of the instructor team stayed over to make sure they could get in for the last day of their five day courses and helped to make sure the bar takings were not falling behind.

These shots show the variety of conditions in one week here in the Cairngorms.

Uplift Scotland is aiming to run uplifts almost every weekend!!

2010-02-23T14:47:00.003+01:00

Uplift Scotland is aiming to run uplifts almost every weekend!!

Just in from Tally, “Uplift Scotland are aiming to run uplifts almost every weekend throughout 2010. Bookings will only open 6 weeks before the uplift, this is to allow events to still take place at the venues. We will endeavour to give as much notice as possible to any weekends that will be events not uplifts. Once bookings open the uplift will definitely run. Go to www.upliftscotland.com for more details!”

Rob

Alpine Bikes

Innerleithen

SDA Alpine Bikes race Pitfichie

2010-02-23T14:47:00.002+01:00

“IMPORTANT RACE INFORMATION – CHANGE OF DATE Due to Forestry Enterprise double booking Pitfichie Forest we have had to change the date of the first round at Pitfichie to the 24th/25th April, one week later. We sincerely apologize, we booked our date some time ago and Forest Enterprise acknowledge this but the Granite Rally is using the forest on the same dates and unfortunately we are lower in the pecking order.

Why the FCS accepted our booking last December we don’t know. Anyway, we have to change because both events cannot run at the same time.

We are now racing at Pitfichie the following weekend APRIL 24-25

Sorry about this, but it was out of our hands. We realise that this new date clashes with an SXC round, but we cannot swap venues on the original date. We can only offer our apologies to those who are inconvenienced.

Derek”

ALPINE BIKES WINTER SERIES ROUND 2

2010-02-23T12:08:00.003+01:00

Sponsored by Alpine Bikes, Buff, Trek, Fox clothing and Borderline Events

After the unfortunate cancellation of round 1, Round 2 of the Alpine bikes winter Series race took place at the weekend. As the name suggests it’s a winter race and the weather definitely kept it’s end of the bargain, with an overnight low of -15 and -7 showing on my car on Sunday morning.

The track at first appeared to be a bit sketchy and some big names decided that rather than risk a pre season injury, they’d watch from the comfort of the side. As the end results proved, the brave would win spectacularly. Total entries for the event were over 300 but only 203 raced, which at least kept proceedings a bit shorter.

Don’t get us wrong, there were some quite spectacular crashes, and our local A & E department will undoubtedly have been grumbling about the number of biking injuries (one of the consultants thinks mountain biking should be banned), but at least we’re not dying of heart attacks on our couches!

As I say some of the winners did it with great style.

Lewis Buchannan, his first ride as a junior goes and beats the field by 14 seconds on a borrowed bike from us. Lewis beat all comers last year, and looks set to do it again this year – if you want to sponsor a highly talented rider, this is your chance. He’s a great ambassador for the sport and is worthy of the attention.

Lewis’ 14 second gap is impressive, but Alpine Bikes Sponsored rider, Joe Connell took a further 3 seconds from that, taking the youth win by 17 seconds over Stuart Wilcox with Gregor Notman in 3rd. Who says there was no grip to exploit out there? As I say victory was for the brave (or insane).

Juvenille class was won by Niall Morrison, Dan Farley in 2nd place with Frazer McCubbing in 3rd.

The hardtail category (big respect to these guys, especially on an icy course) was won by Steve Larking with Stuart Black in second place and taking 3rd spot on the podium was Tom Cleave (who’s forks snapped in practice and were replaced by us overnight to keep him riding).

Masters category was won by Daz Westwood, Sion Jones in 2nd place just in front of Erland Mowat in 3rd.

In the vets class Pete Hoggan was the victor over Stevie Boyd with Seb Ramsay in 3rd.

Unfortunately for Harriet Latchem riding in a field of one meant all she had to do was get down the hill to win the Elite women’s, but her time did put some men to shame, which has got to be some consolation.

Bex Reilly took the women’s win,from Angela Coates with Mairi Gillis in 3rd. Mairi was riding her new BOS Idyll forks for the first time in anger and reckons they were awesome, which is good as we sold them to her! Her view on the forks when she came in was “They’re amazing”.

In expert riders, it was Alasdair Maclennan with the second fastest time of the day that took the win over Dale Russell with Eliot Machin in 3rd place.

It was a fantastic day, and again thanks to the following sponsors:

BUFF
FOX CLOTHING
TREK BIKES

And of course, BORDERLINE EVENTS, for organizing the whole thing and more importantly, getting the first round in at the pub on Saturday.
3 weeks till the next one, and we’re all hoping to have slightly better weather and more people down the hill.

Rob
Alpine Bikes
Innerleithen

Stunning weather in the Cairngorms!

2010-02-22T12:43:00.005+01:00

When the weather's like it was this weekend there is no where better to be! Forget the alps, go to the cairngorms! Saturday and Sunday had to be one of the most spectacular weekends I have ever seen up here. The hills were plastered in snow and ice, we had blue skies, sunshine and no wind!

The weather is set to continue like this for the next few days at least so what are you waiting for?!

Here's a couple of photos from sticil face on Shelterstone, taken on Sunday the 21st of February.

Sport Relief - Up a Long Creek

2010-02-22T12:06:00.002+01:00

Fred and Dougie set off to paddle Up a Long Creek in the
freezing cold for Sport Relief

A stand-up comedian and a drummer in a rock band sitting in a boat sounds like the set-up to a joke. But Fred MacAulay and Dougie Vipond are about to put mind, body and reputation on the line by taking on the biggest challenge of their lives in aid of Sport Relief 2010 – traversing the length of the Caledonian Canal, from Fort William to Inverness in a tandem kayak.

At 8am on Monday 22nd February, with temperatures due to be below freezing, Fred and Dougie will set off on their extraordinary journey. Before them lies three days of extreme paddling right across the heart of the Scottish Highlands, through some of the world’s harshest wilderness landscape. This is a seriously difficult undertaking. Rising to the Sport Relief challenge, there will be no glamorous entourage, no frills and absolutely no creature comforts. They will be literally thrown in at the deep end, going back to basics carrying all of their own food, drink and equipment required for the duration of the trip. They will be camping at the waters edge and cooking for themselves whilst attempting to keep up the motivation to get through a challenge that would be extraordinarily tough in the bright summer months let alone in one of the coldest winters in history.

Taking to the water near the west coast at the top of the world famous Neptune’s Staircase, the cross-country trip will see them having to negotiate a number of un-navigable locks along the way where the paddling pair will need to lift and carry their 25 foot long kayak in and out of man-made waterways and freshwater lochs. Fred and Dougie’s punishing schedule will involve them spending a night on the exposed shores of Loch Ness and finishing in Inverness on Wednesday evening.

The team will be accompanied by kayaking expert Neil Baxter who has given them essential technique and safety training, but it will be up to the brave duo to work together as a team to complete the challenge which will be both mentally and physically punishing.

With such a mammoth challenge ahead of them, Sport Relief is calling for people across Scotland to get behind Fred and Dougie and show their support by donating at sportrelief.com/creek. Every penny donated to Sport Relief will go to transform the lives of poor and disadvantaged people both at home in the UK and in the world’s poorest countries.

With less than three days to go until the challenge, Dougie Vipond said: “When Sport Relief asked me if I was up for a challenge, I had no idea that I would end up in the Highlands in February paddling my way through freezing cold waters with Fred MacAulay, then having to share a tent with him - but I am ready to rise to the challenge!”

Fred MacAulay added: “This will certainly be one of my greatest challenges yet, let’s just hope we don’t end up the creek without a paddle! Get behind us and show your support by sponsoring us now at sportrelief.com.”

The pair’s water borne adventures will be aired in Up a Long Creek, an hour-long documentary special for Sport Relief due to transmit on BBC Scotland on 17th March.

Fred and Dougie are rising to the challenge as part of Sport Relief 2010. You can rise to your challenge by entering the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile on Sunday 21st March. Glasgow is playing host to one of the largest Sport Relief Miles in the UK, with other Miles happening all over Scotland. To find and enter your nearest Mile visit sportrelief.com.
ENDS

For more information, photographs and interview requests contact:

Fiona White (Project Manager) – f.white@comicrelief.com – 07931 384 001

Elise Clayton – e.clayton@comicrelief.com or 0141 422 6847/07507 597102

2010-02-18T15:48:00.002+01:00

Jim Hutton, Gary Green John Clare, Willie Hannah, Clive Wilson, Bernie Shrosbree and 6 Officer's/Marines from BRF and 45 Cdo are doing a 1000km ski across Norway in 20 days (circa 50km a day) to raise money for the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund, Macmillan and CLIC Sargent. Please help to raise money for these worthwhile charities by making a donation at www.bmycharity.com/rm1000kmski

Ben Nevis

2010-02-18T12:55:00.003+01:00

Ben Nevis is a special place to climb in winter. It has so much history surrounding the routes and the scale of it is relatively unique when compared with many of the popular Scottish winter venues.

Dave Chapman (Nightwatch) and Scott Webster (Marketing) headed up for a few nights inthe CIC hut with a view of doing some on the Ben's classic routes. The CIC hut was refurbished last year and now includes two toilets, a drying room and a large kitchen. It has been really nicely done and has a very alpine feel to it.

Conditions were less than ideal with a large dump of snow falling over night on Monday. This meant a lot of the classic ice routes were dangerous or too difficult to get to.

Instead Dave and Scott stuck to the ridges and climbed Tower Ridge, North East Buttress and Ledge Route. These are all classic mountaineering routes that are well worth doing and provide pleanty of interest along the way.

Adventure Show features GL ski Mountaineering

2010-02-17T19:14:00.003+01:00

If you want to see Ian Sherrington on full screen moving pictures - watch the Adventure Show Sunday 28th Feb on BBC 2 at 7pm.

He takes the the Adventure Show team with him on one day of a five day course. See how they all get on in the Scottish winter wonderland.

The equity card is in the post Ian!

Trail conditions

2010-02-16T17:12:00.003+01:00

Just to give a bit of an update on the trail conditions in the tweed valley. There is still some snow at high levels, but most of the trails are rideable. The top of Minch moor is possibly best avoided for the next week or so as this still has a reasonable covering of snow, but all the downhill courses from the top fire road are fine. Just be aware that if it has been freezing overnight (which it quite regularly is) then there will be ice on the trails so approach with caution especially rock climbs.

Rob
Alpine Bikes
Innerleithen

National Framework to Develop Scottish Mountain Biking

2010-02-16T17:10:00.002+01:00

Minister for Public Health and Sport and UCI Downhill World Champion Launch National Framework to Develop Scottish Mountain Biking

The Minister for Public Health and Sport, Shona Robison, and UCI Downhill World Champion, Steve Peat, today (10 February) launched Scotland's first framework for the sustainable development of mountain biking, at Bannerman High School in Glasgow.

To see the full story follow the link below:

Rob
Alpine Bikes
Innerleithen

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/SCU/scu/ScottishCyclingNews/20100209_National_Framework_to_Develop_Scottish_Mountain_Biking_Launch.asp

Macleod and Turner complete reinactment of Golden Week

2010-02-12T16:25:00.003+01:00

Dave Macleod and Andy Turner have just completed a repeat of Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith's famous "Golden Week on the Ben".

Fifty years ago to the day Jimmy Marshall and Robin Smith finished a legendary week of winter climbing on Scotland's highest mountain. Throughout the week they put up new routes and hard repeats of many of the Ben's most famous and sought after routes.

Dave and Andy will be presenting footage of their week at this years Fort William Mountain Festival on Sunday the 14th of February along with a guest appearance from Jimmy Marshall himself.

List of routes:
- The Great Chimney (IV,5) 6th February 1960
- Minus Three Gully (IV,5) 7th February 1960
- Smith's Route (V,5) 8th February 1960
- Observatory Buttress (V,4) 9th February 1960
- Point Five Gully (V,5) 10th February 1960
- Piggot's Route (V,6) 12th February 1960
- Orion Direct (V,5) 13th February 1960

For more information see http://www.mountainfestival.co.uk/jimmymarshallproject.asp

Glenmore Lodge get Gold!

2010-02-12T12:55:00.002+01:00

We have just been awarded the Gold Green Tourism award! Green Tourism is Sustainable Tourism - tourism which takes into account the needs of the environment, local residents, businesses, and visitors; now and in the future.

Up until now glenmore Lodge has been at silver level and after a recent audit it has been recognised that we are now meeting the highest standards in sustainable tourism.

This award allows you to rest at ease knowing that our impact on the environment is minimal and that as a business we are committed to looking after your environment!

Glenmore/UKClimbing/Marmot Weekend

2010-02-10T11:09:00.002+01:00

Last weekend was the Glenmore/UKClimbing/Marmot promotional weekend. We ran a competition through UKC to win a free place on a weekend winter skills course and £800 worth of Marmot clothing. The winner of the competion; Lesley-Ann Kirkland , was here at the weekend and Mick Ryan from UKC came to film it. Martin Panton from Marmot UK also came and he brought Marmot sponsored athelete Lucy Creamer and Photographer Tim Glasby along as well. The whole weekend was filmed by Mick and is currently being edited. Look out for the finished article on www.ukclimbing.com soon!

Cairngorm Biathlon & Nordic Ski Club

2010-02-08T17:47:00.002+01:00

Member of Cairngorm Biathlon & Nordic Ski Club, based here at Glenmore Lodge have been completing the British Biathlon & Nordic Ski Championships in Ruhpolding, Germany over the past two week.
Calum Irvine (15), Scott Dixon (15) and Craig Thomson (17) competed in up to 8 races over 11 days.

At the Nordic championship, Calum Irvine and Scott Dixon took first and second places in the boys’ 15km Classic, followed by another one two in the Boys’ 4.5 km pursuit race.
Craig Thomson took eighth places in the Youth Men’s 15km Classic and seventh in the Youth Men’s 7.5km pursuit race.

The boys were then joined by Mike Dixon in the Men’s 4 x 10km team relay, coming 16th out of 35 starts.
Later the same day the boys competed in a 1 km Sprint taking the top three spots.

The focus then moved onto the Biathlon Competition. The conditions for the first race were challenging with deep snow on the tracks and slight wind with the shooing range.
The boys raced in the Junior & Youth Mens 12.5 Individual Biathlon, their first every Biathlon in which they were racing against full time servicemen, the majority of whom were two or more years older then them.

There were 44 starters and results as follows:
Scott Dixon 1st - shooing 16/22
Calum Irvine 2nd - shooing 15/20
Craig Thomson 21st - shooing 14/20

Men’s 10km Sprint event, Overall result with 142 starters.
Scott Dixon 30th shooting 9/10
Calum Irvine 34th shooting 6/10

Junior &Youth Mens 10km Mass Start
Calum Irvine 2nd shooting 12/20
Scott Dixon 3rd shooting 12/20

The last day of racing was the 4 x 7.5km Relay, with 34 teams started and the team of Mike Dixon, Calum Irvine, Scott Dixon and Craig Thomson, finished 17th shooting 32/40.

Commenting on the results, six-times Olympian and former British Champion, Mike Dixon, who founded the club and is head coach said: “the boys are truly amazing. I felt that there was a lot of talent in our club but this has blown all my expectations. “

The club would like to thank Badenoch and Strathspey Sports Council, the principle and staff at Glenmore Lodge and Snowsport Scotland for their support.

A full list of competition results are available at http://www.britishbiathlon.com/pages/BritChamps2010.htm
Information on the Cairngorm Biathlon & Nordic Ski Club www.cbnsc.co.uk

Scottish cycling Jobs

2010-02-02T13:06:00.002+01:00

We got E-Mailed this today at the shop and thought I'd let everyone see it.

Regards

Rob
Alpine Bikes
Innerleithen

If you would like to work as a coach for Scottish cycling or know someone who would then this could be the right opportunity for you. See websites below

http://www.sportscotland.org.uk/SiteNavigation/Jobs/TopicNavigation/Other+vacancies/Scottish+Cycling+Regional+Development+Coach.htm

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/SCU/scu/ScottishCyclingNews/20100129_New_opportunity_with_Scottish_Cycling.asp

If you want to know what its like to work as an RDC (its magic of course) give me a call.

Cheers,

David Winton

East Region Cycling Development Coach

Tel: +447908 673219

Email: david.winton@scottishcycling.com

SCOTTISH CYCLING

Caledonia House

South Gyle

Edinburgh

EH12 9DQ

Tel: 0131 317 9704

Alpine Bikes Winter Series

2010-02-02T13:06:00.001+01:00

Alpine winter series

The first round of our annual winter races was all set to take place last weekend. The turnout of competitors was a great 313, and practice kicked off at 8am sharp on the Saturday morning. Unfortunately, it became apparent quite early on that the top section of the course was very icy and only the very brave got down, but for most it was crashes. There were a couple of attempts to get the course, open but it was ultimately decided that for the safety of the competitors it was better not to run a race, but to run an uplift for the remainder. I hope everyone understands that this action was taken for the safety of everyone and we look forward to seeing you again in February.

Rob
Alpine Bikes
Innerleithen

Start a new adventure with BBC ThrillSeeker

2010-02-01T11:58:00.001+01:00

BBC Learning is launching a brand new, multi-platform campaign to encourage individuals and families to try out a new adventure activity. By joining forces with BBC One’s Countryfile and a range of external partners, the ThrillSeeker campaign will enable people to search out exciting events taking place across the UK.
Visitors to the ThrillSeeker website at bbc.co.uk/thrillseeker, will be able to look up thousands of adventurous activities. By entering their postcode an Event Finder feature allows users to narrow down their search to reveal exciting activities taking place within their local area.
Activities are tiered according to their level of difficulty, from hiking and cycling to canyoning and kite surfing, so there really is something for all ages and abilities. Trying out a new activity doesn’t have to be expensive as most which are found using the Event Finder are free or charged at a cost recovery reduced rate. All events are organised and run by external partner organisations who are specialists in their field.
The campaign also includes the ThrillSeeker Adventure Pocket Guide which can be downloaded from bbc.co.uk/thrillseeker, requested by post and will be available at all ThrillSeeker events. The guide includes both child and family focused activity ideas for creating mini-adventures at home or within the local area. It also contains information on the benefits of getting active and adventurous.
“Recent research carried out by the BBC found people had a real desire for more adventure in their lives. It’s my avowed hope that the ThrillSeeker campaign helps people fulfil that desire by offering a wide range of free or reduced price adventures for all.” Sean Kirkegaard, Development Executive, BBC Learning Campaigns
The campaign launches on January 31st on BBC One’s Countryfile, presented by Julia Bradbury and Matt Baker.

WIN A GLENMORE LODGE COURSE FROM MC of S

2010-01-28T12:45:00.004+01:00

MCofS and Glenmore Lodge have got together to offer MCofS members who introduce a new member to the MCofS the chance to win one of four FREE introductory mountaineering skills courses worth up to £270. The courses are all based at Glenmore Lodge and include accommodation and meals.

The lucky winner will chose from six different courses - Winter Navigation Skills, Summer Navigation Skills, Winter Skills, Rock Climbing, Scrambling and Winter Mountaineering.

How to win? The competition is open to members of the MCofS and members of MCofS Clubs who are registered with MCofS. Commencing with the February issue, the next four issues of Scottish Mountaineer will contain an entry form on the reverse of the large address label.

To enter simply recruit a new member for the MCofS, and get them to complete and return the entry form to the MCofS office by the date shown on the form. The winner will then be drawn from the entries received for that issue on the stated due date. New members must join MCofS direct – the competition does not apply to new members joining an MCofS club.

Burns Night

2010-01-28T10:08:00.003+01:00

On Saturday we celebrated Burns night with a fine evening of traditional Scottish food and music...along with a few drams! Our regular piper; Jordan, was unable to pipe the haggis in this year so instead we made do with a cd player! Phil Sanderson addressed the Haggis and Andy Forester from Balvenie gave a brief whiskey tasting.

Watersports Sale at Tiso's

2010-01-26T10:20:00.003+01:00

Get yourself geared up for paddling this year with Tisos fantastic watersports sale which starts on Wednesday 3rd February! Visit your nearest Tiso store for more details.

Alpine Bikes Winter Series Round 1

2010-01-25T10:01:00.001+01:00

Next Saturday sees the start of the Alpine Bikes Winter Series races. This three round event will be held over 3 different courses on the hills of Innerleithen’s excellent downhill tracks. After a couple of weeks of mild concern that the weather would spoil it, I’m pleased to announce that the snow is melting and with the mild week predicted we’re all good to go.

The winter races always attract a great crowd of riders, ranging from first time triers, through to some world class athletes, and this year is no exception. If you look at the entry list, you’ll notice you can pit yourself against Marc Beaumont, local talent Ruaridh Cunningham and Lewis Buchanan and our very own Alpine Bikes Rider, Joe Connell.

Full entry list is at:

http://www.borderline-events.co.uk/pdfs/Alpine_Winter_Series_Round_1_Entries.pdf

As always they’ll be a variety of trade stands there, on site technical expertise from our very own Matt Morris, and back up from our shop just up the road. We’ll be running special offers over the weekend, including a very tasty deal on Session 88 frames (2009) on the Saturday – so bring your cards with you.

For those entered there will be race sign on in the shop from Friday afternoon till 6pm.

Look forward to seeing you all there

Rob
Alpine Bikes
Innerleithen

Win a bike from Alpine Bikes

2010-01-15T16:02:00.006+01:00

Alpine Bikes are offering you the opportunity to win a Trek Fuel EX9 bike over the winter. We know it is good as it is the bike one of our instructors has used on courses this year.

All you have to do is visit the Lodge on a course, as a guest or day tripper and ask for an application form from behind the desk. You can enter by posting the form in the comptetiion box on the bike board here at Glenmore Lodge.

The winner will be announced in April 2010

WIN A PAIR OF SCARPA MONT BLANC MOUNTAIN BOOTS

2010-01-15T15:04:00.007+01:00

Take the opportunity to win a pair of Scarpa Mont Blanc Mountain Boots just by coming to Glenmore Lodge.

Scarpa have decided to promote our strong partnership by offering a competition to anybody who is on a course or visits Glenmore Lodge this winter. You simply ask for an application form from the front desk and post your entry in the box on the Scarpa boot stand here at Glenmore Lodge.

The winner will be drawn in April

We look forward to seeing you!

Mountain Leader Training: CPD Survey

2010-01-13T16:32:00.002+01:00

MLTA wants your views about its proposals for Continuing Personal and Professional Development.
MLTA is the membership organisation for people working and volunteering in the outdoors.
The proposals are for a 5 yearly currency check as a prerequisite of membership; members will be required to demonstrate their ongoing personal and leadership activity and to undertake additional training. An “online log book” type system is also proposed for recording experience and training activity.
The survey is currently live online: please contribute to the debate by completing the questionnaire using this link http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/TWMN8B9
The survey closes on 31st March 2010.

Ski, Snow and more snow!

2010-01-11T11:09:00.003+01:00

Lets face it it doesn't get better than this! The team have all been out ski touring in the hills whie in perfect conditions.

Get up here and onto a course to learn to enjoy the white stuff safely and with skills to make it fun.

Look forward to seeing you up here!

Winter Riding

2010-01-06T11:36:00.002+01:00

Most of you reading this will have noticed how much snow we have at present in the UK, and while some will hide their bike away in the garage wrap it up warm until the first signs of springs, there are still those who go out riding. The key to winter riding is being in the right clothing and understanding layering.

First layer, base layers.

A good wicking base layer will make all the difference between feeling sweaty and miserable and cold on the hill, or enjoying yourself. £28 will buy you a very decent bas layer these days, specifically designed for outdoor sport use

http://www.alpinebikes.com/shop/clothing/bike-clothing/craft/

The great thing about Craft is it has an antimicrobial treatment so that the base layer won’t smell your house out.

Second layer, something warm.

This layers all about managing your temperature and is probably the most crucial layer as so many people get it wrong. What you need here is something that will keep you warm while your riding, nothing more. There is a tendency to overdo this layer and wear too much causing you to sweat excessively so think before you put on that jumper you wear in the pub and huddle against the fire – it’s possibly a bit excessive. For this layer I reckon the go to range is Gore Bike Wear

http://www.alpinebikes.com/shop/clothing/bike-clothing/gore-bike-wear/

Jerseys like

http://www.alpinebikes.com/shop/clothing/bike-clothing/gore-bike-wear/cross-country/path-long-jersey/

Are specifically designed for this type of thing, and by having the ¼ zip at the front allows a bit of thermal management if you get too hot.

Third Layer, waterproof / windproof.

Much the same as above, possibly the best manufacturer for this type of gear is Gore. I ride with an Alp x II

http://www.alpinebikes.com/shop/clothing/bike-clothing/gore-bike-wear/cross-country/alp-x-ii/

This Jacket is fantastic; it packs up small enough into my bag yet is possibly one of the most durable jackets I own. I’ve crashed in it heavily enough to break my collarbone and not done any damage to it, and have followed the care instructions and it’s remained utterly waterproof.

I know some people argue that Gore bike Wear is expensive, but it does the job so well you don’t mind paying that wee bit more for it. The best bit, Alpine Bikes currently have certain Gore Bike Wear items on sale with up to 35% off some of it, so it’s actually not that expensive at all.

If you still can’t bear the thought of going out on you bike in this much snow then I can recommend the following gloves for snowball fights, cleaning the car and holding metal objects (like bikes)

http://www.alpinebikes.com/shop/clothing/bike-clothing/gloves/gore-bike-wear/cross-ii-gtx-glove/

And with 25% off they’re a bargain.

Full Gore Sale list at Alpine can be found at:

http://www.alpinebikes.com/shop/sale/gore-bike-wear/

2010 Trek Mountian bikes

2010-01-06T11:32:00.001+01:00

The 2010 Fuel Ex-8 has been with us a couple of months now, and this years model has really stepped up the game for bikes in this category. With its new stiffer front end, and the addition of the DRCV shock it really is becoming the only bike you need if you pedal around trail centres in the UK. The DRCV shock is fantastic, I’ve had one on my bike for the last year, and the difference in feel over a standard air canister is night and day. The absolute proof of how good this shock performs is that the staff members at our shop ride the demo bike with the DRCV when they want a cheeky ride at lunchtime. We should be getting our new demo bikes soon, and once we’ve finalised what we’re getting we’ll let you all know.

The Trek mountain bike range has changed quite a bit this year, with the EX-8 getting a bit beefier (but not gaining any weight) and the new remedy also loosing a bit of travel, down to 150mm. The big news in the Remedy range is there’s going to be two carbon versions, the 9.8 and 9.9

http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/mountain_full_suspension/remedy/

On the 9.9 you’ll notice it comes with a Crank Brothers Joplin height adjustable seat post, really setting this bike out as an all out racing machine.

You may be asking, why lower the travel on such a capable machine? Well, there’s a new model, the Scratch

http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/mountain_full_suspension/#scratch

You may have seen spy shots of this bike last year calling it the Remedy SS (Slope style). What you’re here is a more laid back riding position to make the bike more stable downhill, but with the ability to climb, utilising a twin ring at the front. This could well be all the bike anyone would ever need if you tend towards more aggressive downhill and are not worried about your time riding up the hill. The bike further sets out its intentions by having two coil spring models and two air models, so you can select which model better suits your riding. I’m genuinely excited about a bike like this, especially living in Innerleithen, as pushing up big rigs is a tiring affair, and I get a bit of a kick out of cycling uphill as well.

Staff at the shop have got a ride camp coming up soon (Early February), so soon we’ll be able to assess what we think of all these new models for ourselves.

Rob
Alpine Bikes Innerleithen

Merry Christmas - Equal Adventure Lecture 2010

2009-12-16T14:14:00.012+01:00

Equal Adventure Lecture 2010

6:30 - 10:00pm Wednesday 27th January 2010

Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)
Happy Christmas from Equal Adventure

Are you wondering what festive gift to buy your friends, family and colleagues to show your appreciation for them?

Are you a disabled person whishing to experience outdoor adventure activities?

Are you seeking to enabled one or more disabled people to participate in outdoor adventure activities?

Yes? Then the Equal Adventure Lecture is for you.

Priced at only £15, £10 concessions or £50 for a group of four, the evening will provide inspiration and information that will continue to influence you for months to follow.

Learn how to set about action with a 'Can Do' approach, see and try adaptive equipment, hear about how others have enjoyed the outdoors, and feel the energy of success. Chaired by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson and Felicity Aston, this is an opportunity not to be missed.

Tickets are on sale now! Start 2010 as you mean to continue, and take action by booking your tickets now!

Happy Christmas!

To learn more and to book your tickets:
visit the website at www.equaladventure.org/ealecture2010.htm,
phone us on 01479 861200,
or email us at events@equaladventure.org

STS ROUND UP REPORT

2009-12-15T17:37:00.003+01:00

Scottish Tooling Series 2009
Report_______________________

What a FANTASTIC Series!!! Five venues managed to create unique styles of competition that appealed to the young, old, short, tall and everything in the middle. Here is an outline of each event with a review of the prize giving at the end.

Round 1 – Avertical World, Dundee
Round 1 and what a way to start the series! There was a great turnout from young to old and everything in between.

The guys at Avertical had worked really hard in the run up to the comp and had created some fantastic problems ranging from the relatively easy right through to the almost impossible! The problems were a mixture of low level, technical bouldering routes and pumpy top roped routes.

There was a great atmosphere throughout the day and it all built up to the final in which the top three competitors from each category battled it out for the win. The final route started in the bouldering cave and involved several strenuous moves before pulling out over the lip onto the steep upper wall and finally moving onto a free-hanging horizontal log and onto glory at the final lower off clip. The route stretched the already tired climbers to breaking point and only one competitor managed to complete the route; Robbie Phillips.

Round 2 – Ratho, Edinburgh
The competition headed to Edinburgh for the second round at Ratho, the largest indoor climbing arena in Europe!

The route setters went for a unique approach of re-creating moves found on actual winter routes. There was a thrutchy chimney just like Stirling Bomber and a delicate rock slab like White Magic to name just a couple.

Round 3 – Extreme Dream, Aviemore
Extreme Dream is the original veterans of dry tooling competitions and as such the expectations for a first class competition were high. True to form the guys created some brilliant problems and the atmosphere was electric! Although a smaller venue, the steepness factor cannot be overstated and the guys had gone fully over the top with more crazy obstacles and wooden mayhem than ever... We had the “Jungle Gym” in the cave, “The Diving Board” plus numerous strikeable panels which meant that a wide variety of skills were tested. Well set problems ensured that everyone went away having got plenty done but for the top guns in the final as always The Roof beckoned.....

Round 4 – Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore
What a turn out! What nearly great weather! What a great final display by Steve Johnstone! What an inspiring lecture by Andy Turner! All in all a great day was had by all.

Mark Chadwick and Scott Webster set the problems. They managed to really stretch the top climbers while allowing the new comers to get some points on the board and enjoy the challenge. The final was a traverse followed by a steep and technical overhang onto a hanging log. They thought they had over cooked it as all the other finalists failed to get past the ¾ point. Then the last to come out of isolation was Steve Johnson who managed to almost make it look easy and the crowd let him know it as they cheered and chanted him onto the last move.

Andy Turner ran beginner workshops and a master class and then presented a totally awesome lecture on his past year of activities which included Nepal, the Alps and Scotland. The images and chat really captured the audience and left them chomping at the bit for winter conditions. A wee dram of Balvenie from one of the event sponsors also helped people to round off a great Scottish climbing day - sun, rain and then a dram. Perfect.

Round 5 – Ice Factor, Kinlochleven

Is there a better venue to host the final event of the series and the Grand Prize Giving? I would have to answer no. The Ice Factor maybe a challenge to get to compared to most but that is nothing new for climbers. We travel miles to get a good days climbing in and that is exactly what we got at the Ice Factor. Well done to Jamie and his team and guest celebrity route setter Andy Turner.

5 hours of climbing flew by but left most of us with arms a bit longer than we started with. There were 2 routes on the outside of the building, 3 in the ice room and then a variety of top roped and bouldering problems. As has always been the case, the Series has encouraged the route setters to fulfil the needs of novice intermediate and super talented climbers. This is not an easy task but time and again we walk away feeling amazed that the whole cross-section of the competitors feel they got exactly what they came for. Brilliant!

THE SCOTTISH TOOLING SERIES PRIZE GIVING & ROUND UP REPORT

There were prizes, trophies and cheers galore! We have built a really strong group of people around this Series. We are all already talking about next year and the youth are off to tell their friends at school how much fun axes can be!

We all know that these events can not happen without the support of sponsors. Lyon Equipment (distributors for Petzl, Sportiva and Beal) has sponsored the Scottish Tooling Series from the start. Martin Bergerud attended and took part on Saturday and it was fantastic to have him there. He witnessed first hand what a tremendous atmosphere there is among events like this and he said he was proud that they could support such grass routes events. He was also so impressed the age and gender range of the participants. The youngest is 10 years old (Sophie) and the oldest is 62 (Tony). The crowd showed their appreciation when I introduced him so he left in no doubt that is a group of people who love the Series and really appreciate how it needs their kind of support. I would also like to thank our others sponsor at this point; Marmot, The Balvenie, Wigwam and Dream Climbing Holds. The prizes have been superb and really add so much value to each event.

This Series was also given tremendous support from the MC of S for the youth side. Although the junior female numbers have not increased, the junior males have and there is a strong support for the feeling that we some Olympic champions in the making ready for 2016.

Each venue takes a risk by running an event. They are closing down for normal business in the hope there are enough entrants to cover the days expenses. As the Series grows in popularity this is becoming less of an issue, but they need thanks for taking the risk in the first place. They also have to put in so much hard work route setting as it is never as straight forward as just putting holds on the wall…..tooling without hanging logs doesn’t exist any more!

Glenmore Lodge has been very proud to co-ordinate the first two Scottish Tooling Series. As a National Centre we were told there was a need for such an event. There obviously is and with the support of the venues and sponsors we are really proud we have been able to help it on its way. I will be leaving the Lodge in February and it seems the perfect time to hand over the role to the group of people who have made the Series their own. Pete Hill has offered to lead the co-ordination for 2010 along with Neil Silver who did the website for this year completely in his own time. They are hoping that all participants give them feedback from this year good and bad so they can keep the momentum going for many years to come. Pete’s website is www.drytoolinguk.com and the Neil’s Series website www.scottishtoolingseries.co.uk. I am not sure how they will manage to upstage the hand made trophies designed and made by Scott Webster and Graeme Hepburn. Petzl ice picks in oak plinths – now is that stylish or what?!

I have had an amazing time over the past two years and look forward to taking part in the coming events except I will no longer have an excuse to shout at everybody!

Thanks to everybody for making the Series such a fun event to be part of.

Big thanks to Neil Silver for his brilliant work on the Series website and Lukasz Warzecha (www.LWimages.co.uk) for the fantastic photos he has allowed us to use.

FOR THE FULL RESULTS AT EACH EVENT GO TO NEIL'S WEBSITE AT WWW.SCOTTIHSTOOLING SERIES.CO.UK

Mountain Medicine with the BMC

2009-12-15T17:34:00.001+01:00

News Release
December 2009

Doors open to mountain medicine cabinet

The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) today comes to the aid of trekkers, climbers and mountaineers by launching a new online resource full of expert medical advice on keeping fit and healthy in the mountains.

The launch coincides with a new intake of 30 active climbing doctors to the ever expanding UIAA University of Leicester Diploma of Mountain Medicine at Plas y Brenin (the national mountain centre in Snowdonia) and with the High Altitude Medical Symposium taking place today (4 December) in Birmingham.

The BMC’s team of medical advisors has been busy bringing together a wealth of advice and information that caters for people all levels of experience in the mountains. Whether you're looking for advice on finger injuries or altitude sickness, the BMC has the answers.

David Hillebrandt, Medical Advisor to the BMC says: “The site is packed full of potentially life-saving advice and acts as a portal to external information sources. Whether you’re an experienced climber or a novice embarking on your first trek, you’ll find lots of relevant information and advice.”

The website includes advice and guidance on:
• what to do in mountain incidents
• climbing injuries and injury prevention
• travelling at high altitude
• nutritional considerations
• frostbite – how to avoid it and how to treat it
• specific guidance for Kilimanjaro trekkers
• accessing the Medex network of doctors for personal advice

Included in the helpful resources are:
• accident report forms to download and keep in your first aid kit
• a series of mountain medicine advice sheets produced by the UIAA (the international body for mountaineering)
• a list of essential websites, courses and books for mountain medicine
• a free downloadable Medex booklet – Travel at High Altitude

The site helps to answer questions such as:
• How tight is too tight when it comes to climbing shoes?
• Can I take my child to high altitude?
• What should I do if I get a tick?

Visit the new section at www.thebmc.co.uk/medical

-Ends-

Notes to editors
• For further information please contact Tina Gardner (Press & PR Officer) on 0161 438 3337 / tina@thebmc.co.uk OR Alex Messenger on 0161 438 3308 / alex@thebmc.co.uk. Pictures available on request and at www.thebmc.co.uk/press
• The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is the national representative body for climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers in England and Wales and is recognised as such by government. The BMC is committed to promoting the interests of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers and good practice in all activities related to these pursuits.
• Medex formed in 1992 to support the charitable works of Medical Expeditions. Medex co-ordinates research expeditions and social events for a growing membership, sharing the experience and research findings http://www.medex.org.uk
• The High Altitude Medical Symposium takes place in Birmingham on Friday 4th December, at the Birmingham Medical Institute http://users.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/~kylep/bmres_altitude_meeting.htm

Bob's Throne

2009-12-15T17:26:00.002+01:00

Bob was very pleased to see that the domestic team respect his position as the King of Glenmore Lodge. They presented him with a Christmas present of a throne and sceptre made of Tennents beer cans. They had to spend hours drinking to make sure they had enough to make a big enough throne. Just as well he isn't very tall or we could have had some serious alcohol issues on our hands!

Hill tracks threat to Wild Land raised in Scottish Parliament

2009-12-09T15:48:00.001+01:00

MCofS News Release

Ugly and environmentally damaging hill tracks are constructed every year with no requirement that they are considered through the planning system. Beautiful wild areas, iconic for Scotland’s residents and visitors, are being blighted by these uncontrolled eyesores. The national importance of this has finally come to the notice of the Scottish Parliament after the issue was raised by Peter Peacock MSP (1) in response to the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) highlighting the incremental reduction in wild areas. Government figures show that between 2002 and 2005, the area of Scotland unaffected by views of man-made developments fell from 42% to 32% (2).

Hebe Carus, MCofS Access & Conservation Officer, who highlighted the issue to the MSP said, “I regularly receive photographs of outstandingly badly constructed tracks through previously wild areas, even in supposedly protected areas. The sad thing is that these are irreversible and completely uncontrolled through the planning system. The longer the review is delayed the more of wild Scotland will be lost forever.” The President of MCofS, Chris Townsend, further explained; "Many of these tracks in upland areas are horrendous. The MCofS is very concerned about the ever increasing irreversible loss of wildness due to hill tracks being bulldozed throughout Scotland. These areas of wild land are being lost to Scotland."

The Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 is supposed to modernise the planning system for the benefit of the people and environment of Scotland, but the implementation timetable is being permitted to slip repeatedly. There has already been more than a 2 year delay since an influential report from Heriot-Watt University, commissioned by the Scottish Executive, recommended an extensive overhaul of the uncontrolled rights of landowners to construct hill tracks through our beautiful wild areas.

Even more biking opportunities in the Tweed Valley

2009-12-07T17:06:00.000+01:00

The Tweed Valley is set to expand its biking facilites again over the next couple of months with a New Pump and Jump track being developed. The site is within Cardrona Village which is handily halfway between Glentress and Innerleithen.

The Tweed Valley area is well known for its Mountain biking at Glentress and Innerleithen, as well as being the start point for the Tour of Britain this year, so it seems logical that it should also gain one of these excellent training facilities. The idea of a Pump and Jump track is that you use the undulations to build up speed which in turn propels you over the jumps. If you type Pump and Jump into Youtube you’ll see what I mean.

The hope is that the facility will not only give the locals somewhere to develop their skills but also increase bike traffic into the area. When the off-road bike link opens between the two trail centres this new development will be right on the route, allowing everyone easy access.

The best bit about all this? The funding for the project has been made possible by a lottery injection, so if you want to get one of these in your local area, there are ways and means of getting the money. Rumour mill is that a similar development may be in the pipeline for the Innerleithen area as well, so watch this space.

STS Round 5 - Ice Factor and Final report

2009-12-06T16:45:00.007+01:00

Round 5 – Ice Factor, Kinlochleven

Is there a better venue to host the final event of the series and the Grand Prize Giving? I would have to answer no. The Ice Factor maybe a challenge to get to compared to most but that is nothing new for climbers. We travel miles to get a good days climbing in and that is exactly what we got at the Ice Factor. Well done to Jamie and his team and guest celebrity route setter Andy Turner.

Out of a potential 60 competitors, there were 59 entries. A superb turnout. The fact it was the Series Prize Giving also meant we had lots of extra supporters including Anna Wells grand-parents who were great fun and were happy to wear helmets so they could get the best view of their grand-daughter in the final. Flying axes were not going to put them off!

5 hours of climbing flew by but left most of us with arms a bit longer than we started with. There were 2 routes on the outside of the building, 3 in the ice room and then a variety of top roped and bouldering problems. As has always been the case, the Series has encouraged the route setters to fulfil the needs of novice intermediate and super talented climbers. This is not an easy task but time and again we walk away feeling amazed that the whole cross-section of the competitors feel they got exactly what they came for. Brilliant!

The finals had all the tension and noise effects that any good final should have. Loads of ‘go on!!’ ‘ ohhhhhhhhhh’ and ‘ahhhhhhhs’. There were some amazing gymnastic diplays and some cracking falls and all ending with smiles. We needed to have a super final too for a couple of the categories and when we thought they could give no more, they had to come and perform. They didn’t disappoint and managed to get higher than most of us could get when we were feeling fresh. Dylan McKenzie and Steve Addison ( Jnr Male) both came up to Andy Turner still buzzing with adrenalin to thank him for setting such a fantastic Jnr Final route. The female finalists were less grateful as the hanging log proved too big an obstacle for all three hence the super final. Anna Wells managed to find enough energy to take the first place for the day. Great performance.

The male vets and male sports were as unpredictable as ever. Steve Johnston only just got into the final in 5th position and then proceeded to win the event in outstanding style. Rhudidh McKenzie is the reason I am not scared of being in the veteran club.His agility was outstanding and he took away first prize.

THE SCOTTISH TOOLING SERIES PRIZE GIVING & ROUND UP REPORT

We all know that these events can not happen without the support of sponsors. Lyon Equipment (distributors for Petzl, Sportiva and Beal) have sponsored the Scottish Tooling Series from the start. Martin Berghand attended and took part on Saturday and it was fantastic to have him there. He witnessed first hand what a tremendous atmosphere there is among events like this and he said he was proud that they could support such grass routes events. He was also so impressed the age and gender range of the participants. The youngest is 10 years old ( Sophie) and the oldest is 62 ( Tony). The crowd showed their appreciation when I introduced him so he left in no doubt that this is a group of people who love the Series and really appreciate how it needs their kind of support. I would also like to thank our others sponsor at this point; Marmot, The Balvenie, Wigwam and Dream Holds. The prizes have been superb and really add so much value to each event.

This Series was also given tremendous support from the MC of S for the youth side. Although the junior female numbers have not increased, the junior males have and there is a strong support for the feeling that we have some Olympic champions in the making ready for 2016.

Each venue takes a risk by running an event. They are closing down for normal business in the hope there are enough entrants to cover the days expenses. As the Series grows in popularity this is becoming less of an issue, but they need thanks for taking the risk in the first place. They also have to put in so much hard work route setting as it is never as straight forward as just putting holds on the wall…..tooling without hanging logs doesn’t exist any more!

Glenmore Lodge has been very proud to co-ordinate the first two Scottish Tooling Series. As a National Centre we were told there was a need for such an event. There obviously is and with the support of the venues and sponsors we are really proud we have been able to help it on its way. I will be leaving the Lodge in February and it seems the perfect time to hand over the role to the group of people who have made the Series their own. Pete Hill has offered to lead the co-ordination for 2010 along with Neil Silver who did the website for this year completely in his own time. They are hoping that all participants give them feedback from this year good and bad so they can keep the momentum going for many years to come. Pete’s website is www.drytoolinguk.com and the Neil’s Series website www.scottishtoolingseries.co.uk. I am not sure how they will manage to upstage the hand made trophies designed and made by Scott Webster and Graeme Hepburn. Petzl ice picks in oak plinths – now is that stylish or what?!

I have had an amazing time over the past two years and look forward to taking part in the coming events except I will no longer have an excuse to shout at everybody!

Thanks to everybody for making the Series such a fun event to be part of.

The really good photos were taken by Lukasz Warzecha whom you will have seen hanging from the roof. The other images were mine and not quite up to the same grade. He has very kindly let us use his imges and if you ever need a professional photographer his website is www.LWimages.co.uk

Charity On The Crag - Wild Country Pure Chalk & Crag Care Fund - BMC Donation

2009-12-04T13:16:00.001+01:00

Wild Country's Charity Begins On The Crag
'Wild Country's Pure Chalk, launched earlier this year, has been a great success but this isn't just good news for Wild Country as one of the bonus features of buying 'Pure Chalk' has been that Wild Country are donating a portion of the turnover to the BMC to put towards their Crag Care Fund.

And for that reason Jason Myers, UK Sales Manager was able to send Wild Country's first donation taken from the turnover of sales, the sum of £710 this week to the BMC. Jason commented;
'We are really happy that the chalk has taken of as it has but we are doubly happy as it means we can give more to the BMC to help those guys that help to keep our crags open and accessible.'

Dave Turnbull BMC CEO says:
"It's great to see Wild Country raising money to help our crags. They were a founder member of the BMC Access Fund when it was set up in the early 1990s. This latest initiative shows their long term commitment to the crag and mountain environment."

These donations will be a permanent feature of Wild Country's Pure Chalk range - you can see the symbols on all Wild Country chalk products - and so for every Pure Chalk Ball, Block, Bag or brushes bought, 2% of turnover goes back to the crags! So the more you buy the more they send.

And remember if you are out climbing or bouldering you can help in loads of small ways by 'greening up' your climbing in the following ways - no chipping, use pads, use nylon brushes, clean ticks, collect trash & don’t litter, car share, always use marked trails, recycle, support your access groups and if you can plant a tree!!'

You can see more about Pure Chalk here: http://www.wildcountry.co.uk/Products/2009PureChalk/

You can see more about the BMC Crag Care Fund here:http://www.thebmc.co.uk/Pages.aspx?page=239

Para Olympic opportunities

2009-12-03T13:04:00.001+01:00

Do you have:
An impairment?
A UK passport?
A sporting background?
The desire to find out if you’ve got what it takes to win Paralympic gold in London?

If you are aged between 15 and 35, then we want to hear from you.

Register online at:
www.uksport.gov.uk/talent

33% of British Paralympic medallists in Beijing were part of an elite funded programme for less than 2 years

15 of the British gold medals were won by first time Paralympians

If you or someone you know has got what it takes to be part of the ParalympicsGB team in 2012 get involved at www.uksport.gov.uk/talent by 11th January 2010

72 Heads of Outdoor Centres visit the Lodge

2009-12-03T12:30:00.002+01:00

Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres annual conference is held at Glenmore Lodge

Last week 72 Heads of Outdoor Education Centres, from throughout the UK, held their annual conference and AGM at Glenmore Lodge. The special theme for the event was sustainability.

The speakers included Professor Peter Higgins who is Edinburgh University’s Professor of Outdoor Education and Sustainability. Also Dr Chris Loynes and Dr Kate Rawls who inspired the audience with their sustainability projects that are going into schools. Colin Mortlock, who has an international reputation as a keynote lecturer on adventure and values, presented a session based around his new publication: The Spirit of Adventure. Workshops included one by Alan Smith, the Outdoor Learning Officer from the Cairngorms Nations Park Authority, on the benefits of using the John Muir Award to promote environmental education along with Myles Farnbank who promoted the Leave No Trace initiative. The conference also enjoyed an entertaining after dinner speech by Simon Steer a member of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team.

Bill Haylock the Organiser of the event said “ The location and venue is perfect for this event. The Cairngorms National Park is a national treasure full of protected wildlife, flora and fauna while encouraging outdoor activities. Glenmore Lodge as Scotland’s National Centre, is an icon of the outdoor industry. The perfect combination”.

BobKinnaird , Principal of Glenmore Lodge said “The last time this prestigious event was held at the Lodge was 25 years ago and this has been a excellent opportunity to show case our national Centre as well as meeting heads of centres from throughout the UK ”

Equal Adventure Lecture 2010 - Wed 27th Jan 2010

2009-12-01T15:25:00.035+01:00

Following the recent success at Glenmore Lodge of the Equal Adventure Festival '09, the Equal Adventure charity is proud to invite you to an evening of inspirational lectures at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), London, on Wednesday 27th Jan 2010.

Chaired by Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, 11 time paralympic gold medalist, and Felicity Aston, an adventure writer working with the Commonwealth Women's Antarctic Expedition. As if that wasn't enough we are excited to introduce some of the leading adventurers, athletes, coaches and representatives from disability and inclusive organisations across the UK.

Speakers include:
Michael McGarth - the only disabled person to brave both north and south poles.
Miles Hilton Barber - a blind adventurer who has topped many mountains and rafted dangerous rivers since his blindness.
Major Jim Bonney - the only amputee in active service in the marines rehabilitating our troops.
Other names to be confirmed at a later date.

Pass this on to someone you know:
Lecture E-flyer
For Schools and Organisations
For Individual interested in Adventure
For Outdoor Providers

Check out our website for more details
Look out for us at Glenmore Lodge for the EA Festival 2010 at the end of August and across Scotland throughout the Summer 2010.

We look forward to seeing you there!

...................................

Sponsors at the Lodge

2009-12-01T13:03:00.004+01:00

Nearly all of the Glenmore Lodge sponosors made it up for a day to play in Scotland. Some were walking and others biking and all felt the 70mph winds! The weather helped them to rediscover why it is so important to have good kit and that Scotland is a superb place to test their products.

We managed to fit some chalk and talk in too. We all want to add value to your Glenmroe Lodge experience so watch this space for more prizes, opportunites and updates from our team of sponsors over the next year.

We finished off a quality Scottish day with a traditional and quality whisky experience curtesy of Balvenie.

We are a really strong team and together have probably got the strongest outdoor brands in the country. That can only be good for all Glenmore Lodge guests and students. So a BIG thanks to our sponsors and look forward to more opportunitesour students and

Composting in the Park - CNP

2009-12-01T10:41:00.001+01:00

All Things Compost!

Want to know more about Composting in the Park?

Whether you are experienced or new to it all
All Businesses, community reps and individuals are welcome

How do you dispose of your food waste at present?
Want to know how to better recycle your food waste?
Do you know what statutory licences are required?
What is a Green Johanna?

Come and meet SEPA, Compost Doctors and Green Johanna!

Glenmore Lodge
Tuesday 8 December 7pm-9pm
Tea & Coffee will be served

Contact John Thorne 01479 870520
or johnthorne@cairngorms.co.uk to book a place

Sponsored by Cairngorms National Park Authority

Scottish Tooling Series - Glenmore Lodge Event

2009-11-23T12:48:00.002+01:00

Scottish Tooling Series Report from Glenmore Lodge Event 21st Nov 2009 -

FULL RESULTS TO BE POSTED LATER THIS WEEK

What a turn out! What nearly great weather! What a great final display by Steve Johnson! What an inspiring lecture by Andy Turner! All in all a great day was had by all.

There were only two competition places left from a potential 60. As the momentum for the Scottish Tooling Series grows, so does the enthusiasm, humour and radical moves. The first two time slots had dry clear weather. The final 20 had their sense of humour challenged as the heavens opened and the rain came down…and down…and down. I did not hear one winge, only that they had a great time. That is the kind of people these events love!

The other joy of these events is the range of ages that take part On Saturday the youngest was 12 and the oldest was over 50+. There is also a great increase in the number of women. The mystery of tooling is going as more and more people realise this sport is fun and totally inclusive.

Mark Chadwick and Scott Webster set the problems. They managed to really stretch the top climbers while allowing the new comers to get some points on the board and enjoy the challenge. The final was a traverse followed by a steep and technical overhang onto a hanging log. They thought they had over cooked it as all the other finalists failed to get past the ¾ point. Then the last to come out of isolation was Steve Johnson who managed to almost make it look easy and the crowd let him know it as they cheered and chanted him onto the last move.

Andy Turner ran beginner workshops and a master class and then presented a totally awesome lecture on his past year of activities which included Nepal, the Alps and Scotland. The images and chat really captured the audience and left them chomping at the bit for winter conditions.

Thanks again to the sponsors for the all the great prizes that were received with big smiles and open arms.

Dan Goodwin has a video of the day which can be seen at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne71uoPC4yk&feature=player_embedded

FINAL EVENT & PRIZE GIVING FOR THE SERIES IS AT THE ICE FACTOR ON DEC 5th.
Time: Registration 08.15. Briefing 09.00. Start 09.00.Cost: £20 Adult (£25 on the day) / £10 Youth (£15 on the day)Entry: By Phone Contacts: Tel: 01855 831100

BBC Autumn Watch in the Cirngorms

2009-11-20T13:43:00.003+01:00

The Autumnwatch team explore the winter wildlife of the Cairngorms on Friday 20 November, 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/highlandsandislands/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8366000/8366826.stm
Tune in to BBC Two at 2030 to find out more as Kate Humble and Chris Packham brave the snowy slopes.
The Cairngorms National Park covers a vast area of Scotland.
The park is made up of 1,400 square miles of land ranging from the fringes of the Angus Glens to Laggan in the west, Ballater in Aberdeenshire and Grantown-on-Spey in the north.
Towns and communities in the park range from the Highland hub of Aviemore to the royal retreat of Crathie.
At the heart of the park is, of course, the wild heart of the Cairngorm mountains.

Ptarmigans are elusive birds
The Cairngorms are an outdoors paradise all year round acting as home to many species of wildlife and plants as well as being the perfect place for outdoor pursuits.
Tourists flock to the area in the summer months for activities such as hill-walking, climbing and kayaking.
Wildlife ha en
In winter the snow lies deep on the mountains offering people the chance to ski and winter-climb.
Away from the slopes with the temperatures often below freezing levels the landscape is a haven for wildlife.
Birds and animals take on their winter coats and plumage with ptarmigans turning white along with mountain hares and stoats.
Watch Autumnwatch from the Cairngorms, on Friday 20 November, 2009 at 8.30pm on BBC Two

Safety & Good Practice Seminar Report - Roger Wilde

2009-11-18T15:16:00.001+01:00

Safety & Good Practice Seminar 2009 - REPORT
For Scottish Student Mountaineering, Climbing and Hillwalking Clubs
14th & 15th November 2009 - Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore
57 students attended from nine university clubs looked after by 25 volunteer instructors.
On Saturday the programme covered a wide range of subjects including:-
Liability and Duty of Care
Choice, care and maintenance of pooled equipment
Incident Management
Qualifications, Training Opportunities and Experience
Novices and running a club
Scrambling and Hazard Awareness
Winter Check List
Navigation
On Sunday the delegates developed their skills in Mountain Navigation (introductory and advanced) and Rock Climbing (introductory and advanced).
Gavin Kellet points out a feature to members of Edinburgh and Glasgow Caledonian Universities
Jon Garside instructs members of Aberdeen Lairig Club
The MCofS would like to thank all the volunteer instructors for their contribution to mountain safety by giving up their weekend:
Malcolm Airey, Laurence Archer, John Armstrong, John Biggar, Linda Biggar, Andy Cloquet, Gillian Culshaw, Jon Garside, Alastair Goodridge, Alan Halewood, Nick Halls, James Hotchkis, Lisa Hutchison, Nick Jones, Gavin Kellett, Richard Parker, Sandy Paterson, Paul Russell, Mike Sadler, Martin Searle, David Slade, Ian Stewart, Bill Strachan, Nathan White, Nigel Williams.
Thanks also to Glenmore Lodge and all the staff for looking after us so well.
Report by Roger Wild, MCofS Scottish Students' Mountain Safety Adviser

Boats for Sale - end of season sale

2009-11-16T15:01:00.002+01:00

All our sea kayaks, surf kayaks, river kayaks, canoes and paddles are available to buy as it is the end of the season. Please call our office on 01479 861256 for details

Big Walls and Hauls

2009-11-13T16:19:00.002+01:00

Some of the team have just come back from the States. Yorris and Nathan were in Yosemite for 5 weeks getting their time on Big Walls and getting some great ones under their belt like Leaning Tower, The Prow. Camp 4 will no doubt be feeling the loss now they are back in Scotland.

Phil and Pauline did more of a road trip and managed to see Yosemite, Zion, Red Rocks and Joshua Tree. Only one Big wall - Moonlight Butress in Zion but that was good enough for an excuse to have the portaledge experience.

Happy Days!

Meet Lucy Creamer and Steve McClure at KMFF

2009-11-12T15:13:00.003+01:00

Marmot is offering the chance for all climbers attending Kendal Mountain Film Festival to come and meet Steve McClure and Lucy Creamer up front and personal.

Get your picture taken with them, pick their brains about route choice or simply just chat with the UK's best male and female climbers.

Lucy and Steve can be found in the 'Planet Fear' retail tent/climbers interview booth on Saturday 21st of November between 11am – 12pm and 3pm - 4pm.

FREE CLIMBING POSTERS signed by Lucy and Steve for everybody who comes to greet them in the retail tent.

Don't Miss Out!

Scottish Cyclocross Series – Round 4 Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore

2009-11-09T12:32:00.001+01:00

Rounds 4 and 5 of the Scottish Cyclocross Series headed to a very special venue indeed last weekend – Glenmore Lodge, Scotland’s National Outdoor Centre, located in the heart of the awe inspiring Cairngorms National Park. Reports on Saturday's Round 4 appear below, with details of Sunday's Round 5 to follow.

The course, laid out by organising club Velo Club Moulin remained similar to the one used in 2008 and included everything a ’crosser could wish for: several grassy 180 turns and off camber sections, obligatory barriers (painted up in the colours of the Belgian flag!), fast curvy tarmac descent, natural and man-made singletrack climbs and descents and even some bermed corners and a very short section of dry ski slope to cross! Even better, riders had to negotiate three savagely steep but thankfully short tarmac climbs per lap which really put the hurt on the legs! It would be fair to say the course was a tough but fun one.

For this weekend of racing, Velo Club Moulin received a lot of support, none more so than from Glenmore Lodge, who let cyclocrossers take over their centre for the weekend! Additional thanks go to Bike Love, Bulmers, Pro Velo Support, Endura, Mikes Bikes and Montville Joinery and Shopfitting.

As well as great prize list, riders also had the chance to compete for two beautiful, photo heavy, authentic Belgian Cyclocross coffee table books kindly donated by Geoff Waugh Photography. These and a fine Belgian brew would go to the ‘Hurdle Hero’ – the most stylish rider over the barriers on each day of racing.

Youths, 11.15am

13 Youth riders lined up under blue, sunny skies for 30 mins plus 1 lap of racing in the first race of the day. From the gun riders were faced with a start loop around the final quarter of the course before starting the first lap proper meaning that right from the start it was straight up one of the super steep tarmac climb to spread things out. Ouch!

At the end of lap 1 Scott Lindsey, Ben Miller and Stuart McClusky came through, locked together with Tom Arnstein and Iain Paton chasing hard at 10 secs back. By the end of lap 2 however Lindsey had opened up a 15 sec gap over McClusky, with Millar a further 10 secs back. Out front Lindsey, looking strong and smooth, continued to stretch out his lead, whilst behind Millar was gradually starting to reel in McClusky.

By the end of lap 4 Millar had bridged up to McClusky and over the next lap was able to move ahead and open up a gap. With 6 laps completed Lindsay crossed the line to take a well deserved win from Millar in 2nd then McClusky in 3rd only a couple of seconds ahead of a fast finishing Iain Paton. Yuka Gallagher rode strongly to finish first Youth girl and 6th overall. Bravo!

Vets/Womens/Juniors, 12.15pm

With record numbers at the first 3 rounds of the 2009 Series, the organisers decided to split the Open Race, in order to create fast, flowing and fairer racing (and easier lap scoring!). Next up were the Vets/Women/Juniors readying themselves for 50mins plus 1 lap of racing.

From the gun, super fast vet Iain Nimmo shot off the front of the field and by the end of lap 1 had opened up a 15 sec gap on Gary McCrae followed closely by James Melville then a large group of riders. Nimmo continued to rip around the course extending his lead each lap to take the win in fine style. Behind McCrae took 2nd spot with Melville in 3rd, Brendan Roe in 4th and Franco Porco in 5th.

In the Women’s race, the winner of the first 3 rounds, Ruth Fraser-Moodie again took the race by the scruff of the neck, quickly pulling out a gap on the rest of the women’s field. Fraser-Moodie took the win comfortably with Maddy Robinson riding a great race to recover from a slow start to take 2nd spot ahead of Morven Brown in 3rd.

In the junior category, Jack Taylor and Charles Fletcher lit things up with an exciting, race-long duel. Fletcher had the better start and by the end of lap 5 had opened up a 30 sec gap on Taylor. A lap later however and Taylor had moved into the lead, holding a slender 5 second gap on Fletcher through the start/finish. Over the final 4 laps, Taylor dug in and held on to take the win from Fletcher in 2nd and Andrew Leith in 3rd.

Seniors, 1.30pm

A healthy field of over 40 riders took to the line under ominously dark and cloudy skies for the start of the Senior race. Craig Hardie, winner of the previous round at Mugdock, blasted through the start/finish at the end of lap 1 at the front closely followed by Paul Newnham, Bruce McCleary, Davie Lines, James Fraser-Moodie, Iain Nimmo, Steven McInnes and Damian Smith.

At this moment the heavens opened and quickly made the course a whole lot slippier, especially through the grassy sections. Cue lots of unplanned dismounts, slips and falls as riders tried desperately to stay upright in the changing conditions.

Out front, Hardie seemed to be revelling in the rain and looking smooth and powerful gradually opened up the gap to 15 secs over Newnham by the end of lap 5 with Lines a further 10 secs back in 3rd. Over the next few laps however, Newnham dug deep and brought the gap down to just 5 seconds on lap 9, but was unable to bridge up and Hardie pulled away again to take the win in fine style, 15 secs ahead of Newnham in 2nd spot and Lines a further 30 secs back in 3rd. Behind, McCleary rode strongly for 4th place with McInnes in 5th.

Kids’ Race

Guy Willoughby reports:

20 kids lined up for the final event of the day, the combined U12s and U10s race, with a shortened course laid out on the grass in-field following part of the same route as the seniors and earlier races. So with over 100 previous riders on the wet track, the kids would require good handling skills in their 15 minute + a lap race to negotiate the frequent twists and turns.

The race was led from the start by Jamie Willoughby resplendent in his new bright yellow Drumlanrig racing colours, with Emma Borthwick pushing him hard in second place, particularly on the straighter grass sections and the short tarmac road. Joe Nally rode in 3rd place through much of the race, quietly tracked by Callum Shackley, who then with 3 minutes to race sprinted past Nally and into 3rd spot. On the final lap after the bell, Emma Borthwick had a spectacular crash on the tight bend by the bushes, allowing Shackley and Nally to slip through. The finishing order was Willoughby, Shackley, Nally, Borthwick, with U10 rider Henry Kerr being in there at the finish to lead in the U10s.

Fancy Dress Night Cross

The day ended with a fancy dress night cross ‘race’ using the first 1/3rd of the course for a few laps and some high jinks. A small crowd gathered to witness some great outfits, some shocking outfits and plenty of fun racing.

Race Pics

Trina Ritchie, Sue Melrose and others were on hand to capture the action from around the stunning course – lots of great images are at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/scottishcyclocross/pool/ Next Up – Round 5, Part Two of the Glenmore Double Header Report to follow soon. In the meantime, for all the latest news, happenings and info on the Scottish Cross Series as well as links to our fantastic series sponsors, check out www.scottishcyclocross.org.uk ">http://www.flickr.com/groups/scottishcyclocross/pool/

Next Up – Round 5, Part Two of the Glenmore Double Header

Report to follow soon. In the meantime, for all the latest news, happenings and info on the Scottish Cross Series as well as links to our fantastic series sponsors, check out www.scottishcyclocross.org.uk

Association of Heads of Outdoor Education Centres (AHOEC)

2009-11-02T10:53:00.002+01:00

Annual Conference 2009 – Glenmore Lodge, 18th – 20th November 2009

AHOEC was formed in 1963, at a time when many Local Education Authorities were starting their own Centres along the lines of the successful Outward Bound Schools. Today these Centres are still thriving but the Association has moved on. Membership includes managers of centres in the Charitable and Voluntary sector as well as local authority centres, some are urban-based, and some specialise in providing for people with special needs. Membership of the Association is open to Heads, and their Deputies, of Outdoor Centres in the UK and Ireland which provide educational programmes, usually linked to the school curriculum and/or the Government’s five “Every Child Matters” outcomes.
AHOEC is affiliated to the National Association of Head Teachers, and has representatives on the Governing Bodies of the main adventure sports and the key organisations concerned with outdoor education. Membership of AHOEC is widely regarded as a hallmark of ethical and quality management and the Association is about to launch its “Gold Standard” badge under the Learning Outside the Classroom Council’s Quality Badge scheme for learning providers.
The annual national conference this year has the theme “Is Adventure Essential to Humanity’s Survival? – the role of Outdoor Education in shaping values and knowledge for a sustainable future.”
The Association’s members play a key role in teaching young people about the natural environment and the impact we have upon it. The conference will explore what AHOEC members can do to ensure that young people have the understanding and ability to overcome the growing threats to the natural world, such as global warming.
Among the speakers at the conference are the veteran philosopher and teacher of Outdoor Education, Colin Mortlock, and Professor Peter Higgins who holds the chair in Outdoor and Environmental Education at Edinburgh University, the only one in the field in the UK and Europe. Dr Kate Rawles and Dr Chris Loynes of the University of Cumbria’s School of Outdoor Studies will be speaking on their initiative to get young people reconnected with the natural world, and Professor David Ball, Professor of Risk Management at Middlesex University, will be talking about developing a Risk/Benefit model of safety management in Outdoor Education. Eddie Broadley, an Adviser for Learning & Teaching Scotland will talk on the opportunities created by recent initiatives in Scotland to make learning outdoors an essential component of the new curriculum. There will also be workshop sessions with contributions from some of the most experienced practitioners in Outdoor Education in the UK.

The AHOEC Conference 2009 is sponsored by Montane.

Glenmore Lodge/Marmot/UKClimbing.com Competition

2009-10-30T12:37:00.003+01:00

We are currently running a competition in conjunction with Marmot and UKClimbing.com. This is a fantastic competition in which we are giving away a place on a weekend winter skills course and a place on a weekend winter mountaineering course...not only that but Marmot will kitting the two lucky winners out from head to toe in brand new winter kit!

So if your free on the weekend of the 6th and 7th of February then follow the link for more information on how to enter: Glenmore Lodge/Marmot/UKClimbing.com Competition

Good luck!

MCofS Ladies Only GPS Training Courses 2010

2009-10-27T12:17:00.002+01:00

One day courses at Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore - Only £25

The focus of the course is to familiarise participants with the various functions of the GPS unit so they feel confident to navigate safely on the hill.

The one day course will begin with a short (approx 1 hour) introduction session indoors for participants to familiarise themselves with the GPS units. This will be followed by practical sessions in the woods around Glenmore and later out on the hill.

The courses are based at Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore. Pre-booking is essential.

The course costs £25 per person and the dates are as follows:-

May 2010 Saturday 15th
May 2010 Sunday 16th

Price uncludes use of GPS units*, batteries, instruction, coffee and tea and cakes at the end of the course.

*If you have your own GPS, please bring it along with you and advise Heather of the make and model at least one week prior to the start of the course. It is recommended that if you do not have your own GPS and are considering purchasing one, then to wait until after the course.

The course will be run by the MCofS Mountain Safety Advisor, Heather Morning (MIC) and Rosie Goolden (MIC) from Chicks Unleashed. If you have any further questions, please contact Heather direct on 0778 886 1431.

To confirm availability please phone the MCofS office on 01738 493942. If you wish to pay by card over the phone you may do so, or alternatively send a cheque for £25 payable to The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (or MCofS) to:-

GPS COURSE
MOUNTAINEERING COUNCIL OF SCOTLAND
THE OLD GRANARY
WEST MILL STREET
PERTH PH1 5QP
(Tel: 01738 493942)

Please include your address, telephone number and choice of date.

Payment of the full amount will secure your place unless the course is already fully booked in which case we will return your cheque asap. In the event of cancellation by you, we cannot refund the fee unless we find someone else to take your place.

Scottish Tooling Series, Round 2 - EICA: Ratho

2009-10-26T14:38:00.004+01:00

The second round of the 2009 STS was held at Ratho on Saturday the 24th of October. The route setters did a wonderful job and tryed to re-create moves experienced on winter rotues in Scotland to add an element of realism to the competition. Among the routes set were Stirling Bomber, The migrant and Lipton - a WI7 in Rjukan Norway.

There was a good turnout from competitors and Balvenie Whiskey, one of the series sponsors, attended the event.

The day went really well and by the end everyone was absolutely knackered!

Due to unforseen circumstances Inverness are no longer holding a competition so the next round will be at Glenmore Lodge on the 21st of November. this gives competitors three weeks for training!

We hope to see you at the next round!

SCIS Conference

2009-10-26T14:37:00.001+01:00

“An excellent Outdoor Education programme for the weekend November 27-29 2009 has been arranged by Neal Gwynne from Glasgow Academy, for the Scottish Council of Independent Schools. In addition to a full agenda of presentations & Workshops on the Friday (Overseas Expeditions Fieldwork; Benefits of Overseas Youth Expeditions; Myths of Mountaineering Kit), there will be an opportunity for delegates to stay at Glenmore Lodge on Friday and Saturday nights to participate in a range of courses, or take the opportunity for personal climbing, biking, paddling or walking in the area. Please book as soon as possible: full details on the SCIS CPD Calendar, online at www.scis.org.uk/cpd”

Marmot Dry Tooling Gloves

2009-10-08T14:42:00.002+01:00

Introducing Marmot Amphibian gloves £50.00:

These gloves are a must have for anybody currently competing in this years dry tooling competition.

Marmot’s amphibian gloves are specifically designed to offer a high performance dry tooling glove which is ideal for competition use. Dexterity is the name of the game with these gloves whilst still offering knuckle protection and wind resistance when required.

For more details on the Amphibian gloves checkout Marmot’s website www.marmot.com or to find a stockists call Marmot UK on 015395 63616.

News from the Mountain Leader Training Association

2009-10-06T15:43:00.002+01:00

MLTA News October 2009…..

Bookings are still being taken for the annual MLTA Conference, taking place on 24th and 25th October at Plas y Brenin. Workshops will be taking place over the weekend giving members an opportunity to learn about something new, socialise and enjoy the beautiful North Wales countryside.

There are places on the following workshops:-

Coaching Processes
Bushcraft
Disability Awareness/Inclusive Practice
Technical and Safety

If you can’t come for the whole weekend, why not book onto a one day workshop. For more details contact Rachael@mlta.co.uk

For more information:
www.mlta.co.uk
Sign up for the new MLTA E-newsletter by emailing Rachael@mlta.co.uk

Scottish Open Canoe Symposium Report

2009-10-06T09:48:00.002+01:00

Quality coaching, excellent upgraded accommodation at Glenmore Lodge, and some very fine weather were the distinguishing features of this year’s Open Canoe Symposium. Migrating north of the border, on its three year rotation with the English and Welsh symposia, this annual pilgrimage is a must for any open boat enthusiast.

Although this is the smallest of the three symposia, it more than makes up for this with a vibrant atmosphere, and the numbers mean that there is the chance for much greater contact with the star field of coaches available. Indeed, it is slightly baffling that many more canoeists do not try to make a regular booking for the Scottish symposium, particularly given the astonishingly low rail fares available – it is noteworthy that the £15 taxi fare from Aviemore to the Lodge costs more than the current advanced rail ticket from London to Aviemore! The chance to try out a range of different boats at the Symposium also makes the hire options very attractive. Many Sassenachs also take full advantage of a canoe trip before or after the event which will also make the long haul by road worthwhile.

However, the best value for money for participants is undoubtedly the opportunity to be coached by the very best open canoe instructors in the UK. It is a tribute to their display of enthusiasm for the sport that these coaches repeatedly volunteer their services, and are prepared themselves to travel to each of the three symposia in turn. With a full range of workshops ranging from ‘Improver flatwater skills’ through to ‘Advanced white water’, there was something for everyone at any level of paddling. In addition, other sessions on topics such as poling, tracking and lining allowed development in the ‘traditional skills’, while early evening colloquia, after use of the Drying Rooms, encouraged expertise in sailing rigs, outfitting, and – if you were determined to get wet again – rolling and support stroke instruction in the indoor pool. As one enthusiast remarked at the Spey, having travelled perhaps the furthest of any participant, ‘I cannot believe that I am getting personalised river rescue coaching from Ray Goodwin on the rapids at Knockando, along with everything else this weekend!’

Some swift, and wholly unscientific, market research established that perhaps the most popular evening programme for years was on a topic only remotely related to canoeing – a whisky tasting evening. But then this is Scotland, so perhaps the two elide more closely than one would think? Certainly, when the ‘Balvennie Whisky Ambassador’, equipped with a PhD in the subject and a string of jokes, turns up with free samples of a range of choice whiskies, it was perhaps surprising that some of the drinkers remembered very much at all. Particularly when at the end of an evening comparing samples, our host produced some bottles of the ‘Balvennie Portwood’, at £85 each, and encouraged the assembled company to pour themselves ‘as much as they wanted’.

Other evening sessions included Tom Sibbald with a lyrical slide show of Scottish and Swedish canoe tripping, and Justine Curgenven (of Sea Kayak video fame) giving a sneak preview of her forthcoming Open Canoe DVD. This included an unedited section from a trip that she had just made across Rannoch Moor with two of the Symposium organisers, Dave Rossetter and Scott Simon, containing a dramatic sequence when one of the boats was pinned. Some of the language used on that occasion might need editing out, but this DVD is obviously going to be an essential part of any open canoeist’s collection in due course. As ever, these formal evening sessions led straight into the eternal informal debates at the bar, augmented by live music. One current hot topic is the ‘Griff’ question; good thing or bad for canoeing? Those staggering off an epic Rannoch Moor trip to be asked ‘Are you doing a Griff?’ can be somewhat bemused, particularly in the light of several comical stories from locals on the actual realities of this ‘tele-paddle’. But, thanks to SCA and the BCU, there is also no doubt that the programmes highlighted some acute questions about access, and have again raised the profile of canoeing.

Finally, a very considerable word of praise for Nancy Brookes, who with her usual charming manner, orchestrated the whole weekend. It is a great tribute to Glenmore Lodge, the national outdoor training centre, and to Stirling Canoes that they support this key event in the paddling calendar. Roll on October 2010, and the Welsh Symposium at Bala.

“Bembe”

Scottish Tooling Series - Round 1, Avertical World Dundee

2009-10-04T11:50:00.002+01:00

The first round of the 2009 Scottish Tooling Series was held at Avertical World in Dundee yesterday. The guys at Avertical world have spent the last week working on problems to test all abilities and did a fantastic job.

There was a good turnout of competitors and the atmosphere was competitve but relaxed. After the qualifiers the top 3/5 competitors in each category were put forward to attempt the final route.

This route involved some strenuos bouldering out of the cave followed by steep climbing on small, sloping holds and finally onto a free hanging log at the top of the roof. The route really pushed the limits of all those in the final and was only successfully completed by one competitor - Robert Phillips.

A big thank you goes to the guys at Avertical World, the sponsors; Marmot, Petzl, Beal, La sportiva, Wigwam and The Balvennie malt Whiskey.

We look forward to seeing you all at the next round at Ratho in Edinburgh on the 24th of October.

For full results and photos see http://www.scottishtoolingseries.co.uk/

Ratho Climbing Rocks Festival 2009

2009-09-30T11:56:00.004+01:00

This is a festival of rock climbing being held at EICA Ratho on the 10th of October 2009. The festival is being brought to you by The Quickdraw Climbing Club and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland in association with EICA Ratho. The main aim is to bring rock climbing to the masses and to show Scotland why we all love it!!!

Glenmore Lodge will be supporting the event - look out for us on the 10th of October!

Check out http://www.quickdrawclimbingrocks.com for more information.

A good day for Wild Country's Ben Heason...

2009-09-30T10:21:00.003+01:00

While offering moral support to his good friend Miles Gibson, who was trying a project up at Wimberry, a fantastic but often green and dirty crag in the Chew valley, Ben Heason thought he may as well try something tricky up there himself.

Having already climbed most of the routes up to E5 at the crag it was obvious he'd need to clean up a line.

Ben continues: "I was keen to try the hardest thing there, but couldn’t get on Sam Whittaker’s E9 “Appointment with Death” until I’d at least had a good bash at trying the super classic E7 “Appointment with Fear” as they share the same start. Miles had initially enticed me up there in the first place by offering to clean it up for me so that I could try and flash it – but unfortunately that never happened; I think he may have become a little side-tracked.

Kevin Thaw’s route, “Order of the Phoenix” seemed the obvious next choice. It looked a nice line and seemed the cleanest of the harder routes up there. (Madman, although an enticing line, was unfortunately particularly luminous green) Kevin gave the route E9 6c and I didn’t find out until after I’d first tried it that it had been downgraded to E8. Still, with fantastic moves up a beautiful sustained arête I thought I’d persevere.

Physically it’s the most sustained hard grit route I’ve done so far with no particularly easy moves on it. The climbing is highly technical, often with tenuous footholds and a crux slap up the arête from a 1-finger pebble (by which time the gear/rope is redundant), culminating with taking a small pebble in each hand to make a super high step to a

smeary top-out. Kevin lead the route with a low side runner in Coffin Crack, in an attempt to avoid the nasty boulder-strewn landing should the worst happen… Even without this it felt like E8 rather than E9 (so long as you trust the pebbles…) My ascent went smoothly but it's probably quite stern for the grade."

Fortunately Miles did his new route Dangermouse at E9 7A later that day - a fantastic effort and not a bad day!

Etive River Race 2009

2009-09-26T21:30:00.004+01:00

This weekend the second ever Etive River Race was held. Glenmore Lodge were proud to be supporting what is Scotland's most extreme white water race.

Last year there was too much water to run the main section of the river but this year the level was perfect!

The race was a two man event with the clock stopping when both boats crossed the finish line. The level of competition was extremely high, with some incredibly quick times.

The winning team completed the course in 11:01:64.

After the race everyone headed to the Clachaig Inn for food and the prize giving.

The organizer of the event; James Flemming said that he was "extremely happy with the way things had gone" and we hope that James will be organising another race on the Etive next year!

see www.etiveriverrace.co.uk for more info on the event and results.

MCofS Winter Lecture Series

2009-09-22T13:09:00.002+01:00

Winter 2010 sees the introduction of a new expanded MCofS winter lecture series. Following on from the success at the Clachaig Inn each winter, the lectures will now run from three differanct locations.

The Clachaig Inn, Glencoe - Tuesday Evenings

The Mountain Cafe, Aviemore - Wednesday Evenings

The Lochaber Mountan Rescue Team Base - Thursday Evenings

The focus of the lectures is to entertain and educate on winter mountain safety. In order to delver this, an inspiring array of speakers has been chosen who are guarnateed to provide an entertaining night out! All the speakers have spent many years in the mountains and will draw upon their own experiences to illustrate hard lessons lernt. Each presentation will last approx 45 minutes and there will be opportunity at the end of each evening for any questions. Whether you are a hardened climber, or up in the Highlands for your first winter experience, you can ensure a good night out and learn something new.

The MCofS Winter Lecture Series is free of charge and open to all.
The Clachaig Inn, Glencoe
The Clachaig is the birth place of the Winter Lecture Series. Tuesday evenings from the 2nd February see the return of the series for a six week period. The evening talks will begin promptly at 20.00, however feel free to arrive well in advance to enjoy a bar meal and a pint or two. This winter’s speakers are:

2nd February & 9th February Roger Wild, IFMGA mountain guide and ex Mountain Safety Advisor with the MCofS. Roger has a wealth of Scottish mountaineering experience to draw upon. Roger will be talking about Winter Mountain Navigation.

16th February & 23rd February Nick Carter Nick has climbed extensively around the world since the early 80's, but is probably most well known for his hard winter ascents. Nick climbs up to grade VIII in Scotland including the first winter ascent of Hung, Drawn and Quartered (VIII,8) and the second winter ascent of Sidewinder (VII,8) on Ben Nevis and Genesis (VII,7) on Beinn Bhan. As we all know, to be successful and safe climbing in Scottish Winter you need to be much more than a ‘hot shot’ climber. Getting to and from the routes can be a challenge in itself. Nick will share some of his experiences with us.

2nd March & 9th March Rosie Goolden Rosie is a well known face in the Scottish winter mountaineering/climbing scene and one of only a handful of female MIC’s. She has spent the last 10 years guiding in Scottish Winter and was the founder of the hugely successful initiative ‘Chicks Unleashed’.

The Mountain Cafe, Aviemore
This famous cafe must be the perfect venue to spend a winters evening after a day on the hill. The cafe will be open from 18.30 onwards - use the entrance around the left hand side of the building. Food is available at 19.00; there will be a choice of meat or veggie at an excellent price of £8. The evening talk will begin promptly at 20.00. The Mountain Cafe winter lecture series will run on Wednesday evenings for eight consecutive weeks from 20th January 2010. This winter’s speakers are:
20th January & 27th January Ian Sherrington, IFMGA Mountain Guide and Senior Instructor at Glenmore Lodge. Ian has extensive experience of mountaineering, climbing and skiing in Scotland and is looking forward to sharing some of his adventures with you.

3rd February, 17th February & 3rd March Simon Steer, Simon combines his day job in the Scottish Government with the role of Deputy Team Leader of the Cairngorm Mountain Rescue Team. He relaxes by climbing hills slowly; making easy rock or ice routes look hard; falling off his mountain bike and posing as a ski patroller on Cairngorm. He also lectures on wilderness emergency care to anyone willing to listen. In his 14 years in the rescue team, Simon has been involved in a great many incidents (some funny, some not) and will be sharing some of those tales with you.

10th February & 10th March David (Heavy) Whalley – this is Mr Mountain Rescue! What Heavy hasn’t been involved with in his 37 years in mountain rescue isn’t worth knowing about. Heavy spent his working life in the RAF and rose to the dizzy heights of Team Leader for both the Kinloss and Leuchars Mountain Rescue Teams. He is now retired from the RAF and spends his spare time collating the Scottish Accident Statistics for the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland and is still active in mountain rescue as a member of the Torridon Team. Heavy is a larger than life character and guaranteed to provide an entertaining evening.

Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team Base, Fort William
This venue is the fantastic, new purpose built facility for the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team, located on the Ben Nevis Industrial Estate on the north side of the town. The LMRT have kindly opened their doors to the public to host the Thursday evening lectures. The lectures will run for eight consecutive weeks from Thursday 21st January, starting at 20.00. The lectures are free, but visitors may wish to make a donation to the Lochaber Mountain Rescue Team.

This winter’s speakers are:
21st Jan & 25th Feb Cameron McNeish Cameron is well known for his work with media, he regularly appears on our TV screens with classics such as his walk through the Far North West of Scotland. Cameron manages to juggle his day job (editing TGO Magazine) with an active and enthusiastic love of the Scottish Hills.
28th Jan & 11th Feb Stuart Johnston Stuart has been an MIC for many years and now runs his own successful mountain training business ‘Stuart Johnston Mountaineering’. He balances this with his commitment as a member of the Tayside Mountain Rescue Team and Training Officer for the Mountain Rescue Committee for Scotland.
18th Feb & 11th Mar Di Gilbert Di is another one of those rare female MIC’s. Alongside her many years experience climbing in the Scottish Mountains, Di has made many ascents in the greater ranges including Denali and Everest. Her vibrant personality and enthusiasm for the Scottish Mountains will ensure an entertaining and informative evening.
4th Feb & 4th Mar Richard Bentley A well known MIC, Richard has been running his own mountaineering business for many years from the foot of Ben Nevis. Richard has climbed throughout the world but is probably best known around Scotland for his coaching and teaching of winter climbing, his love of hard mixed climbing and his knowledge of Ben Nevis in Winter. He is a member of the Lochaber Mountain rescue team and occasionally masquerades as a Ski Patroller on Aonach Mor!

2009 SCOTTISH CYCLOCROSS SERIES – GET YOUR RACE ON!

2009-09-18T18:48:00.001+01:00

The Scottish Cyclocross Series returns this autumn with 11 rounds of the funnest, friendliest, cheapest and most accessible type of bicycle racing around.
And there’s not long to wait – the series kicks off on Sunday 4th October at Plean Country Park near Stirling. It promises to be a great start to the series with a fast, fun course that makes for brilliant racing and spectating.
Venues
After Plean, the series will visit several venues in and around central Scotland from the sand dunes at Irvine to the slippery singletrack at Mugdock Park near Glasgow.
The series will also travel further afield, to two truly unique venues for cyclocross. The first is Glenmore Lodge near Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands, with two races over the weekend of 31st October/1st November. The second provides a spectacular setting for the final two races of the series on 12th/13th December – Glengorm Castle on the Isle of Mull! As an added bonus, the Mull weekend will also be hosting the inaugural Santa Cross World Championships!
Easy to get involved and get racing
There are categories for all ages at every round of the series (including the Isla Bikes U12’s races) and literally any type of bike with knobbly tyres will work great (you can race on mtb’s at all rounds). It’s cheap and easy to enter too, just a tenner or less per race (U12’s race for free) and you simply turn up and enter on the day.
The vibe at the Scottish series races is relaxed and super friendly, it’s all about having fun and enjoying the racing whatever your level. And that’s one of the really neat things about cyclocross in general – the short courses and multi lap format make for close, exciting racing - there’s always someone nearby to race against, no matter what your fitness is. Cross courses generally include a healthy mix of grass, singletrack, mud, dirt road, pavement even sand, as well as the traditional cross obstacles of wooden barriers and short steep run ups – expect all these and more at the 2009 Scottish series.

More Info
http://www.scottishcyclocross.org.uk/ has all the info on the 2009 Scottish Cyclocross series along with the latest news and happenings, contacts and the SCX shop. You can also follow the series at www.twitter.com/scottishcx

Tiso Dundee 20th Anniversary 1989-2009

2009-09-16T15:57:00.002+01:00

Tiso's Dundee store celebrates it's 20th anniversary next month with a special one off event held at the Apex Hotel in Dundee.

Dave Mcleod will be presenting an illustrated lecture titled "How Soon is Now?"

There will also be a charity auction with prizes from Glenmore Lodge and a Free prize draw in association with Black Diamond, Gore, Mountain Equipment and Tiso.

All profits are going to the Tayside Mountain Rescue Team.

This event will take place on Thursday the 22nd of October at 7.30.

Contact Tiso Dundee on 01382 221153 or dundee@tiso.co.uk or in store to buy a ticket.

Tickets £8, Concessions £6.

SCA Coaching Confernce 2009

2009-09-16T10:40:00.002+01:00

From Friday the 11th to Sunday the 13th of September Glenmore Lodge hosted the Scottish Canoe Associations annual Coaching Confernce.

The event is aimed at paddlesport coaches all over Scotland and gives them the opporunity to learn new teaching methods and coaching techniques at the forefront of the sport today.

The weekend kicked off with an official welcome in the lecture theatre from Ian Sherrington followed by a whisky tasting session run by Balvennie and then a fantastic lecture by Iain Abercrombie and Dave Rossetter on their recent expedition to the Zanskar.

Saturday began with a series of classroom sessions and updates from the SCA. In the afternoon there were three "round robin" practical programmes.

In the evening there was an annual dinner and then a "few" drinks in the bar!

Sunday was a practical day in which delegates chose a course to attend. There were sessions in sea kayaking, white water kayaking, open boating, teaching rolling, teaching forward paddling.

Glenmore Lodge provided the venue, transport and loan of all equipment for the conference which is part of the Lodge's committment to providing for and being an HQ for the outdoor sector.

Mountaineering Council of Scotland AGM

2009-09-16T10:07:00.002+01:00

Glenmore Lodge hosted the Mountaineering Council of Scotland's AGM on Saturday the 5th of September.

There were several intesting and informative lectures/seminars throughout the day. Dave Macleod ran a climbing masterclass in the afternoon and entertained everyone with a fantastic lecture in the evening...despite having written his car off on the way from Fortwilliam to Glenmore!

Heather Morning, the MCofS safety adviser and her SARDA trained dog Millie also presented and so to did Geoff Monk from the MIWS.

Key Decisions from the AGM:

Special resolution approved unanimously

Cosequent disembandment of the executice and specialist committees

Replaced by enlarged board of 8 directors and working/advisory groups

All and all it was an enjoyable and productive weekend and it was great to see that the MCofS is modernising and taking Scottish mountaineering forward in a dynamic way with the full support of it's members.

The World Surf Kayak Championships 2009

2009-09-02T09:48:00.005+01:00

This year the world surf kayak championships were held in Santa Cruz, Portugal. Team Scotland was led by Ian Sherrington, one of Glenmore Lodge's senior instructors.Here is his report:

After 8 days of intense competition, between 157 athletes, from 15 countries in 12 teams; the results were in.Over the last few events, Scotland has repeatedly produced world beating individual performances. Of our stars, Neil Baxter has been consistently in finals and has won the Masters, and of course Tracy Sherrington is a 2 Times World Champion. However our pool of surfers is small, and this year again we would be missing juniors from our team, meaning we would start with a points disadvantage. Due to the team make up, also containing a number of very enthusiastic worlds rookies, it was decided early that we were there to do our best and enjoy it!

The odds were stacked against team Scotland but they battled it out to finish 6th overall. John Ingles achieved the teams highest position, finished 2nd overall in the Grand Masters long boat category.Look out for the full report in Scottish Paddler.

Photos by Matt Speke.

AMI Dry Tooling Series - Report

2009-08-25T16:43:00.002+01:00

Glenmore Lodge and Keswick Climbing Wall both hosted rounds of the AMI dry-tooling events during July and August this year. A third event, due to be held at the Beacon, unfortunately had to be cancelled due to a low number of pre-registrations.

The weather for the Glenmore event, which was held on the outside towers, went against the forecast and remained dry. A good crowd turning up to try their hand at a number of routes, ranging from easy through to what was generally accepted as being extremely gnarly. Extras such as a tyre obstacle and swinging-log starts made some of the problems rather thought-provoking. The atmosphere was very convivial, with most participants spending the entire day at the event, trying different routes, tools and encouraging each other whenever needed. Abilities ranged from first-timers through to seasoned axe-crankers, with an impressive display from an under-18 female entrant who had never dry-tooled before, powering her way to second place!

Two weeks later found us at Keswick Climbing Wall, and after an intensive Friday of route-setting, Saturday dawned dry, hot and bright. As this event was indoors, a number of folk who were expected to attend decided (quite understandably), to make the most of the superb weather and go cragging instead. Those that did attend the event again had the choice of easy through to thoroughly testing routes, with swinging tyres and log problems again adding a little spice. The generosity of the sponsors also meant that everyone who attended went away with a prize!

It is hoped to make these events a regular date on the calendar, albeit most likely during the Autumn months rather than the summer. Keep an eye on the notices and come along and take part; everyone is welcome, not just AMI members.

Our gratitude must go to the venues of Glenmore Lodge, in particular Nigel Williams and Jim in the stores, and the Keswick Climbing Wall, where Gnash and his staff could not have been more accommodating. Ian Broadley helped with the route setting and running the events, so my thanks to him. Thanks also to the sponsors: DMM, Mountain Equipment, Black Diamond, DB Mountain Sports, Edelrid, Needlesports and Cicerone Press.

2009-08-25T10:36:00.003+01:00

This weekend we had Martin from Marmot UK staying at the lodge. Marmot are one of our key sponsors and it’s always nice to see them up here.

On Saturday Pauline, Scott and Martin headed into Coire and T’sneachda and climbed The Genie; an under-rated VS,4C on Aladdin’s Buttress. Martin had brought a new Marmot jacket with him for us to have a look at. The Stretch-man, it’s a lightweight, super stretchy, waterproof and breathable shell. I did a pitch wearing the jacket and was very impressed. Keep your eyes open for this jacket, due to be released in spring 2010.

After The genie we headed up the ultra classic Fingers Ridge and moved together in an alpine style.
We all had a great weekend and I am pleased to say that we are set to continue this partnership well into the future.

Safely back from some high altitude, high adrenalin white water!

2009-08-21T15:35:00.005+01:00

Doug and Ian have just got back from a remote corner of Ladakh in Northern India. With them were a team of paddlers, many who are regularly seen working at the Lodge. Two years in the planning the first objective was trying to acclimatise as fast as possible to the 4500m altitude at which the river started. One thing you can’t plan for is water levels, and this year was huge – the biggest water they had seen out there in 16 years. So a little out of breath a team of 7 boaters started on the Tsarup Chu river in big water – we were pretty much paddling from the top of Mount Blanc! The Tsarup Chu involved 4 days of self support kayaking in one of the remotest and inhospitable places on earth. With heavy boats and high water levels it was straight into some fairly solid class 4 boating, the river forcing it’s way through 6 sheer sided box canyons. These canyons were often no more than 5 metres wide, were completely blind, inescapable and involved paddling through boils that need to be seen to be believed.
After two days of box canyons, half a day on some easier water though spectacular open gorges the river picked up volume and gradient as it cascaded towards the confluence with the Zanskar River. A couple of big portages were required in between some big and steep class 4 and 5 rapids. The final day gave unbelievable white water, big heavy volume class four, all read and run with non stop adrenalin.
Joining the Zanskar the Tsarup Chu team met up with another 6 friends and the raft support team to continue for 5 days down the Zanskar River. The Zanskar is often referred to as the ‘Grand Canyon’ of the Himalaya, and in this it did not disappoint. The scenery was unbelievable and around every corner something new would take your breath away. The only thing that stopped you taking in the views was the white water. Although not as hard as the Tsarup Chu, it was still big and very continuous at the high flows. So waves and boils were regularly engulfing the team of paddlers as they journeyed down one of the greatest canyons on earth.
Ten days after starting the river journey everybody arrived safely back in Leh, time to reflect of what was for the majority one of the most amazing river expeditions they had ever done.

No doubt Doug and Ian will still be telling the stories well into the autumn. If you are up here on a course then you can hear the full account from them!

SCA Coaching Conference 2009

2009-08-21T10:14:00.004+01:00

The SCA Coaching Conference will be held at Glenmore Lodge on the 11th - 13th of September.

This years conference is entitled Doing the Basics Well. As coaches we are sure you will agree that this is always a good place to start when trying to helping someone to perform well. Coaching develops & moves forward.

As it does most of us take stock by considering those things we care about, and motivate us to coach better. If we were to put some words to that it may well be things like people, places, fun, learning and improving.

At this years conference we intend to blend some of the learning from our new coaching scheme with those values listed above. We want you to work hard and play hard. Make the most of the weekend; update and share; improve your coaching; and party like we know you can!Read on & find out which options will best suit you? Then remember to tick your first and second choices on the booking form. We need second options so that we can best fit you with our volunteer staff. Remember to bring along your logbook so that you can be signed off for having attended the various sessions!

For more information on the event and how to book visit: http://www.glenmorelodge.org.uk/eventsdisplay.asp?id=36

Marmot signs up new UK athlete

2009-08-14T10:47:00.002+01:00

Steve McClure, one of the UK’s highest profile and most influential rock climbers, has become the newest addition to Marmot’s pro climbing and mountaineering team.

Steve reputation has been well earned over the last decade through his constant pushing of standards and ground breaking ascents.

Steve was the first Britain to onsight F8b and then F8b+; climbed the first F9a in England in 2000 (Northern Lights), F9a+ in 2007 (Overshadow) and has been British Indoor Champion four times. Steve has also onsighted more than 100 routes graded F8a or harder within 12 months; climbed over 500 sport routes at F8a and above, established a ground-up F8b+ deep water solo, climbed 8c+ very fast and climbed E11 trad in 2008 (Rhapsody).

Climbers of Steve’s ability are very rare, and we are delighted that he has chosen to work with us. His plans of continued landmark ascents and endorsement of our products will give us exceptional brand exposure. We believe our range of clothing and equipment will play a pivotal role for Steve as he undertakes all his climbing in the future.

About working with Marmot Steve said:

“I'm extremely pleased. I'm lucky to be supported by the best equipment companies in the world (Petzl, Beal and 5.10) and Marmot fits perfectly alongside these. I used Marmot equipment exclusively in Greenland a few years ago where performance was paramount and was impressed. I couldn't think of a better company to forge a relationship with. Within a day of getting some new clothes I was wearing them at a high elevation crag in Wales. A long sweaty walk in, followed by hard climbing in cold windy weather needed high performance stuff. I'm used to typical cotton clothing, but the difference in performance under testing conditions, and thus my overall climbing performance was massive!”

In addition to his role as Marmot’s newest athlete, Steve will also be working closely with us on our new retailer support strategy. He, and our other athletes, will visit our key retail partners to meet shop staff, communicate real world product use, and deliver inspirational presentations.

MLTA News August 2009

2009-08-03T11:35:00.003+01:00

MLTA has been running a series of regional workshops this year, aimed at developing and updating skills and knowledge of members. The workshops have been very popular, topics already covered include Disability Awareness, ML Refreshers and Environmental workshops

29/30 Aug ML Refresher Lakes
5/6 Sept Nature and Conservation of the Uplands N Wales
19 Sept SPA workshop Dartmoor
10 Oct Teaching Rock Climbing Scotland
11 Oct Improvised Rescue for climbing Scotland

This year’s Conference is taking place at the National Mountain Centre at Plas y Brenin on 24th and 25th October. Workshops will be taking place over the weekend giving members an opportunity to learn about something new, socialise and enjoy the beautiful North Wales countryside.

For more information:
www.mlta.co.uk
Sign up for the new MLTA E-newsletter by emailing Rachael@mlta.co.uk

Chernoble Children Visit Glenmore Lodge

2009-07-30T14:23:00.004+01:00

Every year since 2000 children affected by the nuclear disaster of 1986 have been coming to Glenmore Lodge for a day of sporting activites.

The charity "Chernobyl Children Life Line" organises trips for children from affected areas to Scotland. This is a fantastic organisation that makes a massive differance to the lives of so many children.

http://www.chernobyl-childrens-charity.co.uk/

On Thursday the 30th of July 24 children from Chernobyl spent the day with us at Glenmore Lodge. This year we provided tasters in rock climbing, a chance to play in our pool and some problem solveing games.

It was a fantastic day and we look forward to spending another day with the children from Chernobyl next year!

AMI TOOLING SERIES KICKS OFF AT GL

2009-07-26T15:29:00.006+01:00

Pete Hill has co-ordinated a series of 3 tooling competitions for AMI and the first one was held here at the Lodge. As you can see from his picture, he is pretty smug with himself and found time for eating while he left the rest of us trying to work out some of the problesm he had set.

The route setting has been great. There was enough to stretch the more adept and lots for the begginers to tooling who were here enjoying the banter and the sound effects from climbers as tools and crampons scraped and scratched up the granite towers.

There were some great prizes from the sponsors too which brought some smiles - nice one Sam.

For more information on the next event at Keswick Wall on Aug 8th, contact pete@petehillmic.com or visit the AMI website or the MLTA website

NICE JOB PETE!

Mountaineers: Technology no Substitute for Technique

2009-07-16T10:26:00.002+01:00

MCofS has launched its autumn training series, providing novice and less-experienced hill walkers and climbers with a low-cost opportunity to gain potentially life-saving skills.
Announcing the expanded events programme, Heather Morning, Mountain Safety Advisor, said: “Getting lost and poor navigation are the most frequent causes of mountain incidents and rescue team call-outs. Our aim is to provide entry-level navigation skills at a price anyone can afford.”
David Gibson, MCofS Chief Officer added “For starters, we want all mountaineers to be competent in map and compass work. GPS has its uses and our new course is geared towards getting the best use out of the technology. In our view, technology is no substitute for technique and the best way to avoid becoming a statistic is to have basic map and compass skills.”
MCofS run their training events programme on a not-for-profit basis. The autumn programme includes:
Course Venue Date
Basic navigation training - map and compass (1 day) Edinburgh 12th or 13th September
Glasgow 19th or 20th September
GPS training (1 day) Glenmore Lodge 3rd or 4th October
Basic First Aid (2 days) Glen Feshie 24th & 25th October

Navigation and GPS courses are open to all and cost just £25 – the price includes a free Ordnance Survey map and a day with a qualified mountain leader. The first aid course, which is only available to MCofS members, costs of £85 for 2 days including accommodation.
The MCofS website http://www.mcofs.org.uk/courses.asp has full details, or call 01738 493943 to book.

Mountaineers Celebrate Scotland’s Mountains

2009-07-16T09:08:00.001+01:00

Scotland’s mountaineers welcome Dave MacLeod to the Mountaineering Council of Scotland’s Annual Gathering, to be held at Glenmore Lodge on Saturday 5 September. Recognised as one of the world’s best climbers, Dave has successfully challenged some of the hardest rock, winter and bouldering routes in the world.

David Gibson, MCofS Chief Officer said ” The Gathering offers something of interest for all mountaineers. It’s a great opportunity to get together and do what mountaineers do best - celebrate the mountains. We are delighted to welcome Dave, who features in a range of events and activities which will entertain and inspire Scotland’s climbers and hill walkers.”

The climax of the event is Dave MacLeod’s new lecture ‘'How soon is now? - Making moments to remember in climbing”, which is followed by a hog roast, bar and live traditional music until late.

The programme includes climbing masterclass sessions run by Dave MacLeod; an insight into how rescue dogs are trained and used, run by Heather Morning, MCofS Mountain Safety Adviser with her SARDA dog Milly; and an interactive lecture by Geoff Monk, founder and brains behind the Mountain Weather Information Service.

David Gibson added “We look forward to welcoming our members and invited guests to what promises to be one of Scottish mountaineering’s most memorable events of the year.”

For further information contact David Gibson, MCofS Chief Officer on 07845-919150

Mountaineers Recognise Ratho as World Class Climbing Venue

2009-07-16T09:03:00.001+01:00

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland (MCofS) announces today that the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena at Ratho (EICA: Ratho) is recognised as Scotland’s National Indoor Climbing Centre.
Speaking on behalf of MCofS, which represents Scotland’s climbers and mountaineers, David Gibson, Chief Officer, stated “EICA: Ratho provides Scotland with a truly world-class indoor climbing venue: one which enables it to host both European and World Championship events. It is a fantastic national centre for a sport which has its roots on the crags and cliffs of Scotland’s mountains, and we are pleased to recognise its importance to the sport of climbing at home, and its status on the world stage.”
Louise Martin CBE, Chair of sportscotland said: “sportscotland is delighted to have supported the development of EICA: Ratho with a combined investment from the Scottish Government and the Lottery of just over £2.1 million. It is great to see it now being recognised in this way and we are sure it will continue to attract novice and experienced climbers alike, encouraging them to take part and develop their skills in this exciting sport.”
Councillor Deidre Brock, Culture and Leisure Convenor for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Home to the largest indoor climbing arena in the world, the EICA showcases the sport at local, national and international levels and this accolade will further bolster its reputation."
Graeme Gardiner, Manager of EICA: Ratho said: "We are delighted to hear that EICA: Ratho has been confirmed as Scotland’s National Indoor Climbing Centre. This is an excellent achievement and recognition of the outstanding and world class facilities provided at the arena. In addition, it reflects the combined commitment from our staff to develop and champion the sport of climbing."

PADDLE 09

2009-07-15T10:48:00.002+01:00

http://www.canoescotland.com/

Only 3 1/2 months to Paddle 09 The SCA home page http://www.canoescotland.com/ has some information about this year's event. The following links give more specific info including:
Details of exhibitors: manufacturers and retailers
Details of the speakers: speakers,
Details of the talks and workshops: talks,

We will be there too so hope to see some of you for a chat and a wee dram as Balvenie are giving us some samples to try out on the stand. It is all good for getting into the 'spirit' of things - ha ha!

MC of S 1 day training Courses 2009

2009-07-13T14:40:00.003+01:00

Press Release (13th July 2009)

Mountaineering Council of Scotland

The MC of S launch a series of training events in the autumn to promote mountain safety.

As part of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland’s Mountain Safety initiatives, a series of training events have been organised.

Basic navigation training - map and compass: Edinburgh 12th13th & Glasgow 19th/20th Sept

GPS training Glenmore Lodge 3rd/4th Oct

Basic First Aid (2 day course) Glen Feshie 24th/25th Oct

Navigation/GPS courses cost £25 and are open to all, the first aid course is only available to MC of S members and costs £85.

For further details please visit the MC of S web site http://www.mcofs.org.uk/ or call Jane on 01738 493943 to make a booking.

For the winter season -The MC of S is planning a new expanded winter programme including winter skills courses (based in the Cairngorms) and avalanche training (Cairngorms and Aonach Mor). The popular Winter Lecture Series will continue at the Clacaig and expand to include two extra venues this winter, the Mountain Cafe in Aviemore and another venue in Fort William. Details to be announced in the autumn.j

Volunteers Week - Great bunch of people!

2009-07-09T09:12:00.002+01:00

Glenmore Lodge and Grangers are now in our second year of The Volunteers Programme. We are very proud to be associated with the training of instructors, leaders and coaches in the volunteer sector. They are a fundamental part of the outdoor adventure education world. They are in a position to inspire adventure in others.

Last year we managed to support over 20 training or assessment places for volunteers. This year we have been able to support nearly 40 volunteers. We dedicated a week to volunteers to come and receive training for outdoor qualifications at Glenmore Lodge. This is so that organisations like the Scouts, Guides, Duke of Edinburgh and the Boys Brigade could get a step closer to getting the qualifications they need to be able to take youngsters out and introduce them to the great outdoors. The training courses they attended were, Summer Mountain Leader, Walking Group Leader, Level 1 paddlepsort and Trrail Cycle Leader.

This would not have been possible without the support of Grangers. As a company they believe they have a responsibility above and beyond the product. This is why they have set up a Community Trust Programme to sustain and support responsible outdoor enterprises like Glenmore Lodge. ( http://www.grangers.co.uk/)

For information on how to eligible to benefit from the Volunteers Programme Fund for 2010, visit the Glenmore Lodge website from September 2010.

Here are some quotes from some of the attendees this year on why they think it is important to volunteer and why they need support from programmes like this:

‘Programmes like this make you feel valued as a volunteer’
‘This programme has been great for meeting other volunteers from around the country’
‘The subsidised price was the push I needed to get this qualification’

Scouts – Jenny Stephens
‘My boys were in the scouts so I joined as a volunteer. Once they left I continued as the number of youngsters has increased but there number of volunteers can’t keep up with demand and I saw how much good my boys got from it.

Sea Cadets –
‘This week has been fantastic value for money. Coaches are brilliant . If we don’t get these qualifications, the kids don’t get the opportunities. It is as simple as that.’

Venture Scotland - Claire Symonds
‘ I wanted to do more outdoor things with youth but did not know there was so much involved. It was intimidating. This ML course had boosted my confidence already and we are only on day 2. Courses like this give you confidence to go on and do more as a volunteer. The instruction is fantastic and the banter among the volunteers is really good. ‘

Step it Up – Elizabeth
‘I have a disabled son and volunteering allowed me to get out and meet other people. If this had not been a volunteers week I may have been too intimidated to attend a training course as I would not feel I was good enough to be on a regular course with people doing it for a career. This programme has been a real confidence booster personally and great to mix with like minded people. The coaches are just great.’

Duke of Edinburgh - Jackie Young
‘We need more leaders to cater for the number of kids that want to go out on expeditions. This is a brilliant course. Fantastic instructors and place to come. I know that I am in touch with about 200 youngsters each year. This will really help me do a better job. Brilliant.’

Scouts – Neil Brain
‘It feels good to put something back when I feel I got so much from the Scout movement and have my contribution recognised too by programmes like this.’

Venture Scotland – Chris Yule
‘Volunteering is an opportunity to make a real difference to an individual’s life.

Teacher – Andy Hodgson
‘At our school there is no mountain clubs and we live in one of the best parts of the world for this. This qualification gives me the experience to take them out and let them choose if they want to take things further in their own lives. It can be a very important first experience that is the beginning of a long journey when it is done properly.’

Teacher – Philip Campbell
‘I volunteer because I need and enjoy sharing my passion for the outdoors with others. It has given me enormous satisfaction and I have seen it help others so we all win. Having a programme like this gave me the extra push to get the qualification which will again benefit me and those I volunteer with’

Boys Brigade –
‘There is a definite difference to what I have done and what I can do now with this training. It is great that this kind of programme is here to recognise what we are doing as volunteers

AMI TOOLING SERIES - 26th July @Glenmore Lodge

2009-07-07T09:45:00.003+01:00

Following the success of the dry-tooling workshops at the AGM, we are putting on a seriesof dry-tooling events in 2009. Planned for Scotland (Glenmore Lodge, 26 July)Wales(Beacon, 1 August) and the Lakes (Keswick wall, 8 August) you will be able to try outa variety of techniques on boulder and bottom-rope problems.A friendly competition will be taking place at the same time at each venue, with prizesavailable for various categories. Tooling holds from ScottMuir and Grivel will be availableto use, along with some cunning extras!

Never tried it? Been tempted?Come along and have a go. There is no pressure to perform at any standard, just to have a go andenjoy the event with other members and guests. Coaching will be given and we can guarantee a lot of fun! Hopefully you will also want to take part in the competition, which will be aimed more at enjoyment and a good day out rather than steely-eyed competitiveness! Bring family, friends andclimbing pals – all are welcome!

Tried it already?Come along and take part in a meeting with a competitive edge! A number of problems will be set, fromeasy to testing, and a running tally of your scores will be kept. Prizes will be awarded for the top slots ineach category! All great fun and run in a friendly atmosphere. The AMI dry-tooling events are open to all AMI members and their invited guests. The Keswick event will include a BBQ during the day.

Volunteers Week at Glenmore Lodge with Grangers

2009-07-07T09:35:00.003+01:00

This week we have nearly 40 volunteers attending our training courses for qualifications to lead others. FANTASTIC!

Later today I will be interviewing some of the participants and asking them why they volunteer if the qualifications are a help of hindrance to them being effective........watch this space.

John Armstrong - Admin Support Manager

2009-07-06T17:17:00.001+01:00

We are delighted to announce the appointment of John Armstrong as our new admin support manager at the Lodge. John has just joined the management team to take up this key customer focused position. One of his first priorities is to look at improving the booking process to make it as easy and efficient as possible.

Bob Kinnaird, Principal at the Lodge said “John has extensive and very varied experience of managing people and systems, two key skills that we were looking for. An added bonus is his experience and reputation as an outdoor instructor, which will provide an invaluable asset in developing strong customer focused and relevant systems at Glenmore Lodge”.

John has a broad background of work experience including managing substantial training and administrative teams. Following some thirteen years in Further Education near Edinburgh one of the more unusual positions he held was that of Operations and Training Officer for the State Emergency Service in Western Australia.

Equal Adventure Festival Success!

2009-07-05T19:53:00.005+01:00

This month Glenmore Lodge hosted the "Equal Adventure Festival". The event provided an opportunity for able and non able bodied people to participate together in fun and challenging activities in the form of an Adventure Race.

It was great to see so many inspirational people. Some in wheelchairs some with artificial limbs all doing challenges that really stretched them physically and they loved every minute. The able bodied members were not there to just help, they were there as the competitors so were equally challenged. It was a great example of why sport is there for everybody. It brings fun, challenge and friendship in one package.

We would like to congratulate Suresh Paul and his team at Equal Adventure for creating and delivering such a great event and the team at Glenmore Lodge were really pleased to be supporting it. Liz our Event Manager said, ‘It was inspirational watching the enthusiasm and perseverance. I loved being part of this weekend. The participants were fantastic’

The aim of the festival was to raise money for two international charities - "500 miles" and "Motivation". Motivation is an international disability and development charity working in low-income countries to enhance the quality of life of people with mobility disabilities, and 500 miles works to support amputees and other disabled people in Malawi and Zambia.

The sun was out all weekend and it was clear to see that everyone had a fantastic time. We look forward to welcoming the team at equal adventure back next year. The date has already been set for Aug 27th -29th 2010. We are proud to be supporting the event again and hope there are many more to come.

Marmot: Women's Angel Fire Sleeping bag

2009-06-30T15:44:00.007+01:00

Marmot Angel Fire Sleeping bag £160

So you borrowed your boyfriends spare sleeping again which is undoubtedly way too big for you and has a very harvests a very suspicious smell about it. You roll around at night desperately trying to heat the huge void of spare space and then when 3am hits you fight up from the depths of the sleeping bag desperately gasping for air.

Does this sound familiar to any other ladies out there?

Well…….. its time for a change ladies.

Marmot’s Angel Fire sleeping bag is quite rightly one of the most popular down bags that we currently have in our range for women. The design and shape has been speficially engineered to ensure this sleeping bag fits you and not a 6 foot ape shaped male.

We know that you feel the cold, especially on your toes and at your head. To combat this so extra insulation has been placed in these key areas to help keep you warm. The durable construction and high-quality down ensure you get a warm and comfortabelt nights sleep even when it gets down to -30C.

Specs
Weight: 1.247 kgs
Fill Weight: 623.7 g
Main Material: Omni 1.4 oz 100% Nylon WR
Main Material: Network 1.3 oz 100% Nylon AC
Lining Material: Flashback 2.2 oz 100% Polyester WR
Insulation Material: 600+ Fill Goose Down
Size for stature: 168 cm
Size on shoulder: 147 cm
Color: Summer Blue/Sierra
EN 13537 Tested

Comfort: 26.1F / -3. 3C

Features include:
1. Classic Trapezoidal Foot Box For More Foot Room
2. Feely" Draw Cords Ease Nighttime location of cords
3. Stash pocket for nighttime sssentials
4. Heater Pocket in the foot section allows for heat Pack to be put inside
5. Nautilus 6-Baffle Hood 6 Chambers of Down Around Head for Better Down Control
and Fit, Hood Cord is Positioned for Easy Access
6. Stretch Tricot Baffles Provide Ultimate Strength, Durability and Bag Life
7. Stuff and Storage Sack Included
8. Two-Way zipper sliders for venting and mating of bags.
9. Certified 600+ Fill Goose Down
10. EN Tested
11. Women's Specific Fit - More Insulation in Key Areas.
12. Down-filled Collar with Easy Access Draw Cord

Still interested in a good nights sleep?

www.marmot.com

MLTA News July

2009-06-30T15:30:00.000+01:00

Developing and supporting climbing, walking and mountain leaders

MLTA News July 2009…..

•MLTA has been running a series of regional workshops this year, aimed at developing and updating skills and knowledge of members. The workshops have been very popular, topics already covered include Disability Awareness, Winter skills and Single Pitch techniques

Workshops coming up soon:

4 July Walking Group Leader workshop Dartmoor
4 July Coaching Navigation Peak
5 July Ropework for Mountain Leaders Peak
1 Aug Environmental Day for ML Lakes
29/30 Aug ML Refresher Lakes
5/6 Sept Nature and Conservation of the Uplands N Wales

•This years Conference is now open for booking. The event is taking place at the National Mountain Centre at Plas y Brenin on 24th and 25th October. Workshops will be taking place over the weekend giving members an opportunity to learn about something new, socialise and enjoy the beautiful North Wales countryside.

For more information:
•www.mlta.co.uk
•Sign up for the new MLTA E-newsletter by emailing Rachael@mlta.co.uk

Membership fo the MC of S is growing

2009-06-30T15:07:00.002+01:00

Membership of the body that represents mountaineers north of the border broke the 10,000 mark this year, according to its annual report, released today.

The website of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland is also now getting 10,000 unique visitors each month. The organisation’s president Chris Townsend gives an upbeat view in his summary, saying its work is increasing its appeal to mountaineers of all types.

Despite the economic recession, the council’s chief officer David Gibson says it is in good financial health, with a growing membership. This contrasts with the Ramblers Scotland, which is facing closure of its Scotland office and drastic reduction in its staffing, with a budget cut of £300,000 for its operations north of the border.

Mr Gibson said: “There is a lot of good news to present to members at our AGM this year. We are delighted that despite the credit crunch our membership is rising and that we are able to expand our range of membership benefits.”

Mr Townsend backed up the view. He said: “The MCofS is in good shape. We are carrying out vital work in safety and training, access and conservation, with climbing walls, and youth events, and in a whole host of other areas. This work is generating a lot of interest and it is great to see that mountaineers of all disciplines are visiting our website and joining the MCofS.”

But treasurer John Irving said financial support may change following the next election, despite all politicians agreeing there should be greater participation in active pursuits. The man in charge of the MCofS purse said: “sportscotland is keen to increase participation in outdoor activities and sports. MCofS shares this vision and needs to demonstrate how this is achieved. Public policy could change with the next election threatening our financial support. However I would remain optimistic that mountaineering, climbing and hill walking will always be an important part of Scottish life.”

Chris Townsend: 'MCofS is in good shape'
Access is still proving problematic in certain areas, despite the Scotland’s land-reform legislation, which gave walkers, climbers, cyclists and paddlers the best access rights of anywhere in the UK. Hebe Carus, access and conservation officer for the council, reports: “Implementation of some of the provisions of The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 is still suffering from lack of adequate resources.

“This has been due in part to the statutory nature of Core Paths Plans, which have been prioritised by access authorities, together with issues relating to physical barriers, which received a large number of reports.

“Consequently, issues of importance to mountaineers require effort to move them up the priority agenda, requiring a good deal of commitment from volunteers and staff. During the year we raised 124 unique enquiries and the majority of these have been dealt with.”

The MCofS also administers the £42,000 funding for the Mountain Weather Information Service, founded by Geoff Monk; it appointed a new mountain-safety adviser Heather Morning, and part funded the Hillwalking Essentials DVD, along with the British Mountaineering Council and Mountain Leader Training England.

The MCofS annual meeting will take place at Glenmore Lodge, Aviemore, on 5 September. The full annual report can be viewed via the council’s website.

Glenmore Lodge B&B

2009-06-30T14:51:00.004+01:00

Come and stay at Glenmore Lodge. So much more than just bed and breakfast.

Glenmore Lodge accommodation offers you a superb location where you can eat your breakfast overlooking the Cairngorms. There are on-site facilities that are also included at no extra cost. These include the climbing wall, sauna and gym.

GLENMORE BED & BREAKFAST – so much more than just B&B
We are able to offer accommodation on a Bed and Breakfast basis. Most rooms have twin beds and en-suite but there are still some that require you to share bathroom facilities. The price ranges from £25 - £31 per person per night. All prices are subject to change. Call us for availability.

SELF CATERING CHALETS
Our 4, 6 and 12 berth self catering chalets are in the grounds of the Lodge and are completely self contained. Each is fully equipped with a drying room, fitted kitchen and a comfortable lounge with TV and video.

The 4 berth chalet costs £70 per night (based on a minimum of 2 nights). 1 bedroom with 1 set of bunk beds and 1 bedroom with twin beds.

The 6 berth chalet costs £96 per night (based on a minimum of 2 nights). 1 bedroom with 1 set of bunk beds, 1 bedroom with 2 sets of bunk beds.

The 12 berth chalet costs £192 per night (based on a minimum of 2 nights). 2 bedrooms with 1 set of bunk beds, 2 bedrooms with 2 sets of bunk beds.
Chalet maximum capacity must not be exceeded.

LOCHAIN BAR
We also have Lochain Bar serving a wide variety of Scottish beers and whiskeys as well as offering delicious meals from locally sourced food. Open fire for the winter nights and balcony with views over the Cairngorms for the summer evenings.

Please note that we do not accept ‘celebratory groups’, where there is a strong likelihood of disruption to our other guests because of excessive drinking and/or unruly behaviour by members of the group. If it is likely that your group may be of this nature we respectfully ask that you do not approach Glenmore Lodge with a booking enquiry.

Massage
Sports and remedial massage is available by appointment, please ask for Kirsty Wright at Reception or phone her on 01479 861 256 to make an appointment.
Kirsty is a member of the Sports Massage Association.
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy appointments are available at on certain days. Please ask at Reception of call ahead for details and appointments

ON-SITE FACILITIES
The fees for accommodation include the use of Lodge facilities

Glenmore Lodge’s on-site facilities are a major asset to any residential experience, whether on a course or just here to enjoy the area. They not only add to the training potential but allow you to either relax or push yourself even more after a big day out.

Indoor Climbing Wall
The compact and well-designed wall offers a total climbing area of 115m2, mostly on simulated rock with additional bolt-on holds. The main area is 6m high and the bouldering area includes a roof section
Our climbing wall is open to residents and non-residents alike. Priority use goes to those using the wall as part of a scheduled course.Please check availability and sign-in at Reception.
.
Gym
The gym includes Cycle Ergometer, Rowing machine, Treadmill, Wall-mounted Fixed Weights, Free Weights & Bars.
Please ask at Reception before using the gym. Free weights may only be used after an induction.
Sauna
Enjoy a relaxing sauna after a day on the hill. Free of charge, for residents only.
.
Pool
We have an indoor, seven by four metre pool fitted with two aquajets and having observation windows as a training aid. Rotobat and closed-deck C1 boats are available. Boats can only be used with a level 2 qualified instructor present.
The pool may be used for swimming by residents, so long as there are at least two people in the pool area.

Mountain Bike Skills Training Circuit
Did you know that Scotland ranks in the top five Mountain Biking destinations in the world?!!
The on-site training circuit was built with financial support from sport scotland to meet the training needs of the ever-increasing popularity of mountain biking in Scotland. It also provides an up to date model of environmental and sustainable trail building and is a role model for future projects.
It is specifically designed as a training facility as opposed to a public play park, free-ride or cross-country trail. The track has seven sections, several that work in two directions. Most sections are self contained and enable coaches to work on specific skills. On a number of elements there are 2 or 3 options, each option at a different technical level, to allow targets to be established and progression monitored.
This is a major asset to have in terms of training, fun and the environment for the mountain biking community.

TV/Video Lounge
For those of you who hate to miss your favourite programme or who would like to watch a selection of our adventure dvds.

MLTA Conference 2009 24/25 October

2009-06-23T13:32:00.001+01:00

It's a date for the diary.

MLTA Conference 2009 24/25 October 2009

Booking is now open for MLTAs main event of 2009. Taking place at Plas y Brenin, in North Wales, the purpose of the conference is for members to socialise, network and above all, learn by participating in training.
Workshops will be taking place throughout the weekend, covering a wide variety of subjects from Coaching Climbing Movement to Disability Awareness in Climbing and Bush craft ensuring that members are at the forefront of practice and development within the industry. The workshops will be staffed by some of the most experienced and knowledgeable Guides, Mountaineering Instructors and experts in their field.

Saturday evening will see the main social event of the weekend with the Conference Dinner giving members a chance to network, swap ideas and tips and even simply relax over a couple of beers.

For more information and booking to go:

www.mlta.co.uk/further-training-info.php?id=40

Who Cares at Glenmore Lodge.

2009-06-22T16:25:00.002+01:00

Over the weekend of 13th/14th June just under 50 of the 58 of young people and their workers gathered together at Glenmore lodge for a training / preparation weekend for undertaking a challenging trek in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal, in November 2009. All the participants camped in the grounds of the lodge, used the facilities and were guided on a preparatory hill walk up Meall a’ Bhuachaille. .

The weekend was organised by Who Cares? Scotland who as a registered charity provide independent advocacy and support to young people looked after away from home throughout Scotland. The aims of the their trip to Nepal is to give young people who have lived in care the opportunity and challenge of a lifetime, to raise money for poor hill communities in Nepal and also support the work of Who Cares? Scotland.

The trek is being undertaken through Community Action Treks which prides itself on it’s ethical and environmentally conscious approach and it’s hoped that the young peoples experience in both preparing and undertaking the trip will instil a positive appreciation of the hills both here and abroad. Each participant need cover their own cost of taking part in the trip as well as supporting the designated charities.

Regional Manager and Nepal trip organiser Grant Gilroy from Who Cares? Scotland thanked Glenmore lodge for being “ extremely helpful and supportive in hosting this important training / preparation weekend. The young people and their workers really enjoyed their experience at the lodge, and appreciated the friendly staff and fantastic surroundings”.

Who Cares? Scotland has set up a special fund to compliment the young peoples fundraising efforts. If you are interested in supporting the young people raise the amount required for them to participate you can find out more by visiting the website below.

"Who Cares? for a Challenge !" - Looked after away from home young people and their workers from throughout Scotland are undertaking the challenge of a lifetime. To find out more click the following link.

www.justgiving.com/nepaltrek2009

Last chance to book for Equal Adventure Festival July 4-5

2009-06-22T09:26:00.003+01:00

Last chance to book for the Equal Adventure Festival in the Cairngorms National Park! July 4th & 5th 2009.

The Equal Adventure Festival '09 is a chance for friends, family or colleagues to team up and take part in a range of outdoor activities which are open to everyone regardless of ability or agility.

All of the activities have been designed to allow individuals to enjoy the challenge at their own level and pace. Participants will have the opportunity to take part in orienteering, forest hikes, paddling circuits, kayak slalom, and problem-solving team tasks all within the Cairngorms National Park.

All those involved in the Festival will also be raising money for two international charities whose aims are to enable people with varying disabilities in developing countries to live and contribute to society, Motivation and 500 miles.

There will also be a chance to use a spitfire simulator which has been developed in conjunction with real spitfire pilots. Squadron Leader Al Pinner the officer in command of the Battle of Britain memorial flight based at the RAF Conningsby endorses the simulator by saying:

"It is the nearest thing to flying a real spitfire that I have ever experienced"

We also have a range of inspirational lecturers, which will include our very own James Andrew the Scottish mountaineer who had his hands and feet amputated following a horrific accident in the French Alps.

"It seems to me that our greatest limitations are the ones we impose on ourselves. I want to encourage others to throw out these misconceptions and to be all they can be"

Jamie Andrew

It's not all just toil and talk - on the Saturday we also have evening entertainment lined up which includes a traditional Scottish Ceilidh, with dancing and singing.

Accessible Accommodation is available at Glenmore Lodge or you are welcome to camp within the grounds.
For more information
Glenmore Lodge home page or for details or call on 01479 861256
www.equaladventure.org

Visually Impaired hill walkers are inspirational

2009-06-19T15:46:00.002+01:00

We have just hoted another week of hillwalking and navigation for the visually impaired. This has been going for many years and some early students return with inspirational stories.

Keith Salmon is one who attended a course in 2001. The fact that the MC of S and Glenmore Lodge were prepared to run courses for the visually impaired stopped him feeling guilty for enjoying the hills as much as anybody else. It also gave him the confidence to go walking knowing that there are ways for visually impaired people to navigate and keep safe and contribute with decision making on a hill day.

Keith's confidence spread into his art and has become a respected artist. This year we would like to send our congratuatlions to him for winning the 2009 Jolomo Award for Scottish Landscape Painting.

Keith came back and gave a presentation last year to the visually impaired hill walking course here at Glenmore Lodge. He was an inspiration.

For those of you who would like to be inspired by Keith see his website at www.keithsalmon.org

Face book group

2009-06-19T15:42:00.001+01:00

If you've got access to Facebook have a look at surf kayak scotland . Matt Speke has asked us to say that you should feel free to become a member of the group and we should pass on the group details to all kayaking clients at the Lodge.

Thanks Matt
PS the kayaker on the surf kayak page header of the Glenmore lodge site is Matt!