Friday evening and I dash to Heversham and Dallam Outdoors for my SPA training course. Pleasantly surprised on joining the course to find that Ian Oldham was running the course as Ian had run the ML training last summer and we'd got on really well. Admin and introductions over and Natalie, Nigel, Rachael, Graham and YT were off to Kendal Wall for some warm-up games, stretching, group management and climbing blindfold, handcuffed and "bungy-ed". A late finish (10:30) made the Saturdays early start seem just a bit too early!
Saturday and Glen joined us before we set off to Farleton Knott, just over the M6. Leading on ice-like severes in the rain, setting up abseils to retrieve gear, guidebook use and more leading and top roping before lunch did the morning in. Then it was straight off to a Quarry near Bendrigg for work on group abseils, etc., still in the rain / drizzle, before doing a runner back to the Centre for dinner. After dinner a couple of hours in the classroom covered legal and access issues, wrapping up a tough day.
Sunday and we were off to Lindale Slabs. It was raining hard enough to warrant waterproofs in the carpark and the slabs themselves were at a good level for kayaking down! No bother though and soon we were busy setting up group abseiling, top & bottom ropes, playing with pulleys and prussiks, etc. Eventually the sun came out making a bit of top-roping and rescuing stuck abseilers and crag-fast climbers much more fun than might have been had the rain continued. One brief highlight was the sound of a pair of swans flying low over the crag to the accompaniment of a very interested (and vocal) robin!
In all a good course, plenty learned and to learn, but looking forward to going for assessment next summer.
Ian watching Nicola setting up a top rope on Lindale Slabs
Graham, Ian, Nigel, Rachael and Nicola, Lindale Slabs
Graham releases Ian's abseil rope while holding him on the safety rope
Graham rescues a crag-fast instructor!
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