Climbing at the Dewerstone

Yesterday was the last day of the 2015 residentials for the Bridgwater College FdSc Public Services students. 

Gwilym and I took the students to the Dewerstone near Shaugh Prior in Dartmoor National Park for some rock climbing. We set up a number of routes on top ropes, the students then managed themselves having a go at all of the routes. 

As part of their ongoing assessment for the module they also took part in a session looking at suitable anchors and building belays. This was all done at ground level before Gwilym and I set up the climbs.

It was a good end to the two blocks of three days on Dartmoor. The students all showing good progress in the activities. 

Hills Skills - Day 2

Today I was back out on Dartmoor delivering the second day of the Mountain Training Hills Skills course for the FdSc public services students from Bridgwater College.

It was another stunning day on the moor with a few light rain flurries early on followed by sunny skies.

We covered the rest of the hills skills syllabus looking at navigation strategies, problem solving, independent leadership and relocation techniques. This was all covered while walking the route the students planned in the theory session. 

Our route took us on a loop from Whiteworks OEC via crock 'o'gold, nuns cross and fox tor mires.

River walk up the Plym, rigging and night navigation.

Today I travelled to Dartmoor for round two of the FdSc public services residentials. After collecting the students, getting supplies from the supermarket and travelling down we arrived at Whiteworks, our base for the three days.

Gwilym met us at whiteworks before heading over to the River Plym near the Dewerstone for a River Walking session followed by a re-cap on rigging for climbing.

The river walk session saw the students work as a team to negotiate the terrain and the rapids while making their way upstream. Each student took it in turns to lead sections focussing on communication, support and leadership styles. 

Once changed and dry we headed into the woods to find some good trees and boulders for anchors to simulate building belays before their assessment on friday.

After our evening meal (cooked by the students) we offered a night navigation session for those that were willing. This only equated to walking a few kilometers but gave the students an opportunity to test some of their recently learned navigation skills in poorer visibility rather than the blue sky days we have been having of late. 

Hill Skills Day 1 on Dartmoor

It was a stunning day on Dartmoor to be delivering the first day of a Mountain Training Hill Skills course for the FdSc students from Bridgwater College. I took 8 students and Gwilym the other 8 around the Cramber Tor area to work on various parts of the syllabus. 

During the day we covered:

Collecting and Catching Features

Hand-railing

Contour recognition

Aiming Off

Grid and Magnetic Bearings

Pacing and Timing

Measuring Distance

Equipment 

Moorland Environment

The day started overcast but quickly cleared to a blue sky day, great for teaching map to ground navigation but not ideal for teaching bearings. 

Climbing at Sheeps Tor

Walking up to Sheeps Tor

Gwilym teaching anchor construction

Beth on Dandelion (S4a)

Charlotte on Sheltered Crack (VD)

Ola on Dandelion (S4a) and Harriet on Barking Crack

Today I travelled to Dartmoor National Park with the FdSc PES students from Bridgwater College to work alongside Gwilym Starks to deliver 3 days of climbing and hill walking.

After getting three days worth of food from the supermarket, traveling to Dartmoor and settling the students into their accommodation at Whiteworks we made our way over to Sheeps Tor. 

It was a stunning day but a little windy so we started the sessions by teaching the students about anchors and set up and let them have a go on ground based anchors.

Gwilym and I then set up four climbs for the students to test themselves on and put their previous experience into practice. Three of the climbs were graded V Diff and the other Severe. After all had been on the four routes the students helped to coil the ropes and carry the kit back to the bus.

Kayaking on the River Dart - Loop Section

Today I have been out on the 'Loop' section of the River Dart in Devon. The levels were pretty low but it was still good to get out and help coach on the Cuckmere Valley Canoe Club trip.

Mick and I drove down from Taunton to meet up with Steve, Andy and Dean from Cuckmere Valley who were doen staying on Dartmoor for the weekend. 

We looked at breaking in and out, ferry gliding, 'S' turns and river reading. Mick found some good jets for a spot of tail squirting as you can see in the images. Overall a really good day and great to be back out on the white water.

Bridgwater College Residential - Day 3

Due to the lack of forecast rain yesterday it meant the River Plym had dropped in height enough for the students to go Gorge/River Walking so we headed to the Dewerstone car park where Gwilym took half the group in the river while I took the rest for a half day session on Navigation. We swapped over activities at lunch.

The main aim of my session was to get to grips with the level of navigation skills the students had in preparation for their up coming Land based outdoor activities module. Both sessions we headed up through Dewerstone Wood to find some high ground on the moor on the way back down we found some steep ground to test their route selection and group supervision.

During the two hour session we looked at the following navigation techniques:

Orientating the map (using features and the compass)

Collecting and catching features

Grid Bearing to check correct direction of route choice

Pacing

Their were various levels of prior knowledge but all had an encouraging level of experience to work from.

The afternoons group were hit by some heavy showers which gave them a great opportunity to test their new college branded waterproofs supplied by Montane.

Bridgwater College Residential - Day 2

Today I was out on Dartmoor delivering Mountain Biking to the Bridgwater College Outdoor Education students. The group of 16 were split into 2 groups of 8. While I took one group Biking Gwilym took the other half Rock Climbing at Sheeps Tor and then  we swapped over groups at Lunch.

The morning group rode from White works via Nuns Cross, Ditsworthy and Sheeps Tor village before meeting the Rock Climbers at the Sheeps Tor car park for Lunch.

After lunch I took the second group for a slightly longer ride along the disused railway to Princetown and returned to Whiteworks via South Hessary Tor.

A really good day looking at basic bike handling and leadership. The students did really well negotiating the terrain and supporting each other.

Bridgwater College Residential - Day 1

For the next 5 days I am working for Bridgwater college in my role as Associate Lecturer on the Level 3 Outdoor Education programme delivering their induction residential with Gwilym.

The aim of today was simply to pack all the required equipment and drive down to Dartmoor where we will be staying in Whiteworks bunkhouse and get all the students settled in and prepared for the next four days activities.

We plan to take them:

Mountain Biking
Rock Climbing
Gorge/River Walking
Coasteering
Sea Kayaking
Hill Walking

The forecast weather will play a big part in our day to day activity provision but the fact we are self sufficient with suitably qualified and experienced staff as well as having all the equipment we require will enable us to change the planned activities as we see fit.

Here's hoping the weather is kind to us and we have a productive week.

Haberdashers Aske's Boys School - Gold D of E assessment

For the last 4 days Robin and I have been on Dartmoor assessing the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award for 39 boys from Haberdashers Aske's Boys school. They were in 6 teams and started their expedition  from Ivybridge Train Station and walked to Yeoford Train Station over 4 days and three nights in Dartmoor National Park.

They chose a mixture of wild camp sites and commercial campsites when planning their routes around their aims.

Robin and I debriefed the groups around a campfire before they departed Yeoford station. All 39 boys were sucesssful in completing their expedition and just need to present their aim to finish off the expedition section. I am looking forward to working with the other 30 boys from the school on their expedition in October. 

Dodging the Rain on the PVT and Peregrine Falcon spotting!

Having seen various weather forecasts for today we nearly cancelled the days biking trips for Year 8. The forecast predicted Heavy showers all day and following a soaking yesterday the students weren't keen for another.

We did however in the end take our chances and this turned out to be the right call. A small shower early on in the day followed by sunny intervals.

Today's session was pretty much a mirror image of yesterday apart from a different change over point with the climbing who opted to go indoors. This meant the climbing group were bused to Goodameavy for the exchange.

Both groups enjoyed the mix of easy tarmac on the Plym Valley Trail (PVT) and off road across the moors near Clearbrook.

With the afternoon session blessing us with a little more sun we were able to stop for 20 minutes at the Peregrine Falcon Project for a really good look through the National Trust telescopes at the new chicks and the juvenile male from last years hatchlings. The last image in this post was taken of this young male with my camera through the lens of telescope.

Overall a good day and a good decision to head out regardless of the forecast.  

A soggy day on the Plym Valley Trail

Today I have been out with 2 groups of Year 8 students from Plymouth College. We parked at the National Trust car park at the southern end of Plymbridge Woods.  Group 1 cycled along the Plym Valley Trail all the way to Clearbrook before taking on a short loop of open moorland. The last section of the ride contoured along the access track to Dewerstone Cottage where we met group 2 following their climbing session.

After a swift stop for lunch I handed Group 1 over to Gavin for some climbing and took group 2 from him to cycle the mornings route in reverse. 

With both groups we stopped at the Plym Valley Peregrine Falcon Project where the National Trust staff gave a short talk on the birds and the project before letting them see the three 5 week old chicks and the adult male through the telescopes.

Both groups had a good time despite the very heavy showers (pictures taken during the sunny spells). Both the cycling and climbing groups had very soggy days.