Earlier on this week I went on a Conville Trust Course in Scotland. The Conville Trust was set up by Jonathon Conville's family after he died in an accident on the Matterhorn in 1979. The trust aims to educate young aspiring mountaineers, (18-30), with the skills they need to look after themselves in the mountains in winter conditions. The course does not require you to have any previous winter experience, just a good summer mountain walking background.
The week preceding my course I had my first taste of Winter Climbing with some friends, (see previous blog post), however it was nice to consolidate what I had picked up from them into a set of skills that would allow me to move around the hills effectively and safely. Making dynamic risk assessments and reading the conditions as they changed throughout the day.

We arrived the day before to Ardenbeg Bunkhouse ready to have a briefing before the following two days in the mountains. Arriving the day before also allowed you to meet the other people on the course. It was a mixed group with people from all sorts of different backgrounds and experiences.
The following morning we met our instructors Johnathon Preston and Diane. The Group was split on half 6 going with Johnathon, and 6 with Diane. We had a quick talk about weather forecasts and how they correlate to conditions actually experienced, before heading out up to the Ski Centre Car Park.
The conditions weren't brilliant on the first day, but we made the most of it. Walking up the snow under the ski lifts we talked about navigation, using your boots as tools and the importance of constantly making decisions as the conditions change, be it the snow/ice, the weather or the group. 
Heading over to some older snow we got out the axe, going through how to cut steps, edge our boots, ascend, descend and traverse an icy slope.
With the following day looking even more miserable we took the opportunity to head up onto the Cairngorm plateau to go bag Cairn Gorm via the Fiacaill a Choire Chais. Up on the plateau we did some poor vis. navigation, walking on bearings and pacing. With the wind around 40mph and sleety rain we did not say on the top for long. Heading into a Corrie on the North aspect of Cairn Gorm, we had our lunch in a snow hole, before heading back out into the sleet to practice ice axe arrests, which aren't as hard as they look!
That evening we had a slideshow presentation from Johnathon, the course director, showing some of his wide wintery travels over the years, with the pictures all still film, it required a slide projector and screen.

The following days forecast looked like a proper Scottish day, with 70mph wind forecast and snow for most of the day, we arrived at the car park to this time find it covered from the previous nights snow. Walking up the truck track that ran between the slopes in the strong winds we headed to the same place we had been the previous morning. Here we looked at the bucket seat and its improvement with a buried axe as an anchor. As a demo to prove how strong this method was we all hung off the end of the rope while Diane held the end. With the cold wind, (-24°C wind chill), we moved back down the slope to continue our rope work and look at using crampons. Further down we covered the Stomper belay, body belaying, South African Abseils' and snow bollards. Moving on to crampon work, we looked at the best way of walking in them, how to make use of all the points and walking up and down slopes.
After an interesting trip back down the ski road in the snow we headed back to the bunkhouse for our final meal. The food throughout the course was brilliant, lots of carbs and 3 courses in an evening. Looking back on the two days the instructors where excellent, really knowledgable in what they where delivering and I now feel I have the basic skills I need to walk around in winter conditions in the mountains.
The Conville Trust helps make this course affordable with it costing only £85 its very good value for money. Anyone under the age of 30 that is looking to get out in the winter mountains should defiantly look at doing it!

Follow my progress on Instagram: @climbing_weldon
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Conville Trust Website: http://www.jcmt.org.uk

Thanks to Alice Ormrod for supplying the pictures!

Monday
Weather pretty good and set off at 5am for the 6.5hr drive up to Snowdonia. Arrived just after noon, and not wanting to waste the day, parked up in the car park behind Joe Brown’s in Capel Curig and started walking. Headed up onto the ridge walking towards the Glyders and Tryfan. The top of the ridge is quite flat in sections and was a bit spongey to say all the dry weather we’ve had recently. Would not want to go up there after a recent rainfall! Kept walking gaining height up to Gallt yr Ogof. With the day wearing on, did not wait around there long and headed up towards Y Foel Goch. From here you get a nice view of the South East face of Tryfan and can see Snowdon in the distance. Carried on walking up to Gyder Fach, then a quick walk down to Heather Terrace and onto the footpath in the valley below following the Afon Llugwy back towards Capel Curig and the Car.

Wednesday
On Tuesday I organised to get out with one of my old teachers to go do some climbing, we decided on Kinder South as neither of us had been there. We where hoping for a cooling breeze and sharp dry grit, we where not disappointed with this moorland crag, with the routes being brutal, lots of thrutching and painful hand jams. We started on the Classic Upper Tor Wall HS 4b, me leading. Nice, and at times exposed climbing all the way to the top. Next I followed on Ivory Tower HVS 5b, which was also really nice climbing!
We both agreed that for moorland this seemed too nice, and agreed that whatever we climbed for the rest of the day the 40mins uphill approach was worth it just to climb these too. Next I picked something that looked straight forward following some pockets up a slightly overhanging slab using the crack systems on either side. The route was The Punter E1 5b. There was a lot of hand jamming involved and a lot of skin was lost, not realising it was overhanging till on the route, feeling very relieved when I topped out regretting my decision not to borrow the crack climbing gloves! The following few routes where all pretty much the same sort of stuff, lots of thrutching, hand jamming and nothing seeming easy, even when you dropped a few grades! Well worth the walk though, and will defiantly be returning.

Following day we headed over to Millstone, favouring and thanking the short walk in and quarried grit after loosing skin the previous day. With lots of cracks at millstone, and me being out of practice after having climbed on limestone for quite a few months, it was suggested that I try Embankment 4 and forget the grade, (which is E1 5b). A really nice climb, and glad of the jamming gloves on the first half, surprising myself that I could still jam quite well. I then followed up Embankment 3. With the sun now getting higher the rock started to get slippery and quite humid. Moving along the crag we did scoop crack and Lyon’s House corner, which goes up an airy arete, coming back for me to lead The Mall which it was still just in the shade. Followed by seconding up a very greasy Great Portland Street, glad I wasn’t the one leading it. Ending the day there we headed home.
Rained the rest of the week, but managed to get some bouldering in at The Works, but mostly just spent the rest of my time with my family.
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Long time since I've done a post, as I've been working loads. But week before last managed to escape to North Wales for a few days. I drove up the night before arriving in Ogwen at 2am. The next morning woke up to this awesome view and sunny sky.

The goal of the trip was to clock up some more Mountain day for my Mountain Leader so on the first day decided to do the Glyder's Traverse. So started by walking from Lynn Ogwen along through the valley following the Afon Owgen towards Bethesda. The plan was to start from the most northerly mountain and work back, with Carnedd y Filiast first.

After spending 3 months in Swanage my mountain fitness was not brilliant, soon got back into the rhythm though. The weather was awesome for Wales, getting up to 30 degrees at lunch time! I kept following the traverse around to Mynydd Perfedd, Y Garn and the two Gylders. Then walked back down via devils kitchen to Lynn Ogwen. With the day still young I took my book and relaxed in the sun by the Lynn for the rest of the Afternoon/evening. The weather was that hot even managed a warm swim in the lynn at 8pm!

The Next day went for a Walk up to Pen yr Ole Wen, following the traverse around. Again it was another scorcher, with the car thermometer hitting 33 degrees in the car at 3pm. The scramble near the top of Pen yr Ole Wen is awesome and a must, especially if you like scree slopes. Getting back into the car in the afternoon to drive back south only to get stuck in traffic was not great though!