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
​
Conville Trust Website: http://www.jcmt.org.uk

Thanks to Alice Ormrod for supplying the pictures!

Monday saw me driving up to Aviemore to meet up with some friends to get out winter mixed climbing in the Scottish Cairngorms. Arriving at about 9pm went to sleep psyched to get out the next day.
Waking up to a rather warm climate of 4 degrees, not really ideal, we headed out anyway. Heading for Coire An T-Sneachda to climb ‘The Message IV, 6’. It being my first time out, I just followed all day while my friends did the leading, still getting used to using axes and crampons effectively. The conditions where not ideal, with the warm weather causing the melting snow and ice to get blown into your face as you are climbing. With the crux being a step around and over a bulge, while the dripping cold water was blowing straight into your face. Topped out and started the walk back down to the car at the ski car park, to head back into town for a warm drink and food.

The second day started off being alot colder with the temperature around 2 degrees at our bunkhouse and below zero at the car park. Today we headed to Coire An Lochain for me to do my first lead, Ewen Buttress III 4. The route was really nice, with the conditions being alot more wintry and no dripping water to contend with! I was allowed to lead the whole route, only getting stuck on one bit, took me a while to figure out how to get past, only to find out about 2 metres right was alot easier! Topped out the route at about 2, feeling good, even though i was told i was being a little slow near the top
​

The third and last day before my friends went back down south saw us back at Coire An T-Sneachda, with there being four of us today. John’s friend and I went to do ‘Invernookie III 4’ and the other two went to do Sterling Bomber. We swing led Invernookie with me ending up doing the harder bit. Although with my reach i could use loads of hooks and didn’t feel too hard. Being quicker this time we topped out at just gone one and headed back down via Fiacaill Ridge to wait for the others in the ski car park cafe.
​

Overall its been a awesome few days, lead my first winter route, leant alot and done some distance. Got a few days to myself now before I’m booked onto the Scottish Conville Trust Mountaineering Course on Tuesday/Wednesday Next week, looking forward to that and learning more!

​Follow me on Instagram to see cool pictures and see what i’ve been up to more regularly!


Instagram: @Climbing_Weldon