The Isle of Wight & Swanage

With very good friends, Nick & Phillipa Arding, we spent four days circumnavigating the Isle of Wight. Leaving the mainland from Keyhaven we made our way across to the Needles and paddled anticlockwise around the island, wild camping along the way. Tidal races, strong winds and moderate to rough sea states made challenging conditions. A great paddle that I would recommend to anyone.

Returning to the mainland via the sporty Hurst tidal race, we made our way to Swanage to climb the demanding vertical sea cliffs at Subliminal and Cattle Troughs. Weather was kind to us enabling us to complete some great routes.

Sea Stacks & the Jurassic Coast

The last three days were spent on the South coast sea kayaking around sea stacks, playing in tidal races and rock hopping around some wonderful coastline. Although the wind was strong, and sea states moderate, the conditions were challenging but managable.

Sea kayaking in North Wales

Just returned from North Wales sea kayaking around the wonderful coastline of Anglesey. Playing and surfing in Penrhyn Mawr, crossing to the magical Skerries on the northwest of the mainland and exploring the caves around the North and South stacks. A great few days with Olly Sanders and friends.

Coaching & Guiding in the Pyrenees

I had the great pleasure in returning to the Pyrenees to coach and guide a fantastic bunch of guys from South Cerney OEC. Throughout the week we based ourselves in the Ariege region, water levels were perfect and we paddled the Arac, Salat and Garbet rivers providing class 2-4 water. Visiting St Girons market was a must, joining in with the hussle of local traders offering food delights from the region.

Over the week personal skills were developed and also BCU 4 Star training was completed by the team. I want to say a big thank you to everyone in making such a good and memorable trip.

Spain - climbing

Spent the last week climbing in Spain, completing some classic routes in the area. Highlight of the week was climbing the Penon de Flach in Calpe, a great route, eight pitches complemented by fantasic weather. Certainly would recommend the Costa Blanca as a venue for winter rock, I have been going for the last five years and still find exciting new places to climb.

Psychological approaches to coaching climbing

I have had the pleasure of spending last week up in Gloucester, delivering a course to climbing coaches from the Warehouse. I was asked to put a programme together which looked at the psychological approaches we as coaches can employ to build confidence, tackle fears, coping strategies both before and on the route and the language we use as coaches.

The programme consisted of mental researshal techniques, visualisation, anxiety control, coping strategies, relaxation methods and selective attention.

WWSR, Skills courses and sea paddling

Last week/weekend we were blessed with good water levels and I was able to get out and run a white water safety and rescue course and a skills coaching day on the River Erme. Once the weather changed again to beautiful sunshine we ran a BCU/UKCC Level 1 Coach Course for a local outdoor education centre, and climbed a few routes.

Friday, me and very good friend Nick Arding managed to catch up and get out in our sea boats. In moderate to rough conditions with a steady force five wind we made our way from Looe to Polperro, the return was harder work but we found some really good rock hopping around the island.