Unpacking bags from the minibus after returning home from Spylaw last night, Grant asked me I’d like to get some canoeing done…which was a bit out the blue since I hadn’t been in a canoe since last winter. Nevertheless, we arranged to hit the river for 7ish. Going canoeing can sometimes seem like such a chore, except for the time actually spent on ( Read more... )

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For the entire week I’ve been counting on the heat wave holding out at least just for this weekend. Not only did it hold out but also the heat became even more intense as the weekend went on. With the company of Michel and Paul we made our way to Corby Crag on Saturday morning to begin the assessment for our single pitch climbing award. This ( Read more... )

Anyone living in the UK right now will know that we're having quite the heat wave. For the entire week, I’ve been outside taking advantage of it and soaking up the sun in my usual way. This evening my dad gave me the chance to get some more practice in for my climbing instructors assessment this coming weekend. Late on a Thursday afternoon at the ( Read more... )

Having a group of scouts from 21st Whitley Bay staying at the campsite this weekend didn’t stop Norman and I carrying on with work as usual. In fact, they even gave a hand.

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It’s been too long. Now that I’m back on the rock, I can’t begin to think how I coped with being away. After much doubt, my ankle has held out and since I have a climbing assessment at the end of the month, it’s just as well I have the confidence to climb on it. The assessment will show that I have experience as a climber and as a scout leader; I ( Read more... )

Today was the day of the annual Northumberland show at Corbridge, a show that’s mainly agricultural but also attracts a lot of the public seeking that bank holiday bustle. This year, like every other, my dad sits in a small stand promoting his livestock nutrition business and trying to attract more customers while I wonder round the show soaking up ( Read more... )

The sun is out, the rain is holding off and once again I’m on site at the family camp in Plessy woods but still having to remind myself that I’m within a stone throw away from home. The scout group’s family camp is the one and only camp where a leader can get away with doing next to nothing. With the parents there of all the beavers, cubs and ( Read more... )

A snapped ligament in my ankle has held me back too long. Following 3 months of withdrawal symptoms I finally feel like my ankle is once again strong enough to continue climbing on a regular basis. Today was a refreshing reminder of how long it’s been since the last time I was on a climbing wall and now I can’t wait to get back ( Read more... )

This Saturday, I expected to be sharing the campsite with 30+ Mormons who were camping on a family-bonding weekend, only Norman got the dates wrong. Instead, they camped out on Friday night and set off home just shortly before I arrived after work. I have to say I was a little relieved, their early departure caused the populace to be pleasantly ( Read more... )