Squamish

Happy days on the slabs at 5.8!

Calum Macintyre hopes to raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust

Dawa Sherpa ( Team Ascent) on the SE Ridge of Ama Dablam : behind and below you can see the tents of Camp 2.

The SE ridge of Ama Dablam is the central ridge 2nd from the right and is the route that Calum will take on his summit attempt.

It's less than three weeks until we will be heading off to Nepal again to try Ama Dablam. Sixteen year old Calum Macintyre is joining us for this expedition. Calum is hoping to raise funds for theTeenage Cancer Trust ( Chartity No. 1062559). Please log on to http://www.justgiving.com/CalumMacintyre to find out more and of course any donations will be much appreciated.

Making Rowan Jelly

Well, Rowans are collected from the local trees ..., and then you try to get all the small leaves and other bits separated out. Put the clean berries into a pot and cover them with fresh highland water. Boil the berries up and then drain it all through a muslin strainer into a big pot. Add about one pound of sugar for each pint of liquid, plus the juice of a few lemons, boil all this up and decant into clean sterilised jam jars.... The result could and should be rather interesting!

Looks a bit pink to me!

Edinburgh Internatioanl Climbing arena

An exciting place to climb and chill out!

IRATA Technical Event and Conference (ITEC09)

IRATA level 3 technicians during an assessment at Talon NDT on Friday 11th September

Chris Parkin ( IRATA assessor and British Mountain Guide-IFMGA-) demonstrating some rope tricks at the IRATA technical event and conference which was held at the Fire Service College, Moreton - in - Marsh, Gloustershire on the 8th and 9th September. Twenty years of industrial rope access was marked by this gathering. Speakers at the conference included, Rod Dermtot the IRATA CEO, Paul Ramsden IRATA technical coordinator, Dr Chris Robins HSE ( Safety analysis) , Rog Thomson HSE (Aberdeen) (The Offshore World of Rope Access). Paul Saunders ( Shell , Aberdeen) - major rope access works in the north sea focusing on the Brent Impact work scope in the columns of the important platforms of the Shell Brent Field in the North Sea. Bill Harkin ( Megarme, Haidee Yatim ( SE Asia IRATA regional advisory committee chairman), Chris Stetafield BWEA ( Wind and Tide energy), Laurent Schneitter ( Vertical Consulting) gave an interesting presentation comparing Swiss Mountain Rescue and IRATA training methods and techniques. Graham Burnett former Irata chairman and Karl Raby, current IRATA Chairman.

It was an excellent and very worthwhile two days.

Edinburgh Climbing Arena (EICA) Ratho

Well, the driest crag in Scotland was to be found indoors near Edinburgh! So here are some photos of some climbs.

Above, Alan Dennis testing OR "Shaped by the pursuit" clothing. Alan says , " Nice cragging trousers,thanks JD"

A Sardinian pillar!

Back in Newtonmore we took a short walk along the glen at the back of the house and saw several deer, some grouse, a Peregrine falcon and my first sighting of geese heading south for the winter.

Rope Access

Trainee rope access technician in action during an assessment for their IRATA level 2 qualification at Talon NDT in Aberdeen on Friday 4th September. Talon NDT provide a range of training courses from basic weld inspection to specialised Industrial Rope Access courses to IRATA levels 1 , 2 and 3.
This coming week IRATA ( Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) are hosting the ITEAC 09 -Technical Event and conference on the 8/9th September at the Fire Service College, London Road, Moreton on Marsh, Gloustershire and full details can be obtained from IRATA: www.irata.org Phone: 01420471619

Wet Scottish Rock

Aztec Tower, Gairloch, VS's in the rain. Climber Alan Dennis

Applecross