Random Bivi Hares Gap

Our big plan to go biving on Monday started with an epic walk before hand, a clear night and a lot more people involved... of course when it got to Wednesday night, things change.

The weather was beautiful (Drizzly rain and not a star in sight), perfect! But that wasn’t stopping Caoimhe, Kathryn and Michael (Tagging along with his manbag), mega keen we would not give into the weather and everyone saying we were nuts.

Finally leaving the centre at half 11!  We took a stroll up to Hares Gap to sleep beside the great Mourne wall.... The walk consisted of lots of laughs and 100 of sheep eyes following us. Kathryn watching what lies beneath a few nights before didn’t help and Caoimhe talking about Zombie sheep....

We were glad to finally make it to the Mourne wall, to get into our sleeping bags and out of our wet gear.

We awoke at 7am to Kathryn letting in all the rain from her Bivi bag that had collected over the night... so a casual lie in was not on the cards with the amount of complaining and blood shoot eyes from a great night 's sleep.

We had marshmallows in chocolate biscuits for breakfast cooked over a stove and a bag of salt and vinegar crisps... the midnight snack didn’t really go to plan.

After all the negative comments about us going on our mega adventure to bivi, we had a ball and lots of laughs.. thats what it's all about :)

Caoimhe and Kath enjoying the Rain

Michael's first bivi :D

Caoimhe's camera gets all artistic!

Who said a bivi was a bad idea?

Life is GRRRRRRRRRRRR...EAT!!!

Steep Ground Training!

Today we were out in the hills looking at steep ground work for our Mountain Leader Award.  Kieran took us girls and our two fellow trainee lads (Brendan and Andy) to Spellack ,where we took turns in managing our group on steep ground. 

After lunch Kieran explored roped steep ground work with us - we played about with body belaying an individual down steep terrain, then looked at using an anchor to stabilize our position whilst body belaying.  We also tested out indirect belays using the environment we find ourselves in on the hills - for this we used a boulder to belay off.

Finally, we looked at abseiling off steep ground using a rope with a variety of techniques such as, the classic abseil and the South African abseil.  

The six of us had a good oul hoot in the sun, rain and hail, taking some slips and stumbles but what’s an ML training without that?!?

Kath guiding Andy up some steep terrain!

Kath body belaying

Our fellow trainee lads - Brendan and Andy!

The girls!

Kieran and Caoimhe with an anchor belay

Andy using an indirect belay

Claire and Keiran

Kath

Kieran demonstrating the Classic abseil

More ladiette's get on board with Rapids, Crags and Handbags!

Caoimhe has acquired two new fans of Rapids, Crags and Handbags - The lovely Emma and Aine, two extremely keen enthusiasts of the outdoor world.

Caoimhe headed out to Hen mountain with the two girls yesterday.  We had a little adventure playing about with our set ups and anchors for single pitches, followed by a bit of climbing.  Of course, the rain came to spoil the craic after a couple of climbs, meaning we did not get as much as we would of liked done - but sure that's always the way eh?!?! 


Otherwise it was a great day out with girls, who are so motivated to get out and about on the Rapids and Crags with their handbags. Smell the cheese! :D

 Emma reading up on the theory!

 Caoimhe and Aine

 Aine

 Emma making a BIG move? :)

Emma and Aine

Level 1 Coaches!!! Whoop whoop....

After 4 long intensive days we are now level 1 coaches in kayak and open boat!

Exciting stuff!!!

Even though it was a tiring few days we still had great craic and enjoyed every minute. 7 of us took part in the level one training having to complete 2 coaching sessions each in both disciplines – open boat and kayak. 

Our confidence and skills have improved and we can’t wait to start cracking into our 3 star awards and level 2 coach here come! 

 Dream Team!! Mark, Kathryn and Caoimhe!

                                                                        The coaches

                                                                           Caoimhe

 Classroom by the lake

 Claire open boating

 All packed up and ready to rock

 Kathryn

 and last but not least the little duckies!

wee video..

Long time - No blog...

We have been busy bunnies the past month, getting up to all sorts of class adventures, while also contending with our busy schedules as trainee instructors.  Business at Tollymore has picked up immensely with Easter Holidays, long evenings coming in and groups from all backgrounds using the centre.  This is probably the main reason we have not been updating our blog. 

Since our last entry, we have all completed our 2 star assessment in Canoe and Kayak and passed with flying colours – it was great craic, Oísín made us feel like we were just out for a paddle and doing a few skill drills.  The next step is our Level 1 Coach Award in Canoe and Kayak which we will start on Friday morning!!!

Other than that, us guys have been using our training days and free time to get out and about doing our thing in the outdoors:

Climbing

We have got out over the past few weeks in the Mournes on Hen Mountain, Eagle Rocks, Lower Cove and Pigeon.  Caoimhe and Claire also got to Dalkey Quarry (Dublin) with Trevor and a few of the gang from Tollymore, Caoimhe did her first lead on Winder’s Crack.  Caoimhe has now 5 leads in the oul log book towards our Single Pitch Award (SPA) training eeek!  Caoimhe and Claire will be completing their SPA training in the close future with Kieran, on our Monday training days.  Kathryn is logging hours supervising and assisting with climbing so she can complete her SPA assessment in the Summer months.

Our Trevor Kid :)

Mountain Biking

Us girls have been getting loads of experience on the mountain bike track in Tollymore and the Forest Park.  We are improving bit by bit every time we go out - of course our improvement has come with a number of falls, bumps and bruises but hopefully this will get us ready for the Trail Cycle leader that Tollymore will with a bit of luck be running in the near future. 

Paddling

There has been loads of paddling the past few weeks for us girls practicing for our 2 Star.  We now know Castlewellan lake inside out.  We have also taken a trip down to Dundrum bay to have a look at our skills in moving water.  Kathryn, Caoimhe and Claire showed their competitive streak when Jonny introduced a stopwatch and ferry gliding under the arches of Dundrum.  The score lies at Caoimhe – 3, Claire – 2, Kathryn – 1.

Dundrum Bay

Claire and Kathryn racing

The Tollymore staff have also been getting out on Tuesday nights for a bit of Sea kayaking.  Caoimhe took her first Tuesday night down the Narrows at Strangford Lough to Ballyhornan, it was a beautiful night for sea kayaking.  The best part of the night was Caoimhe coming up behind a seal and giving him the fright of his life, that when he jumped so high out of the water he splashed her.   It was amazing to see so many seals out enjoying a lovely evening. 

Caoimhe and Claire then headed out to Salt Island last Tuesday to stay in the Bothy with 8 other guys from Tollymore.  We had a great evening and morning paddle with a wee BBQ, ghost stories and some class banter in between. 

 Strangford lough

Sun, Sea and Crags...

 

This weekend started with our 2 star training, in canoe and Kayak which involves:

• Lift, carry & launch the kayak
• Efficient forward paddling
• Steering the kayak
• Manoeuvring
• Moving sideways
• Preventing a capsize
• Turning
• Returning to the bank
• Securing
• Capsize and self rescue
• Peer rescue

After weeks of practicing and learning new skills in the rolling poll, Strangford Lough, The River Bann and Castlewellan lake it was time to see what we got!

 

Day one:

We headed to Castlewellan Lake, the trailer loaded with kayaks. We soon discovered Claire (Tollymore Doughnut) had forgotten her spray deck! An hour later it turned up after a professional radio call by Caoimhe to the centre. Are skills were tested after having to dodge Tiny Life’s fundraisers raft race, dogs swimming after sticks and the odd  fisherman.

It was a lovely hot day to be on the lake, but that soon ended when we started rescues, brain freeze galore... Caoimhe got rather cold after an ‘amazing’ rescue by Kathryn...

The day finished off in the rolling pool to perfect rescues.

 

 The gang

                                                                                                                              

Day two:

Strangford Lough- Open Boats

 

 

Another perfect day to be boating in the heat of the sun which ended in nice tanned hands and white arms.

We transferred our skills from the previous day in the kayaks, to the open boats. After a pleasant journey it was time for a well deserved lunch chilling in the sunshine! 

 

 Kath

 

 Claire drawing

 

After lunch we then worked our skills in tandem canoeing. 

 

 No I didn't just fall over...

 

Then it was rescue time, but was thankfully a lot warmer than the lake. Kathryn redeemed herself with a super fast rescue!

 

Monday training day – Climbing Lower Cove

 

Another roasting day which also ended in even worse tan lines and sunburn!

 

We all headed out nice and early with our new lady friend Marty handbag and all! We got lots done from First corner, Tyro to New decayed.

A cool chilled out day with lots of sun and laughs – can you ask for anything better... this is the life!

 

 

Caoimhe chilling at the top

 Cheeser

 

 Caoimhe stylin

 Peek-a-boo Kathryn

Life is Good!!!

Life is good as a Trainee... us girls have been having a hoot. 

Every Monday is a training day and so far we have been:

Kayaking – Rolling most Wednesday nights with Jonny Mornin, perfecting our low and high braces.  In turn getting closer to getting our rolls styling. We also had a good day in Castlewellan lake doing rescues in the kayaks and open boats.

                                                                Kathryn pushing the high braces

 Claire mastering the low brace!

Sea kayaking – In Strangford Lough with Oísín and exploring Pawls Island, which was once a model farm in the 60’s.  We had a lovely day out and as they say, accidents always happen after lunch and Caoimhe showed us how not to get into a sea kayak as she took a tumble for the worst – On the bright side the head stayed dry! 

                                               Caomihe searching for her lunch!

Open boating – We have made many journeys in the open boats down the Quoil, through the Bann and in Strangford Lough. These days we have been looking at our basic strokes for paddling efficiently and we have even taken on our first rapids in the river Bann.

Kathryn pulling a cheesier in the sun! 

Pose!

Hill walking – We have had a master class with Kieran on Pigeon mountain practicing micro navigation.  Kathryn made sure to fall several times whilst coming off the mountain to ensure we were up to speed on our rescues. 

We all had a few good days while we had some snow dusting the hills too!

Climbing – With the wall at our doorstep we have no excuse not to get training on it!  We have had some great laughs in at the wall from chalk fights to practicing taking lead falls.

 Kath and Caoimhe have got out in the new season, in the beauty of the Mournes.  Claire has been getting loads of climbing in, over at the Edinburgh climbing wall - getting her pump on!!!

Caoimhe will be doing her first lead outdoors very soon – so watch this space – EEEEEEKKKK!

Caoimhe!

Mountain Biking – Tollymore forest park offers us guys some great opportunities to get out and about on the mountain bikes.  Trevor kindly brought Kath out to try the famous bomb hole where she successfully carried out the moves but later had an epic fall over the smallest bump!

Claire the mountain bear beasted Kath and Caoimhe up the massive hills of Tollymore forest park - Fun times!

Winter Mountaineering – Claire headed off to Scotland on 26^th February for some snow and ice climbing.... with the not so great winter weather conditions... but still found lots to do!

Caoimhe and Kath headed out the week after for some winter mountaineering.  We had a class week and luckily got 3 quality snow days.  The first day started with the Fiacaill ridge then up onto Coire Lochan, where we learnt some nifty winter skills from self arrest to belays and bucket seats. Caoimhe had the joy of climbing her first Munroe – Sgor Gaoith

Claire!

Caoimhe and Kathryn!

                                                                                     
Caoimhe and Kath stayed in what they call a ‘Wigwam’ – we preferred Chicken coop.  We can’t wait for another adventure in the Snow.

Finally, us girls will be completing our first official training of the year for our 2 star in Canoe and Kayak next weekend – Exciting stuff.  We will keep you posted on the craic.