Advanced Scrambling Courses in North Wales
Learn the skills needed to climb harder scrambles safely
Advanced Scrambling Course - Overview -
This course is for experienced hill walkers who have already climbed scrambles grade 1 and wish to get the skills and confidence to be safe and independent on more challenging mountaineering terrain.
The skills you will learn will also be useful for long and easy rock climbing routes as well as Alpine routes and general mountaineering.
Most scrambles graded 2 & 3 are normally climbed with a rope and a small amount of rock climbing equipment.
Course Content Summary
- learn how to use the rope and other climbing equipment to protect yourself & your partner on scrambles graded 2 & 3
- learn to choose the more appropriate line of ascent & and the best anchors to stay safe and make fluid progress
- learn the basic rope skills needed for an emergency descent or unexpected retreat
Who is it for:
individuals, couples or parties up to 3 people with experience on Scrambles grade 1.
Course duration:
For this course, we offer the following options:
Full day & multiple days: meet at 9:00 - back at 16:00
Half days: morning: meet at 9:00 - back at 12:30 / afternoon: meet at 13:00 - back at 16:30 / evening: meet 16:30 - back at 20:00
Locations:
Snowdonia National Park, North Wales: mountain areas close to LLanberis, Capel Curig, Bedggelert and Betws y Coed. We will consider your location, the weather conditions and your time availability to decide on the more suitable climbing venue.
Course content in detail
- Route choice: choosing scrambling routes that can be climbed by all the members of your party in the time available.
- Route finding: you will need good navigational skills to get to the more remote scrambling routes.
- Lead a scramble safely, using natural rock features and some scrambling technical equipment.
- How to protect yourself and your partner as you climb.
- Anchors selection and connection plus building climbing belays in safe places.
- Belaying your partner(s) with different methods: body belay, Italian Hitch and belay devices.
- Specific scrambling rope work:running belays, moving together, short roping: balancing safety and speed.
- Direct and indirect belays methods, using slings and the rope.
- Protecting unexperienced partners on easy and challenging ground.
Course content in detail
Going up is only half the story...going down might require additional skills
- Abseiling: rappelling / descending down the rope using a rope controller, Italian hitch or your own body.
- Retreating: down climbing, lowering and basic emergency procedures to descend.
- Mountain weather & planning: gain an understanding of the weather patterns and learn to anticipate the timing the route.
- Guidebook interpretation: route descriptions are helpful as long as you understand the specific vocabulary.
- Risk Assessment: being aware of your limitations and good knowledge of the escape routes are crucial to staying safe.
- Conditions: the difficulty of a route can change considerably according to the conditions: weather, orientation and time of the year.
- Traveling light: if your rucksack is heavy, you will move more slowly and with difficulty. We will look at what to take on the longer scrambles so that you can move fluidly but also stay safe and comfortable.
For additional learning support, please check our video tutorials
You will need to bring:
- a climbing rucksack to carry your personal belongings & some climbing equipment.
- suitable clothing & footwear to stay comfortable on the mountains.
- food & drink
If you need more information, please contact us with your enquiry.
Rates per person
The course price depends on the ratio of clients to instructor.
Half Day
Ratio 1:1
£150 per 1/2 day
Ratio 2:1
£95 per 1/2 day
Ratio 3:1
£75 per 1/2 day
Ratio >6:1
£60 per 1/2 day
Full Day
Ratio 1:1
£220 per day
Ratio 2:1
£120 per day
Ratio 3:1
£95 per day
Ratio >6:1
£75 per day
Need more information Check FAQs
Booking
We run open & private courses. Please contact us with your specific requirements; we will arrange something suitable for you.
To make a booking please click here