The Highpoint newsletter for May is packed with events and special offers, details of upcoming courses and their weekly activity programme

Courses coming up in the next few months include:

SCRAMBLING – THE CUILLIN OF SKYE: May 29th-June 2: June 26-30 – Flexible – join in as many or as few days as you like at £70 per day
Enjoy the finest scrambling in Britain and learn some useful skills, also a chance to climb the famous Inaccessible Pinnacle.

SCRAMBLING – LAKE DISTRICT: June 18/19; July 16/17; August 13/14; £150
A weekend course designed to provide skills training appropriate to classic scrambles – learn the skills and enjoy some classic routes such as Pinnacle Ridge.

BEGINNERS ROCK CLIMBING LAKE DISTRICT: May 28/29; June 11/12; June 25/26; July 9/10; July 23/24; August 6/7 and 20/21; £160
These courses will give you a great taster for what climbing is all about – learn all the basics and enjoy some wonderful climbs in the company of one of our expert instructors and amongst the fantastic Lake District scenery

BEGINNERS ROCK CLIMBING PEAK DISTRICT: June 25/26; July 16/17; August 13/14; £160
More beginner’s courses, but based in the Peak District and centred round the gritstone areas of The Roaches.

NAVIGATION SKILLS: First and third weekend in every month: £130
A really worthwhile Lake District weekend course suitable for hillwalkers wanting to learn or hone thier existing skills – all levels welcome from beginners upwards.

VIA FERRATA DOLOMITES: 16-23 July; 23-30 July; 30 July – 6 August and 10-17 September; Other dates may be available for groups of 3 or more. £925
A residential week taking in classic Via Ferrata in the Sella region. No previous experience required and all specialist gear provided. The scenery and the climbs are stunning.

SPECIAL OFFERS:

ROCK CLIMBING COURSES JUNE 11/12 AND JULY 9/10 – SPECIAL OFFER PRICE JUST £99 FOR THE WEEKEND

NAVIGATION SKILLS COURSE JUNE 4/5 AND JULY 2/3 – SPECIAL OFFER PRICE JUST £89 FOR THE WEEKEND

VIA FERRATA DOLOMITES – WEEK 23-30 JULY REDUCED TO £795

EQUIPMENT BARGAINS:

CLIMBING HARNESSES:  CAMP QUARTZ SIZE M & L – £35
TENDON ADVENTURE XL – £33

SNOW SHOVELS: CAMP SNOW SHOVELS – Extendable handle, adjustable, and polycarbonate blade – almost half price at £35

STARLIGHT CLIMBING HELMETS: 1x BLUE 1 x WHITE £42

VIA FERRATA KITS – CAMP REWIND – COMPRISES: Harness, retractable leashes, shock absorber and carabiners – £80

VARIOUS ROCK BOOTS – SIZES 5.5, 6.5, 7 AND 8 @ £35 PER PAIR

KAYLAND ACTION MOUNTAIN BOOTS – SUITABLE FOR SUMMER ALPINE USE AND GENERAL MOUNTAINEERING (STRAPON CRAMPON ONLY) £HALF PRICE AT £80 – SIZE 12 ONLY FEATURE NUBUCK LEATHER AND EVENT, VIBRAM SOLE

KAYLAND REVO NUBUCK LEATHER/EVENT WALKING BOOT, VIBRAM SOLE – SIZE 8 – REALLY NICE BOOT, HALF PRICE AT £70

CONTACT JOHN WHITE BY EMAIL OR ON 07970 138591 FOR DETAILS

ROGUERUNNER:
John White has recently been helping film director Dan Hartley and his crew in the filming of ‘LAD’ down in the Yorkshire Dales. As well as providing location advice, safety and 4WD, John was also responsible for shooting a drinks can with an air rifle for a close up shot of the inevitable explosion. Did he hit?? – first time of course – well most people would from 5 feet……details from the Roguerunner website at www.roguerunner.com

BLUEBELLS:
In recent years TV programmes have delighted in telling us how springtime is earlier every year, but have neglected to mention how variable the onset of spring is according to the severity of the preceding winter. Each year I take a group of kids from an Essex school for a walk in the Patterdale area on about the same date in mid-May. One part of the walk takes in a magnificent display of bluebells. Three years ago, the bluebells were at their peak and turned the hillsides blue. Last year, on exactly the same date, there was hardly a bluebell to be seen, after a long and cold winter and spring. This year, it’s somewhere in between. Regardless of the impact of global warming, these annual variations are clearly very significant.

FIRES:
Two weeks ago I was in NW Scotland enjoying some fantastic spring sunshine, climbing at Reiff and walking Quinag. Visible from the summit of Quinag was an enormous fire sweeping the hills close to nearby Suilven – the smoke was drifting out to sea for many miles. Lakes climber Dave Birkett was walking to Suilven at the time and reported it is being a huge fire which verged more on frightening rather than impressive. Nearby at Inverkirkiag, where the famous cafe and bookshop stand, firefighters had to spend many hours making sure the fires did not take the premises, and there is now more than 30,000 acres of blackened hiilsides – see photos at this link:
http://www.scottishhills.com/html/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=162809

WEEKLY ACTIVITY PROGRAMME:
Highpoint are now running a weekly activity programme in the Lakes, with Rock Climbing, Abseiling, Tunnel Walk, Gorge Scrambling, Longbow Archery and Mountain Biking available for half days during the week – a great idea for just having a go at a new activity, or for families and small groups. Mountain Bikes can also be hired from £15 from our base at Elterwater. (Tel 015394 37691)

Apologies if you get this twice – and please let me know if you do not wish to receive our newsletters and updates.

For more information visit their website at www.mountainguides.co.uk or caontact John White on 07970 138591

Highpoint winter course offers & mountain conditions update Greetings from the frozen north!!!…. It was frozen anyway, though the valley conditions have become more benign now.

At the end of December even large lakes such as Thirlmere were frozen solid as daytime temperatures were well below zero and at night values as low as -19C were recorded in some valleys.

In spite of the low temperatures, not a great deal of snow fell, but the hiils were draped in ice, and many frozen waterfall climbs were in perfect winter condition. Many rivers became frozen over with ice, and on the River Lowther I spent a magical few minutes watching a family of otters running along the frozen surface looking for a place to enter the water.

No-one here can recall such a long period of cold weather pre-Christmas, and with the main winter months just starting, it will be fascinating to see what’s in store for us. Certainly for the forseeable future, both the Lakeland fells and the Scottish hills look like providing some excellent winter conditions for walkers and climbers.

CURRENT CONDITIONS:

It’s been snowing again in the Lakes, and last night’s fall has really whitened the tops again, with a wide general cover above about 2000 feet. There are ribbons and patches of old snow and ice down to valley level in places, but mostly above 1000 feet. Higher fells are in full winter condition and ice axes and crampons (plus the skills to use them) are definitely required. All roads are OK at present. Two recent tragic accidents on Helvellyn have highlighted the need to have the appropriate skills and equipment for higher level fell walking in these tough winter conditions.

WEATHER OUTLOOK

Some more snow is expected on the hills today, then tomorrow and Friday are expected to be mostly dry with some sunshine, and freezing levels about 500m. On Friday evening cloud will increase and snow is likely on Saturday, turning to rain at low levels, so roads should remain clear. Sunday will be cold and mostly dry. Freezing levels about 500m

SPECIAL COURSE OFFER

If you’re interested in a winter skills course, why not take advantage of our special offer for this coming weekend, with the full weekend course available at just £80 and single days at £40 -a reduction of approximately 40%! You can obtain the same reductions on the winter skills course fee on the last weekends in January and February.

Details for winter skills course

ICE AXES FOR SALE

If you’re looking for a walking axe, we have several used Mountain Technology axes, 70-75cms length for sale at £25 each – please contact me for details.  Contact information below.

WINTER MOUNTAINEERING AND SNOW AND ICE CLIMBING These courses, and guiding on winter climbs are now available in both the Lakes and Scotland

More information CONTACT; JOHN WHITE 07970 138591   info@mountainguides.co.uk

LAKE DISTRICT ROCK CLIMBING WEEKEND – SPECIAL OFFER

Special offer – a climbing weekend for beginners and improvers in the Lake District for just £100 – that’s £60 less than the standard rate. DATES: October 16/17 and November 13/14.  Content is flexible to match ability and experience.

NAVIGATION SKILLS

Sharpen up your outdoor navigation skills before the winter sets in on a Navigation Skills weekend: October 16/17 and November 6/7
- Learn how to pace and time distances
- Taking bearings and when to do it
- Understanding contours
- GPS – what can it do for you?
- Finding your way in bad visibility
- Build your confidence

WINTER SKILLS COURSES BOOKING NOW

The Sportsphysio.com has over ten years experience working with sports groups and athletes from amateur to Olympic level providing specific event support.

Our unique location at the edge of the Cumbrian Lake District and only an hour away from the Scottish Highlands, means that we do a great deal of work with climbers and activity organisations in the region. Currently providing event services for Highpoint and the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Understanding a particular sport and mechanism of injury, is vital to the wellbeing of the athlete and we spend a great deal of time with professionals in many disciplines, learning the skills required and understanding the stresses and strains placed on the body.

Special experience with ballistics and archery professionals has allowed us to assist Olympic athletes to fine tune their technique to get the best from their physique and skills.

Preventative techniques are always at the forefront of our sports work and this is most evident with our involvement in motor sport, working with the driver to counteract the forces of driving at speed or in awkward conditions. We were present at symposiums for the inception of the HANS restraint system, now employed to limit head and neck injuries in F1 drivers.

We will always work closely with an injured athlete and their coach, ensuring that they can maintain their level of fitness and achieve rehabilitation within the sports specific environment.

If you would like us to provide support for your event, just use our “contact us” button to discuss your requirements.

Find out more about the Cumbrian Lakes and Scottish Highlands

Find out more about The Cumbrian Lake District, with the Lake District National Park

Visit the Scottish Highlands

Highpoint Mountain Guides – offer a range of activities and training for groups www.lakeschallenge.co.uk and specialist services to the media, film and TV industries www.highpointpro.co.uk

We have over ten years experience working with sports groups and athletes from amateur to Olympic level providing specific event support.

Striding Edge

Our unique location at the edge of the Cumbrian Lake District and only an hour away from the Scottish Highlands, means that we do a great deal of work with climbers and activity organisations in the region.

Currently providing event services for Highpoint and the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Understanding a particular sport and mechanism of injury, is vital to the wellbeing of the athlete and we spend a great deal of time with professionals in many diciplines, learning the skills required and understanding the stresses and strains placed on the body.

Special experience with ballistics and archery professionals has allowed us to assist Olympic athletes to fine tune their technique to get the best from their physique and skills.

Preventative techniques are always at the forefront of our sports work and this is most evident with our involvement in motorsport, working with the driver to counteract the forces of driving at speed or in awkward conditions.

We were present at symposiums for the inception of the HANS restraint system, now employed to limit head and neck injuries in F1 drivers.

We will always work closely with an injured athlete and their coach, ensuring that they can maintain their level of fitness and achieve rehabilitation within the sports specific environment.

If you would like us to provide support for your event, just use our “contact us” button to discuss your requirements.

Find out more about the Cumbrian Lakes and Scottish Highlands

Find out more about The Cumbrian Lake District, with the Lake District National Park

Visit the Scottish Highlands

Highpoint Mountain Guides – offer a range of activities and training for groups www.lakeschallenge.co.uk and specialist services to the media, film and TV industries www.highpointpro.co.uk