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Tag: Highpoint

  • Mountainguides 25 year Celebration Events

    John White, the founder of Lakes Challenge has designed a range of holidays to his favourite places to celebrate the 25th year of Mountain Guiding  – all of which he knows will offer a wonderful experience.

    Paps of Jura
    Paps of Jura

    He has always been inspired by the landscapes and wildlife to be found in the areas he visits as well as the quality of the walking, climbing and Via Ferrata and this is reflected in the programme.

    Each holiday has been designed to offer the very best in walking, scrambling, climbing and wildlife watching and he has added something extra  to each one to provide a really top class experience.

    There’s a multi active week in the sunny Andalucian springtime, with opportunities to walk in the Grazalema National Park, climb, scramble, watch wildlife and enjoy classic Via Ferrata.

    You can snowmobile into the frozen Russian Taiga in deep midwinter, ski under floodlights and try a cross country ski tour in Finnish Lapland.

    Closer to home there are some truly off the beaten track adventures in the Cumbrian Lake District, a visit to the famous ‘Small Isles’ of Western Scotland, a hiking trip around the wild west coast of the Isle of Jura to reach the Corryvreckan Whirlpools and an unforgettable multi-active holiday to the North West Highlands.

    There is also a winter holiday in the Cairngorm National Park on which you can learn the essential skills for walking in winter alongside walking the main summits.

    Expressions of interest are also welcomed at this stage for a trip to Greenland in 2014. Guiding and instruction is from John White, with help from Outdoor Photographer and Instructor Dave Willis, local Guides Paddy Cave and Richard Bailey, along with appropriate local assistance where required – for example a Finnish snowmobile guide for the trip into the Russian Taiga.

    Some of these holidays are based on other events run in the past, but this programme features new activities and locations, and upgraded accommodation.

    Check out all the details on the Lakes Challenge website 25 years events link.

  • Highpoint – May newsletter

    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 Courses

    Highpoint winter course offers & mountain conditions update Winter climbingGreetings 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

  • Highpoint, autumn/winter offers

    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