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