Friday afternoon and our Welsh adventure continues by waving goodbye to Llanberis and moving to Blue Peris in Dinorwig for Mountain Leader Training. Unfortunately standards in accommodation shifted as we ended up in a dormitory room but fortunately for health and mental stability the food improved dramatically. A cooked breakfast every morning to whack on the calories and extra insulation with a beautifully arranged spread for a decent packed lunch to take with us. To end the day a 3 course meal to make us happy after a tough day of training and being stupid. Evening meals ranged from chicken pie to roast lamb, and beef stew to chicken curry which to our entertainment saw Tash rush out and empty the contents of her stomach after eating too much.
Training throughout the week was mainly provided by Gareth, with some stints from Rory and Lou. Sessions included mountain hazards, mountain rescue and improvised rescue. More navigation and relocation training was involved and we also spent a day on abseiling and rope work.
The highlight of the week was a night out camping in the Moelwyns near Mount Cnicht. It consisted of navigation throughout the day and climbing Cnicht, pitching up our tents before our first night navigation session with Rory. All of this seems tame compared to the horror that was to follow. The coldest night’s sleep most of the ELTs have ever had Pathetically relying on their 2 season sleeping bags and each others bodies for warmth. With the gale force winds about to blow our tents away, it all made venturing outside, in the middle of the night for a toilet visit even more unbearable. The spirit of the 6th ELT team will not be diminished though.
Another highlight of the week was the river crossing in what felt like artic conditions. We risked being ridiculed by donning our swimming trunks, though Patrick decided to go virtually naked as we braved the freezing waters and crossed the river in a variety of bizarre methods, all on a miserable rainy winter day. For reasons unexplained Mark was the only one to fall over in the river – not only did it freeze the most delicate of areas it also provided entertainment for everyone there.
It was a pity that everyone was not there doing the Training. Tommie had already done his Mountain Leader Assessment and instead went off looking for caves and losing his compass!!
The week flew by and on Thursday our time at Blue Peris had ended and our adventure to London had just begun.
