More Costa Blanca photos

Costa Blanca

Nov/Dec is a good time to go to the Costa Blanca as it is usually warm enough for climbing but not too hot. We found this time it was unusually chilly with a persistent cold wind and even snow on the higher peaks but we still had a wonderful time. Not as much climbing as we had planned but lots more mountain walking only having one day off during our 21 day stay. The Casa we had rented was in a wonderful location about 30mins inland from Calpe and great for all the hills we planned to climb. All the mountains in the photos are ones we have climbed, walked or scrambled and there are still many more to visit. The climbing venues offer a variety of bolted and trad climbing at all grades, many making the perfect outdoor climbing wall!

Kilravock Castle and Ben Nevis

We spent from 20th November to 11th December walking and climbing in Spain, photos to follow. On the 13th December we were at Kilravock Castle with Graeme Livingston and co having some fun Team Challenges and Archery. Over this last weekend we were working for Maximum Adventure with a group who wanted to climb Ben Nevis in winter conditions. They were a lovely bunch of folk and we had a lot of fun with them as well as helping them to achieve their goal.

Inchmarlo Golf Resort

We met up with a group from 'Shared Lives' yesterday at Inchmarlo Golf Resort where they were staying in very nice villas. We spent the day having a Fun Session with everyone followed by Archery for those who wanted to whilst others went golfing or had some beauty treatment. We see Sue and her merry gang twice a year now, many of the group are regulars so can help newcomers with some of the fun tasks we set them. They have a great social weekend which we are really happy to be a small part of!

Averon Leisure Centre

We met up with a group working on a project with the Social Enterprise Academy yesterday at Avernon Leisure Centre to do some Team Building and Archery. The girls were keen to get involved and were really enthusiastic despite the nip in the air. Graeme and Lindsay were up for developing their Archery skills too!

Ben Alder Estate

We had a couple of days running activities for children staying at Ben Alder Lodge this week. The weather was kind and the children enjoyed Archery, Biking, Team Challenges and Den building.

Active Kids

We both led groups on Ben Nevis last Saturday for Maximum Adventure, the last ones this year. Great fun was had as most of my group 'planked' on the trig point! Forgot the camera too! Lots of snow on plateau.

Yesterday we had a few Active Kids doing a Treasure Hunt, some Den Building and Archery. Very cold but the kids seemed to have a great time!

Loch Duntelchaig

We were at Loch Duntelchaig on Wednesday with a very enthusiastic group of youngsters who were enjoying Bushcraft, Climbing and Canoeing. It was a superb day, blue skies, sunshine, windless, midgeless what more could we all ask for. Normal service today though!

Ballindalloch to Knockando

We went down this section on the Spey with Dave and Steve today. They were in Dave's Venture Prospector (first time out). River level perfect as this was Steve's first canoe experience. Good weather too!

Friendship Fund Moray

Ian was helping out at the Canoe Symposium this weekend whilst I ran Archery on Saturday for Karen Strang's group and the Friendship Fund. Then on Sunday, the gang went for abseiling at Glenmore. We have known the folk of the Friendship Fund for many years now and always look forward to their visit and which activity we can persuade them to take part in. They love the Archery, Rafted Canoeing and can now say Abseiling! Some not so enthusiastically but glad to have done it. Next year we hope to get them on the climbing wall! It was a fun weekend and the sun shone although it was very windy up the tower and on the water.

Birthday party

At the weekend, we had a group of Army Cadets to work with on the indoor wall and outside tower. On sunday afternoon we had 6 little boys celebrating Marcus's birthday with Archery, Treasure Hunt and Den Building. The weather was great, a fun weekend!

Loch Morlich

This weekend we were working with No Limits and the Falcon Club. Ian and Sylvia were on Rafted Canoeing which was a bit on the windy side! I was on Archery and a wee bimble. Everyone had fun and are already looking forward to next year.

Coire an t-sneachda

Yesterday we took a group of Geography students from Lasswade into coire an t-sneachda. It happens most years as the staff like to use this coire to discuss glaciation.

River Bran & Loch Achanalt

This weekend we were supervising a group of Girl Guides who were completing their Bronze DofE Expedition by canoe. The route started at a level crossing and entailed a good portage to get to the River Bran which they followed to Loch Achanalt where they set up camp. They explored this area the next day before paddling into Loch a'Chuilinn and the finish. The weather was superb, mostly windy enough to keep the midges at bay. They enjoyed the trip and are already contemplating where to go for Silver.

Nansen DofE

We were walking with a group from Nansen over the last 2 days for their Bronze DofE Expedition. They had a great time and really enjoyed the walking and some will be looking at doing Silver in the future

Ben Klibreck

We are just back from a couple of days on the hill near Ben Klibreck. We had biked 14kms along a good track in to the foot of Ben Armine, set up our tent, then wandered over very rough, boggy, peaty ground to climb Creag Mhor and Ben Armine. This area is a vast emptiness. We had thunderstorms overnight and I was a bit concerned about our steel framed bikes! Next morning the midges were ferocious and worse than our worst experience on Skye. We were quick to get moving and biked about 6 kms to the foot of a ridge leading to the main ridge on Ben Klibreck, again the initial going was tough over boggy ground but once on the ridge the walking was easy. Passed a memorial to 2 airmen. Very heavy showers and constant threat of thunderstorms but we carried on to the main summit then headed off via a different ridge completing a grand circuit of a hill we had not visited for over 25 years. Sunshine too as we headed back to our bikes, tent and eventually van amid more rain and lightening!