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Friday 17 February – Dave MacLeod’s Climbing Coaching Sessions – Fully Booked
On Friday 17th of February I’m running some daytime climbing technique masterclasses at the Ice Factor in Kinlochleven as part of the Fort William Mountain Festival. The sessions will be 2 hours long and there will be 6 spaces on each session. I’ll give you a fairly intense couple of hours of climbing technique advice, coaching and inspiration! To take part you have to be a climber and be used to a climbing wall, but it doesn’t matter what level you are at. You’ll learn a lot whether you are climbing at a fairly basic level or a pretty serious climber.
The sessions will take place at 10am-12pm, 12.30pm-2.30pm and 3pm- 5pm. It costs £35 per climber (pay on the day) as well as your normal climbing wall entry fee at the Ice Factor. I get a lot of requests to give coaching and these classes will fill up pretty fast so give Claire a ring on 07813 060376 to book your place quick! That evening at the festival is the mountaineering evening with showings of the brilliant film ‘Vertical Sailing’ about big wall exploring in Greenland and also the Longhope film about my own mini-big wall climb on Orkney.
Sunday 19 February – Johnny Dawes Rock-climbing Workshops
My approach to teaching climbing technique is very simple, based upon What, How and When to move. Whatever climbing is to you I am confident it will help you improve. By moving with less energy, making grip when needed and knowing when to move, climbing becomes a curious rather than baffling activity. Climbing is an exhilarating all body challenge that can take you to some great places, but when you start off, even if you’ve climbed before, it can be quite confusing.
Sunday 19th February. 11am-12.30pm and 1.30-3pm. £30 per person (maximum 7 people). Competent climbers only. To book a place please contact Jamie at the Ice Factor, Kinlochleven on 01855 831100.
- Johnny Dawes will be speaking at Fort William’s Nevis Centre on Saturday 18th February. Click here to read more about the Johnny Dawes evening.
Throughout the festival with the Ice Factor Instructors
Hit the Ice
This 2.5 hour session aims to give a structured introduction to ice climbing technique. It isn’t a pre-requisite but if you haven’t climbed before then you might want to consider joining a Taste the Rock session before moving onto the ice to get to grips with basic ropework skills.
We will take you through the basics of ice axe and crampon placement before putting it all together and getting you climbing. You will be given a refresher (if needed) of basic ropework. There is also scope to look at ice screw placement in the ice wall.
Bringing those elements together, you will be coached on moving through progressively steep ice. This will usually commence on a simple slope – Grade II/III, through to Steep Slabs – III/IV. Dependent on how hard you want to push it you can choose from the variety of routes available, including gully features, arêtes, water ice, very thin – verglas-covered rock/mixed climbing and dry tooling – when the ice runs out!
Special Festival Price – Only £40 (usually £48)
Taste the Rock
This taster session aims to get you rock climbing for the first time, or provide a refresher for your skills if you have done a little in the past. Your instructor will supply you with the technical equipment necessary for your session, provide some basic coaching on movement and then get you climbing. The focus of the session is on fun. During the hour you will be given the opportunity to climb easy angled slabs on the instruction walls through to major overhangs, possibly on the main competition climbing walls. We will introduce you to the basic ropework needed, and get you doing some of the belaying for your climbing partner – don’t worry though, there is always an instructor on hand to make sure everything goes smoothly!
Special Festival Price – Only £20 (usually £25 per junior and £30 per adult)
Taste the Rock & Hit the Ice
Take a private rock session before your ice session and this will help familiarise you with the ropework used in the Hit the Ice Session and means you can climb indoor rock and ice in the same day!
Special Festival Price – Only £55 (usually £65)
Courses available every day during the festival, subject to availability. Please book a space by phoning Jamie at the Ice Factor, Kinlochleven on 01855 831100
