Talisman Newsletter |
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Newsletter Edition Number 6 15th December 2007 |
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Merry Christmas & New Year 2008
Santa and Chilly enjoy a well earned rest on the sunny Cairngorm plateau after their pre-Christmas dinner ice climb up Central Gully last year. More photos of Santa with axe in hand can be found if you search the BBC's Scotland's website around Christmas 2006...! Talisman Activities Year 2007 Updatewinter, spring, summer, autumn sun & fun!
All images can be enlarged by clicking on the thumbnails Winter 2006/2007...
Over the winter we were very busy with the winter skills, mountaineering and climbing courses. We had a busy time in February when Nottingham University's Munro Pineapple Group came up to Cairngorm for a mix of mountaineering and climbing (they're returning again in Feb 2008). Then another weekend, Cairngorm was hit by storms, the ski road was closed and we struggled up through the snowdrifts to reach the ski area where we had a great time digging into drifts, collapsing mini-cornices and learning heaps about the effects of the wind on the snow! This was the same weekend that Innes and Penny joined us for a snowholing trip and after a long walk up from Glenmore, we found some suitable drifts to dig into to create palatial overnight accommodation! Further details and photos from last seasons winter courses can be found at http://www.winternet-scotland.co.uk/reports/east/latest.htm and at http://www.winternet-scotland.co.uk/reports/east/latest100507.htm
Shan came back for some training weekends before he embarked on his adventurous trek to Everest Base Camp in March. He came back to report that the skills he learned at Cairngorm paid off on his climb to the top of Chukung Ri where he had to ascend a loose, rocky ridge to reach the top. We wait with interest to see where Shan will go next! " Yippee - I made it! Not only bagged Kala Pater and Everest Base Camp but as a bonus dragged my way to the top of Chukung Ri....thanks to u and Ron for the training cos it paid off in confident footwork especially at the top of Chukung Ri...! " Regards Shan
Another mountaineering trip which also comes to mind was when John, Duncan, Lucky, Hannah and Kerstin came along last New Year. We were all digging our belays and climbing up the steep slopes with Lucky and Sandy in front. As they waited for the rest of us, Lucky being the resourceful Ghurka that he is, conjured up a stove for hot noodles much to the amazement of the rest of us! "Team Noodle" was born! Lucky is again travelling up to Scotland over the festive period with his brother to enjoy the Scottish winter mountains again.
We've had many trips into Ben Nevis this year with some memorable climbing on the steep ice falls on the North Face. Stuart travelled up north to meet us there and we walked in to find that heavy snowfall was creating some treacherous conditions with one comparatively small avalanche almost catching us. We quickly backed off that route. The next day unfortunately saw heavy rain falling in Fort William and Glencoe and we tried to go for a walk but found the rivers in spate and only the frogs enjoying the deluge.
Back to the Ben again with Oli and Nick for three days climbing with accommodation at the CIC Hut. The weather couldn't have been better as it was cold overnight and sunny and dry during the day. Some fantastic climbing on the icy Cascade, Combe and Green Gullies. The Ben Nevis pictures really say it all and further details and more pictures can be found at http://www.winternet-scotland.co.uk/reports/east/latest100507.htm
The sunny weather had us travelling over to Glen Nevis for some cragging at Poll Dubh, another trip to Sgurr a' Chaorainn and Diabaig then finally some more trips to Binnein Shuas.
Then it was off to Orkney with John and James for an adventure to climb the Old Man of Hoy. This had original been Johns 40th birthday surprise! We had mixed weather but on our third and last day, we hit a weather window of a few hours when it was dry and calm enough to safely complete the climb. John got a mention in his local Guardian newspaper and raised over a £1,000 for the Rathbone charity. More details and photos of John climbing the Old Man of Hoy can be found at http://www.winternet-scotland.co.uk/reports/east/latest.htm We've include a brief selection of last seasons group photos in the Newsletter. The full selection can be found on our Talisman clients photo album at http://www.talisman-activities.co.uk/images/album/album.htm
Ron’s bit…There is one certainty in life and that is uncertainty so if you get the chance to do something good take it...
Earlier in the year Dave an old friend from previous courses gave me a call for a days guiding. Since we had last met Dave had changed jobs and was now happily working freelance and enjoying regular trips up to Scotland. Anyway, it was early May by the time we had a day out together and rather than doing a winter route as was originally planned I decided to introduce Dave to some classic Cairngorm rock climbing on Fingers Ridge. On the walk in it was damp and misty so not ideal. However once on the climb and after the second pitch we climbed out of the cloud into glorious sunshine and stunning views. We then traversed round and down the other side of the corries onto Fiacail Ridge chatting away and Dave said something along the lines of something really good will come out of this...! That day I'd taken several photos of Fi and Dave in the sun way above the valley clouds. A month or so later I sent some pictures in for the new SMC guidebook. A few months later in October after our return from the Alps, we learnt that one of the photos of Fi on the two Pinnacle had been chosen for the new "Cairngorms Rock and Ice Climbs" guidebook front cover. So we now have our own front page cover girl....! More details can be found at http://www.talisman-activities.co.uk/blog/2007/11/new-smc-cairngorms-rock-and-ice.html This winter we will again be offering private guided climbing (1:2) on some of the classic Scottish gullies and ridges during the weekends in March and April as well as our standard climbing courses so if there are any particular routes you are interested in please do not hesitate to contact us. You never know, something really good could happen...! Summer 2007…Blue skies, sunshine... We travelled over to the Alps again this year and as well as spending a lot of time in the area around Chamonix, we explored the Bregalia area of Swizterland with a view to running a trekking holiday there next year. This is a beautiful area where many valleys and huts which can be linked by routes that wind up and down the numerous high passes.
Despite the summer being the wettest in the Alps for the past thirty years, it was a successful season for past and new Talisman clients to ascend Mont Blanc. David and Pete joined us for an acclimatisation trip before taking part in Smiler's Mont Blanc course. Also, Stuart has been trying to climb Mont Blanc for a few years now but on each trip, the weather has made the ascent impossible. This year however, conditions were good in September and he reached the summit with his guide Andy Owen. Another friend, Richard from Inverness also reached the summit on the same day with his guide.
" See what can
happen when you go a Talisman winter skills course! That was in in 2003.
Four years later after more adventures with Ron and Fi in Scotland, four
summers in the Alps, after nine peaks over 4000 metres and three
previous attempts to climb Mt. Blanc (which failed because of bad
weather) I made it to the top of the Alps in perfect conditions and with
the summit to the two of us - Andy Owen (my guide) and myself. It is a
wonderful feeling when everything is below you. So Ron has a lot to
answer for, he started it all, with a little help along the way help
from Smiler Cuthbertson and Andy Owen and my climbing mate Bill McBride
who unfortunately could not be with me on this trip." More details can be found on our Blog pages at: http://www.talisman-activities.co.uk/blog/2007/12/website-clients-photo-album-updated.html Booking now for winter 2008...Winter Skills and Winter Mountaineering courses
Booking now for summer 2008...Guiding on the Skye Cuillin Munros and Rock Climbing Scottish Hillwalking and Navigation And more…We will again be running our popular Hot Rock trips to Spain. So book early to avoid disappointment. A few photos from our November trip can be found at http://www.talisman-activities.co.uk/blog/labels/hot%20rock%20climbing%20holidays%20spain.html
Trips overseas...Winter ice climbing trips to Norway, trekking in Nepal, exploring the Tatras mountains, Alpine walking in the Bregalia around the mighty Piz Badile as well as the popular Mont Blanc areas. All of these trips and more can be arranged. If these interest you, please contact us to discuss your ideas. Summer 2008 is looking very positive and we have already received several confirmed bookings for our Trek and Climb Mont Blanc trips in July. So come and join in on the fun at the top of western Europe... Following a really enjoyable summer trekking and rock climbing trip to Bregalia we are now running a trekking trip to the area. This recce trip will suit previous clients and friends and it will be at very competitive rates. This brand new trip over and around the high passes surrounding Piz Badile will suit clients who have climbed the Munros in the Skye Cuillin and who are confident scramblers using fixed equipment such as ladders and rungs.
All images can be enlarged by clicking on the thumbnails WinterNet & Talisman BlogWinterNet has started up again and regular updates will be added. Also, the Talisman Blog will be updated with conditions and useful snippets of information as well as course availability and last minute special offers. You can also subscribe to the Talisman Blog RSS
feed by clicking the orange feed icon
http://www.talisman-activities.co.uk/blog/mountain_diary.htm Photos and Videos Many photographs and video clips are taken throughout the courses by Talisman and the course participants. As more and more people are using digital cameras, we are able to bring together all the photos and video clips taken during each course to produce CD and DVD’s. This means that everyone joining the courses can have a visual record of their experience. Clients Photo Album All our group and client photos from 2007 and earlier can be found on our Talisman clients photo album at http://www.talisman-activities.co.uk/images/album/album.htm Accommodation in Aviemore We can arrange bed and breakfast accommodation in the Aviemore area at comfortable, local guest houses from £25 per person per night. Cairngorm Mountain Sport
Aviemore-based mountain equipment shop which is great for picking up kit, hiring boots etc. Helpful advice and a cafe upstairs too! www.braemarmountainsports.com Macmountaineering Inverness-based mountain equipment shop and also mail order. They now have brand new website and stock a wide range boot sizes up to 47 and a great selection of quality climbing equipment used by the professionals. Orders can be placed online. See their website here http://www.macmountaineering.co.uk And finally…We are Ron Walker, Talisman’s owner, creator and web master, qualified Mountaineering Instructor and International Mountain Leader and Fi Chappell, qualified Summer, Winter and International Mountain Leader.
Both are outdoor enthusiasts who find it very hard to stay indoors! From the rambler to the scrambler let Talisman be your guiding light for safe adventure activities! Future newsletters will follow but if you don’t want to receive these, e-mail us and type REMOVE in the subject header. Newsletter Edition 5 can be found here |
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