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outdoor leading course

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 b-mouse 26 Jun 2015
I'd like to do an outdoor climbing course (leading). Ive been seconding for about 3 or 4 years and would like to improve my skills and confidence. Glenmore lodge offer courses but I can't do the dates they're offering this summer. Can anyone recommend an instructor (preferably female) in Scotland?
1
 Sealwife 26 Jun 2015
In reply to b-mouse:

Di Gilbert is excellent.

http://www.digilbert.co.uk
 Otis 26 Jun 2015
In reply to b-mouse:

If you've got regular partners you've been seconding routes with for the last few years, why not ask them? If you pick the right routes and climb with people you know and trust then there is no reason why your current climbing friends won't be more than capable of helping you take the next step.

Pick something well within your grade, climb with your friends and there is no reason why you won't have a great time and don't be afraid to ask your leading friends to help out. With some of my climbing partners I do all of the leading. We don't climb at particularly hard grades, but I'd be more than happy to help them out with learning to lead if they asked. A good second allows the leader to (arguably!) have the most fun - so a good leader should be more than happy to spend time repaying the favour and teaching their faithful second how to lead
ultrabumbly 27 Jun 2015
In reply to b-mouse:

To add to what Otis has said about supplementing your experience outside of a course: If you are regularly seconding and cleaning gear as you move, spend some time not only removing gear but also replacing it to achieve the placement your leader found (sometimes it won't go in easily the way it came out)and experiment with doing it from the positions that they may have placed it from rather than getting to the most comfortable spot for whipping it out. I found my mates teaching me like that to be really valuable.

The next step they had me on my crash course was to have me lead short lace ups (some of which I seconded first) and then have a good shake of the rope and mock me for everything that fell out . Throwing every bit of gear you can into short pitches means you will find yourself not only using the most obvious and simple placements but the ones that may take a bit of thinking too (without them having already been worn into a particular size wire or cam on the heavy traffic routes). If you can do this at a single pitch venue with two friends then you can have one at the top for helping you with belay setup pointers. In terms of building confidence you can probably find some short crack where you always have stonking gear above you as you play.

Over the years I've found myself doing similar for friends that have started leading and it seems to work out well in terms of how quickly you can pick up the required skills.
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sonar 27 Jun 2015
In reply to b-mouse:

Go B -Mouse you are the best
sonar 27 Jun 2015
In reply to b-mouse:

I'll teach you to climb
OP b-mouse 28 Jun 2015
In reply to b-mouse:

Thanks I will heed advice and perhaps be braver when out with climbing partner.
 Nick_Scots 30 Jun 2015
In reply to b-mouse:

The Falkirk Trust courses are amazing value and they will drive anywhere there is dry rock !

You will learn lots and they have 2 MIAs and an MIC who are all very experienced.

Looks like you have climbed plenty of routes. When introducing leading it's a series of progressions. It's easy when you have a good mentor.
 AlH 30 Jun 2015
In reply to b-mouse:

Lou Reynolds http://cms.mountain-training.org/public/profile/143585/inverness-shire.newt...
Di Gilbert http://cms.mountain-training.org/public/profile/42780/moray.grantown-on-spe...
Adele Pennington http://cms.mountain-training.org/public/profile/15777/inverness-shire.fort-...
Pamela Millar http://cms.mountain-training.org/public/profile/86150/west-lothian.south-qu...

All female Scottish based Mountaineering Instructors who are active climbers and take folk out to learn to lead. Any one of them would be great and each is a character in their own particular way!
OP b-mouse 07 Jul 2015
In reply to b-mouse:

Thanks all, you are all very helpful. I got a bit braver and I 'led' my first route this weekend, albeit with my partner pre placing the gear. Its a start, which I'm pleased with
In reply to b-mouse:

Good for you! Keep pushing onwards - confidence & skills will develop. Good luck/ best wishes

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