rock skills
intermediate
Rock Skills Intermediate courses are aimed at people with some experience of climbing, wanting to develop their knowledge and build safe practice in their trad climbing. This is our recommended course for furthering your skills and is the perfect progression from our introduction course.
Accreditation
Our Rock Skills climbing courses are accredited by Mountain Training.
You will receive accreditation for this course, we will register you on the scheme with Mountain Training and create an account for you
Participant Handbook - Click Here
2 DAY COURSE
PRICES:£175pp
OVERVIEW
A Rock Skills Intermediate course is designed to provide participants with further skills and knowledge necessary for safe and enjoyable rock climbing. This course typically covers the next steps towards building independence and it is the course we recommend if you are looking to hone your skills.
This course is ideal for those looking to build more climbing experience. There is a big focus on developing your seconding skills and gaining lots of mileage on rock throughout the course with emphasis towards safety, efficiency and further rope work skills.
This course will give all the fundamentals you need to head out and climb to consolidate your experience.
COURSE OUTLINE:
Background and Planning
Choosing a suitable venue, how to use guidebooks and mobile devices to find crags and routes, crag etiquette and the work of the mountaineering councils
Climbing Skills
Warming up and injury avoidance, developing your movement skills and widening your repertoire of climbing moves. This includes smearing, stemming, bridging, laybacking etc and understanding how to use handholds more effectively such as crimps, slopers, jugs.
Footwear and Equipment
Rock boot fit, selecting the right equipment for improved performance and how shoe models and brands differ. An introduction to climbing protection such nuts, cams and hexes and the ability to place it effectively.
Technical Skills
Building anchors, selecting runners, rope management, belaying, holding falls, lowering, seconding a route and personal abseiling.
Environmental Knowledge
The impact of climbers at the crag, ethics, access and environmental considerations.
Hazards and Emergency Procedures
Identifying hazards, managing risk when climbing, abseiling and bouldering, understanding common injuries, how to get help and the role of Mountain Rescue.
SKILLS COVERED:
Movement and technique
More advanced footwork, handholds, weight transfer, smearing and momentum
Roped climbing
Wearing a harness, tying in, belaying, lowering and abseiling
Gear
Developing understanding and placing your own protection; nuts, cams and hexes
Seconding
Lead belaying, following a lead climber, removing the gear whilst climbing and further seconding skills
Developing skills towards leading:
Building belays, linking anchors and understanding how to belay a second
BY THE END OF THE COURSE, YOU CAN EXPECT TO:
Have covered the course content in a safe and enjoyable outdoor environment and classroom-style setting.
Have climbed outside for a good proportion of each day on an appropriate crag.
Be in a strong position to second a lead climber on natural rock and participate safely in a climbing session.
Have further understanding of cams, nuts and hexes and be able to place and remove them from the rock.
WHY CHOOSE US?
Small Group Sizes:
Our low instructor-to-participant ratio ensures personalised attention and maximum learning opportunities. On day 2 we will run at 1-2 ratio for focussed learning.
Certified Instructors:
Our experienced and certified instructors are dedicated to your safety and skill development.
Real-World Application:
The course is designed to equip you with practical skills for independent rock climbing adventures.
Beautiful Locations:
Enjoy learning in some of the most scenic rock climbing environments in the Lake District.
COURSE AFFILIATION
We will register you with Mountain Training, once this has been done you will receive:
Access to all four courses with any approved provider (Introduction, Intermediate, Learn to Lead Sport & Trad)
Lifetime use of DLOG (the digital logbook) for recording all climbing related activities
A certificate of attendance for each course attended
A copy of New Rock Climbers - to be handed out on the course
Course Ratios
1:4 Ratio
This is an open course designed for you to meet like minded individuals and learn to climb together
An instructor can teach up to 4 people on this course - we can provide additional instructors adhering to a 1:4 ratio.
Minimum of 2 for courses to run
Pre-Requisites
16yrs+ to attend this course
Under 18's must be accompanied by a parent/legal guardian
You will benefit from completion of a
Rock Skills Introduction course
Direct entry: Logged 10 routes on walls or outdoor crags; and logged 10 belays of a fellow climber.
If you wish to climb 1-1 or 1-2 with an instructor, we offer
Equipment
Harness, helmet, ropes & climbing hardware are available to use and included in the price
We will share kit lists with you during the booking stage
You will need to wear suitable outdoor clothing and have your own rock shoes.
Click here for a rock shoes buyers guide
Venue
These courses use the North Lakes and we use the crags of Borrowdale to deliver the outline of the course.
We will meet at the Keswick Climbing Wall cafe for 9:00am
Here we will discuss your aims and outline the course structure.
We use crags such as Black Crag, Bowderstone Crag, Shepherd's Crag, Glaciated Slab as examples.
It will be possible to car share to get to these venues if necessary
this course is accredited to mountain training
Mountain Training is the collection of awarding bodies for skills courses and qualifications in walking, climbing and mountaineering that operates across the UK and The Republic Of Ireland.
Our qualifications train and assess people to look after other people in these environments, whether that's leading a walk in the mountains, coaching in a climbing wall or teaching multi pitch rock climbing. People who hold our qualifications have been assessed at a nationally agreed standard.
Our Vision
A diverse and active outdoor society, supported by inspirational leaders, instructors and coaches.
Our Mission
To inspire, enable and develop people in walking, climbing and mountaineering through the provision of nationally and internationally recognised skills training and leadership qualifications.
Support for people
Mountain Training is committed to ensuring that everyone has equal opportunity to attend our courses. We work in close partnership with the mountaineering councils and a key strand of their work is to ensure that participation is open to all. The BMC Equity Steering Group and initiatives like Adventure for All have been central to this and are an excellent source of information.
Hire our Lake District Mountaineering instructors for private and tailored programmes.
Suited to your goals & ambitions to make the most of YOUR time in the mountains.
Day rates:
1:1 £210
1:2 £240
CONTACT
We look forward to hearing from you and working towards your mountaineering ambitions and helping to achieve your goals.
Phone or WhatsApp:
07458353048
If calls are missed we will respond when possible, please leave a voicemail or text message where possible.
Thank you