Introduction Your partner can act as a safety back-up on an abseil descent in pace of using a prusik knot. Last month I shared a little tip on the sequence…
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Introduction Using a prusik knot for safety on an abseil is a very well-known and common technique that many climbers use. But this tip is just a little 'icing on…
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Introduction A common technique used in climbing is to equalise a sling at a belay and this quick tip is about stopping a knotted sling from tightening. The problem -…
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Introduction Our winter climbing courses in Scotland are held all over the highlands, including Ben Nevis, Glencoe and the Cairngorms. It all depends on where the best climbing conditions prevail.…
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Equalising slings Building belays during traditional climbing and mountaineering will very often involve equalising slings. Most often, I use the Figure of Eight or Overhand Knot method. To do this,…
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Shapes of karabiners There is an almost bewildering array of shapes of karabiners available. Shape, size, colour and other individual branding characteristics all combine to overwhelm the novice buyer. Some…
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Wearing a climbing helmet (You can learn more about wearing a climbing helmet and other safe rock climbing practice on one of our courses with a fully qualified rock climbing…
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Hiring a Mountain 'Guide' or Leader The scary and hilarious controversy over the antics of “IamBraveDave” (check out his YouTube channel) over the last couple of weeks prompts me to…
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Tying-in and Climbing Helmets (You can learn more about this on one of our beginner's rock climbing courses in Yorkshire, the Peak District, the Lake District and Snowdonia.) In this…
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The BAA app Last winter I wrote a quick note about the ‘Be Avalanche Aware’ (BAA) planning method, recommending this to everyone. Well, like everything in this world now, it’s…
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