Craggers booked us into a great activity centre high above the Tamar Valley. Everyday, we made an early start to cover training or get out early for the days activity on Dartmoor. The training was essential and we covered all aspects of Trad climbing, we also covered wearing the right clothing and the dangers of exposure, navigating with OS maps and using compasses.
We had a very good day navigating in thick fog on the moor. We were able to navigate to quite small features in the landscape like a an abandoned tinner’s hut next to a shallow stream and bog, and hut circles around the base of a Tor. Tony led a wild food walk along the Tamar and we learned a lot as we enjoyed exploring the countryside around our base for the week.
There is always a lot to learn and Craggers have huge experience in making adventure possible, both in the generous sharing of knowledge and the loan of the equipment that makes the activities possible.
We had two good climbing sessions in very different weather conditions. I managed two climbs and mostly successfully managed to retrieve gear placed by the lead climber. The second day at the Dewarstone in sunshine and next to a river was the highest I have yet climbed. Tony, Becci and Andrew were very good at encouraging full participation so you are more involved in the preparation and conclusion of the activity. We were not there to just climb and as a consequence you do get a fuller picture of what is involved. I have done small amounts of climbing and was completely new to Trad climbing.
We had some time off to explore Tavistock. We spent a couple of hours looking at stone rows and a standing stone before adjourning to a large empty moorland pub. Evenings were mostly spent eating and preparing for the next day. All done in the relaxed and convivial large shared dining room. We had a good Halloween party on the last night.
