learn to navigate with nnas and bryn walkingThe National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) is a personal performance, non-competitive, incentive scheme for all ages to learn navigation skills and gain confidence to get out and enjoy the countryside. NNAS courses are delivered in Wales by Bryn Walking and courses take place in the Bannau Brycheiniog and Cambrian Mountains. The aims of the National Navigation Award Scheme’s Navigator Award are simple – to give lovers of the outdoors, whatever their sport, age or fitness, the freedom to explore the paths, trails, hills and mountains of Britain and abroad. Gaining an award does not give you a qualification to teach or lead. It is a recognition of the level of skill at which you can navigate. There are three levels – the Bronze Award, the Silver Award and the Gold Award. Progressing through the three awards will take you from being an absolute map and compass novice right through to be an expert navigator at Gold. This Bronze Navigator Award was a private course for seven participants and was delivered by Alan Ward (International Mountain Leader). August 27th/28th NNAS BRONZE navigator award7 participants completed this award to a high standard and were a pleasure to work with. Day 1 commenced with a morning theory session at the National Park Visitor Centre with a practical skills session after lunch on Mynydd Illtyd Common to the Twny y Gaer (367m Hill Fort). Day 2 was a full day on the hills above Talybont-on-Usk using a variety of public rights of way with some not visible on the map. Various sites of environmental interest were passed and practical use of group shelters demonstrated along with equipment discussions. Clothing was put to the test during the afternoon with heavy rain encountered. A final session was held in the Canal Cafe back in Talybont-on-Usk. course feedbackThe greatest strengths of this couse are:
1. Alan - loved the delivery and skills, observations of map and local features and anecdotes. 2. Good mix of theory and practical work. 3. The practical sessions and the Leaders' patience. 4. Being able to ask questions without fear of feeling silly. 5. On-course training out in the field. 6. Right number of people on the course. 7. Choice of venue. 8. Practical elements - knowledge of instructors. 9. Proximity of the Brecon Beacons (close to home). 10. Given me confidence in use of compass and navigating without electronic assistance. 11. Outdoor navigation and learning about map features.
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the Times of India's wrote (July 30th 2024) about the 5 scariest treks in india: Stok Kangri, Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek, pin Parvati Trek which I've led. the other two are the Chadar Trek (or 'Frozen River Trek') and Nanda Devi East base camp Trek.Kanchengunga Base camp - 1996The Times of India wrote: The Kanchenjunga Base Camp Trek, situated in the eastern Himalayas in Sikkim, is one of the most remote and challenging treks. The trek takes you through dense forests, high-altitude terrains, and glacial landscapes, with the risk of avalanches and landslides. The weather can be highly unpredictable, adding to the trek’s difficulty. Kanchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world, looms large, and the trek provides breathtaking but daunting views Alan wrote: This trek for Himalayan Kingdoms involved flying to Kolkata (previously known as Calcutta) for a couple of nights before an overnight sleeper train up to Siliguri as our access point into Sikkim. Disappointedly, Himalayan Kingdoms hadn't booked us into a comfortable class of sleeping berths and there was no food available on the train. 2nd Class AC was quite basic but bedding was provided in our 4-berh open cabins and the "Darjeeling Mail" pulled out of the station just before midnight for the 16hr journey northwards across the dry plains of North Bengal to New Jalpaiguri after 650km. Whilst in Kolkata we had toured the main sites: Victoria Memorial Hall, Howrah Bridge and the area where Fort William and the old General Post Office were located. This was the "Black Hole of Calcutta" where British prisoners of war were held in the Indian Mutiny in 1756 and of 146 prisoners of war, 123 died. Our main gateway towards Kanchenjunga (8586m) Base Camp (5160m) was Gangtok and our final exit from Sikkim was the old hill town of Darjeeling. The overall routing was: Kolkata - Siliguri - Kalimpong (1250m) - Gangtok (1547m) - Rumtek - Yuksom (1775m) - Bakhim (2700m) - Zamligaon - Dzongri (4050m) - Thangsing (4010m) - Samati Lake (4355m) - Goecha La - Thangsing - Tsoka - Pemayangtse (2085m) - Darjeeling (2134m). Kalimpong was a remote hill station in times gone by and was a meeting point of the once "Three Closed Lands" on the trade routes to Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal and local cultural and social influences reflect those of the three countries. Our Himalayan Hotel was very comfortable with good food for our two night stay. In Kalimpong we visited the colourful Raja Dorjee Market, Thongsa Gompa which was founded in 1692, Zong-dog Palri Fobrang Monastry and several other sites of interest. In Gangtok, Sikkim's second largest city, we visited the International Flower Fair where over 500 indigenous species of orchids were on display and this was a colourful photographic experience. The Research Insitute of Tibetology was also very interesting and displayed many fine examples of silk embroidered thangkas. Rumtek Monastry was visited as a key site for the Kagyupa (Red Hat) sect of Tibetan Lamaistic Buddhism and we had plenty of time to look around this large complex before driving, the next day, to Yuksum where we'd camp for the night before our trek commenced. For some bizarre reason I developed a sore ankle with an inflamed bursa which caused me to limp for much of the trek but it eventually disappeared and hasn't occured since. Effective strapping and pain killers helped along with a night cap on most nights of Chivas Regal. The 90km (round trip) trek to the Goeche La (4600m) went well with only a couple of minor issues. The challenging trek passes through stunning scenery and at the Goeche La, our group were rewarded with magnificent views of Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest mountain (8586m). One participant had been advised at the time of her booking that we'd not cross any suspension bridges as she had a fear of heights. We crossed one most days! In Darjeeling we were supposed to stay at quite a famous hotel (the Windamere Hotel) but this wasn't to be the case as the staff were on strike but several of the group thought this was my fault! Nevertheless, the New Elgin Hotel where we stayed was excellent. A highlight of Darjeeling for me was taking the narrow gauge "Toy Train" as far as Sendora and driving back up to Darjeeling. The first 32km of this railway opened back in 1880 and was a rewarding trip on the world's highest narrow gauge railway connecting Darjeeling with the main line station down on the plains of North Bengal. a second highlight was taking an ancient cable car gondola down to the Happy Valley Tea Estate where tea was still being produced by old orthodox methods and the tea sold in Kolkata for a global market. A final night back in Delhi after our domestic flight was at the fabulous Imperial Hotel before our long-haul flights back to the UK with Gulf Air. Pin parbati trek - 1998The Times of India wrote: The Pin Parvati Trek, which connects the Parvati Valley with the Pin Valley in Himachal Pradesh, is known for its extreme weather conditions and technical challenges. The trek involves crossing the Pin Parvati Pass at 5,319 meters (17,450 feet) and navigating through rugged terrain and snowfields. The trek’s remote location and unpredictable weather make it a demanding adventure. The risk of altitude sickness and the challenging terrain add to its fearsome reputation. Alan wrote: Little did I realise when I accepted leadership of this trek that we'd be heading into a valley which was under investigation by the British High Commission in New Delhi. The reason being was due to the number of missing western trekkers and other embassies were also involved. The Parbati Valley was a hotbed of solo western trekkers seeking drugs in an area that was cheap to stay in. The Parbati Valley is nicknamed "The Valley of Death" as dozens of travellers have gone missing since the 1990's. We reached the hot springs high in the valley but my local Sirdar was concerned about the route ahead so he and I went on to do a recce. It was obvious that crossing a wide and rocky slab could have led to potential loss of life as a fall would not have been recoverable. I spoke with the Himalayan Kingdoms office back home and it was agreed we'd retreat down the road and drive around into the Pin Valley in Spiti where we would have emerged after crossing the Pin Parbati Pass at 5319m. Our week long exploration of the Spiti Valley was truly exceptional and we enjoyed day walks from our static campsite close to the spectacular Ki Gompa. A 1999 Rohan Designs brochure gave mention of the above trip (Pin parbati trek - 1998)stok kangri (6153m) - 2007, 2010 and 2017The Times of India Wrote: Stok Kangri, in Ladakh, is famous for its summit that reaches 6,153 meters (20,187 feet). This trek is one of the highest in the Indian Himalayas and is considered highly challenging due to its altitude and the risk of altitude sickness. The trek involves crossing snowfields, steep ascents, and navigating icy paths. The harsh weather conditions, combined with the thin air at such high altitudes, make it a trek for experienced mountaineers. Alan wrote: I was grateful to Steve Bell, founder of Jagged-Globe for accepting me as an Expedition Leader and I was very excited about the opportunity to lead a group into Ladakh to summit Stok Kangri. Flying into Leh (3500m) always requires 2 to 3 nights in order to acclimatise to the altitude before commencing treks and expeditions in this wonderful area. Leh itself is the historical capital of Ladakh and Leh Palace was built at about the same time as the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. After acclimatising in Leh, our acclimatisation trek was from Lamayuru to Chilling across several high passes before returning to Leh for 2 nights to rest and prepare for Stok Kangri. The highest pass crossed was the Konke La (4950m) but there were several other passes which were unnamed. The trek into Stok Kangri Base Camp went well and our local company had arranged a high camp at 5650m once we'd crossed the glacier. This resulted in an almost easy summit day with everyone reaching the summit at 0930 having left the high camp at 0300. The opportunity of using the high camp was later withdrawn by the local government which made for much longer summit days. On two subsequent trips, I failed to summit so was pleased at my first attempt and the success of topping out on such a summit. Alan Franks of THe times accompanied me on this trip with his son jimmy - his story which was published in the times colour supplement follows in a separate blog on this website.Learn to Navigate with the NNAS AND BRYN WALKINGThe National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS) is a personal performance, non-competitive, incentive scheme for all ages to learn navigation skills and gain confidence to get out and enjoy the countryside. NNAS courses are delivered in Wales by Bryn Walking and courses take place in the Bannau Brycheiniog and Cambrian Mountains. The aims of the National Navigation Award Scheme’s Navigator Award are simple – to give lovers of the outdoors, whatever their sport, age or fitness, the freedom to explore the paths, trails, hills and mountains of Britain and abroad. Gaining an award does not give you a qualification to teach or lead. It is a recognition of the level of skill at which you can navigate. There are three levels – the Bronze Award, the Silver Award and the Gold Award. Progressing through the three awards will take you from being an absolute map and compass novice right through to be an expert navigator at Gold. This Bronze Navigator Award was a private course for four participants and was delivered by Alan Ward (International Mountain Leader). Bronze navigator award SYLLABUS
DAY 1The day began in the classroom at the National Park Visitor Centre with refreshments offered on arrival followed by introductions and an outline of the 12hr course over two days. The day consisted of a classroom based morning theoretical session with the afternoon out on Mynydd Illtyd Common to practice new or refreshed navigation skills. The highest point on the afternoon session was the trig point on the Twyn y Gaer (367m) iron age hillfort with views northwards over the Usk Valley and to the south, the wide panorama of the Central Beacons. day 1 - galleryday 2The day commenced at the Llangasty Village Hall car park with the four participants taking it in turns to lead sections of the planned route today. Key features of the route included: The Paragon Tower, Allt House, Allt yr Esgair (393m), Llangasty-Talyllyn Church, Llangorse Lake and the colourful Ty Mawr Farm. All four participants passed the requirements of the Bronze Navigator Award so congratulations to them all - well done! Back at the car park there was a debriefing and general discussion of individual action plans which ranged from attending the next NNAS level which is the Silver Navigator Award whilst there was also strong interest from one participant about the Mountain Leader (Summer) Award. DAY 2 - GALLERYCOURSE FEEDBACKThe greatest strengths of this course are:
I suggest once participants are booked on a course that a pre-requisite for attendance is to have looked at the map glossary on their maps and have a very good understanding of symbols and map information. bryn walking training coursesNATIONAL NAVIGATION AWARD SCHEME (NNAS):
June 27th for the Bannau brycheiniog visitor centre: safety-on-the-hills course for 6 participants assisted by janet greenslade (HML)course content:Topic one: Introductions and course outline Topic two: Mountain hazards Topic three: Mountain environment Topic four: Maps & compass Topic five: Navigation Topic six: Route planning (includes Weather) Topic seven: Personal clothing and equipment Topic eight: Emergency procedures The course duration is from 0900 until approximately 1600 with refreshments available during the morning classoom session. The afternoon session is entirely outdoors on Mynydd Illtyd Common with a final short debriefing session where we discussed future personal development and other available training from Bryn Walking. Many thanks to Janet for helping me on the day. This year's fourth and final Safety-on-the-Hills course will be on Saturday 3rd August. A REC Outdoor First Aid course is available on September 3rd/4th (£155) or as an Outdoor FAW course on September 3rd/4th/5th (£200). galleryThis rec (l5) Travel & expedition first aid course (Brecon June 25th/26th) started off as a private course for jonathan kattenberg (www.walkingwithmybear.com) but we were joined by three other well travelled mountain leaders for an enjoyable course.The 16hr course content focuses on three core elements:
Day 1: Introductions - REC written test paper to ensure compliance with REC (L2) course content - D*RS ABC DE - LOC/AVPU - Chain of Survival - SAMPLE - Recovery Position (SAP) - Risk Management - BS8848:2014/21101:2014 - Advanced Monitoring - Travel Advice - Homework Assignment Day 2: High Altitude First Aid (incl. PAC) - Other issues associated with Travel and Expeditions Throughout the course there was interesting and appropriate discussion amongst the four participants and myself. the venue and some of the equipment used during trainingBLS Gallerycpr/aed using skillguide monitoring equipment for CPR instant feedbackchoking using choking charlie and actfast choking vestsPORTABLE ALTITUDE CHAMBER (PAC)course feedback was very positive from the 4 very experienced expedition leader:1. Great discussions and sharing ideas between everyone on the course. 2. Alan's experience and helpful attitude made this course excellent for me and I would be keen to learn from Alan. 3. The electronic Annies were great for feedback on CPR. 4. I thought everything was great! 5. Electronic Annies were superb in practice. 6. Great application of learning into practice supported great experience and confidence. 7. Great tempo and brilliant shared knowledge - excellent course. 8. Used Alan previously for RGS OSSM - Highly recommended! 9. Alan - his teaching/learning style is superb. 10. Annie digital iPad feedback was an extra level of learning. 11. The content - has prepared me for my new career starting in Cambodia. 12. Practical delivery from a highly experienced Trainer. 13. Learning through discussion and practicals with other learners. 14. The electronic Annies/iPad was an excellent learning tool. bryn walking's next rec first aid courseWest wales: June 17th to 21stBryn Walking usually offers three walking breaks (Monday to Friday) annually and these vary in both upland and lowland themes across Wales. The April Residential was Slate Trails of Snowdonia based from Dol Peris in Llanberis and was fully attended. mondayParticipants met in Dale by about 1430 and we walked over to The Boathouse Cafe Dale and sat outside with a drink enjoying the sunshine. Helen had suggested car-sharing as a sustainable way of us all getting to Dale and to be able to share fuel costs amongst vehicle occupants. We therefore arrived with the minimum number of vehicles for the group. We checked into the West Blockhouse for the group to settle into their rooms in this quite remarkable property. A more detailed description of the property can be seen below. On the front lawn that evening, the normal Bryn Walking BBQ was held with Welsh Steak and fine wines supplied by Bryn Walking. This fine viewpoint gave us close-up views of marine traffic entering and leaving Milford Haven. Over the week we were there, several large crude oil tankers came in heavily laden from the Middle East whilst a variety of smaller tankers came in to load chemicals and refined petroleum products for UK and European destinations. tuesdayToday's Skomer Island landing visit was cancelled due to strong northerly winds preventing the Dale Princess boarding passengers at Martin's Haven. Helen and I made changes to the week's intinerary and booked a Skomer Island Cruise for Thursday. The walk today would be from the West Blockhouse around the Dale Peninsula and was a 12.36km circuit taking in the following points of interest: St Ann's Head - Mill Bay (where Henry Tudor landed on August 7th 1485 with 2000 French mercenaries) - Frenchman's Bay - Welshman's Bay - Dale Castle - The Boathouse Cafe Dale (for refreshments) - Castlebeach Bay - Watwick Point - Watwick Bay Most of the route was on the Wales Coastal Path and the variety of wild flowers in bloom was extremely colourful throughout the day. Gates on the Wales Coastal Path were named in acordance with nearby topgraphical locations and these included: Thorny Pit - The Vomit - Vomit Point wednesdayThe Marloes Mere to St Bride's Circular walk 15km was added due to the Skomer Island ferry cancellation. Helen had had to leave this morning due to a personal family committment so our group was down to myself and five (Jackie had decided to have the day at leisure in the West Blockhouse). Starting from Marloes Mere NT Car Park we walked to the Marloes Beacon (76m) trig point on a gloriously sunny morning before descending to the Wales Coastal Path at Black Cliff which overlooked Musselwick Sands. Heading northwards to Tower Point and passing The Nab Head we then stopped above Huntsman's Leap to enjoy our picnic lunches in the sun. Descending alongside St Brides Haven we stopped to look inside St Bridget's Church, a Grade II listed building. The church was founded by Brochwael, the son of Meurig of Gwent, in the 10th century. It adjoins the site of a deserted medieval village which was abandoned during the plague of 1665/1666. The route inland back to Marloes was across fields and lanes to reach the pub which was sadly closed! From there we walked back along the lanes and a footpath to the Marloe Mere Car Park. I'd arranged a Burger Night for the group and I thought this went down well and gave us an opportunity to finish off the wine from the Monday BBQ. thursdayWith our 1330 Skomer Island cruise due later, I planned a short walk in the morning around the headland immediately west of Martin's Haven and the ferry landing point. There is a large NT Car Park there and the shop/ticket office for Skomer and other cruises. We picked up the tickets which Helen had booked on everyone's behalf and set off for the walk on another really sunny morning. The headland was almost island shaped with just a narrow link onto the Marloes Peninsula. The group were given the opportunity to look through a telescope towards some distant puffins on Skomer Island. Above Mouses's Haven, Janet spotted a huge male grey seal which was a bonus and several choughs were in the area we walked through onto Wooltack Point. We returned to the cars via the Lookout Station and found a picnic table to sit at for our lunch. We were in the boarding queue in plenty of time and, after boarding the Dale Queen, chose seats on the port side for the best views to Skomer Island after we sailed. It was an enjoyable cruise and we saw hundred of Puffins in the sea between us and the Skomer Island shoreline. Over 40,000 Puffins make this National Nature Reserve one of Britain's most important seabird colonies. The Puffins establish their breeding areas from April onward and are on Skomer from May to July, leaving by the end of July. Back on shore, we drove back to the Marloes Mere Car Park for a walk to Marloes Sands. On reaching the Wales Coastal Path to overlook the beach we found that the tide was in with no sign of a sandy beach. It was decided we'd walk back to the Runways Kiln Coastal Kitchen for refreshments before returning to the West Blockhouse. A final dinner was planned at The Griffin and our table was ready as we arrived for 1930. We all chose from the seafood menu with my choices being: Fish Soup - John Dory - Fruit Crumble with Custard I believe that we all enjoyed our choices of seafood, I know that I certainly did. fridayWe were all packed and the West Blockhouse left in a tidy condition and so we were all on the road home by 0830. Thanks to Eileen and Natalie for taking the rubbish up to the bins the previous evening. Thanks to Janet for helping with transportation. the west blockhouse accommodationWest Blockhouse stands alone, perched spectacularly on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea. This fort once held accommodation for 34 men and one officer. A battery of six heavy guns once commanded the entrance to the harbour, with defensible barracks behind to give protection from attack on the landward side. Built with comfort in mind it has fine views along the Pembrokeshire coast and there is a sheltered south facing beach within a few hundred yards.
Recce for a bryn Walking Event for women: Elen of the Waysday 1: Dolwyddelan to Blanau FfestiniogThis was a very challenging day because of the weather and it might be the case that this day's route is modified before the actual event is in October. Bryn Walking always recce routes before these residential events and today justified the need for appropriate recce walks over proposed routes. day 2: llan ffestiniog to trawsfynyddWith fine weather after an initial weather forecast for snow flurries (in June!!), we drove over to Trawsyfnydd to catch the 0930 bus to LLan Ffestiniog and parked in a layby close to the northernmost bus stop in the village.
We were at the bus stop in plenty of time and were quite relaxed until a passing motorist told us the bus didn't stop at the bus stop anymore. On his advice we rushed over to the centre of the village and just managed to board the bus in time before it drove down a different road onto the A470. The driver told us that the bus hadn't stopped at the bus stop where we were waiting for ten years! We changed buses at the Oakley Arms bus interchange and were lucky that a bus pulled in soon after we arrived which was running late which was in our favour as we avoided a long wait there. Arriving at Llan Festiniog we looked at a community run hotel which looked quite nice before descending into and traversing eastwards in the Ceunant Cynfal NNR, passing the waterfall to arrive at Bont Newydd. Continuing southwards we climbed up to Sarn Helen to arrive at the Castell Tomen-y-mur Roman Amphitheatre complex where we enjoyed lunch with great views over towards the Rhinog Fawr NNR. We descended back to our vehicle and drove back to Newtown together and myself continuing on to Cardiff. May 31st: rec (l3) trekking first aid for 246 gurka signal squadron of the 1st signal regimentThis was the fifth course I've run for the 1st Signal Regiment. Previously I've delivered two REC (L5) Travel & Expedition First Aid (16hrs) Courses and two REC High Altitude First Aid workshops (4hrs). These courses are organised by Mountain Leader SSgt Kumar Thapa who is the SQMS of 246 Gurka Signal Squadron. course content: BASIC FIRST AID - TREKKING FIRST AID (INCl. HIGH ALTITUDE TRAVEL) - COUNTRY BRIEFING (Mt Toubkal 4167M)Trekking First Aid is an 8 hr specialised course intended for those travelling to long haul adventure destinations such as the Himalayas. The course is delivered by an International Mountain Leader with extensive travel experience as a Trek/Expedition leader including 20 Himalayan adventures and visits to 75 coutries. Trekking First Aid is designed to complement the REC Outdoor First Aid (16 hr), or similar, course for those travelling to higher altitudes either as individuals or as part of a group. Session 1: Basic Life Support (BLS) Session 2: Trekking First Aid Session 3: Country and Route Briefing Candidates will gain knowledge and experience of the first steps in Trekking First Aid which may be required in more remote mountain areas which can include higher altitudes. Qualification: Trekking First Aid certificate is valid for 3 years. gallerytraining equipmentfeedback from the participantsovernight accommodationsAFETY-ON-THE-HiLLS AT THE bANNAU BRYCHIENIOG (brecon beacons) NATIONAL PARK VISITOR CENTRE ON MAY 7THThe course is 7 to 8hrs in duration and provides a useful introduction to the skills required for safe walking in the hills and mountains of the United Kingdom - 6 participants completed the course. The morning session is classroom based with the afternoon spent out on the Mynydd Illtyd Common practicing new skills. Participants were asked to identify potential hazards which might be experienced and to complete a challenge task in relating contours in different formats.
The morning sessionthe afternoon sessionThe session ended by about 1615 with a final classroom based session to review the day and to offer action plans to those who requested this. feedback
NATIONAL NAVIGATION AWARD SCHEME COURSES
Please contact www.brynwalking.co.uk to book a place on these courses. April 25th - cwm idwalThis 6 hour course by Bryn Walking was for staff from the Rohan Designs shop in Betws-y-Coed to give them greater awareness and confidence whilst out in the mountains of Snowdonia. Course Tutor: Alan Ward (International Mountain Leader) - course content1. Theory of mountain navigation and The 7 D's Checklist 2. The mountain environment and associated hazards 3. Maps (OS 1:25000) and Harvey 1:40000) 4. Navigation 5. Route Planning 6. Personal Equipment 7. Emergency Procedures 8. Further training options with Bryn Walking, e.g. National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS), Rescue Emergency Care (REC), Royal Geographical Society Off Site Safety Management (RGS OSSM) etc. cwm idwalThe practical elements of this course were in and around Cwm Idwal with mostly overcast skies and light rain later in the day.
At the head of Llyn Idwal we reviewed the contents of our rucksacks, had lunch and used the group shelter to demonstrate the effectiveness of this important piece of a group leader's equipment. Whilst concluding the session I recommended that their next stage of skills development might be the NNAS Silver Navigator Award. One of the participants hopes to attend the next Bryn Walking REC Outdoor First Aid course on September 3rd/4th in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. |
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2021 OnwardsFollowing on from retirement, more time will be available for hill and mountain walking on a personal basis with friends. Categories |