Clothing & Footwear
Light, quick drying and sturdy; you will be outdoors and on the rocks!
Footwear
Scrambling courses:
Easy scrambles/grade 1: most 2/3 Season walking boots will be suitable for easier scrambles as well as being comfortable for the walking sections. Their main limitation is the lack of lateral stiffness; that makes standing on small edges harder.
Harder scrambles/grades 2/3: we recommend a stiff soled walking boot. The extra stiffness makes standing on smaller holds more secure and easier.
Rigid 4-season and alpine mountaineering boots -with a fully rigid sole- will allow you to edge and front point with ease. However, they tend to be heavier and have 'less feel' for the rock until you get familiar with them. Modern, lightweight alpine boots like Sportiva’s Trangos or the Scarpa's Freney XT are a great choice.
Approach shoes with sticky rubber soles are great for the scrambling, but have minimal ankle support and can get soaked on the walking sections.
Rock climbing courses:
A comfortable walking boot -or Goretex lined approach shoe- will work well for the walk-ins. The climbing itself will almost certainly require rock climbing shoes. These are specific, relatively tight fitting shoes with a smooth, sticky rubber sole that make a huge difference to what you can climb. We have a range of rock climbing shoes that can be hired for £5.00 per day.
Mountain skills & navigation courses:
We recommend a 3 season leather or waterproof, synthetic walking boots that are already broken in and comfortable to wear all day. Also, a pair of long (calf length) gaiters for the boggy ground.
Finally, remember to bring enough good quality socks and some Compeed in your first aid kit for blisters and general repairs.
Rucksacks
On a scrambling or rock climbing day, you will need a 40-50 litre rucksack. Ideally the sack should have a slim profile that won’t restrict progress in narrow confines...on some mountaineering courses we may climb with the sacks on. In this case, avoid storing items on the outside of the rucksack.
Remember a waterproof liner to protect your kit and, especially, your spare clothing. Bring a couple of spare plastic bags for wet stuff/ keeping valuables dry.
It is also important to have some spare room in your sack to take some of the course equipment - racks, ropes etc.
On a mountain navigation course, you will need a 25-35 litre rucksack to hold spare clothing, food drinks and personal equipment.
Gloves & hats
These are great tools for staying warm and comfortable in the mountains. A thin pair of synthetic gloves can be essential, even in summer. Ideally, you should keep a spare pair in your bag for when it gets cold and/or wet.
If you are on a scrambling course, then a leather palmed glove will protect your skin from abrasion.
A fleece hat is essential. If you are on a scrambling or rock climbing course, make sure it fits under your helmet.
Accessories
Sunglasses, sun cream and sun hat. When the sun does come out it can be unforgiving, especially up high.
Midge repellent - if you are out on the hills in Snowdonia between May and September then you will meet the odd midge.
Water bottle or flask - it is important to stay hydrated when out on the hill.
Food - several easily digestible snacks to keep you going throughout the day.
Compass and maps - it is important to have a map for your day on the hill and this should be either laminated or in a good waterproof map case (Ortlieb). The main maps used are OS Landranger (1:50,000) Sheets 115 & 124 and OS Explorer (1:25,000) Sheet OL 17
Head torch with spare batteries - a halogen / super bright LED combo torch is best.
Trekking poles - although non-essential, they can help to look after your knees during long days on the hills. If you are on a rock climbing or scrambling course, make sure they can be taken apart and fit inside your rucksack easily.
Personal First Aid Kit: plasters, compeed, wipes and personal medication. Always throw a bit of Gaffa tape and a few long zip ties into your first aid case - great for improvising emergency repairs.
Plastic Bags - a couple of bags for keeping valuables dry and separating out wet kit.
Rates Per Person
Our prices are quoted per person and may differ slightly depending on the length of the day.
Half Day
1 Person
£150 per 1/2 day
2 People
£95 per 1/2 day
3 People
£75 per 1/2 day
4-6 People
£60 per 1/2 day
Full Day
1 Person
£220 per day
2 People
£120 per day
3 People
£95 per day
4-6 People
£75 per day
Need more information Check FAQs
Booking
The majority of courses we run are private; a client contacts us and we arrange a course for him or her and any other people connected to that person.
If you are an individual or small group -and would like to join a course with other people- we can try to run an open course by matching you up with people who have similar goals.
To make a booking please click here