OLI Orienteering Event 2013 - Ganavan - Friday 26 April 2013

We’d like to say a huge ‘well done’ to the 82 competitors who took part in this event.  Primary 4 to 7 children from Ardchattan, Rockfield, Taynuilt, Arinagour, Kilchrenan, Barcaldine and Kilninver came together at Ganavan to test their navigation skills around the eight challenging courses.  The weather was certainly a challenge - lots of rain, wind and hail to add to the excitement of the day!

Although the children competed individually, there was a real sense of cooperation and team work, with the competitors supporting each other, giving lots of encouragement and help along the way.

Congratulations to all the schools who took part but the winners on the day were Taynuilt, with Rockfield in second place. Kilninver just held onto third place above Barcaldine, and Ardchattan/ Kilchrenan (who competed as one team) and Arinagour had only a few points between them for fifth and six places.

Well done to the medal winners from each age group.  The medals were presented by the Oban High School team who recently participated in the World Schools Orienteering Competition in Portugal.  A real inspiration to us all!

Primary 4 boys

Gold - Calum MacDonald, Taynuilt; Silver - Christopher Den Heijer, Rockfield; Bronze - Hugo Hoevelmann, Kilninver

Primary 4 girls

Gold - Niamh Cameron, Rockfield; Silver - Grace Davies, Kilninver; Bronze - Anna Spence, Rockfield

Primary 5 boys

Gold - Ellis Hunter, Taynuilt; Silver - Ruairidh Munro, Barcaldine; Bronze - Fraser Campbell, Taynuilt

Primary 5 girls

Gold - Rona Shearer, Taynuilt; Silver - Emma Beaton, Rockfield; Bronze - Rachel Lawlor, Rockfield

Primary 6 boys

Gold - Sorley Inall, Taynuilt; Silver - Matthew Houston, Taynuilt; Bronze - Calum Garvin, Rockfield

Primary 6 girls

Gold - Katie MacCorquodale, Barcaldine; Silver - Ellie Lopez, Rockfield; Bronze - Hannah MacMillan, Rockfield

Primary 7 boys

Gold - Ewan Shearer, Taynuilt; Silver - Alasdair Lilley, Taynuilt; Bronze - Finbar Dunne, Rockfield

Primary 7 girls

Gold - Eilidh Shearer, Taynuilt; Silver - Emily Hunter, Taynuilt; Bronze - Ceri Powell, Taynuilt

However every single competitor competed admirably on the day and should be proud of their own performance, whether they went home with a medal or not.

The event was rounded off with a beach art competition which Rockfield Primary won with their fantastic turtle!

Many thanks to the adult volunteers and Oban High School senior pupils who came along to help out on the day.

Looking forward to next year already!

Job title: Sailing Development Coordinator (Dinghy)
Location: Oban, Argyll
Contract: 2 years full time

An exciting opportunity to join the award winning Stramash team based on the beautiful west coast of Scotland. This is a brand new post and is part funded by the Big Fund’s Young Start Programme. The post-holder will have the opportunity to facilitate the development of young people through dinghy sailing. Stramash is a growing and dynamic social enterprise that uses the outdoors to deliver its aims. This post is ideally suited to someone with experience in sports and youth development and who has experience in and a passion for dinghy sailing.

Key responsibilities include:
• Planning, coordination, delivery and evaluation of sailing programmes
• Engagement of local young people in the sailing programmes
• Development and support of sailing in local communities in the area
• Establishing and coordinating a local junior sailing club in partnership with the Oban Sailing Club; supporting the young people to run the club
• Coordination and delivery of sailing training
• Delivery of sailing coaching
• Delivery of sailing activity at a range of levels, including beginner
• Work on residential and non-residential based outdoor activity programmes

Essential requirements:
• RYA Senior Instructor as a minimum
• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• D1 minibus licence
• A passion for dinghy sailing and a desire to see sailing used as a tool for the development of young people
• A desire to work for a social enterprise that aims to facilitate the development of people through the outdoors and to develop outdoor sports

For full details of the post, including job description, person specification and application form, email . To find out more about Stramash, visit www.stramash.org.uk.

Closing date: 12 noon 26th April 2013

Job title: Training & Apprenticeship Coordinator
Location: Oban, Argyll
Contract: 2 years full time

An exciting opportunity to join the award winning Stramash team based on the beautiful west coast of Scotland. This is a brand new post and will develop and expand the Apprenticeship Programme and the Training section of Stramash. Stramash is a growing and dynamic social enterprise that uses the outdoors to deliver its aims. This post is ideally suited to someone with experience in one or more of the fields of education/training/apprenticeships/further education.

Key responsibilities include:
• Coordinate, develop, grow and manage the Apprenticeship Programme (including developing the range of apprenticeships)
• Engage external businesses and organisations in the Apprenticeship Programme
• Recruit, and support the recruitment of, apprentices
• Carry out the SQA Coordinator role
• Assess apprentices for SVQ units
• Deliver soft skills training to the apprentices
• Create a long-term sustainable Training section of Stramash. Manage, grow and develop the training provision offered by Stramash to individuals, communities, organisations, schools and businesses
• Deliver training courses where appropriate

Essential requirements:
• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Knowledge and experience of training programmes and apprenticeships and experience of coordinating and managing training programmes
• Experience of engaging communities, clubs, schools, businesses and organisations in programmes and experience of coordinating, managing and delivering complex projects
• A desire to work for a social enterprise that aims to facilitate the development of people through the outdoors

For full details of the post, including job description, person specification and application form, email recruitment@stramash.org.uk.

This post is funded by the Coastal Communities Fund and is delivered by Stramash in partnership with Argyll and Bute Council.

Closing date: 12 noon Monday 8th April

Job title: Paddlesports Development Coordinator
Location: Oban, Argyll
Contract: 2 years full time

An exciting opportunity to join the award winning Stramash team based on the beautiful west coast of Scotland. This is a brand new post. The post-holder will have the opportunity to facilitate the development of paddlesports across Argyll and the Isles as well as expanding the paddlesports development activity of Stramash. Stramash is a growing and dynamic social enterprise that uses the outdoors to deliver its aims. This post is ideally suited to someone with experience in sports development and who has experience in and a passion for paddlesports.

Key responsibilities include:
• Development of kayak trails across Argyll and the Isles
• Engagement of local communities, organisations and businesses in the kayak trails
• Development and support of paddlesports in local communities across the region
• Establishing and coordinating a local junior paddlesports club
• Coordination of paddlesports training
• Delivery of paddlesports coaching
• Delivery of paddlesports activity at a range of levels, including beginner
• Work on residential and non-residential based outdoor activity programmes

Essential requirements:
• BCU Level 3 Coach or Moderate Water Endorsement Coach, or equivalent, in at least one discipline, as a minimum
• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• D1 minibus licence
• A passion for paddlesports and a desire to see the development of paddling from beginner through to national level
• A desire to work for a social enterprise that aims to facilitate the development of people through the outdoors and to develop outdoor sports

For full details of the post, including job description, person specification and application form, email recruitment@stramash.org.uk.

This post is funded by the Coastal Communities Fund and is delivered by Stramash in partnership with Argyll and Bute Council.

Closing date: 12 noon Monday 1st April

Out with Emma and Dougie today doing some navigation practice as well as an introduction to safe-guarding each other on steeper ground using only the axe and a rope.
With a forecast promising to deteriorate as the day went on, it was an early start that saw us at the F.C. car park at the bottom of Gleann a’ Chaolias for first light.
Good frozen ground and crispy snow on the walk in, past the loggers before they’d started work, and we were up into the main Coire to the north west of Sgorr Dhonuill fairly sharpish.  The west face of the Dragons Tooth and the connecting ridge has been blown pretty clear over the last few days, but there’s some big fresh deposits in the more sheltered areas.  The upside of this is that the snow has been getting dumped on the easterly aspects.  Upon reaching the snowline proper, we took some time to dig pits and see what was going on.  The surface layer was surprisingly firm for all the windslab that’s been getting put down recently, it seems to have melted a bit then the refreeze has anchored it well (note - only below the 800m mark, may well be slabby still higher up!!).  Under this is a fairly substantial layer of soft snow lying on top of hail/ball bearings/polystyrene snow, which in turn is sitting on the old firm snow.  All this made for an interesting snow profile, with some unexpected collapses just when you think things are solid underfoot!
Taking a cautious but interesting line up the coire wall we looked at stomper belays, T-axe belays, re-enforced axe belays, as well as the joys of body belaying.  With lots of small pitches and chances to try ascending and descending, we spent a good while going over the basics of safe movement on steeper snow.
“Topped out” at pt824 before a quick bite and a hasty retreat doing multiple stomper belays back to the coire floor.  By this point the weather looked like it was turning, so a quick descent back to the van was in order.  This was made slightly harder by the diversion in place for the logging operations, which led us to a dead end track and a stiff climb back up the other side of the main stream to regain the original forest track.
Snow was crispy crunchy throughout, with a good deal of ice on the small buttresses up in the coire.  First time up into this part of Beinn a’ Bheithir, but it looks like good potential for some “follow your nose” climbing in the lower grades without the brutal walk in of SCNL.  Hopefully back in at some point over the winter with a climbing head on rather than winter walking!!

Gordon Smith
Senior Instructor

Nursery registration takes place this week from 1pm - 4pm Monday-Friday. All 3 year old children born between 1 March 2010 and 28 Feb 2011 are eligible to register. If your child’s birthday falls between 1 March 2009 and 28 Feb 2010 you can also register.
Stramash Outdoor Nursery is offering morning and afternoon sessions as well as providing wrap around care (subject to Care Inspectorate) for the 2013 - 2014 session.
We have been running our Outdoor Nursery since August, giving 41 different children and their families a wonderful opportunity to learn, play and develop through the great outdoors.
If you would like your child to be part of something special please come up and register them at the Stramash Office, Livestock Cente, Oban any afternoon this week between 1pm and 4pm.  Our Nursery Manager will be able to answer any questions you may have.  Alternatively, please request a Nursery Brochure via the details below.

Please bring your child’s birth certificate or passport with you. If you have any questions please email nursery@stramash.org.uk or phone 01631 566080.

Hello folks, just a quick blog update to say that our February and Easter Break Youth Activity Programmes are now on-line and ready for booking.  You should find all the info you need in each entry, with details about what the activity is, where we will meet the group, cost of the day and any clothing and equipment details.  Whether it’s a canoe and archery voyage for our Mini Adventurers, a Gorge and Kayak day for 8-12 year olds, or a Winter Mountain Skills day for our older Adventure Seekers, there’s something for everyone!
All courses can be found at:
http://www.stramash.org.uk/courses/youth/

Cols and spindrifty day!

Just a quick blog today to say I had a rather windy and stormy day in West Gully (Grade III) on Beinn Udlaidh with Dave.  Snow from the glen floor and a lot of ice on the walk in gave way to lots of fresh snow in the coire which in turn gave way to a lot of rather suspect ice in the gully and continual spindrift showers.  The hood stayed up all day, you learn quickly that you don’t want a spindrift shower with the hood down!!
Ice forming well on a lot of the climbs, but the snow could do with a freeze thaw cycle or two, it’s mostly fresh snow on a rocky base which makes for a bit of scrabbling in the crampons.
A day off tomorrow I think, the knees are starting to complain!

Fortune favours the brave.  And stupid…

It seems like days off and poor forecasts have been going hand in hand for a while, and today was no exception.  With MWIS and MetOffice agreeing for a change, it looked like today was to be very windy with cloud on the tops on the West Coast.  Feeling the need to stretch the legs I duly packed the bag last night anyway.
So glad I did!!!  After a rather interesting drive up to Glencoe, with the van being rocked by the wind and seeing the snow getting blown all over the place on the Creran hills and the Ballachulish Horseshoe, it was surprising to see blue skies on the Glencoe horizon as I drove under the Ballachulish bridge.  Plans looked like coming together for the Sron na Lairig Ridge on the East Ridge of Stob Coire Sgreamhach.  This classic Grade II outing offers a good bit of everything - gullies, mixed and a couple of exposed ridges, as well as plenty opportunities to spice things up in the lower section. 
After a quick walk in along a very frozen path, things slowed down a bit when making my way over to the foot of the ridge.  There’s a lot of fresh snow out there being transported around, making for some very heavy going in hard packed drifts.  However, the sun was shining and the wind seemed to be steady so onwards and upwards saw me taking a nice pitch onto the ridge via a snowed up rock corner.  After that “follow your nose” seemed to be the order of the day, and it was good to stay on the North West side of the ridge out of the cold South Easterlies. 
As expected, the winds increased with height, creating some good sandblasting effects with loose snow being blown about a lot.  The exposed ridge sections at the top were interesting dashes during lulls in the wind, which was picking up a fair bit by this point.  Some steep old snow at the top and then a rapid descent to the south of the ridge saw me back down in the glen and back to the van 5 hours after starting out - happy with that given the snow conditions!!
There’s a lot of snow on the ridge at the moment, but it has also been scoured in places by the strong winds last night and today.  Where this has exposed the turf, it’s started to freeze up really well, but the turf under the deeper snow is still a bit wet in places.  Eilde Canyon may well be worth a visit soon - the stream coming down from Beinn Fhada and joining at GR 164 536 just below the canyon was looking frozen solid, and from the view you get into the canyon from the ridge things looked to be pretty icy.  Worth a look, worst thing to happen is you’d maybe have to console yourself with one of the best winter ridges in Argyll…!!

Winter returns for a great day of skills training in the Coire

After all the recent wet weather, thawing of snow and high winds, it was heartening to get out today to see winter is making a comeback.
The aim for the day was a general introduction to winter climbing skills for Dougie, who had no previous winter climbing experience but is looking to become a competent second before moving onto the sharp end of the rope.  We headed up into Stob Coire nan Lochan with a slightly different forecast on the ground to that predicted (the blue skies and gentle winds were replaced by cloudy tops and blowing steadily at car park level).  However, after a fairly quick walk in and into the Coire itself the clouds lifted and it was plain to see the difference that a few days had made to the cliffs.  They’re all pretty well plastered with about 8 inches of fresh snow, and ice is forming readily on the water courses (and the path….).
With the aim of the day being learning skills and getting used to the winter environment, and with Broad Gully looking like a tough climb in fresh heavy powder, we opted for Dorsal Arête up until the arête itself.  Dougie made for a quick learner and we were soon at the start of the difficulties having looked at retrieving gear, belaying a leader, movement with crampons and axe, and touching on placing gear.  From here we looked at protecting yourself on an abseil with the prussic, and shortly after Dougie was dissapearing off down into the fresh snow of Broad Gully abseiling like a pro.  We’d seen another climber soloing up (using front crawl most of the way I think!) so were grateful to use their steps/trench to gain the ridge!
Quick nip up to the summit for some fine but chilly views then a rapid descent into the Coire.  A couple of stomper lowers and some rear end glissading in Broad Gully saw us at the bottom of Boomerang Gully (still got an interesting looking ‘mixed’ pitch at the bend).  Here we covered the various pros and cons of different axe based snow belays before putting them into practice with simulated falls and slides, which was a useful reminder to wear more layers when body belaying!!
A knee bashing descent in the fading light got us back to the van just before dark, a great day out and hopefully a good start to Dougie’s winter career.