MTA Weekend At Glenmore Lodge

MTA went to Glenmore Lodge in Scotland to host a weekend of CPD workshops for members living in our more northerly regions along with those like myself who enjoy getting out in the Scottish highlands, here's how it went....

Firstly the weather was good! Secondly, with winter still clutching areas of the mountains the Midges weren’t flourishing and above all Nigel Williams and the staff at Glenmore lodge ran a well organised and informative weekend.

Keith Miller's Environmental day in the Cairngorms looked at flora, fauna, landforms and their inter connectedness. After a short session in the classroom the scene was set and everything to follow could be viewed and thought about in context.



Leave No Trace was run by Myles Farnbank, Scotland Leading Practitioner who delivered an engaging day, utilising 7 headings to provide a simple famework to cover elements of access and conservation. Discussing how our own ethics in the wilderness influence our decisions and how we can properly plan for the now "less taboo" subject of what options we have when nature calls!



Nigel Williams presented some great activities to assist coaching navigation, whilst David Monteith took his group off for a day of navigation skills. Leaving the climbing group in the wall with Derek Bain to enhance their ability to coach climbing moventment whilst gaining some personal climbnig tips.



Nigel gave an evening talk on Glenmore lodge and updates within Mountain Training whilst I offered an open discussion about MTA gaining some valuable feedback and ideas. After a well earned and tasty evening meal we risided to the bar for a few beers and the all important social, a chance for many to catch up and meet new friends and colleagues.

The summer may have only just arrived however, the weekend sparked the idea of a Winter CPD weekend to be run 25th and 26th Jan 2014, so if you have your Winter ML in mind whether it is training or assessment pencil these dates in your diaries and keep an eye on the website, more details coming soon.......

Belinda Fear
MTA Development Officer, Mountain Training.