Based on the grade-3 Pinnacle Ridge on St Sunday Crag in the Lake District, the course involved teaching us the basic scrambling techniques and skills involved in undertaking a high-end scrambling route. Firstly, we were taught the tricks of scrambling navigation (which as we proved can be one of the trickiest aspects!) through choosing the correct line up the rock through the use of a guidebook.

On the easier, less exposed section of the scramble, we practiced our balance, learning to read the rock and position our hand and feet accordingly to remain as stable as possible. As we began to scramble up the ridge, we donned our harnesses and helmets and began to practice ropework, practicing setting up belays to provide security on exposed terrain, and support any less confident members of a group, using a variety of slings and nuts. On the crux of the route, a short section of Moderate rock climb, we learnt how a walk leader might place protection during the climb to protect themselves in the result of a fall.

Overall, all four participant learnt a great deal from the course, and are now much more confident about undertaking (and leading) scrambling routes in the future.

We spent an enjoyable two days under the instruction of Louise Worsley, who has led several first aid courses for the club before. We covered the basics of first aid, and then worked through a variety of fun and useful scenarios, covering many first aid situations which could occur while hill walking. The scenarios also taught us how to manage an emergency scene, which turned out to be more important than we thought.

There were 12 participants on the course, with the other 10 coming from other outdoors groups in Cambridge — an arrangement which worked very well.

Everyone passed the course, and enjoyed the two days with Louise. The two CUHWC members, as well as the members of other outdoors groups, should be more confident in dealing with medical emergencies in future.

We started the day by recapping map reading, including the important difference between paths and rights of way, as well as how to read contours. Starting from the bunkhouse, Nick (the instructor) made us navigate around the valley, reading out our location each time and planning our route to a given destination using the 4 Ds: direction, description, distance and duration. We repeated this several times on our way to Green Crag, also covering timing and counting steps on the way as well as some aspects of route planning (avoiding bogs, for example). After climbing Green Crag, Nick introduced us to compass bearings, and we used them to navigate some ring contours on our descent in cloudy conditions. Overall everyone seemed pleased with the course. Various members of the group should be able to confidently lead walks in future.

Gareth Davies of Blue Peris provided an excellent ML course in unseasonable conditions. Some of the navigation and group management techniques taught on the course will be useful when leading walks and scrambles on club trips.