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Stuart Robinson - Rock Climbing and Abseiling Assessor
 I have been in Scouting for around 40 years, first as a Wolf Cub then a Boy Scout, Scout, Venture Scout and Leader. For more than 15 years I was an Assistant Venture Scout Leader in the Cardiff North Venture Scout Unit. Outdoor activities were the mainstay of the unit, mainly hill walking, but with rock climbing and canoeing too.
I was introduced to hill waking when I joined Venture Scouts by the leader at that time, the late Warwick Partridge. By the end of Venture Scouts the hill walking had become mountaineering and I started rock climbing whilst in college in Cardiff in 1978. I joined the South Wales Mountaineering Club in that year and have been a member ever since.
Climbing Support
 My role as an assessor is to make leaders aware of the standards they need to achieve in order to hold a permit for Rock Climbing and Abseiling. I am part of the County team that assist the CATVOG Mountaineering advisor. If you need any advice or information specific to Rock climbing and Abseiling you are welcome to ring or send me an email.
The Climbing and Abseiling permit system is flexible and permits are issued to match the level of activity with the abilities of the leader. There is no need to demonstrate the higher level skills you need for placing belays at outdoor crags if all the leader wants is a permit to use an artificial climbing wall.
At most outdoor crags, and indoor walls too, you will find activities to suit a wide range of abilities and tastes. There will be climbs that range from easy training ones for beginners to climbs that will challenge the most talented of Explorer Scouts. In South East Wales many of the crags have easy access and are only a few minutes walk from the road. The Gower has several excellent beginners crags.
Commercial climbing walls do not normally accept a Scout Permit, but we are fortunate that the Welsh International Climbing centre at Trelewis does. If a leader has a Scout issued permit the WICC will allow the Scout leader to take parties of Scouts on the wall without needing to pay for one of their Instructors to run the activity.
Each year I run a series of climbing evenings and full days in order to help as many leaders as possible get the training and experience they need to be issued with permits.
Climbing Programme
Evening Climbing Sessions
From the beginning of May till about the end of September you are welcome to join me every Wednesday for an evenings climbing. The meeting place will be in the ASDA car park opposite McDonalds at Coryton near M4 Junction 32. Be there at 17:45, preferably with your own transport. Depending on the weather the climbing will be outdoors (because its free!) or at the Climbing Wall at Trelewis. Please DO NOT just turn up, work commitments might prevent me going, so please email me or ring me before to check. If you need to borrow helmets or harnesses I have a few for loan, but please warn me in advance if you want to borrow equipment.
Weekend Climbing Sessions
Also from the beginning of May till about the end of October you are welcome to join me on the last Sunday of the month for a whole days climbing activity. With more time we will be able to venture further afield. The meeting place will also be in the ASDA car park opposite McDonalds at Coryton near M4 Junction 32. Be there at 9:30 preferably with your own transport. Venues will be dependant on the weather. As for the evening sessions please DO NOT just turn up, email me or ring me before hand to check
Climbing Permits
The following climbing permits can be obtained
| Climbing and Abseiling (Single Pitch) Rope Leader Top Rope |
Climbing and Abseiling (Single Pitch) Supervise Top Rope |
| Climbing and Abseiling (Single Pitch) Rope Leader Lead Climb |
Climbing and Abseiling (Single Pitch) Supervise Lead Climbing |
| Climbing and Abseiling (Single Pitch) Group Climbing Top Rope |
Climbing and Abseiling (Multi Pitch) Rope Leader |
| Climbing and Abseiling (Single Pitch) Group Climbing Lead Climbing |
Climbing and Abseiling (Multi Pitch) Group Climbing |
Badge Links
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Climber  |
Climbing  |
- Attend regular training sessions in a chosen activity (fencing, shooting or archery) and demonstrate an improvement in skill. Training should be for at least 5 sessions.
- Know the safety rules associated with the activity and demonstrate their use.
- Take part in the chosen activity at an officially supervised contest and discuss performance with the instructor.
Link to Badge Resource on Scoutbase
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- Show knowledge of the rope types used for rock climbing and explain how to coil and maintain them.
- Demonstrate the ability to fit a climbing harness and tie in correctly.
- Show understanding of the calls used in climbing.
- Demonstrate the ability to abseil down a face (typically not less than 10 metres).
- Take part in four separate climbs of up to 'Difficult' standard each using a different route. An experienced climber must supervise the climbs and will evaluate competence.
- Explain the safety rules for climbing on both natural and artificial rock faces.
- Show an awareness of the environmental issues around climbing on natural rock faces.
Link to Badge Resource on Scoutbase
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Resources and Links
Links
| British Mountaineering Council |
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| Mountain Leader Training UK |
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Factsheets and Assessment Checklists on Climbing
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The following activity factsheets are relevent to this activity.
| FS120000 |
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Risk Assessment |
| FS120078 |
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Home Contacts |
| FS120081 |
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One Day Activity Form |
| FS120100 |
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Adventurous Activity Permit Scheme |
| FS120101 |
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Adventurous Activity Permit Scheme - Applicants' Guide |
| FS120200 |
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Climbing Walls (Scaffold) |
| FS120411 |
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Care, Inspection and Storage of Climbing Equipment |
| FS120452 |
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Climbing (Single Pitch) |
| FS120453 |
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Climbing (Multi Pitch) |
The following activity assessment checklists are relevent to
this activity.
| AC120900 |
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Supervisory Assessment Checklist |
| AC120905 |
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Assessment Checklist for Single Pitch Climbing Top Rope Group Climbing |
| AC120906 |
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Assessment Checklist for Single Pitch Climbing Top Rope Rope Leader |
| AC120907 |
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Assessment Checklist for Single Pitch Climbing Lead Climbing Group Climbing |
| AC120908 |
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Assessment Checklist for Single Pitch Climbing Lead Climbing Rope Leader |
| AC120909 |
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Assessment Checklist for Multi Pitch Climbing Group Climbing |
| AC120910 |
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Assessment Checklist for Multi Pitch Climbing Rope Leader |
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Policy, Organisation and Rules
for Climbing
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The following activity rules are relevent to this
activity.
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© Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan Scouts 2008 
