Warm weather arrives ....at last  spring proper has finally arrived in North Wales. Whilst it's been great climbing at Tremadog and on slate, and having snowy mountains as a backdrop, it's nice to be able to shed that fleece and feel the sun. Call now or email to fix up some climbing instruction or a guided day out in the hills.

Rock climbing - North Wales 2008  think ahead about your rock climbing ambitions for this year. Give yourself a kick start with some early season instruction and get all the necessary skills for a great climbing year. North Wales is blessed with some good early season climbing venues, one of the best being the superb cliffs at Tremadog. They're south facing which is perfect for catching spring sunshine and giving shelter from any cold winds. The actual climbs are wonderfully varied and deceptively long, with the upper pitches rising high above deciduous woodland. There's also the bonus of Eric Jones' Cafe less than 200m from the base of the routes. Sounds good eh ? You can book instuction or guiding on a daily basis. Take a look at the summer gallery for idea of where you could be climbing.

Skye remaining dates 3rd - 10th June  if you love mountains you'll love the Cuillin ridge on Skye. An intricate chain of sharp peaks rising straight up from the Atlantic and made from some of the finest rock imaginable. The Cuillin's rock climbs are typically long and adventurous. The scrambling is second to none. The peaks themselves give incomparable views over the ocean to the Hebridean islands and the mainland mountain ranges. So why wait? If you'd like to arrange a trip to explore this fantastic mountain range there is availability on any dates between the 3rd and 10th of June. Just choose the days that are convenient then email or call for a quick chat and we'll put together an itinerary and quote you a price for a trip to one of the coolest spring climbing venues on the planet, no kidding ! There's guided climbing on routes of Alpine length, guided scrambling journeys across stunning mountain terrain ...and of course, the classic Cullin traverse.

....alternatively, Scottish Rock 3rd - 10th June   if you can get to Inverness, which these days is pretty easy, you can be picked up and taken on a Highland road trip to climb some all time rock classics.
For classic rock afficianados, a 3 day trip to the far north west could see you climbing the Old Man of Stoer (the mainland's tallest sea stack), the Cioch Nose on the Applecross peninsula and finish with an esoteric route on Stac Pollaidh, the iconic Assynt mountain.
If hard rock is your thing, 3 days is enough time to visit Skye in pursuit of the classic Grey Panther on Kilt Rock, wrestle with King Cobra in the heart of the Cuillin and finish with an 'enchainment' of three star routes on the huge cliff of Sron na Ciche.
Any days between the 3rd and 10th of June are possible. Just call or email for more details. We can talk through how to get you to Inverness and put together a climbing itinerary for the days that suit you best.

Blog  Unfortunately I don't have the time to write a blog (or the literary skills to make it anything like a riveting read !) but I do try and upload a photo or two each week to the gallery. This will give you an idea of some of the stuff you could be doing if you book a few days out.

Discounted climbing gear  book a day's guiding or instruction in North Wales and you'll qualify for a 20% discount at V12outdoor whilst you're here. This small independent shop has an incredibly comprehensive selection of quality climbing gear and rock climbing footwear, all of which is already keenly priced. You'll also get good honest advice to help you choose the right gear for the type of climbing you're into. The coffee's good too.

New North Wales guide book  make sure you get your hands on the new North Wales Rock - a beautifully produced selected climbs guide book which is packed with inspirational photographs and detailed info on over 670 classic climbs. Follow the V12 link at the bottom of the page to where you can order the guide online.

Mountain skills training in North Wales  the ideal place to arrange some mountain skills training in 2008 to prepare for whatever your mountaineering adventures may throw at you - scrambling instruction to help you explore the more rocky and wilder parts of our mountains - navigation tuition to, well, help you find your way around the hills (a skill most of us seem to neglect until it's too late) - pre-trip training and advice for that alpine holiday, mountaineering expedition, or charity fundraiser. The Snowdonia mountains have incredibly varied terrain but lie within a relatively compact area. This makes them an ideal venue for learning mountain skills if you only have a limited amount of time. Mountain skills training can arranged on a daily basis for individuals, groups or climbing clubs.