Indoor work, no rest for tired legs and a mind full of questions!

Monday and today I was working for Ice Factor and the weather of the west coast and Scottish winter made for a very busy and enjoyable couple of days working at the National Ice Climbing Centre in Kinlochleven. Monday I spent the majority of the day working in the ice wall teaching and instructing climbing to a varying range of adults, children, abilities and experience.
I also ran a few intro to rock sessions and some belay refreshers. As if back to back sessions wasn't enough, on Monday night I organised and worked over time along with a few bodies from the local UNI to do some much needed maintenance in the fridge. I didn't finish or leave the centre until 2300hrs. Today started a little slower than Monday but the pace soon picked up with west coast skiing being shut down by the usual high winds. While working indoors over the past two days my thoughts were provoked by working and sharing this time with families, groups and clients from all over the UK coming to Lochaber, the Outdoor Capital of the UK, to participate in the various and numerous activities available in the area.

Happy climbing inside a big fridge 

                                                                 

Theses thoughts were; why does a very large percentage of "local people" not participate, engage or take advantage of what is on offer? And what needs/can be done to change, introduce, influence,encourage or educate this percentage? ...........if anything?

I find it hard to understand when I hear people say "there's nothing to do here" When you look out any of your windows living or working in Fort William and the surrounding area and all you see is mountains, open space, rivers, forests and lochs. A play ground to the adventurer in all of us? Not everyone enjoys or sees this, which I completely understand but are businesses and providers along with councils,communities and schools doing enough to inspire, inform and educate the different generations of residents of an area that has so many possibilities and potential............

Views of Bidian nam Bian, Glencoe.

I think after some very hectic work, which involved meeting, greeting, teaching and engaging with some great people while seeing some excellent climbing of ages varying from 3 years old to 68 years old as well as the manual labour, I have thought to much and require the space of the mountains to solve all the problems I've created in my head while enjoying the fresh air and peace that comes with living and working in a Mountain environment.




 

A view everyone should see with there own eyes(Glencoe Summer 2013)