An annual event, Ali Taylor and Tony Penning spent a surprisingly dry, but cold day on the Gower with 13 members of the South Wales Mountaineering Club – Ian, Amber, Liz, Alan, Stuart, John, Tim, Joe, Mark, Katie, Tom, Peggy and Phil. They looked at gear placement, efficient and safe construction of belays, assisted and unassisted hoists, escaping the system and abseiling down to an unconscious casualty.The experience of the group varied considerably and everyone had the opportunity to practice any of the new techniques at length in practical situations but in a safe and controlled environment.The most popular skill learnt was constructing a belay using slings to create a central point, rather than the rope, HMS karabiners and clove hitches, which they found more efficient and more practical to use. The assited and unassisted hoists, always simple to do, were funtechniques, but Ali and Tony had to emphasise that on an actual rock face when the rope was going down the cliff vertically to the ‘stuck climber’ it was very hard work.
