Diary of a CA – Niamh

My first week! (19th to 26th April, 2026)

Why I came here:
Juggling a full-time job while living at least an hour from the mountains, lakes, or even decent woodland makes fitting in QMDs, and actual enjoyment of the outdoors, difficult. I came to Plas y Brenin for the opportunities the Centre Assistant scheme could offer: qualifications, experience, and development. More importantly, though, I came to spend as much time in the mountains as possible, and surround myself with like-minded people.

On the ferry over, all I could think was: why did I leave a job I loved to move somewhere I knew no one?

First impressions:
Despite arriving a week later than most of the other CAs, both the people and the environment welcomed me with open arms. I arrived during the sunniest week of the year so far, to a million introductions to the most interesting and accomplished adventurers.

The people here are incredibly welcoming and supportive. The knowledge base among the staff is unreal. From day one, we were invited to join the morning instructor meeting (every morning meeting feels like a masterclass from massively experienced instructors and contractors). With the Duty Instructor’s door always open, and Mountain Training not 30 seconds from our accommodation, any question, query or concern is answered. There is a bottomless well of learning and knowledge at our fingertips.

Week 1:
Since arriving, I’ve driven a grand total of 30 minutes. Everything is right on the doorstep: hills, trails, lakes, climbing, and training opportunities. In just 7 days, and alongside my first week of work, some days have genuinely become 3 activity days! Here’s what I got up to in just the first seven days

• Hiking(4): As I’m currently working towards my Mountain Leader assessment, hiking has been my main focus so far. That is hardly a difficult objective when every window seems to frame a new mountain view. This week I completed 3 separate Quality Mountain Days, covering a total of 47.2km and 3509m of elevation gain, alongside an evening navigation session on the hill with a fellow CA.
• Climbing (3): I managed two post-work trad climbing sessions with other CAs, as well as borrowing climbing pads from stores for a morning bouldering session before work.
• Paddling (2): Introductory paddling masterclass from Sid, covering everything from strokes and basic rescues to the even more challenging task of paddling in a straight line in my tiny borrowed kayak. With the fantastic access to stores, borrowing kit and knowledge, we headed out later in the week for another paddling adventure to practise what we’d learned and explore further ourselves.
• Mountain Biking (1): Hosted by a fellow CA and supported by Alex, we had an introduction to mountain biking using the Centre bikes, pump track, and skills track – a completely new experience for me.

What I’ve gained so far:

In just one week, I’ve gained confidence, learned new skills, and thrown myself into new challenges. The environment here encourages curiosity, adventure, and development in every form.

As I continue through the scheme, my aim is to say yes to every opportunity, ask questions, get involved, and make the most of the incredible surroundings during every morning, evening, day off, or spare hour.