Plas y Brenin Launches Open Water Swimming Offering and Becomes a NOWCA Listed Site
Following the rising popularity of open water swimming, Sport England’s National Outdoor Centre, Plas y Brenin, is offering a number of options to help people build their confidence and improve their swimming technique.
Starting this month, customers will be able to book coaching lessons delivered by Plas y Brenin staff or supervised swimming sessions in the fresh, clean waters of Llynnau Mymbyr, with the spectacular backdrop of the Snowdon Horseshoe at the Centre’s base in the heart of Snowdonia.
To cement its commitment to safe and responsible open water swimming, Plas y Brenin has joined the National Open Water Coaching Association (NOWCA) as one of its 40+ affiliated venues. NOWCA has a growing community of more than 35,000 open water swimmers who trust them to keep them safe every swim.
Open water swimming and the benefits of cold-water therapy have become increasing popular over the last few years. Around 3% of adult Brits have tried open water swimming for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to research by the Centre*.
Plas y Brenin’s fully qualified Open Water Swimming coaches will offer monthly coaching sessions for beginner and experienced levels from £35. The lesson covers how a wetsuit works (and how to put it on), safe water entry and acclimatisation, stroke technique, sighting and swimming in a straight line, and drafting. Beginner sessions will run on the second Sunday of the month at 9:30am – 12:00pm, starting 10 July until 11 September. Experienced sessions will run on the same days from 12:00pm – 3:30pm. Beginners must be able to swim 200m in a pool to take part.
The Centre will also be hosting supervised open water swimming sessions every Thursday evening between 21 July and 25 August for competent swimmers looking to enjoy the lake independently with the reassurance of a supervisor. To use this service, swimmers must be able to comfortably swim 400m and will be required to bring their own wetsuit, goggles, swimming cap and towel. Sessions will run 18:30 – 20:00 with a cost of £7.50 per person.
Dave Janes, Instructor and Open Water Swimming Coach at Plas y Brenin commented: “It’s great to see so many more people enjoying the freedom and benefits of open water swimming. Not only is the water in our lake clean and fresh, its situated against the beautiful backdrop of the Snowdon Horseshoe, offering stunning views as you swim. Swimmers using either our coaching sessions or supervised sessions can also rest assured they are in the safe hands of fully qualified coaches who can help them hone their skills safely and responsibly. As a national centre, we’re committed to offering the highest standards when it comes to safety and overall experience, which we’ve strengthened by joining NOWCA and ensuring we’re adhering to their robust safety systems.”
* Research conducted by Opinium with a nationally representative sample of 2,002 UK adults between 30 March - 1 April 2020. Extrapolated figures are based on an 18+ UK population of 52,673,433, according to 2020 ONS mid-year-estimates.
Working Together to Make the Outdoors More Inclusive
A recent survey of 4,000 adolescent girls and boys suggests girls are more likely to disengage from sport and exercise in their teens compared to boys. The survey of 11-18 year olds conducted by Women in Sport identified a number of barriers contributing to the drop off, including a lack of confidence, fewer perceived opportunities, periods, body image and feeling unsafe outdoors.
The study alludes to a huge missed opportunity to encourage more girls to stay active after Primary School, especially with girls that say they used to be sporty but have become gradually disengaged.
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic we have seen an increase in the number of people taking up outdoor activities and spending more time outdoors, yet more needs to be done to empower girls to overcome avoidable barriers that prevent them continuing with sports and exercise.
As Sport England's National Outdoor Centre, we are aware of the role we have to play in making the outdoors more inclusive, accessible and diverse.
To this end, we recently joined forces with seven other leading outdoor institutions to commission comprehensive research to understand current levels of participation in outdoor activities. The insights informed a plan of action - starting with the group agreeing to a number of commitments designed to improve diversity within the sector, including:
- Educating ourselves and our workforce – to gain greater insight from the lived experiences of those who are underrepresented
- Improving the diversity of people – within all levels of our organisations and in the imagery used to promote walking, climbing and camping
- Developing collaborative relationships – with community groups and individuals who can help us effect change and improve pathways for people to access walking, climbing and camping
- Holding ourselves accountable – for our actions and setting targets to improve equity, diversity and inclusion
There is a long way to go - as identified in the Women in Sport report - but for our part, we have already started investing more time and resources welcoming diverse groups. We are running a pilot training scheme with the Muslim Scout Fellowship (MSF), which, if successful, will be rolled out on a wider scale. In partnership with Experience Community, we will be delivering residential weekends that will support people with disabilities to get outdoors and participate in activities which allow them to get to places they may have never been able to access before, following a successful first weekend last year. This coming weekend. we’re also hosting #ShePaddles - a specialist canoeing and kayaking event to encourage more women to try paddlesports in partnership with Canoe Wales. While we’re making progress, it’s clear there is a lot more to do - both collectively and as individual organisations. From hiring staff from different backgrounds to creating initiatives and offerings that will help make outdoor learning more welcoming and accessible, so that more people can experience the often life-changing benefits associated with outdoor learning.
* This post first appeared in Horizons Magazine.
Expert Paddlers Share Their Top Tips Ahead of #ShePaddles
During the last few years we’ve seen a steady increase in the number of people taking up paddlesports - be it canoeing, kayaking or stand up paddle boarding (SUP).
Since the first lockdown (March 2020), almost a third (32%) of Brits tried a new outdoor activity for the first time - with kayaking being near the top of the list, according to our research - and men and women were just as likely to try something new.
To celebrate and encourage more women and girls to get into paddlesports, we’re hosting our very first #ShePaddles event, together with Canoe Wales, at our base in the heart of Snowdonia. Taking place on 7th and 8th May, specialist paddlesport weekend for women is an initiative that aims to inspire and encourage more women and girls into paddlesports - from beginners to those looking to become professional paddlers.
Featuring a number of workshops from leading coaches including Lowri Davies, Lina Patel, Emily Evans and Lizzie Harrington as well as evening entertainment and gin tasting from Aber Falls, it promises to be a great way to learn new skills while building new friendships and paddling communities along the way. We hope to see you there and be a part of your journey. Tickets are £60 per day - or £110 for both days, you can book at https://pyb.co.uk/courses/shepaddles/
Ahead of the event, we asked some expert paddlers to share their top tips.
Emily Evans, SUP and Raft Racer and Paddling Coach
- Make sure that you acquire a board and paddle that suits your size, this will make your paddling experience the best it can be and make sure that you are not straining your body, leaving you feeling fresh to head out again and again.
- If or when you take the time to get some lessons then do some research into your centre/ club or coaches, make sure you know a bit about them, where and how they operate.
- It is important to dress appropriately, you are more likely to have a better experience in the colder months and definitely a safer one. Look into the different types of clothing that are suitable for the type of SUP activity you are going to be doing.
- Strength and stretching: Take some time to look after your paddling muscles, they will thank you for it. You can make your paddling experience better by working on some balance exercises and leg strength. Also work on keeping the strength and suppleness in your hands, arms and shoulders.
- Get familiar with the weather in your local paddling area, knowing this is crucial to staying safe. If you are coastal it might be worth taking a coastal navigation course to understand the tides and weathers in your area. If you are ever unsure, best not to head out and save it for a good calm day.
Sarah Keight (Paddling Coach and lecturer in Outdoor Leadership)
- Try to get comfortable with the water you will be paddling on. Practice falling out. Once you have fallen in, often people realise it is not that bad and they can then relax and try new techniques.
- It can take a while to find a paddling group that works for you. There are many paddlers that are active on social media that you could arrange to paddle with. However, confidence can take a long time to build and can be lost in a split second. Beforehand, try and encourage honesty and transparency to check everyone has similar expectations of the day, the abilities within the group and the environment you are going into. That way everyone can finish having had a positive experience. If you’re not happy doing something, do speak out.
- My energy levels can plummet when I am paddling, which can lead to unnecessary mistakes. Take some tasty snacks and have them to hand.
There's an overwhelming sense that a community of like-minded people to learn from and to share your journey with makes those first steps into this amazing, varied world of paddling safer and more positive, hope to see you there!
Plas y Brenin Climbing Wall Opens to the Public
It’s been a long and rocky road from the completion of the new Plas y Brenin climbing wall build, to its recent opening. Its completion coincided with the start of the global pandemic, which not only quashed any thoughts of opening, but also stopped play in terms of any real development of the facility generally, with all non-essential workers in a national lockdown.
As restrictions eased, we have been able to use the wall for our courses, and residential customers have had access to it in the evenings, but we are now pleased to be open daily to the general public.
Climbing Instructor Dave Evans describes the history of the Centre’s climbing wall and its significance in terms of the history of British climbing wall development...
The original wall, made famous by its appearance in the “dream” sequence in the epoch making Johnny Dawes climbing film “Stone Monkey”, actually still exists hidden behind the panels in what is now the equipment store.
Our wall was one of the earliest of its kind anywhere, with moulded concrete blocks in the brickwork to mimic features on real rock but in an indoor environment. Fast forward to 1992, when major British climbing wall builder, Bendcrete, came in, and produced the infamous Plas y Brenin “Arch” bouldering wall and adjacent lead wall in “The Tower”. This wall really was cutting edge at the time, featuring as it did, a moulded, textured fibreglass surface, feeling and climbing like rock on a crag outside. Opened by the great British climber and mountain guide Pat Littlejohn, this wall would remain in place until 2018, and many people in the UK climbing community, including myself, were sad to see it dismantled. One well-known local climber even used to refer to the bouldering arch as “the finest indoor climbing feature in Britain”!
So here we are today. The old, featured panels are no more, replaced with clean, flat textured plywood panels which are much easier to set an infinitely varied array of problems on. The wall is now more open and much lighter as a result, and actually feels more spacious. We have a much broader area for roped climbing as the tower has been opened up with some crack volumes courtesy of the Wide Boys. There is also a fantastic digital training board with wooden holds only, perfect for more elite level climbers training finger and core strength for performance climbing.
Ahead of its grand reopening to the general public, we thought we would get things started by asking one of the current stars of British rock climbing and route setting, and Llanberis local, Emma Twyford, to come and fully reset the bouldering wall for us. This will be followed up with a reset of the lead wall in the Spring.
So, if you’re in the area and the weather isn’t great for climbing outside, don’t forget to pop in for a session and maybe treat yourself to a hard-earned drink or some food in the Snowdon Bar afterwards.
The climbing wall is open every day 9am until 10pm, for more information pop in and speak to reception or call us on 01690 720214.
Join Us at the National Outdoor Expo This Weekend!
As we continue to welcome the gradual return to some sort of normality, events have been resuming - with few we’re looking forward to as much as the National Outdoor Expo!
Taking place this weekend (19 and 20 March) at the NEC in Birmingham, it will feature a fantastic lineup of speakers who have achieved a lot in - and for - the industry as well as some of the best brands and companies in the business.
We are sending a stellar team to represent the Centre, meet and greet attendees as well as answer any questions about our courses, outdoor pursuits and everything in between. We’re also planning a competition giveaway, so if you’re planning to attend, be sure to stop by and say hello to be in with a chance of winning one of our amazing Adventure Days. We have a stand located at D35 opposite the Montane indoor climbing wall. Rumour has it our famous flapjacks may also make an appearance…
The event promises to inspire anyone and everyone that has an interest in the outdoors, whether beginner or professional. The pandemic has taken its toll on the nation’s mental and physical health but one glimmer of hope we’re seeing, is a renewed love and appreciation of the great outdoors. According to research we commissioned at the height of the pandemic, almost a third (32%) of Brits tried an outdoor activity for the first time since the initial national lockdown in March 2020. With this in mind, we’re hoping to see a fantastic turnout and meet lots of new faces.
And if that’s not enough to convince you, we’re also giving away FREE tickets. To claim them, all you have to do is head to the official website, add tickets and enter the code PLASYBRENIN at checkout.
Hope to see you there!
National Outdoor Centre and Canoe Cymru Host Specialist Paddlesports Weekend for Women
- #ShePaddles weekend comes to Wales - bringing together world-leading female coaches, beginners and enthusiasts for skills workshops and masterclasses
- Initiative hosted in Snowdonia aims to encourage more women to progress their passion
National Outdoor Centre, Plas y Brenin is, for the first time, joining forces with Canoe Cymru to host #ShePaddles - an initiative that aims to inspire and encourage more women and girls into paddlesports.
Marking the event’s debut at Plas y Brenin in Snowdonia, it will take place on 7th and 8th May 2022. The two-day event will bring together beginners, enthusiasts, inspiring instructors, coaches, ambassadors and brands with some of Great Britain’s most accomplished, talented and inspiring coaches.
Split across the two days, the weekend has something for everyone from skills development workshops to masterclasses with the professionals and entertainment on Saturday evening as well as gin tasting with Aber Falls.
Attendees will be able to learn from the very best coaches and leaders across canoeing and kayaking - including those who have previously competed at Olympic level. The event will see a jam-packed itinerary including workshops on kayak, canoeing and SUP coaching and leadership as well as safety and rescue, navigation, planning and kit preparation.
Workshops will be hosted by elite athletes including Lowri Davies, Sian Sykes, Lizzie Harrington, Chris Evans and Dave Janes.
Helen Barnard, Chief Instructor, Plas y Brenin commented: “We’re excited to be hosting #ShePaddles in association with Canoe Cymru. The weekend will bring together the best and most inspiring coaches in the paddlesports world to share insights and tips to inspire current and future generations of female paddlers whatever their ambition. Together, we have developed the ideal environment to introduce, encourage and support any female that wishes to participate in Paddlesport safely and responsibly - and we hope for this to be the first of many more.”
#ShePaddles was started by British Canoeing to even things up - even in 2020, only 3 in 10 members are female. The ambition is to keep them progressing to where they want to be - whether that's paddling with family, volunteering as a coach at a local club, becoming an instructor or competing at a national level.
Tickets are available from £175 and must be booked in advance from the Plas y Brenin website. Limited capacity accommodation is also available on site.
Full itinerary
Saturday workshops
- Kayak Coaching Workshop with Plas y Brenin instructor, Chris Evans or Laura Wynne
- Canoe Coaching Workshop with Lizzie Harrington, holder of the highest canoeing coaching and leadership awards offered by British Canoeing
- SUP Coaching Workshop with Sian Sykes, Stand Up Paddleboarding Adventurer and Environmental Ambassador
- Safety and Rescue Workshop with Plas y Brenin instructor Matt Giblin
- Navigation, Planning and Kit Preparation Workshop with Plas y Brenin instructor Dave Janes
- Children’s Paddlesport Fun Session
- The complete beginner Workshop (opportunity to try all crafts and get a taster for life on the water) (Please confirm if this is definitely a workshop option)
- Freestyle Masterclass with Lowri Davies
Sunday workshops
- Children's Paddlesport Fun Day
- Kayaking Journey
- White Water Kayak Journey
- Sea Kayak Journey
- Canoe Journey
- Stand up Paddleboard Journey
- ENDS -
About Plas y Brenin
Plas y Brenin National Outdoor Centre was founded in 1955 and is a world-renowned provider of adventure sports training. From a base in the scenic heart of Snowdonia, Plas y Brenin’s work is focused on developing inspiring coaches, instructors and leaders in adventure sport, be they volunteers or working professionally in the sector, to better support people, from all backgrounds, to get active in the outdoors.
The centre also offers an extensive programme of personal skill development courses in rock climbing, hillwalking and mountaineering, kayaking, canoeing, sea kayaking and mountain biking. The centre also delivers a diverse and vibrant events programme, with adventure talks, environmental lectures, mountain safety lessons and sector-leading conferences.
Owned by Sport England, Plas y Brenin is operated on their behalf by the educational charity, the Mountain Training Trust (MTT); a not-for-profit charity founded by the British Mountaineering Council, Mountain Training UK and Mountain Training England. The charity was formed specifically to run the centre and ensure delivery of world-class training and encourage more people to get active in the outdoors, regardless of their abilities or experience.
To find out more about Plas y Brenin’s comprehensive course programme, facilities, business and educational services please visit www.pyb.co.uk
About #SHEPADDLES
#ShePaddles Cymru is Canoe Wales's own #ShePaddles initiative in Wales. We asked our Development Officer to explain how #ShePaddles Cymru started and where it's heading:
Here at Canoe Wales, we have a real desire to have gender balance in paddlesport in all settings.
Only 29% of Canoe Wales members are female, and so we knew we wanted to do something to balance things out. The Sport Wales' 2018 School Sport Survey highlighted that participation in paddlesport is relatively gender equal at school age - and in fact demand for paddlesport is higher among females at secondary school age - but this is not currently translated into memberships.
International Mountain Leader Winter Assessment is Back
After a 2 year wait for some candidates, the International Mountain Leader winter assessments have begun in the Swiss Alps.
The global Covid pandemic has made overseas travel problematic for many candidates wanting to progress through the IML qualification. They have encountered the challenge of not gaining valuable experience out on the hill due to local and national lockdowns or have been faced with course cancellations due to last minute travel restrictions.
Meeting the 16 candidates in Morgins, Switzerland on Monday morning to start their 5-day winter assessment was a combination of pleasure and relief that it is finally happening.
Over the next 2 weeks, Plas y Brenin Guides and IML's will be working with more than 30 candidates assessing their skills to navigate, environmental knowledge, plan safe routes, manage clients in the winter environment, and emergency procedures including the use of a transceiver, probe, and shovel.
Many of the candidates will qualify as an IML this winter and will hopefully will put this award to good use this summer while inspiring future generations of mountaineers. Other candidates will join PYB again this summer for the summer assessment course in Villars, Switzerland - and after a long hiatus, I can't wait!
Helen Barnard, Chief Instructor
Plas y Brenin Joins Dark Skies to Combat Light Pollution
The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted Plas y Brenin featured on BBC’s Countryfile earlier this month promoting the completion of our Dark Skies renovation.
Watch the feature here on iPlayer by skipping to 48 minutes 35 seconds: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0014jgc/countryfile-snowdonia
The project, a collaboration between PyB, Snowdonia National Park Authority (SNPA), Prosiect Nos and Dark Source (Lighting Design) involved the installation of a new environmentally friendly lighting scheme, designed to halve our energy consumption whilst minimising light pollution and impact on biodiversity.
Lighting accounts for almost 6% of the global CO2 emissions and 20% of the electricity used worldwide. Besides obscuring the view of the night sky, inefficient lighting wastes more than £1bn a year in the UK alone. The switch is expected to generate an annual power saving of 6,000kW and an annual carbon reduction of 1.5 Tonnes of CO2e.
Light pollution also has drastic effects on the environment and well-being of all humans, animals and plants. It alters our perception of the night and blocks our access to our oldest heritage, the stars.
Now complete, the aim of the project uses the latest LED technology to create warm-coloured, glare-free lighting in order to meet dark-sky friendly measures, reduce energy waste and impact on biodiversity whilst enhancing the night-time experience. Many of the new lights can be found underneath handrails, facing downwards so the view of the sky is unaffected.
Over time, we hope it means we’ll see more flora and fauna around the centre - as well as avid star gazers!
Building Winter Skills: Navigation
Hiking at this time of year can be immensely rewarding and the scenery stunning. However, given seasonal weather conditions and terrain, navigation requires a little more care, planning and preparation.
Firstly, spend some time planning your route – ideally using a map. Try to visualise the ground, to give yourself an idea of what to expect and what you will see. Identify key points along the way, and plan your route to take into account any avalanche hazard that might be present and avoid high-risk slopes.
When packing, make sure your map and compass are readily available at all times, ideally in an easy to access pocket. Have the compass available to be held on the map with one hand so the two items are used as one. The last thing you want to be doing in extreme weather conditions is delving to the depths of your bag searching for them.
Swat up on your map reading skills, make sure you can measure distance and learn to gauge scale. On OS and Harvey maps, across one map square is 1km (1.4km diagonally). If you walk at 4km per hour it will take 15 minutes to cross a square. Add 30 seconds to a minute for every 10 metres, depending on how close the contours are together (which signals how steep the terrain is). Treat downhill as being on the flat.
Keep an eye on your pace. 100m is 2mm on a 1:50,000 scale map and 4mm on a 1:25,000. Time how long it takes to pace 100m, and multiply by 10 to work out your speed. 1min 30sec is 4kph; 2min is 3kph. Then monitor factors that slow your pace (e.g. weather conditions) and recalculate your ETA and if required, make the decision to cut short your hike.
As you set off, set your map by placing the compass on or next to the map and turn the map until the red end of the compass needle points to the top of the map. Keep the map set and move your body around the map until you are facing the direction of your planned route. Continue to keep the map set as you walk.
Learn to take your bearings. Place the edge of the compass on the map from A to B along the proposed line of travel. Ensure the base plate with the direction-of travel arrow points straight ahead and align your body behind it. Grip the compass on the map and turn your whole body slowly round until the red end of the needle points to the top of the map. The base plate will indicate your direction of travel; in reality this is just a slightly more accurate version of map setting and, provided the compass remains on the map with the red end of the needle pointing to the top, it will enable you to aim on objects ahead so you can walk in a straight line. You don’t need to turn and have the needle point to the north on the dial unless you want to communicate a bearing to someone else or lift the compass off the map. This will seem strange as we’re usually taught to turn the dial and use the compass off the map, but this is how orienteers navigate quickly and efficiently.
Most importantly, know what to do if you get lost. First of all, stay calm, set your map and make a plan. If you are on or near a linear feature such as a path or stream, look to see if it aligns with one on the map. Follow the feature – it will usually change direction or create a junction with another linear feature that should be identifiable on the map. If you are on a hillside, it will face a certain direction (aspect); so just use the compass needle to help you work out which direction the slope faces looking out. It won’t tell you how high up the slope you are; but if you are on a slope facing north, for instance, you can eliminate all slopes on the map that are facing east, south and west.
Make the most of winter hiking, but most importantly stay safe, check the weather forecast and be prepared – that way you’ll get the most out of your experience and it’ll hopefully lead to many more.
Your Movement Matters: Plas y Brenin’s Commitment to a More Diverse Outdoors
As you may have seen, the results are in following our comprehensive research report Your Movement Matters, which was designed to improve diversity in the adventure activities sector.
In a bid to really understand current participation in activities as well as the key barriers and enablers, the report was a result of eight of the UK’s leading walking, climbing and outdoor leisure organisations coming together.
We joined forces with The Association of British Climbing Walls, the British Mountaineering Council, The Camping and Caravanning Club, the National Indoor Climbing Award Schemes, Mountain Training, the Outdoor Industries Association and Ramblers to commission the research, conducted by Leeds Beckett University.
The first collaborative project of its kind, the research explored the demographics of participation in all levels of activity, from urban walking or indoor climbing to overseas mountaineering. Conducted with a sample of more than 4,700 people living in the UK, the research measured the true state of participation by different communities to help inform and shape the group’s collective approach to improving diversity.
While the results indicate an encouraging representative gender split of people who climb indoors (50% male, 46% female and 3% other genders) and with those who take part in non-mountainous walking activities (49% male, 48% female, 2% other genders) those who climb outdoors and who go mountaineering are still predominantly male, accounting for 58% and 57% respectively. Similarly, there is work to be done to welcome and champion more people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority heritages who want to take part in activities in more rural outdoor settings.
According to survey respondents, barriers preventing activities in the sector from being as diverse as they could include a lack of representation and role models as well as the cost of participation and a lack of transportation and access to facilities and environments.
As a group, we are using the findings to support the development and implementation of evidence-based diversity and inclusion strategies, specifically in the following areas:
- Educating ourselves and our workforce – to gain greater insight from the lived experiences of those who are underrepresented.
- Improving the diversity of people - within all levels of our organisations and in the imagery used to promote walking, climbing and camping.
- Developing collaborative relationships – with community groups and individuals who can help us effect change and improve pathways for people to access walking, climbing and camping.
- Holding ourselves accountable - for our actions and setting targets to improve equity, diversity and inclusion.
For our part, we have already started investing more time and resources welcoming diverse groups. We are running a pilot training scheme with the Muslim Scout Fellowship (MSF), which, if successful, will be rolled out on a wider scale.
In partnership with Experience Community, we will be delivering residential weekends that will support people with disabilities to get outdoors and participate in activities which allow them to get to places they may have never been able to access before, following a successful first weekend last year.
We’re also planning a number of events to encourage more women to try paddlesports.
While we’re making progress, it’s clear there is a lot more to do - both collectively and as individual organisations. As the National Outdoor Centre, we have a role and responsibility to take action to make the outdoors more diverse. From hiring staff from different backgrounds to creating initiatives and offerings that will help make outdoor learning more welcoming and accessible, so that more people can experience the often life-changing benefits associated with outdoor learning.
