Plas y Brenin Omdömen 328

I think PYB is the best place to get outdoor skills training. Accommodation, top instructors and great mountains.

Trip Summary:
Cooked breakfast in the mornings,
Challenging days out on the hill,
Tea and cake in the evening,

furthermore:
Approachable, knowledgeable staff,
Other people on the course where engaged and friendly.

If you want to leave your comfort zone in the most comfortable way possible this is probably it.

The course was fantastic. All instructors put in a huge effort to make the most of the conditions available and allowed us to get the most out of the week.

The food was great and massive portions.

The drying room could be improved as it was difficult to dry everything overnight.

International Mountain Leader Award Scheme. A very good training and assessment process for the realities of leading walks and snowshoes in the mountains.

I found the GPS lesson in the Summer Training to be perhaps a little too specific. Maybe a shorter, more generalised lesson could be produced, with the time spent on other aspects of the syllabus (perhaps ropework, as our protected path training could have benefited from a little more dedicated time).

Summer Assessment was well conducted, with my assessors Helen Barnard and Helen Teasdale both providing a thorough, fair and clearly delivered assessment.

The Winter Training course was a highly enjoyable and informative week, which benefited hugely from some very experienced Guides and PYB instructors. I feel I learned a fair amount; if I really had to suggest points to improve, it would perhaps just be for all instructors to deliver (or continue to deliver) a really formalised monkey-see, monkey-do transceiver protocol lesson (battery, range and group checks) with their students; and a document with key points for teaching TPS in 15 minutes. Both Helen Teasdale and Martin Chester were highly competent instructors, and were great to be on the hill with. Many thanks to Helen for her encouraging career chat.

One thing I would say is absolutely indispensable is the realistic avalanche scenario at the end of Winter Training. It is a huge eye-opener to the chaos of a real avalanche, which I had the misfortune to respond to this March on Ben Nevis.
I really feel that the training was of use; I was involved in transceiver searching, probing, shoveling, first aid, and evacuation of the casualties over the course of several hours, and having that session in the Alps was of significant value: having a template of operations that you know you need to follow is vital when faced with the utter carnage of an avalanche aftermath. Don't ever take that out of the syllabus.

Winter assessment was again very well conducted. Instructors Helen Barnard and Steve Long were highly professional, and did a good job of putting us at ease in a stressful situation.
Steve's process of having everyone deliver the TPS lesson before anyone does the timed search was well thought-through, as it gave everyone the opportunity to really practice probe technique and transceiver searching before having to do it for real.
As a snow geek I would have liked maybe a little more snow analysis, but appreciate that with a week of glorious weather it may not have been very exciting to dig more than one pit, and may not have been essential once everyone had proved their awareness of snowpack to a sufficient level.

Special thanks also to Helen B. for campaigning for myself and a few other candidates to train and assess in a single winter.

Overall, a highly professional process. I know the onus is largely on successful candidates to find work, but perhaps if the opportunity were there to learn more about marketing or to meet and network with a few employers/ IMLs, it would be very much appreciated.
Many thanks to all involved.

I completed the International Mountain Leader award with them. A complex subject involving many parties and nations. Part of the process was getting equivalence for previous experience. The office staff and the instructors have been nothing but brilliant. Especially Helen Barnard stands at the highest level of strict but fair instructorship. I would recommend PYB to friends and family. As a Belgian, I just fear what Brexit might mean.

Dave was an excellent guide and instructor, and the team at Allteshenach were very welcoming and friendly. Great food and good company!

Excellent instructor; superb course (sea kayak rolling clinic); very comfortable accommodation.

A great way to spend a February weekend!

Excellent instructors, good course, good location, Le Grand Bornand, IML winter training.

Great facility in a wonderful location. Good food (breakfast & dinner). Rooms very clean & comfortable. We were booked into a navigation course which are organised in small groups, so lots of personal attention. The group leader (Sabrina) was excellent, very knowledgeable and able to get the information across in an easily understood way. Day 1 short time in the class room looking at the theory and then out into the glorious hills of Snowdonia for the practical. Day 2 involved a much longer walk to the top of Elidir Fawr just over 3,000ft using compass & map all the way. We all agreed a thoroughly enjoyable and useful 2 days.

Thank you guys for such a fantastic week on the Welsh Winter Mountaineering course! Not only did I have a fab peer group to experience this with I also had the pleasure of some great course deliverers!

I love staying at PYB, and I feel really safe in the environment I’m exposed to and well looked after. A special mention to Geoff/Jeff (not sure of spelling) the Chef and Diane ( as well as rest of the catering crew) who were amazing and looked after all of my GF needs! If anyone can make a ‘You’re amazing’ badge ( I did promise I’d make one), but ran out of time!

As for our guides/instructors... they were also amazing and gave me lots of positive memories and opportunities to learn so much in 5 days!
I’m still glowing from the week! Hopefully I’ll be back before long for another great adventure! 😁

Great instructors, very professional set up. Great new bike specific facility and came away very inspired!

Had an excellent 5 days paddling, the coach was excellent & I learnt loads.
The equipment supplied was top notch and the food was of a high standard. The staff were all very friendly and helpful - special mention to stores, catering & housekeeping all of whom contributed to what was a most excellent week.

Excellent weekend with great tuition. Highly recommended and good value for money.

Clean and cosy, great food and friendly staff!

A fantastic weekend, even with bad weather walking guides still motivated us to challenge ourselves on a difficult walk. Everyone so helpfull.

Excellent tuition. 1st class accommodation. Superb kit loan service. Wonderful food, and love the cakes late afternoon.

A lovely venue with very friends staff. The food provided was excellent and the bar is very comfortable with good beer. The view across the lake was a joy to see.