Training, May 2015, Bealach na Ba, Applecross

11 hardy souls from the team ventured out, to be welcomed by a spirited May wind and rain.

Half way up the Bealach road, in the shadow of the famous Sword of Gideon, we parked and kitted up for the days training. Jim asked us to set up 2 sets of belays for practicing a Crag Snatch, to ensure that in the future we are able to extract an injured climber and package him in the stretcher and lower them safely to the awaiting team.

Firstly we all familiarised ourselves in the use of the Petzl iD to abseil down the face and to use the device for ascending the climb.

After a quick bite to eat, the stretcher was assembled with Tom bravely volunteering to be the casualty on the steep rock face.

Team Leader Arjan and foot soldier Gregor were lowered over the edge as barrow boys with the stretcher, to find themselves slightly to one side of the casualty. This is a difficult manoeuvre in good conditions never mind on a steep wet rock face, with 50 mph winds & driving rain. It meant that they had to manoeuvre themselves closer to the casualty which was made increasingly difficult by the weather and the fact that comms were replaced with hand signals.

Once Tom was lifted onto the stretcher and secured, he was lowered to a slim ledge where some of the team assisted to bring the stretcher to safety. We then dismantled all the rigging and headed back to the vehicles where we were all awarded some of Jim’s Turkish delights!!

A great days training in challenging conditions.