A Grand Day Out

Mountain Leader Assessment day 4.
Exped day 2.
Show me what you can do.... 

We got a feel for them on day one and did our best to put them at ease. 
We made sure they could keep themselves and us safe on day two.
On day three we found out if they really really knew where they were, could they take us to the vaguest of contour wrinkles, could they relocate us to an 8 figure grid reference when it wasn't their turn, were they masters of the map. 
Day four is about them putting that together. Expedition packs on, take us on an engaging and inspiring journey into the big hills. Show me what you've got...

And they did. We'd swapped groups again and this four really excelled, I've not had as much fun on a Mountain Leader course, well, ever. 
We set out confidently, then I told them I didn't want to step on another path. Smooth as you like H switched to the flanks of Nettle Slack and we made our way across to a little ré-entrant above the bluffs. J rose to the challenge of making it safe but fun and found a great route through Black Spouts to the Col (saddle, shoulder, bealach) betwixt Grey Friars and Great Carrs. Paying our respects at the memorial as we climbed past D added some local knowledge with a détour to see more of the Halifax wreckage.  S took a turn and we headed for a little spur off the east of Swirl Howe, then D took us down a little scramble onto Great How Crag and a nice sunny spot for lunch. 
I changed things around then and gave them some tasks as we made our way high in the rocky stuff across to, then over Prison Band - take the group up this rocky ridge, traverse to there, coach our movement on the boulder field, find me a wonder of the natural world. After a while I almost stopped asking them to relocate. These guys (& especially gal!) had this. 
We made a huge contouring traverse of the high bowl (corrie, Cwm) under Great Carrs impressive East face, laughter and chatter replacing nerves and silence, relaxed they treated me to a great day out. 
Looking back it was hard to tell where our feet had passed, not a path in sight. 

Up and over to camp at Windy Gill, using the ring contours for shelter, we were able to revisit a few peoples rope techniques and add in some more advanced skills on the broken ground of Rough Crags. 

But, 
One candidate has really struggled all week, been a long way from ready. We've coached and guided, but in the end we also need to assess. I took L for a 1:1 session, away from the happy confident group, just for one last making sure, soft skills used to assess hard skills. 
But. I knew, the moment she picked up the rope, I knew. It's hard to explain, but someone is either familiar and at ease with the tools of my trade or it's clear they are not.
After twenty long minutes missing all the obvious anchors and literally tying us both in 'nots', when I couldn't in any good faith let her weight a rope, I sat her down and asked if she knew herself if this was safe and good enough, she looked relieved and said no.
I can't judge her training as I wasn't there, I do know she hadn't practiced nearly enough. We sat a while in silence
 I looked across the hillside to C with a group displaying all the required skills and shook my head, he nodded, we'd both seen the same. 
But. It took a lot to be here and character to admit she wasn't yet good enough. And that deserves recognition. I made a suggestion and it was the first time in four days I saw L look happy. 
I had both the time and light to give her some skills to take away. We spent two hours 1:1 learning one simple knot till L could literally do it with her eyes closed and behind her back. We found 6 anchors where she'd been positive there were none. And at the end of the evening, with no (physical) help from me, she abseiled down a 20ft cliff. Logbook or not I know that was the first time she'd done it. The look on her face said it all, a first laugh, a brief moment of triumph , palpable relief, a result. 
Tomorrow we'll write out a detailed action plan, and even if she isn't taking home the piece of paper she wanted, she's taking home the seeds of the skills she needs to make that happen.

Extra
Never. Eat. Shredded. Wheat.