The computers here at CheapTents.com are full of images of explorations and adventures that the manufacturers have sponsored. And so we thought it might be helpful to collate a few links to a few of these wallpapers in case you want something pretty on your desktop! Here’s a few kindly provided by The North Face and Mountain Equipment.
The North Face Wallpapers
You can find some truly amazing wallpapers to fit your screen size here.
The North Face Wallpaper 1: Dark Himalayan Mountains
Mountain Equipment Wallpaper 1: Summit Approach, available in various sizes
Mountain Equipment Wallpaper 2: Tarka in China, available in various sizes
Mountain Equipment Wallpaper 3: Moon Flower Buttress, available in various sizes
Mountain Equipment Wallpaper 4: Everest Summit, available in various sizes
If you are looking for The North Face or Mountain Equipment clothing or tents, do of course visit the outdoor shop…here you’ll find everything discounted (we’d like to call them special offers but as the prices are discounted all year round it’s not exactly special!). Although if you are looking for special offers click here!
We came across resources and training provided by the Mountain leader Training Association for the UK, and their new indoor climbing wall award. and thought this sounds like something we should be sharing with our readers. We don’t just sell camping equipment, we really love our climbing gear too, and are keen to provide a range of outdoor advice pages including an introduction to bouldering.
You might also be interested in reading the interviews with professional climbers and mountaineers for a little inspiration…
You can also find a list of indoor climbing walls here too. Now for the interview with Mountain Leader Training Association…
CheapTents.com: What is your name and what are your responsibilities as part of the Mountain Leader Training Association?
Steve: My name is Steve Long and I work as the Chief Officer for Mountain Leader Training, which is a charity run by co-opted volunteers from the outdoor education industry and voluntary sector.
My role is to co-ordinate the work of the home nation boards, which oversee the Single Pitch Award, Mountain Leader (summer and winter) Walking Group Leader and the new Climbing Wall Award. I also directly manage the Mountaineering Instructor qualifications and the International Mountain Leader Award, and I am a member of the British Mountain Guides training committee. Our organisation has to ensure that it stays “fit for purpose” by marketing our awards to employers and voluntary organisations, and consulting widely with all our stakeholders so I’m also supposed to be something of an ambassador for the awards.
CheapTents.com: Why did you set-up the climbing wall award?
Steve: We have been running the Single Pitch Award for nearly two decades now; before that the only qualification available for teaching climbing was the Mountaineering Instructor Award. Introducing a lower level award for the single pitch environment was very controversial at the time and required years of negotiations but it has stood the test of time. Nowadays a lot of very competent climbers only climb on artificial walls, so after a consultation process we designed a qualification that doesn’t require outside climbing experience.
CheapTents.com: Have there been any advantages of this award that you have been surprised by?
Steve: The award has brought our moderators (for external validation) into some interesting and vibrant inner city areas. There is a much wider mix of backgrounds for people taking this award, and the ratio of female to male participants is about 50% which is a much higher than for our other awards.
CheapTents.com: How well has it been received by the climbing community?
Steve: The CWA has been even more popular than we anticipated. The consultation process helped because we knew that we had got the right balance before we published the syllabus and guidance notes. The Association of British Climbing walls has since joined the Board of MLTEngland, which is also a good step forward for us.
CheapTents.com: How many people have registered for the climbing wall award?
Steve: We’ve already received well over 500 registrations in less than a year; courses are being offered all over the UK and also in Northern Ireland.
CheapTents.com: What is the best way of getting accreditation for the award?
Just enjoy climbing at a variety of walls and with a range of partners. Our awards are designed and run by activists, for activists.
CheapTents.com: Do you think that having this accreditation make instructors better at what they do?
Steve: Yes, I believe that fundamentally, otherwise I wouldn’t stay in this job. We’ve had over 40 years to steal the best ideas from thousands of teachers and coaches, and distil them into our awards. Candidates meet like-minded enthusiasts, share ideas and are challenged to be innovative while at the same time inducted in accepted best practice. It’s much more efficient than trial and error, which is the way that I learned!
CheapTents.com: Do you have any more awards or developments as part of Mountain Leader Training that you would like to share?
Steve Long, MLTA. Picture by Mike Raine
Steve: You bet! There are so many exciting plans it’s hard to pick a few highlights. We have a new focus on lifelong learning so the Mountain Leader Training Association will really take off next year with a wide range of Continuing Personal Development courses and opportunities. We will be introducing the Indoor Leading Award for teaching lead climbing in the summer of 2009 and are about to start work on a full progression of qualifications for coaches, building on the success of the FUNdamentals course but taking it to its logical conclusion. Also a review of the MIA scheme, and work at an international level to increase recognition of qualifications and co-operation between countries. Plus new text books under production and the list goes on!
CheapTents.com: Any other points about climbing that you would like to add, sponsors you would like to thank, etc?
Steve: We are planning to take on more staff next year so if you are interested in working at the cutting edge, watch this space! We don’t really have any sponsors as such but we work in close partnership with the home nation mountaineering councils who are often able to source funding for projects. The BMC persuaded Sport England to pay towards the development of the Climbing Wall Award and its successor, the Indoor Leading Award. The Welsh Assembly has also been helpful lately, funding a research project and providing me with a business mentor.
Mountain Leader Training HQ: Siabod Cottage, Capel Curig, Conwy
Steve: I’m sure that as MLTA develops we will start to work a lot more closely with the business community. Sponsors will soon recognise the opportunities that are presented by working with climbers and walkers who are dedicated to putting something back into the sport and continuing to develop their leadership and teaching skills.
CheapTents.com: Thanks for taking the time out to answer these questions - I’m sure a great deal of climbers out there will appreciate knowing that there’s help and training out there to accredit their climbing skills and experience!
Live for the Outdoors (LFTO) wrote a serious, advisory post following an article in Trail Magazine about reasons that should make you think about turning back before reaching the summit. Whether you are a walker, mountaineer, mountain biker, skier, runner or other, these reasons are certainly worth considering:
Bad Weather - snow, rain, cold and wind can all come in severe doses, so make sure your prepared but sometimes preparation isn’t enough, so know your limits!
Weather Hazards - associated consequences from bad weather such as rockfalls and lightning
Avalanche Risk - make sure you check local avalanche reports right up to the point that you depart, and on an ongoing basis if at all possible.
Fatigue - tiredness can put a real strain on your senses, your alertness and obviously your ability to continue safely.
Hunger - food and drink is your body’s fuel to continue safely and can affect your physical performance, rationale and ability to think quickly. Remember to account for enough food and drink reserves to return you back again.
Although, we thought there must be more reasons to turn back as there are so many influencing factors on a successful climb, run or ride…or are we just being soft?
Injury - some people like to bag summits a little too recklessly, some injuries worsen if not cared for (think of the last time you continued to walk with a sprained ankle, and consider the bruising and swelling that continued to grow from not resting it properly).
Illness / Conditions / Vulnerability - without the suitably warm outdoor gear, such as a fleece or insulated jacket, it could very well mean that you become susceptible to cold and wet conditions which might bring on hypothermia. Illness can overcome your body fast if you’re tired - a common cold can really effect your progress and make you even more vulnerable…be careful.
Without the right outdoor gear - that mac that you screwed into your pack might be OK for the odd shower but torrential rain and gale force winds are dealt with far better by a waterproof mountain jacket. Another example could be needing crampons for more technical, snowbound climbs up hill-faces…
Broken gear or equipment - if you took the right gear, but broke it by accident, maybe it’s time to return back if you cannot fix it in any sort of semi-permanent way. A broken tent pole for instance could cause a very unpleasant nights sleep under the stars if you don’t repair it or replace it sufficiently for the weather conditions.
Unsure of your route - you might have made it so far but inexperience or lack of clarity in the mapping might mean that it would be safer to return before you get lost.
Closed routes - similar to the point above, if you cannot follow the route that you intended then it’s worth considering returning or at the very least let people know that you will be changing your route. For this reason it is often advised that you have a primary and secondary route that you share with someone who is not going with an estimated time of return (ETR).
The route is beyond your abilities - it might be that you set-off thinking that your route is within your technical and physical capabilities, but things may have changed or maybe your research was not comprehensive enough?
Broken-communication lines - there are some places people only like to venture when they know that they have support at a form of base-camp, or Without communication lines (mobile phones, satellite phone communications, etc) it can leave you alone and without the right support if the worst was to happen.
Make progress to the abilities of your weakest member - check around with your hiking, running or riding mates to see if each of the above are are all in check and there’s no reason to consider turning back. it might that you’re OK, but what about others?
Any others reasons for turning back? Your mum calls and says that dinner’s ready, or that you forgot your hairbrush…? Share your ideas with others…
There has been a discussion lately on the outdoorbloggers forum discussing the best tools to use for mapping routes and sharing them online. Even if you don’t want to use them on a website, they become really helpful for simply planning your route, seeing how far you have walked, run, cycled or traveled, checking the terrain in advance or for checking out the satellite views of the beautiful countryside!
The Best Route Planning Tools
What makes the best route planning tool, is in the eyes of the beholder. For instance, if you are sent insane by incessant advertising on the web then some of these tools might not ideal for you simply on that criteria alone, but here’s a brief comparison of tools that help you plan your next trip, whether by foot, bike or car…
Google Maps
Google Maps has to be one of my favourite tools for map and amenities integration. Once you have a Google account, you can take advantage of their masses of data. So as you can see in the maps image below, you can see that it is perfectly easy to search for an Indian Restaurant nearest to where you are going from Google’s database, as opposed to pre-designated point’s of interest (POI).
Many maps already include POI’s on their maps, but in my opinion is that they can clutter them up. I have used Google maps plenty of times on my mobile phone to great success too, helping me finding the nearest petrol station in a place I didn’t know too well!
You can also do directions with this tool and the Gooogle API allows you to also build and develop other applications with it’s data if need be too.
Multipmap
Multimap is a bit like Google maps in that it tries to integrate a whole host of information an presenting it as a map. Great for getting directions, looking up amenities, businesses and local weather forecasts in one place.
Ordnance Survey
Nothing beats Ordnance Survey Maps, the real kind anyway, but they also have a free service online too where you can look-up a location of your choice.
Ordnance Survey maps are always good for walkers and riders, but you would have to screen capture the image to mark on your route and take much more of a manual route with the map as opposed to it calculating all the bits for you. Still good though! (Tip: press the pink button on the right to get an ordnance survey map of your choice).
UMapper
UMapper is powered through MSN Virtual Earth (another great application, similar to Google Maps but with 3D applications too). UMapper though is a great tool for plotting journeys and sharing with friends. It’s specifically good for round the world travel in my opinion as it’s much more geared up for manipulating world maps, unlike some of the other which are on a more local scale. Like Google, you can also easily embed the file, which means you can move the map around in the browser…really user friendly too…it’s the kind of thing you can lose a day t oplaying with.
Map My Walk
Map My Walk, and other map applications such as Google, UMapper and Virtual Earth, is that they way you add details to them can make them shareable, but the difference being is that this is shareable with with like-minded outdoor people - folk who like walking, cycling and running. It’s a chance to share routes where you might go mountain biking, hiking or jogging, or even pinch the odd idea!
One of the best aspects of this tool is the function to mark on way-points on your route, including warm-up spots, rest-stops, amenities and more…take a look…
OpenStreetMap
One of my favourite things about Open Street Map is that it is an open source framework where people contribute to building this resource as an editable map of the world. The idea is that people use GPS (Global Positioning System) trace data to follow the route of GPS. There’s a load more to read about in their FAQ’s page, but it’s a fascinating project.
As the project is ongoing, it isn’t quite as comprehensive as it would like to be, but certainly working towards it. In more built-up areas, the project has clearly captured a lot of detail, which is of course editable to include your own details.
The right’s of this project allow for people to open re-work the data without restrictions that many of the other route planners require. Create an account and off you go. Certainly one for the techno-geeks out there…me included!
Mappy
Mappy is clearly laid-out with amenities searchable too. It does have an ‘aerial’ and ‘city’ view apparently but at the time of testing this failed to work.
MapQuest
MapQuest is a little limited in it’s use in my opinion. It might be handy for getting a general feel for the terrain and finding a route by road, but wen you go to zoom on a more detailed scale (around half way down the zoom scale [not accurate description of the scale either], when I was looking at Bowness-on-Windemere).
Route Planning By Car
Some of the tool described above can also be used when planning routes
For route planning by car, you might also appreciate the RAC, AA, Greenflag and Map 24 (a great tool that let’s you visualise your route via a ‘route flight’ - certainly worth checking out). I personally use the AA route planner but that’s more because of habit than anything else.
Please make sure that you check on copyright restrictions if you plan on duplicating them online or elsewhere!
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Nothing beats a special offer, especially when the special offers are permanent! but we have come up with an extra way you can save money by writing about the gear that you use…
We’re offering an extra 10% OFF anything in the CheapTents.com outdoor gear shop, on top of current discounts! Simply write an outdoor gear review…
So share your views and get money off Christmas Presents…We already discount almost all of our outdoor clothing and equipment so this is a pretty good special offer for those who like to share their opinions! It’s pretty good timing too, as if you’re shopping for Christmas presents, then this can help you save a load of money - (disclaimer: we’re not saying you’re a cheapskate!!)
Before you write your Outdoor Gear Review
Please make sure it’s a outdoor gear brand that we sell:
The approximate month and year the product was bought
General overview or summary of the product
What sort of outdoor person is it designed for?
Form - opinions on the styling (if appropriate)
Testing - how have you used it so far?
Functionality - does it do what it’s supposed to?
Best thing about it…
If you could change one thing…
Would you recommend it? Why?
Overall, how many stars would you give it?
Finally, please make the outdoor gear review as constructive as possible (not just: I love it, or, I hate it!)
Credited and Published Author
And of course you will become a published author! We will credit your writing with your details, so you can build your name to become a super-star outdoor gear tester! You’re review will be published on the blog homepage and be categorised into the outdoor gear review section to provide advice to others!
Your Discount Coupon
Once you have written the content we will email you a personalised discount coupon for you to use in the CheapTents.com shop. This discount will then be applied by a member of staff after you have placed the order.
The Special Offer expires Christmas (ish) and terms…
This special offer will expire just after Christmas, but depending on the success of people’s feedback we may well extend it. Although if you do wish to repeat the offer again and again in the mean time, then by all means you can…
We naturally have the right to change / remove this special offer as and when, but we really hope you enjoy making the most of it! And the special offer does not include sale items or tents as these are heavily discounted already! Contact us with any specific queries…
What you need to do next
Either email us using the 12 tips above or write your comments/queries in the box below and we will happily reply…
I’ve been writing the blog for about 3-4 months now, and I’m really wondering whether anyone would like to share there views on the information and service we provide.
Decide on what content you want to see
As our outdoor blog is in it’s infancy, if you would like to share your views on what is here already or items that you would like to see more of, you could really influence what content we put together for you. All ideas appreciated!
If you feel like this blog needs more videos, more camping and outdoor gear advice, outdoor industry news, or less bad jokes, then tell us!
Any other comments and ideas appreciated too! Thanks in advance!
…this is the line Berghaus introduce you to before watching their latest ad(renaline) of Leo Houlding and Anniken Binz doing the base jump of all base jumps, as seen on cinema screens now!
We’ve made quite a bit of fuss of the Berghaus ad already but if you’ve missed it already, make sure you check it out!
Berghaus: Leo Houlding and Anniken Binz Spectacular Base Jump
The location for the new Berghaus commercial was the infamous Kjerag, a 1100m mountain in the Lysefjorden in Norway. It’s Northern face has a drop of almost 1km.
The Berghaus advert is spectacular. You can find it here, along with loads more information on the shoot by the director and the team:
Waking-up on a port-a-ledge is amazing. Thousands of feet above the ground, exposed to Mother Natures finest work. Just hanging there makes you feel so alive and in awe of the world. This incredible majesty combined with the heady cocktail of fear and adrenaline that comes from games like climbing and base jumping is really quite something else.
The West coast of Norway is prone to bad weather, but fortunately for the jumpers, the bad weather stayed at bay!
Leo Houlding and Anniken Binz taking the jump. Just look how relaxed they look!
For all those in the UK’s North East looking for new problems to climb, you’ll be please to hear that the Newcastle climbing wall as been open for a week, and doing very well!
Climb Newcastle
Previously a derelict swimming pool, the Climb Newcastle centre will be based just outside Newcastle’s city centre, in Byker - what is now the first dedicated climbing centre in Newcastle. The building that’s been used spans 3 floors and is quite a turn around to the state that it was in prior to the regeneration.
British Champion and World Cup winner Andy Earl have created this £250,000 development to promote climbing across the region and the UK as a whole.
The Climbing Walls
Here’s a little blurb on what this new and unique climbing centre has to offer…
The Coaching Room
A dedicated area for coaching sessions, providing optimal conditions for learning to climb away from the distractions of the main climbing area. Our coaching courses, masterminded by Andy Earl himself, will be carefully structured for every level of climber from beginner to international athlete.
The Kids Area
A separate area for problems suited to younger kids at a less daunting height and difficulty. We will offer a variety of avenues into the sport for kids and our structured courses will ensure that they can develop their climbing skills to reach their full potential.
The Cellar Room
An area located within the depths of the facility will provide hardcore problems and fixed holds for the highest caliber of climber.
The Training Room
Not strictly a climbing room but a room dedicated to core strength, flexibility and other forms of complementary exercise. It will include a campus board, yoga mats and swiss balls amongst other equipment.
Chris Graham provides a helpful insight into the various rooms and their purposes:
“Our coaching room is perfect for kids and those getting started, not too high and with 6 different angles to play with there will be plenty of variety in style and difficulty in here alone.
Down in the main climbing arena our expert wall builders Andy Long and Robert Lamey took no time getting stuck in. This room is on two levels, when you walk in you are met by some steps going down to the pool level with its giant angled boards, funky grooves and formidable mouth at the far end.
You can also go to the left or right of the stairs where the outside of the swimming pool once was and you will be met with many more climbing surfaces including some more gentle-angled stuff. The idea in here is that there will be several coloured circuits of problems; you simply pick the colour that matches your desired level and off you go.
The great thing is that the sheer size of this area means that there will be a stack of problems to do whatever your ability.”
So if you’re in the area, make sure you get down there an make Climb Newcastle a success!
Looking for an indoor climbing wall in the UK? Near Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, Warrington, London, Wales, Scotland? Here’s where to find it…
List of Climbing Walls
You can download a list of climbing walls created by the BMC here. This directory of climbing walls is a fantastic way to keep you engaged in climbing by challenging yourself on new walls in your region, or anywhere across the UK!
Give climbing a go!
Learning to rock climb is often easier indoors, out of the elements, and teamed up with an instructor. So if you’ve never tried, make sure you book yourslef in for a few lessons and wear the right climbing equipment!
Many climbers live and breathe the sport so we have provided a great range of resources for you to get your teeth stuck into. Get help and advice right here at out blog and on our outdoor shop’s website, along with interviews with the professionals.
Having recently traveled to India I was gutted to find out that I had missed out on an opportunity to visit the Indian Mountaineering Foundation Museum in New Delhi. I found some information about the museum on a tourist map but neither the address nor the location of the museum were actually shown on the map. A taxi driver told me that it was a long way off and, since I was running short of time I abandoned the idea. However it turned out that the museum was just round the corner from my hotel so I could have gone there after all!
Tenzing Norgay Museum
The museum, known as the Tenzing Norgay Museum, is a two-tier hall containing exhibits, pictures, panoramas and dioramas etc. depicting various facets of the Himalayas, history of exploration, survey of the mountain peaks and development of mountaineering. The focus has been on mountaineering in the Indian Himalaya, with a section on Documentation and Information. It includes prominent sections on maps of the Himalayan states of India with a unique “professional class centre” of maps, panoramas and climbing and trekking routes.
There is also a climbing wall at the the Indian Mountaineering Foundation.
Help with Indian Expeditions
If you want to go on an expedition in India or go climbing or mountaineering in India then you will need to contact the Indian Mountaineering Foundation. Please see below for information about the Indian Mountaineering Foundation and how they can help you.
About the Indian Mountaineering Foundation
Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) as an apex national body, has the objective of organising, supporting and providing a base for expeditions for mountaineering, skiing, rock climbing, trekking at high altitudes and to promote, encourage, support and execute schemes for related adventure activities and environmental protection work in the Himalaya.
IMF co-ordinates climbing in the Indian Himalaya, organises national and international conferences, training / environment-cleaning camps and climbing competitions. IMF is closely associated with the Ministries of Sports, Home, Defence, Tourism and Environment of the Government of India. Foreigners can climb mountain peaks in India after obtaining the required clearances, which can be obtained with the help of the IMF .
IMF was formed in 1957 as the `Sponsoring Committee of the Cho Oyu Expedition, the success of which on May 15, 1958, encouraged the Committee to sponsor more expeditions. In 1959, it changed its name to the `Sponsoring Committee of Everest Expedition and in the following year `Sponsoring Committee for Mountaineering Expeditions. Finally, on January 15, 1961 a permanent organization was set up, in its role as the national body, with headquarters in New Delhi and was registered as such on November 3, 1961. Its building was inaugurated by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1980.
Contact details of The Indian Mountaineering Foundation:
The Indian Mountaineering Foundation is located at the University of Delhi (South Campus) in south Delhi, about halfway between the centre of New Delhi and Indira Gandhi International Airport.
Address:
The Indian Mountaineering Foundation
6, Benito Juarez Road
New Delhi– 110021
India
If you’ve been to the Indian Mountaineering Foundation or know of someone that has, share your thoughts. It’s a great resource and one that certainly needs supporting considering how many climbers it helps!
The North Face Wallpaper 1: Dark Himalayan Mountains
The North Face Wallpaper 2: Renan Ozturk in Trango Region, Pakistan
The North Face Wallpaper 3: Tim Kemple, Balancing Act, Pakistan
Mountain Equipment Wallpaper 1: Summit Approach, available in various sizes
Mountain Equipment Wallpaper 2: Tarka in China, available in various sizes
Mountain Equipment Wallpaper 3: Moon Flower Buttress, available in various sizes
Mountain Equipment Wallpaper 4: Everest Summit, available in various sizes
Previously a derelict swimming pool, the Climb Newcastle centre will be based just outside Newcastle’s city centre, in Byker - what is now the first dedicated climbing centre in Newcastle. The building that’s been used spans 3 floors and is quite a turn around to the state that it was in prior to the regeneration.
