It Takes a Team: Instructor Training Weekend in Dartmoor

Each year we run our instructor training weekend, a chance for instructors new and old to have a get together and to brush up on our skills for the season. On our quest to attend the most exciting places at the time of year with the rainiest weather – we went to Dartmoor, and it certainly delivered.

We are after all outdoor professionals and so first on the agenda was caffeination, second was to bail out of the bunkhouse and onto the moor. Armed with our waterproofs and maps, the instructors headed out into the rain to do what we do best: having a good chinwag with our colleagues, whilst the MLs used their navigation skills to go “look, there’s DL1!”. Some took the rain better than others – allegedly this is a Dartmoor local!

Halfway round we were greeted by OceanRock’s finest brew service, led by head chef Geordie who did an excellent job at delegating the hot chocolate making to Alex upon arrival at the van.

Warmed up and refuelled, we headed back out onto the route, embracing the Dartmoor bog as the fog came down.

Back at base, the team organised tipi time ready for everyone’s arrival back at the bunkhouse. 

Then on the Sunday, it was time to tackle the real deal, a morning of risk assessments, operating procedures, incident management scenarios, plus feedback on the previous season.

Thank you to all of our instructors who came down and made it such a great weekend, you truly are a lovely bunch of people, and we couldn’t do it without you!