Kathryn James - Mountain Expertise - guiding & instruction in North Wales

Kathryn James - Mountain Expertise - guiding & instruction in North Wales Mountain Expertise is run by Kathryn James and provides quality guiding and instruction in Snowdonia Based mainly in Snowdonia with winter courses in Scotland.

Mountain Expertise is run by qualified mountaineering instructor (WMCI/MIC) Kathryn James. I am passionate about climbing and mountaineering both in summer and winter and have climbed extensively in the UK and Europe, as well visiting as the Middle East, Africa, Asia and North America for rock and alpine climbing and skiing trips. We aim to offer flexible courses so you can gain as much as possible from your experience. Ratios are kept low so you can get as much time with your instructor as possible. We aim to individualize each course to allow you to make as much progress as possible. Whether you are a complete beginner or a seasoned mountain lover we have a range of courses that will allow you to expand your horizons and feed you hunger for adventure.

19/09/2026

Applications for the 2027 Scottish Winter, Alpine Prep and Alpine Mountaineering JCMT courses are now OPEN!

The Jonathan Conville Memorial Trust ensures young people from all walks of life, regardless of opportunity, experience the challenges and rewards of mountaineering. Through building knowledge, confidence, and ability, we train young people to safely reach their most ambitious mountaineering goals.

Successful applicants will have the cost of their course instruction subsidised by up to 50%.

You can learn more about the courses and submit your application at https://www.jcmt.org.uk/

Closing dates for applications are as follows:

❄️ Scottish Winter - 16 October 2026
🌄 Alpine Prep - 8 January 2027
🗻 Alpine Mountaineering - 5 February 2027

JCMT courses are made possible by the generous support of Rab Equipment, The BMC, The Alpine Club and the Scottish Mountaineering Trust.

Non stop trainer alpinism. Post IML work climbing with Iona and Helen.Mirror d’argentine; directeJoderhorn; East ridgeJa...
19/09/2026

Non stop trainer alpinism. Post IML work climbing with Iona and Helen.

Mirror d’argentine; directe
Joderhorn; East ridge
Jagihorn; alpendurst
Gross Diamondstock; East ridge
Wiwannihorn; East ridge

Some great huts Rifugio Oberto Maroli Bächlitalhütte SAC Wiwannihütte and very quiet routes.

Much latergram….4 days around Villars. International Mountain Leader assessment for Plas Y Brenin.Not all sunshine and f...
14/09/2026

Much latergram….4 days around Villars. International Mountain Leader assessment for Plas Y Brenin.
Not all sunshine and flowers though. Some trudging in the rain brought out the Salamanders and a change in focus to fungi, trees and all things damp woodland. Plenty of pretty flowers still about though and lots of culture and history chat too.

A great team, a lovely hut and great to spend some time working with Iona Pawson and Helen Teasdale

Mountain Equipment sun hoodies coming into their own.

t's back again for 2026! Over the past 2 years have supported women who are interested in becoming Mountaineering & Cli...
02/09/2026

t's back again for 2026! Over the past 2 years have supported women who are interested in becoming Mountaineering & Climbing Intructors by supporting a 3 day development course. And we are here ready to do it all again in 2026. It has been a priviledge to watch as many of those who have attended these courses are now stepping towards MCI training, and some having got to assessment too!

What is it all about? A safe space to ask questions, develop skills and find out if this is a job you would like to do. Myself and will answer your questions candidly, share top tips, and get out climbing or mountaineering so you can understand how to get ready to register and make the most of your training course.

If you are a ML and RCI and have climbed some VS routes get in touch to find out more about the 3 days in October (19th - 21st) based in Eryri. Share with anyone who you think might be interested.

Email [email protected] for more info.

Rock Climbing Development Instructor training for Plas Y Brenin.Great weather (when it wasn’t too hot 😬) for this course...
16/08/2026

Rock Climbing Development Instructor training for Plas Y Brenin.
Great weather (when it wasn’t too hot 😬) for this course and fab to be sharing the delivery with Esther Foster Climbing.
Building the candidates repertoire of tools for developing rock climbers on single pitches. This qualification is about more than the techniques, we are developing decision, communication, listening and observation skills. The main focus is trad climbing with a day on sport. We need to help trad climbers become sport climbers and sport climbers understand being good trad climbers…so the candidates become good RCDIs.
Not much time for photos, but did manage to get some good ones on the final day whilst coaching and teaching lead climbing the pinnacle of the qualification getting folks in the sharp end to do their first lead climbs on trad routes. So much to put in place prior to this though; placing gear, movement skills, belaying, building belays, understanding what lead climbing is and the risks involved,and being ready physically and psychologically to get on the ‘sharp end’.

Some rivers, some lakes, some camping, some whittling, some ancient art, some swimming, some jumping in, some mountain w...
14/08/2026

Some rivers, some lakes, some camping, some whittling, some ancient art, some swimming, some jumping in, some mountain walking and some Oslo exploring.

Norway…what a country. Beautiful clear water, delightful camp spots and massive cliffs yet to be explored by climbers. Feeling small paddling underneath them on a vast lake as part of the Telemarkscanale system.
Bilberries, raspberries and cloudberries supplementing our Expedition Foods breakfast and dinner.

Another great adventure with the Adam Harmer Anne Lumsden clan. ❤️

Thanks Plas Y Brenin for the loan of the

Out on Carreg Wastad at the start of the week. Plas Y Brenin MCI assessment of the problem solving and rescue’s aspect o...
03/07/2026

Out on Carreg Wastad at the start of the week. Plas Y Brenin MCI assessment of the problem solving and rescue’s aspect of the syllabi. Preventing problems from occurring through clear communication and good belaying position. Then solving some problems that might occur involving; hoisting, prussiking, escaping the system & abseiling. Making progress safely and efficiently is the key to success on MCI assessment. A great day on the crag, thanks Michael Rainbow for being a great casualty.

AMI Professionals Mountain Training

Some highlights from this weekends Eryri skills weekend. Multi pitch climbing skills, advanced mountaineering, introduc...
28/06/2026

Some highlights from this weekends Eryri skills weekend.
Multi pitch climbing skills, advanced mountaineering, introduction to climbing and an introduction to mountain skills (navigation and scrambling).

Smiles all round, cooler weather than of late and all the wonderful magic that Eryri offers climbers, mountaineers and walkers, supported and delivered by a team of lovely instructors.
Big thanks to Charlie Chambers- Adelong cathwilson4_mtn_leadingedge Cat Forster Jen Thomas Grace Alsancak-Hay Sophie Holdstock ᴀʟɪᴄᴇ ᴋᴇʀʀ ᴍᴏᴜɴᴛᴀɪɴᴇᴇʀɪɴɢ Emily Coates for delivering the courses.

Thanks to the aretecentre for the accommodation, the perfect place for us to be based and access the best Eryri has to offer.

Rab UK continual support of WAAC is also really appreciated, as is Elouise French work to give everyone a friendly WAAC welcome and for helping out with the intro to climbing.

AMI Professionals Mountain Training Association

Holidays… 🇫🇷🇨🇭 Fun times in the Aravis and Mont Blanc massif. Mountain Equipment
17/06/2026

Holidays… 🇫🇷🇨🇭

Fun times in the Aravis and Mont Blanc massif.

Mountain Equipment


Busy week on MCI training part 1.Day 1; Fundamentals of rescues and problem solvingDay 2; Using the climbing wall and si...
09/06/2026

Busy week on MCI training part 1.
Day 1; Fundamentals of rescues and problem solving
Day 2; Using the climbing wall and single pitch crags as a MCI
Day 3; Multi pitch rope systems; series, parallel, lowering, abseils with safety ropes & stacked abseils
Day 4; Mountaineering 1:1
Day 5; Navigation

A great week of getting the fundamentals dialled, so there’s plenty of bandwidth for part 2. Part 2 focuses on working on multi pitch crags, teaching and mountaineering with 2 people on the end of the rope.

Some of these folks are back soon for part 2, hopefully they’ll be out putting into practise the skills they’ve learnt during part 1 so they are ready for the next course.

After they have completed part 2 they will be MCI trainees. The period between part 1 and 2 is a practise period to develop personal skills.

Thanks .barclay for your expert input through the week and delivering plenty of sound advice and positivity through the rain.

I hope the candidates enjoy the practise period; 1:1 mountaineering, climbing as a 3, navigating and practising rescues.






Address

Bethesda
Bangor
LL573RE

Telephone

+447859024799

Website

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