Stunning ascent of Arkle to end the week

Beautiful day and record time to second summit

We usually climb a mountain early in the week, a formative experience in young peoples time with us here at Ardmore. But with beautiful sunny days and calm (and midgey) evenings, we have ended up climbing Arkle as a finale rather than an opening event. The teams were brilliant today, starting off in spooky low cloud and silvery light, we had suggested that we could be in for a cloud inversion. As so it was!

The teams picked their way up the open south east facing slopes, following an escarpment edge and a stream that flows over quartzite steps forming little waterfalls, shoots and pools. They were on a charge! The first summit was quickly reached and the narrow crescent shaped ridge that leads to the second summit was traversed with a new fastest time set!

The summit day has capped off a great week with a really enthusiastic (except for drying up?!) team who have jumped into all the challenges and adventures with both feet, loved the swimming (at any opportunity) and been a real pleasure to have here.

We wish them well with the next big adventure as they start at new schools in the next few weeks.