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Alex Riley
Alex is the company owner and main instructor at Moelwyn Mountaineering and started the company to pursue the delivery of high quality climbing and mountaineering instruction in a friendly and approachable environment. He's also an active route developer, climbing new routes all over the UK.
With over a decade of sports coaching and outdoor industry experience Alex holds the following qualifications and training;
Mountaineering and Climbing Instructor
Summer Mountain Leader
Rock Climbing Instructor
Winter Mountain Leader (training)
UKCC Level 2 Kayak and Canoe Coach
Outdoor First Aid
Alex's Story
How was I introduced to the outdoors?
Like many young people growing up in the UK I was fortunate to be able to go on a residential activity holiday when I was at primary school. This involved a multi activity week trying archery, raft building, mountain walking and finally climbing and abseiling. Fast forward a few year after a college course which involved lots of sports coaching elements, I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do (I hadn't enjoyed formal education that much other than school trips and sport!) so I enrolled on a gap year program at Abernethy in Scotland. This gave me the opportunity to revisit the outdoor activities I had tried years earlier, I particularly enjoyed doing lots of snowboarding, kayaking and mountain biking, however I avoided climbing, having been really scared when I tried it a school.
After lots of protesting against it I was taken out climbing and whilst I wouldn't say I was bitten by the bug instantly there were certainty elements I enjoyed, for example I found the movement really engaging so quickly took to bouldering. I also struggled with the technical elements at first, taking what must be a record breaking 6 months of indoor climbing to learn to tie a figure of 8!
After this period I moved to North Wales to start a trainee outdoor instructor course, on which I met my wife and a great group of friends. It didn't take long for rock climbing and mountaineering to become my favourite activity, quickly picking things up where I had struggled previously. Since then I have had the opportunity to work and climb all over the World.
Personal climbing highlights;
Rock:
Cool Moon E7 6c - Curbar Edge
My Halo E7 6b - Serengeti
Merionnydd E7 6b - Moelwyn Bach (Second Ascent)
Isolation Motivation E5 6b - Y Garth (First Ascent)
Bloody Arete E4 5c - Meikle Ross (First Ascent)
Lurking Fear C2+ - El Capitan
South Face 5.9/C1 - Washington Column
Don Quixote VI+ - Marmolada
Catacomb Crack 7A - Glen Ogle (First Ascent)
Breadcrumbs 6C+ - Sandyhills (First Ascent)
Winter
El Mancho VI/VII 7
Crest Route V 7
Savage Slit V 6
Scabbard Chimney V 6
Once Were Alpinists Left Hand V 6 (First Ascent)
Clogwyn Left Branch V 6
