Rachael Crewesmith - Mountain Biking, Mountaineering and Other Outdoor Stuff

A Dream of White Horses, Wen Zawn, Gogarth

Running along Crib Goch at sunrise

Filming for British Cycling Trailsmart series

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I was coaching David and Jen today on core skills

I was coaching David and Jen today on core skills to give them more confidence when out mountain biking together. It was also an introduction to trail centre riding for them so we spent a bit of time on the berms getting speed, body position and line choice right before heading out onto some blues and reds to put it all into context. It was a stifling hot day for riding so to manage 20km felt like an achievement. Looking forward to seeing these two out again, and also to it raining soon!

Pen-blwydd hapus yn 40 oed Jen. Have a lovely birthday in the sunshine!

#mtb #mtbcoaching #rideyourbike #learnsomethingnew #getoutside #mountainbike #smithoptics #thisgirlcan #sheshreds #christmaspresent

A small but perfect pile of broad beans and a red

A small but perfect pile of broad beans and a red onion. I got an allotment this year for the first time and after weeks and weeks of digging up bracken rhizomes I was finally able to plant. These are some of the fruits of my labour. As a small child, Granny Freda would sit us down next to an enormous pile of broad beans and we weren’t allowed inside until we had finished podding them all. I can’t decide if the pile was enormous or if I was tiny but I’ve never lost the love of these delicious British garden treats.

#igrewthismyself #garden #broadbeans #sweetpeas #growyourownfood #growyourownveggies #allotment #borage #nasturtium #spinach

We smashed it! Trans Cambrian Way day 3 for @mtbcy

We smashed it! Trans Cambrian Way day 3 for @mtbcymru in absolutely sweltering heat. A cooling swim in Glaslyn was essential but I think we’d have all rather stay there all day. Astounding effort from the team, particularly when I got so hot I forgot the way. Matt and Rob are 74 and they trucked along with the rest of the team no bother. Incredible. Now pass me an icecube.

#mtbwales #rideyourbike #adventurebybike #midwales #smithoptics #almostashotasthedanakil #outside #electrolytes #toohotforrachael #shadeseekers

Day 2 of the @mtbcymru Trans Cambrian and it was h

Day 2 of the @mtbcymru Trans Cambrian and it was hot. Hot hot hot 🌡. We changed route to avoid the exposure and relentless heat of Claerwen reservoir and went on a tour of the Elan Valley finest singletrack. That turned out to be a pretty good plan based on the sweating, the swimming and the sheared off seatposts. “I’ve never ridden in heat like this, have you, Rach?”. “Well as a matter of fact…

#hot #mtbwales #rideyourbike #outside #visitwales #electrolytes #almostashotastheDanakil #outdooradventures #thisismybestface

Day 1 of the @mtbcymru Trans Cambrian and, well, I

Day 1 of the @mtbcymru Trans Cambrian and, well, I forgot to take any photos. Suffice to say it was hot hot hot but the team moved well and we finished in good time and good spirits. Time for a lie down.

#mtbwales #rideyourbike #transcambrian #hot #rideyourbike #adventuretime #adventurephotography #outdoors

I was out yesterday teaching scrambling skills to

I was out yesterday teaching scrambling skills to Lila and Ged. Cwm Idwal is the perfect playground: Velcro rock, good belays and a perfect vista.
Looking forward to seeing these two scrambling independently in the mountains.

Working for @allbutessentialtravel

#scrambling #outside #walesneverfails #moveyourworld #wearerab #themountainsarecalling #themountainpeople #wanderlust #geography #snowdonia #naturegram #mountainadventures #adventureisoutthere #outdooradventurephotos #mountains #mountainview #adventurephotography

Yesterday I was assessing riders for the British C

Yesterday I was assessing riders for the British Cycling Level 2 Mountain Bike Leader for @thornbridgeout . It wasn’t a day for pictures though so here is a great #icecreamselfie from the training team on Sunday.
#rideyourbike #smithoptics #futureleaders #outside #icecream #mtb #mountainbike

Weekend of sunshine and ace trails with this group

Weekend of sunshine and ace trails with this group of British Cycling Level 2 Mtb Leader trainees for @thornbridgeout. Leading a flowing journey through technical terrain, managing group dynamics, fixing broken bikes, dealing with emergencies, providing sustained interest without accidents. It’s all in a days work for this strong team. Obviously we finished with ice cream as is to be expected in White Peak. It’s great to be back delivering leadership courses.

#mtbleadership #rideyourbike #futureleaders #learnsomethingnew #moveyourworld #smithoptics #shred

The Trans Cambrian is an epic 108 mile journey thr

The Trans Cambrian is an epic 108 mile journey through the rolling, beautiful and wild Cambrian Mountains. With over 13000ft of climbing, it’s not to be sniffed at but the reward is huge skies, great riding and an epic feeling of remoteness. There isn’t a single cafe stop on any of the stages (say what?!). Some people bike pack, some credit-card ride and some do the whole lot in a one-er. We split it into three pretty hefty days and with the help of @nianewson and @trackie_mo on transfer driving duty, we stayed in Llanidloes each night. This meant we could see @jobynewson’s wee boy, sleep in a comfy bed and eat well, although I mostly ate chips!

You can find the route online and ride it yourself or you can get the experts to show you the way and sort out the logistics for you. @mtbcymru are THE specialists for this Welsh adventure and I’m pretty excited to be joining their guiding team for 2021. These lockdown legs have had a wee shock but the muscle memory is there and I’m keen for some big days out.

📸 @jobynewson

#mtbwales #rideyourbike #mtb #mountainbike #smithoptics #gojuliana #moveyourworld #explore

Day 3 of the Trans Cambrian would have been more f

Day 3 of the Trans Cambrian would have been more fun if these three experienced mountain bikers had actually read the weather forecast properly and worn waterproof socks. Luckily the @rab.equipment Flashpoint is still the most brilliant jacket I own and so I was almost dry, apart from the water coming in through the hole in the top where my head comes out... Many gates, lots more sheep poo and a brilliant, brake-fading descent into Mach for more pints and crisps.

#mtb #transcambrian #wetfeet #wetface #rideyourbike #sheeppoo #mtbwales #outside #sheshreds #mountainbike #mybumhurts

Trans Cambrian Day 2 is a biggie. The stats sugges

Trans Cambrian Day 2 is a biggie. The stats suggest we spent 2 1/2 hours not moving. Couldn’t think why...

#isthatamineshaft #ineedasitdown #outside #rideyourbike #adventureswithfriends #smithoptics #mtbwales #transcambrian #mybumhurts #wishibroughtmorechamoiscreme #poorchain

Riding up grass, down roads and up grass again on

Riding up grass, down roads and up grass again on the Trans Cambrian day 1 with @jobynewson and Robot. Sometimes the climbs were so slow that we couldn’t escape the horse flies and my bike was covered in the stickiest of sheep poo but the skies were huge and the company magnanimous.

#transcambrian #rideyourbike #wales #gojuliana #ridingupgrass

Ready to Rock! Teaching the not-so-dark art of tra

Ready to Rock! Teaching the not-so-dark art of trad climbing yesterday to this group of women. Some came with a bit of partner-taught experience, some with skills tucked rusting away in the back of their mind and some were a blank canvas. It made for great questions, interesting improvisations and brilliant peer-to-peer coaching. Demo packs from @lowe.alpine meant that we could all share the kit-carrying duties up that steep hill. @ami_professionals @teambmc

#tradisrad #themountainpeople #wearerab #moveyourworld #rockclimbing #klettern #escalade #climbing #iloveclimbing #thisgirlcan #sheclimbs #womensupportingwomen #womenwhocrush #getoutside

Sunset swim scenes in Llanberis this week. Life ha

Sunset swim scenes in Llanberis this week. Life has been busy with meetings, admin, planning the @womenstradfestival, work, visiting parents and everybody wants to get out climbing! It’s been great to sneak in little late-night swims to reset my brain, clear out all the jumbled words and get that little bit of vitamin D. If you’re quick, the midges don’t realise you are there too!

📸 @savannahparton

#swim #nature #outside #busy #wild #connect #swimwild #outdoor #visitwales #wildswimguide

Delighted to have qualified as a Level 2 Open Wate

Delighted to have qualified as a Level 2 Open Water Swim Coach and guide through the @sta_team. Thanks to @beyondthewater_uk for the training and assessment. A combo of zoom and practical meant we were able to cover the syllabus and it was great to be assessed at beautiful Trearddur Bay in the sunshine in April. This means I can share my love of dipping, wild swimming and all the mindful, brilliant benefits that swimming outside brings you.

Mid-hike dips and post-climb refreshes coming to your days out with me!

I wish I had more shots of me looking cool like @gillymcarthur but it seems that silly faces and laughter perpetuate my photos and this one is a good summary of the past six months of daily swims!

#swim #swimwild #swimcoach #swimguide #wildswimming #multisportathlete

Showing off my favourite venue today with a lap of

Showing off my favourite venue today with a lap of Hope into Charity. It was so awesome to be back in Cwm Idwal, what a special place it is. Nice to see other @ami_professionals enjoying the pristine rock and palatial belays. I did a podcast with @niallgrimes for @teambmc all about this special place. Link up top👆🏾

📸 @savannahparton

#cloudnews #rockclimbing #wearerab #moveyourworld #thisgirlcan #lookforthelogo #outside #tradisrad #eryri #snowdonia #visitwales #cwmidwal #wildhorizons #podcast #cloudnews

Day two with Alice today placing all the gear and

Day two with Alice today placing all the gear and building all the belays at Holyhead Mountain. I love working with good learners like Alice who make me feel like a wizard of a teacher! Alice is well on her way to independence at the crag, she will be swinging leads with Neil before long.

Thanks to @calummuskett for the great work this week. 💥

#thisgirlcan #rockclimbing #moveyourworld #wearerab #themountainpeople #klettern #escalade #tradisrad #climbing #learnsomethingnew #outsideisthebestside #getoutside

Classic Rock ticking on the mighty Cyrn Las with A

Classic Rock ticking on the mighty Cyrn Las with Alice today. Her hardest ever climb and completed with aplomb! Adventure climbing for work is the best! Thanks to @leedawg49 for the great photo of @alicebutler86 on the crux.

Working for @calummuskett today whilst he and Neil were ticking most of Cloggy.

#classicrock #thisgirlcan #wearerab #themountainpeople #moveyourworld #outside #climbing #rockclimbing #outsideisthebestside

Top scenes for the BMC Women’s Ready to Rock tod

Top scenes for the BMC Women’s Ready to Rock today in Ogwen Valley. This group all had previous trad experience so it was great to build on this: good habits, new tricks and confidence. The coolest bit was seeing them working things out for themselves and coaching each other. All topped off with a face-sized scone at @moel_siabod_cafe. Perfect!

I have more courses running throughout 2021. Get in touch for details!

#womenwhorock #climbing #thisgirlcan #tradisrad #wales #snowdonia #visitwales #rockclimbing #outside #moveyourworld #wearerab #themountainpeople #climber

I’m not sure this bum-shot is going to win Insta

I’m not sure this bum-shot is going to win Instagram today but it’s a happy memory of ticking off another Classic Rock route today. Nea at Clogwyn Y Grochan always feels like a special and inspirational route to me. First climbed in 1941 by Nea Morin and Menlove Edwards. Morin recounts the adventure in Ken Wilson’s eponymous Classic Rock “here [Menlove] remarked that there was a good line and why didn’t I have a look at it? I did, and it ‘went’. Thus my climbing Nea was entirely fortuitous.” She accidentally climbed a new VS in 1941 and with none of the fancy sticky rubber, stretchy ropes and oodles of cams we had today. There is also a picture in Classic Rock of Nea’s daughter, Denise on the crux with her ski socks over her boots to improve grip. Awesome! Thanks, Nea, for paving the way and thanks Ken Wilson for your list which I am really enjoying rediscovering.

📸 @_jenny_dart_ (MCI!)

#rockclimbing #classicrock #tradclimbing #tradisrad #moveyourworld #wearerab #themountainpeople #lookforthelogo #instructordayoff#climbingwales #klettern #climbinglife #thisgirlcan

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