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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Learn to lead course 11-Sep-2003 At 2:39:06 PM dodgy

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A lot of us learn by following someone more experienced up things, practicing belay setups on safe ground, placing pro at ground level and jumping on it etc.
Some others have read a book then gone out and jumped on a route, most of them don't climb anymore (or do anything else).
The "formal" way is very thorough and organised, important info doesn't tend to get missed. The "way of the old bloke", can be OK too, but I suggest bolstering it with thorough readings of "The Freedom of the Hills". And after all that, everything else is experience (your's and other people's, as evidenced on Chockstone).
If you are thinking about learning with someone "experienced", ask around and make sure they are! And if you have ANY reason to think they might be a cowboy, exit quietly... (You don't learn good things from these people, and may die on your first trip)