Profile – Rowland Edwards

Rowland Edwards  is a qualified UIAGM & ABMG. mountain guide, MIAC instructor and  qualified teacher.

Rowland became an instructor in 1961 with the  Mountaineering Association instructing adults in mountaineering/rockclimbing/ice climbing ,  in Wales, Lakes, Scotland (winter) and the Alps. In 1967 he gained the MIAC (the first professional instructors certificate (later to become the MIC).

He taught for many years in Llanberis with the Rainer Foundation, working with underprivileged youngsters until 1967 when he was appointed to the staff of Plas-y-Brenin to increase the standard of climbing at the centre; it was then mainly outdoor activities. During his stay in Wales and Plas-y-Brenin Rowland climbed many new routes particularly on Clogwyn Du Arddu, Llanberis Pass, Tremadoc, Anglesey ( Holyhead) and the Ormes of Llandundno. He produced the first guide to the Great and Little Ormes which were to become one of the premier climbing areas of N Wales.

Rowland qualified as a mountain guide in 1966. In 1980 he qualified as a teacher at Bangor in North Wales the same year as he and his family moved to Cornwall to open a private rock climbing school.  Whilst in Cornwall, where he and his family still run their summer school, he and Mark opened up thousands of new rock climbs. In 1986 he wrote Cornish Rock, now out of print, a guide which was the first rock-climbing guide to extensively use photo topos.

In 1986 Compass West had its first climbing courses in Spain, since then the school has become a permanent school in Finestrat.  Just like in Cornwall and North Wales, Rowland, along with Mark, has discovered many new areas and thousands of new routes. (See the history of Compass West).

Rowland has never lost the enjoyment of teaching and guiding students. The extensive knowledge of his subject and areas in which he teaches is passed onto every student be it a raw beginner or improver.

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