Feature: Dragon Mountain Skills
21/11/2003

Bryn Williams out on the crag

In terms of activity providers in Snowdonia, Dragon Mountain Skills is very much the new kid on the block. Formed in April 2003 by keen climber and mountaineer, 24 year old Bryn Williams, it has got off to an impressive running start, making waves immediately with a top end, quality-focussed activity roster including an ambitious trip to Sardinia.

The core of the business is orientated towards mountain activities, with adventure days, gorge scrambling and sea cliff traversing fleshing out the agenda according to the prevailing weather and the wishes of the client. Obviously, there is an element of seasonality in the work load, but typically Bryn will employ two or three sub contracted freelance instructors during busy periods, or to cover specific contracts.

I caught up with Bryn as he was reflecting on his first summer season as an independent company.

“Trade has been very good, to some extent better than I had anticipated, but it has been a steep learning curve. There has been a lot of hard work behind the scenes, but I am really glad that I made the break from just operating as a freelancer.”

Bryn grew up in Bangor and has worked in the outdoor trade ever since he completed a work experience placement at Ogwen Cottage whilst he was at the Ysgol Tryfan 6th Form working towards a GNVQ Intermediate in Leisure studies. He went on to complete a BTEC National Diploma in Outdoor Recreation at Llandrillo College in Colwyn Bay, before completing his Mountain Leader Summer award.

As a freelance instructor or safety officer, Bryn has worked for a vast array of institutions (Jagged Globe, Field and Trek, Kent Mountain Centre, Conway Centre, Barcud, S4C, Beacon Climbing Centre to name but a few), but he has always been working towards his ultimate goal of becoming a Mountain Guide. The long term plan is to get the business running at a sufficiently strong level to finance the process of becoming a guide.

The marketing strategy has so far followed the familiar pattern of a small outdoor business. First and foremost word of mouth is seen as the key to raising positive awareness of Dragon Mountain Skills.

“There is no finer advert for your services than a satisfied customer. I know that every time I give one of my clients a good experience, I am laying the foundations for future work.”

, commented Bryn.

Advertisements in Trail magazine were tried, but Bryn said he doubted if had recouped the expenditure (£110 per month) in direct business.

“Perhaps it did raise my profile, but I don’t feel as if it actually gave me sufficient bookings to justify the cost. The web based contacts have been far more useful. Nowadays most people use the internet when planning or researching activity holidays. The feedback on my booking forms tells me that I am definitely attracting new clients via the Dragon Mountain Skills website. I have also received a number of new contacts via my mini website on the Snowdonia-Active site.”

He has managed to get his promotional posters displayed in a number of climbing walls, and he stressed the importance of using A4 promotional material as he had found that people tended to not keep smaller leaflets.

Bryn took the decision early on to learn how to build and maintain a website; a college course where he built a series of example sites has not only saved him a good deal of money, but left him able to control his own site.

“I’m really glad I did the training course, I’ve got lots of plans for ongoing improvements for the website.”

Contact with other operators in the Outdoor Sector has also proved vital to the health of the business. For example, Bryn has informal arrangements with accommodation providers such as Cobdens Hotel in Capel Curig. They promote his services and he in turn promotes theirs.

Bryn was also keen to stress the general sense of community in the local Outdoor Sector,

“One of the great things about Snowdonia is that the Outdoor Sector really works together. Jobs are passed around if people are too busy to take them – there does appear to be a real sense of community. Activity providers tend to know each other, and we help each other out when we can.”

As an indigenous Welsh speaker, Bryn has noticed a sharp rise in the demand for instruction work carried out in the medium of Welsh. He attributes this to a general increase in awareness amongst local people of the numerous opportunities for outdoor activities that can be found right on their doorstep, but pin pointed the existence of the Beacon Climbing Centre as playing a key role.

“Obviously the Beacon has helped to open the door to a lot of young kids and local people, who perhaps would have never considered going rock climbing.”

“I remember when I was in Ysgol Tryfan, we arranged a trip to take forty of the 6th formers up Snowdon, and there were only three of us that had actually been to the top before! I’m sure that situation has changed in the last six to seven years.”

Bryn’s local knowledge of Welsh culture and history has stood him in good stead. Many clients these days are looking for more than just technical proficiency from their activity providers and instructors, as Bryn explains,

“I believe as a local provider it is essential that I am able to offer an interpretation of the landscape and culture of this area. Many people pass through without taking time to appreciate the fauna and flora. Also, the legacy of the slate quarries and upland farming has shaped the way we live and relate to the mountains today. It’s important to understand that.”

During the spring of 2003 Bryn started to advertise a sport climbing teaching course for beginners in Sardinia. The appearance of the posters around North Wales caused a few raised eyebrows from the skeptics, but Bryn was sure that there was a demand for an intensive learning course, with small instructor/client ratios and a fully inclusive holiday package including food, accommodation and rest day entertainment. I had met Bryn and his partner Rebecca in Sardinia the previous year, and I knew that the location was good: lots of friendly, easy access crags, fantastic weather and beautiful beaches.

As it turned out there was a lot of interest in the course. Bryn took two clients out for a very successful trip that has laid the foundations for further Spring and Autumn courses planned for 2004. On reflection the Sardinia course was a bold move for a newly established business, but it has proved to be a shrewd assessment of demand. Furthermore, the amount of positive PR that Dragon Mountain Skills gained from the venture has easily justified the initial risk.

As the discussion shifted towards the outlook for 2004 and beyond, Bryn enthused about his plans,

“I love living and working in Snowdonia, and running an outdoor business from here allows me to stay close to my roots. I feel very positive about the future. We have built up a good client base and I’m looking forward to expanding the international courses with Via Ferratta and trips to the States.”

Bryn is certainly a very focussed and hard working individual. He runs a very professional, yet friendly operation, and he seems to be making all the right moves to establish himself as a respected name in the Outdoor Sector.
I expect we’ll be hearing more from this bright young man.

Check out the Dragon Mountain Skills mini website by clicking 'here'.

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