When The Time Comes, Its Time to Move On

This post isn't your average climbing blogspot post. Below you will see an article I wrote for my school magazine. This is to thanks St David's College.

Why would a young rock climber from Switzerland travel all the way to North Wales to go to school and climb? 2013 leaver Tim Mueller explains his journey from being a Swiss schoolboy with dyslexia who did a bit of climbing to now being a successful sponsored climber with professional outdoor leadership qualifications.

I started rock climbing when I was around 9 years old, before than I had only climbed trees, even making my own harness out of old rope. Back then climbing was my escape from the challenges I faced in my school life. I found out I was dyslexic when I was around 7 years old at school in Switzerland. I had support at my primary school, which helped me with my learning, but moving on to a secondary school meant I would have to leave that support behind. So at age 12 and in the first year of my secondary education, I made the decision to leave home and look for a boarding school that would suit my needs. It took a lot to convince my parents to let me go to a school in another country; I kept having to tell my mum it would be fine!

The first school I found was in Buffalo in the USA, but this would mean a 12 hour flight as well as being on the other side of the planet to my family. It was by chance we saw St David’s College on Google and decided to check it out. I visited another school in the UK, which didn’t impress me, my school would be my choice, but then we came to St David’s College. Coming up the mile long driveway to a place that looked to me like Hogwarts and seeing all the shiny climbing equiptment in the outdoor education department made my mind up. That September I started my life at St David’s.

Climbing has been part of my life for quite some years and in the early days I taught myself how to tie knots, use the equipment and stay safe in the mountains by watching videos and reading books. But being at St David’s made me realise climbing was something I wanted to do as a profession. The school allowed me to take it a lot more seriously, the outdoor education team helped me improve my technique – oh and get over my fear of heights! It wasn’t until a few years into being at St David’s did I realise the schools climbing history. Internationally renowned climber Jerry Moffat also came to the school, which he talks about in his autobiography, he even set up climbing routes along the old walls of the Gloddaeth Hall while he was a student. I began some research and decided to find and climb all the routes Jerry had created around the school; I was literally following in his footsteps! I was lucky enough to meet Jerry when he opened the new climbing wall at the school. The last four years climbing has become a big part of my everyday life, training four to five days a week for at least 2 to 4 hours as well as studying for exams.

In the last year I have been fortunate enough to become a sponsored athlete, supported by some of the best brands in the industry. With school I have been on numerous expeditions and trips such as Husky sledding in Sweden, skiing in Italy and climbing in France, I would say I am now an experienced traveller.

St David’s College has helped me both academically and personally; starting St David’s as a boy and leaving as a man. The support I received has helped me gain an A-level in Design Technology and a BTEC in outdoor education. I have made so many friends and had so many great experiences and memories. A highlight of my time at the school was last year when I was made captain for my house, Cader. The level of support at the school during my time has been invaluable in helping me to learn and getting me to where I am today. I would like to thank Mr Griffiths for putting up with me for the last 3 years, for the amazing support I got from him in my one to one lessons.

Main School Building 

Leaving St David’s means I will be leaving the ‘safe bubble’ I have been in for 6 years and going into the big wide world. But thanks to the school I feel confident and prepared to face the challenges that lie ahead.

My goal is to become a professional athlete and mountain guide; I have the experience now and the ambition to make it happen.

Its been a great 6 years at St Davids, with lots of ups and downs, but mainly ups – literally!

I will end with one of my favourite quotes about dyslexia from Richard Branson:

“Dyslexia: who on earth invented such a word to describe people who have difficulty spelling?”