As the nights draw in, we all need something to look forward to… Good News – we’ve got a packed Indoor Meets season that is sure to entertain and enthral, as well as providing a much-needed opportunity to socialise!
We’ll be sticking with the successful format of last year, with a monthly event on (typically) the second Tuesday of the month, with three of these (Oct / Dec / Jan) in-person at Heaton Moor Rugby Club (also on Zoom for those who can’t make it in person) and Nov / Feb / March shows on Zoom. Entry will be FREE for all Members and Associate Members of The Rucksack Club, with a modest charge for non-members for the October f2f event featuring a guest speaker.
- 10th October (In person – Heaton Moor) – Franco Cookson, Chasing The Impossible
- Franco Cookson is one of Britain’s most accomplished and boldest trad climbers, with a string of first ascents up to E11, and an uncompromising philosophy recently captured in the acclaimed Brit Rock film Fall Theory. Join Franco as he agonises in the quest for the perfect objective. Where is the boundary between the ideal hard route and the lunacy of the impossible? What does ‘impossible’ even mean these days? And will any route ever be enough? Franco’s doomed quest will take him from the farthest corners of the United Kingdom to the mythically remote Mirror Wall in East Greenland. Failure is guaranteed, but will there be any success?
- We will also be launching the 2024 calendar, which as always will feature some great action from the last year. Your MC for the evening will be our President, Mark Jenneson.
- 14th November (Zoom) – Dave Palmer (and special guests including Andy Stewart) – The Alpine 4,000s
Dave Palmer has been forging his way through the ultimate Alpine Ticklist – the Four Thousanders. He will be thrilling and entertaining us with his latest adventures and the occasional scrape, with the help of special guest stars appearances. Some of the featured summits include The Aiguille Noire de Peuterey, Aiguille Vert, Dôme de Neige and The Barre des Écrins. 
- 12th December In person – Heaton Moor) – Members’ Night – Highlights from the last year and tales from ‘back in the day’.
- Following the success of last year’s 120th ‘Birthday Party’ we’ll be repeating the formula (but with Xmas cake this time!) with members bringing along a few photos that capture some ‘Get Out There!’ moments from the last 12 months and from longer ago. The event will take place in person and on zoom so there’s no excuse for EVERYONE not to share some pics and a few stories. Please send photos to dominic@oughton.uk.com, by the end of November, and whether you’ll be joining face-to-face or virtually we’ll use the magic of ‘Zoom’ to get ‘everyone in the room’.
- 16th January (In person – Heaton Moor) – Mike Hartley – From One Extreme to the Other
Mike Hartley is perhaps most well-known for his record-breaking achievements for many of the UK’s ultra-running challenges, but his impressive CV doesn’t stop there. He has also turned his hand to numerous of the Rucksack Club’s other core activities, including climbing in the UK to Yosemite, caving, sea kayaking, peak bagging and cycling. He has brought the same focus and drive to each of these pursuits and continued to ‘take things to extremes’, and has finally taken the plunge to record his extraordinary life in his book: From One Extreme to the Other. Join us to hear some of the tales, and Mike’s thinking on his approach to the mental and physical preparation necessary for success. 
- 13th February (Zoom) – Andy Tomlinson and Andy Llewellyn – Himalayan Adventures
The two Andys (both past Rucksack Club Presidents of course) will be heading out to the Himalaya once again this Autumn, this time to the remote Saribung Himal situated north of the Annapurna range, finishing in the restricted area of Mustang. They will no doubt return with some stunning photographs and riveting tales of their experiences, on and off the hill, and will be entertaining us with them for the February Zoom show. 
- 12th March (Zoom) – All Stars – Parois de Légende
- The tag line for Arnaud Petit’s Opus is ‘La bible de l’escalade en grande voie!’ and if climbing big routes around the world was a religion (…and who says it isn’t?) then this would be a fitting ‘Good Book’. This show will feature tales from a number of Rucksackers who have been climbing these magnificent lines over the last year, including Episode 12 of Bill and Dom’s Excellent Adventures in The Pyrenees and Picos and other Rucksacker ascents of iconic peaks such as Aiguille de Dibona, Marmolada and Wadi Rum.
Wow, I’m breathless just reading the list! Watch the website, Facebook and WhatsApp for final details, timing and zoom links, but meanwhile do be sure to block out these Tuesday evenings in your diary (doors open 7pm for a 7:30 start)!
Zoom details:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87941894787?
Meeting ID: 879 4189 4787
Passcode: The year of founding of The Rucksack Club
Cheers, Dom