Author: Andy Tomlinson

We look back at the 1924 Journal this month, which was heralded as the Club’s ‘Coming of Age Journal’. Choosing one article from it proves difficult, as it is packed full of articles written by legendary ‘greats’ of the Club including Eustace Thomas on an incredible 5 weeks of alpinism and peak bagging with the famous guide Joseph Knubel, Rooke Corbett on 10 days walking ‘In Unknown Lochaber’, an amusing article by Morley Wood entitled ‘Lesser Climbing’ and the article I have chosen by AS Pigott describing the first ‘amateur ascent’(ie guideless) of the Grepon from the Mer de Glace. At the start of the article are the following two sentences: “The Grepon has a fascinating history. Surely few climbers have read Mummery without registering a vow to climb its rocks, and the account of the first ascent of the Mer de Glace face (Alpine Journal, vol. xxvi., 1912) is an epic of Alpine endeavour so hauntingly disturbing as to excuse our attempt to recapture a little of the glory the pioneers must have felt.“  Appetite whetted,  read the full article here. In addition to those already mentioned there is a long article by EW Steeple on a First Visit[…]

This month we return to the 1943-44 Journal, which was visited last year when the 3’s were reviewed. It is a rather ‘thin’ Journal, but there was a World War raging. The Editor at the time felt the need to apologise ‘to those who are away from home for the fact that this Journal, slim though it is, has to do for two years.’ It is the extensive Editor’s Notes that I have chosen to highlight on this occasion, as they given a clear insight into the many difficulties faced producing the Journal. These included few meets, low numbers attending and, for those posted abroad, the ‘efficiency of the censorial pencils’. There is also a plea to write about simple trips, something the current Editor may approve of! In the Notes, the Editor then muses about accidents, as well as how beginners should be introduced to the hills. I hope you find it as insightful as I have. The article can be found by clicking here. There are also some excellent pen and ink sketches in its pages such as the one of Three Shire Head below.   To read the full 1943-44 Journal, please click this link.

It was a real pleasure to open the 1964 Journal, although choosing one article was a challenge!  I hope the contents list below will help explain this dilemma: The article I finally chose was A Journey in Peru by Alfred Gregory. He was the photographer on the successful 1953 Everest expedition, reaching 8500m in support of the successful assault and took many of the best known pictures from that expedition including one of Hillary and Tenzing as they left for the summit. He was also a Rucksack Club member. He describes a journey through Peru in a bygone era wonderfully and I cannot recommend it highly enough. He has certainly made me think I should try and get to the Andes at least once! Click here to read the article. Below are two photographs that accompany the article. There is much else in the Journal to read, including the first article entitled ‘Forget Giant Groundsel’ by Vin Dillon, someone I never met, but I know someone who knew him well (Andy Llewellyn). He has kindly provided some background to the article: Vin Dillon was one of the Clubs greatest storytellers. Whether he was talking, singing or writing you never really[…]

In May [sorry one day late as it’s June 1st!], we go back to 1984 and this Journal covers the two years 1984/5. I have chosen the article written by  John Richardson describing the traverse of the classic Haute Route on skis by members of the Club, which is still a greatly sought after route. John writes in his usual humorous and understated way as the team complete the classic traverse in five days [six being the usual allotted time], despite it not all going to plan! Extra days at the end allow for other adventures on skis, including peak bagging. Click here to read the article in full. Below are a few photos from the Journal giving a flavour of the breadth of content:

This month we return to 2004 and on that occasion the Journal spanned the two years 2003/4. Although an article from this publication appeared last year [RC Expedition to East Greenland], this Journal packed full of interesting and well penned articles spanning the breadth of interest found in our Club, from Big Wall and exploratory new route climbing, through mountaineering, walking, sailing, kayaking and ice kiting! I could have chosen any but had to pick one so it is Mike Hartley’s ‘My Modest Plan’ which is an account of a solo kayak day trip along Loch Quoich and walk up a Munro in Knoydart that didn’t go quite to plan. To view the full Journal click here. To whet your appetite, here are some photos from that Journal [I love the mobile phone the Editor is shown using…how they have changed in the last 20 years!]. Happy reading!  

The final Dip into the Club Journals for 2023 [in the nick of time!] takes us back to 1913 and what a Journal this was. It was, of course, the last to be published before the start of World War I and it is full of classic writing making it difficult to choose just one! Initially, the article on the first Club Hut [in Cwm Eigiau] appealed, but this was highlighted in the earlier “Classic Article” series (available here)…no need to repeat given the quality to be found in the Journal . I have gone for ‘A Tramper’s Easter Soliloquy’, a relatively short but pithily humorous essay in which HS Porter laments the fact that a peaceful and well-earned rest after a good tramp and scramble can be transformed into a hideous nightmare by the “Ultra Cragsmen” who are as ‘fresh as paint and no wonder…it’s motors for them, to the foot of the crags’! This may have been uncomfortably close to his true feelings as in A Short History of The Rucksack Club 1902-1939 [Page 16] there is reference to an altercation in a 1911 Committee Meeting where an angry Laycock [he of Central Climb on Hen Cloud, also[…]