Given the poor weather forecast for tomorrow [15th May], and after consulting the three members who signed up to attend, I am cancelling my Meet at Stanage [Popular End] tomorrow. Andy Tomlinson
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Hut “down time” between visits reduced to 48hrs More good news…I am pleased to say that we are reducing the quarantine period between groups using the huts from 72hrs to 48hrs from Monday 17th May, as outlined by the updated BMC guidance. The following is a summary from the BMC: “In line with current advice from the UK government and World Health Organisation, the BMC has amended its guidance on Covid-19 and reopening club huts. The original 72hr quarantine period between visits can be reduced to 48hrs once multiple indoor household occupancy is permitted, with the aspiration that all restrictions will be lifted during Summer 2021.” To see the full BMC update please click here. The consequence of this is that, potentially, our huts may be available on an increased number of days each week to members, although many bookings have already been made. Please contact the individual Hut Warden to obtain the latest information. Andy
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May has arrived and with it another update on Rucksack Club activities…along with an icy blast from the north! Despite this summer is getting closer with, hopefully, further easing of lockdown restrictions across the four nations. Meets. Meets have run throughout April, though numbers attending have been relatively low…7 to 10 being the maximum to date. I am certain that this is partly due to the extra administrative work required, as well as a tendency towards caution amongst many when it comes to meeting up in bigger groups. I attended the Wednesday evening climbing Meet at Castle Naze last week…good weather, good climbing and good company along with a beer at the end of the day outside the Beehive made me realise how much I’d missed such Club activities. Hopefully on 17 May, restrictions will ease further such that outside activities of up to 30 people can occur without the need for prior registration, agreement to follow Covid guidelines etc, all of which should make a significant difference. Please see the Calendar on the Website for the latest information on Meets, all of which continue to be single day only. Huts. All three huts opened to one household/bubble[…]
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Seven Members and Associate Members met up at Cumberland Brook CP on Saturday morning for the first post-lockdown weekend Meet. We were beaten to the very first Club Meet by the Wednesday evening climbers who had met at Hobson Moor Quarry on 31st March! It was cold but fine! First it was Shutlingsloe, then Macc Forest and down to a stop outside the Smithy…socially distanced on the benches On to Forest Chapel, over to Lamaload Reservoir and up Andrew’s Edge to Shining Tor. We then headed down to the Goyt Valley, up to Axe Edge Moor and on to Three Shires Head then back to the cars via Cumberland Brook for a well earned, socially distanced, beer. Thanks to all who came along for this 30k meander on a lovely sunny Easter weekend day. Photos courtesy of Ellie Howarth
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It is sad to report that Geoff Bell died last week aged 82 having faced ill-health for some years. Geoff was originally from Sheffield but had long lived in Glossop. Right from joining us Geoff demonstrated his commitment to trials of endurance. He was Club President 2003-4 and an Honorary Member. John Richardson, a close associate in the Club recalls his friend: At the time when he joined the Rucksack Club in 1976 Geoff Bell had already made a name for himself as a time-trialling cyclist at any and all distances from 10 miles to 24 hours. Within a year of joining us he had successfully completed the Bob Graham Lake District round (number 61 of a cohort which has now topped 2500), but his true talent was for walks and rides of a greater distance/time. The Tan Hill – Cat and Fiddle walk in fiercely wintry conditions (Geoff goaded Mike and Me into tackling that one). And the North Wales Horseshoe — a monstrous route which starts with a traverse of the Welsh Threes, progresses to the Mawddach estuary then crosses numerous ranges to finish at Bodfari. A particular interest was for solo, unsupported challenges and one such walk[…]
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Welcome to the April update…how the last month has flown by and, looking at what I wrote in March, how things have changed over the month. We had a lively and positive Committee Meeting on 29 March and I would like to publicly thank all the members who have volunteered to be on the Committee. There are normally just five meetings a year, but with all that is going on at present, we have been meeting monthly and I think this will continue for 2 or 3 months more! I have three things to mention: It is with great sadness that I have to report that 2 senior members of the Club, Geoff Bell and Dave Briggs died last week. Geoff was a past President of considerable distinction and one of the nicest people you could possibly wish to meet. He had a prodigious talent for long, arduous walks and bike rides done quite quickly! His ‘On the hill with…’ gives further insight into his adventurous life. Dave was the Father of the Club and was a past Warden of Beudy Mawr. Our sympathies go to both families at this difficult time. Meets: Thanks to the efforts of[…]
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It is sad to report that Dave Briggs aged 89. He was Hut Warden at Beudy Mawr in 1958 and on the Club’s Committee 1962-3. Carole Smithie writes: David Briggs died on 29th March after a long illness. He was elected in 1953 and was the Father of the Club. The funeral will take place in Carlisle on Friday 9th April. Numbers are limited of course by CV19 rules, but at the request of the family, Rob Ferguson & Carole Smithies will attend to represent the Club.
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As noted in my previous Post about organised Meets recommencing, I am coordinating a walking Meet [of around 16mls] in the western Peak on Easter Saturday [3rd April 2021]. The full details are held in the Members Only Documents area of the Website, which can be accessed here. Please note you will need to be logged in to access this information. The Meet information is in Document 5 [One Day Meets – Walking & Climbing], but please also read the other 4 Documents] As it is likely to be very busy, I propose starting at 08.30 and limit the numbers attending to 12 on this occasion [first come first serve basis]. If you would like to join me, please contact me by email or mobile phone as in the full details. Andy Tomlinson
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Welcome to “On the hill with…” and thanks very much to our current Website Secretary, Tim Taylor, for agreeing to be interviewed…my last such “On the hill with…” as I hand over to Tim from now on…just got him in time! Tim at the top of Notch Arete, Tryfan (2018) before heading to Beudy for some Anniversary drinks! (Les Watt) How did you get into walking and climbing? Family walks and then school outdoor pursuits. We lived on the edge of the Peak District. My mother’s side had been in the area for a few generations and knew the local footpaths, which we walked. This was in the days before rights of way were marked on the OS maps, and existing footpaths were sketchy. We came across Peak and Northern signs further into the hills and followed these too. Then a school trip to the Lakes for a week, walking the hills around Ambleside with an overnight camp. All in for £5. I wanted to do more. This was around the time of the TV spectaculars, climbs like the Old Man of Hoy and Gogarth, along with main stream media coverage of expeditions like Annapurna South Face in 1970. So,[…]
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Welcome to the March Update. We had a lively ‘Zoom’ Committee meeting at the end of February and following on from this there are three things to highlight: Social Media: thanks to the hard work of four new committee members, we launched a new Club Instagram page and updated our public Facebook page on March 1st. We hope that by using these platforms to share photos and information about club activities it will make it easier for people to discover, and get involved with, the Club. You can help our social media presence by following either of these pages if you are already on Facebook or Instagram. Alternatively, you can find us on both at The Rucksack Club, or via the links on the Home Page of the website. Please tag/hashtag us in your posts on Instagram. If you have any photographs that you would be happy for us to share please email them over via Photos@rucksackclub.org and please include some information about the photos. Covid-19: On 22nd February the government published its plan on how it hopes England will exit lockdown and the restrictions that have limited activities over the past year. It outlines how life could get back to normal and the[…]
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