Andy Tomlinson – Page 9 – The Rucksack Club

On the hill with…Helen Oughton

25th November 2020 Andy Tomlinson Featured Meets, On the hill with

‘On the hill with…” returns with a look into the very full and active life of Helen Oughton. Helen will need no introduction to any Club member, as she has been a very active member for as long as I can remember…and I’ve been a member longer than she has! Helen in Quebec, Autumn 2019 How did you get into walking and climbing? My parents (Pete and Chris Cockshott) took me walking and climbing from babyhood (see the picture of me at the Roaches when I was just a few months old) and I toddled over rocks and mountains from about the age I could walk. I like to think we have perpetuated this cycle of abuse with our own children. Helen at the Roaches with mum Chris Cockshott (late ’63 or early ’64) Who has had the most influence on your mountain experiences? This has to be my Dad – not least because he is also the earliest influence on Dom’s mountain experiences too! We still strictly follow the rule (developed by Dad in conjunction with Peter Benson, I think) of “three routes before butties”. How did you come to join the RC? My parents were[…]

Classic RCJ article: The Scottish Four-thousands by Philip Brockbank and Frank Williamson [1955]

17th November 2020 Andy Tomlinson Classic Journal Articles, Featured Meets

Philip Brockbank joined the Club in 1931, after his student days in the infant MUMC. It was said that few could go as fast or as far as Philip, and he was renowned for his innovation and meticulous planning of long walks, particularly in his native Pennines, which included the Marsden-Edale (single and double), The Four Inns, Colne- Rowsley (once solo), Moffat-Peebles, and Tan Hill-Cat & Fiddle. In 1954 he masterminded the first continuous Scottish Four-thousands, which this Classic Article recounts. Many walks were repeated several times, and by 1965 he had been up Kinder 706 times! He was responsible for the 14 issues of the Journal from 1947-60, more than any of our other Editors, and wrote 19 articles for it over a period of nearly 50 years. Frank Williamson joined the Club in 1947 and, like many then, was a member of the YMCA. Apparently, he could often be found in the lounge there on a Friday evening, planning some preposterous walk, many of which were Sunday Peak District marathons made possible by the then rail network. It was as a long-distance walker that he is be best remembered including the first successful traverse of the Scottish 4000’s.[…]

On the hill with…John Beatty

30th October 2020 Andy Tomlinson Featured Meets, On the hill with

Welcome to another On the hill with…” This time it is John Beatty, our well known nature, travel and adventure photographer member. He is a former Club President [2007-08] who has been ‘getting out there’ for many years…read on and enjoy John in Antartica, 2014 How did you get into walking and climbing? From the age of 5 my dad took us (and two sisters) out walking twice a week throughout our years as children at home. Behind our house in Bramhall in those days, were fields. We had complete freedom to play away from home with friends out into the surrounding woods, valleys and fields. Every Sunday morning our favourite places were Lyme Park West Lodge entrance near Pott Shrigley….and the Hayfied side of Kinder, as far up as the bottom of William Clough. On one very special occasion when I was 7, we made a day trip to Ramshaw Rocks near Leek. Scrambling around those rocks that day made an enormous impression on me. I never knew their name for many years, they were known to us as “the rocks”. During the late 1950’s we went on holiday to Anglesey and frequently passed through Ogwen. One misty day we[…]

Day Meets and Hut openings update 23/10/20

23rd October 2020 Andy Tomlinson Archived

Day Meets and hut openings: BMC update On Wednesday 21st October the BMC posted a very helpful article on their website clarifying all the changes to regulations and guidance recently produced by governments (for England and Wales) that relates to club meets and to club huts. A pdf of this article is available here, along with another pdf providing guidance on returning to climbing indoors here. The BMC have said they will provide updates should guidance change. Following on from this, the situation with regard to Club Meets and Huts is as follows: Rucksack Club Meets The assumption is that everyone in the Club is keen to see a resumption of ‘formal’ day meets, once conditions make this possible safely and responsibly. We were moving towards this possibility earlier this month. Rapidly rising infection rates coupled with increasing numbers of areas moving to Tier 3 lockdown means such plans have been put on hold. Informal meets, adhering to the ‘Rule of 6’ will continue to be the best way for members to continue to walk and climb, obviously following Government guidance as outlined in the BMC documents. We have a appointed a Covid Officer (Joe Fisher) who, along with[…]

A Short History of the Rucksack Club 1902-1939; Philip Brockbank and Eric Byrom

21st October 2020 Andy Tomlinson Classic Journal Articles, Featured Meets

This Short History is a variation on the theme of Classic RCJ articles. It is an invaluable source of historical information on the Rucksack Club and its background is outlined in Roger Booth’s Introduction (Page iv). Brockbank first collected the historical texts in foolscap typescript and offered copies for nominal contributions. Members are fortunate that Mike Dent and Roger Booth obtained copies. Mike Dent then spent an immense amount of time and effort scanning and checking the typed text, sourcing and adding 69 historic photographs (because there were none in Brockbank’s original typescript) as well as an Appendix to describe each illustration in detail; finally, he wrote two pages of brief Biographical Notes about the two authors (Philip Brockbank and Eric Byrom), which are invaluable to the majority of current members who will know little about these two stalwarts of the Club. It was prepared for publication in 2011 (with a single print run of around 40 copies) by Mike Dent, Roger Booth and John Payne all of whom put in a significant amount of work for which we are very grateful. It will not be published again, however this pdf version allows all members to delve into its pages. We[…]

On the hill with…Lis Bloor

6th October 2020 Andy Tomlinson On the hill with

Welcome to another “On the hill with…” Lis Bloor, who says “there are no Everest ascents or big stuff…just a girl with a passion for the hills who loves adventure”. Perfect…read on Overlooking Buttermere, a favourite place How did you get into walking and the outdoors? From a family of couch potatoes I never realised the awe, grip and beauty that adventures in the great outdoors held. My first overnight trip was to The Children’s Inn in Rowarth camping with the Brownies. I was the first on the coach, the excitement building up inside me, my mini rucksack packed with a torch and midnight treats! I got involved in The Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme through school with regular hikes up Kinder, Bleaklow and hills in the Peak District, learning how to use a map and compass and gaining my Gold D of E. I joined MDOC and developed my micro navigation skills, often getting disorientated and having a love / hate relationship with contour features. My first teaching job was in Wythenshawe and I would regularly take a group of primary aged kids to orienteering events or up Kinder at the weekend. I remember someone asking me if[…]

Classic RCJ Article: Eustace Thomas, Manchester Mountaineer by Steve Dean [2002]

30th September 2020 Andy Tomlinson Classic Journal Articles, Featured Meets

Eustace Thomas was a member who had a significant impact on many aspects of mountaineering and the Rucksack Club, joining in 1909. He was an engineer, long-distance athlete (‘inventing’ the Derwent Watershed) and mountaineer (the first Briton to complete the Alpine 4000m peaks in 1932). In the 1930s he was actively involved in the formation of mountain rescue services, designing and manufacturing a stretcher for carrying the injured, aptly named ‘The Thomas Stretcher’, which was the forerunner of modern rescue stretchers. He was very active within the Club and was President in 1924/25; engineering and the Club were considered his two main loves. This classic article from 2002, Eustace Thomas: Manchester Mountaineer, gives an insight into the man himself as well as documenting his many notable achievements.

Dave Cowans: update

22nd September 2020 Andy Tomlinson Archived

It is very sad to report that Dave Cowans died unexpectedly on Tuesday 8th September. He had not been in good health for quite some time. His funeral is at Colwyn Bay Crematorium on Friday 25th September at 12.30. Because of continuing Covid19 restrictions, only family and a few invited close friends can be present in the crematorium building itself, however the service is to broadcast outside so that others may listen in the grounds, suitably distanced. This will be overseen by the funeral directors and, unfortunately, numbers may have to be limited such that some people could be turned away. Jean, Sarah and Tom are very keen to hold a post Covid celebration of Dave’s life based in Llanberis, hopefully next summer, and all will be welcome to attend this. Donations would be gratefully received for the Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team. Memorial Page: Dave’s family have created a memorial page on Remembr.com (link below). They would really appreciate it if friends could take time to share stories and memories of him. https://remembr.com/dave.cowans Live Webcast of Funeral: Because of the significant restriction in numbers allowed to attend (even with some being admitted to the Crematorium[…]

Outdoor meets and Covid-19: time to get back in business? Update 15th September 2020

15th September 2020 Andy Tomlinson Archived

Outdoor meets and Covid-19: time to get back in business? Update 15th September 2020 On 10th September the BMC issued updated guidance on helping Clubs to restart meets (https://www.thebmc.co.uk/covid19-restarting-club-meets). Provided the Club follows the steps detailed by the BMC, organised Club meets may take place with more than 6 people attending (to an absolute maximum of 30 people). Importantly, the BMC have also noted that if Club members wish to head out in an informal way, the ‘rule of 6’ people in a group applies. Your Committee is working hard considering the BMC guidance in detail. The current plan is to produce as simple guidance and documentation as is possible, which will allow us to recommence formal meets with more than 6 people going out together, provided they follow the guidance. The requirements for England, Wales and Scotland are also slightly different and must be accommodated. If you look at the BMC document it may seem daunting, but we hope that the guidance we develop will state clearly and simply the steps that need to be followed for formal day walking and climbing meets. Given all the above, please be sympathetic to the cause of guidance/documentation development[…]

On the hill with…Nick Wallis

1st September 2020 Andy Tomlinson On the hill with

Welcome to “On the hill with…” an occasional series of short interviews with members of the Rucksack Club. This week it’s the turn of Nick Wallis, who has a formidable climbing/running/mountaineering CV as you will see… …and Nick [far right] on the first of his big rounds, the Bob Graham Round in 2004 with Olly Stephenson (Carnethy), Jamie Thin (Carnethy) and Steve Aspey. …and Nick on Stringfellow, Ben Nevis [2005] with Charles “Stan” Halstead. One of many memorable winter days on the Ben. How did you get into walking and climbing? My parents took me hill walking and camping from quite a young age, one of my most vivid early memories is trying a greater Wasdale round with Dad and my elder brother Rob, I think I was only just aged 10 or so. My parents were also heavily involved in the running of the local Scout Group (1st Hurdsfield in Macclesfield) and so I went all the way through cubs, scouts and ventures (until we were chucked out of ventures for boozing, but that’s another story). So, I suspect like a lot of us, I have my parents to thank for introducing me to a life in the outdoors. Eiger dreaming[…]