Author: Bill Deakin

Don’t forget it’s The Torrs tomorrow (9th)! There’s something for everyone (well, maybe not slab climbers) – bouldering (I’ll buy you a pint if can complete the Low Girdle of the crag), steep crack climbing, steep face climbing, even sport climbing on the viaduct pillar (better than it sounds). Easy access, a pub 2 minutes walk away – what more do you want? OK, maybe a slab, but you can’t have everything! See you there.

A cancellation means that the hut is available this weekend. Let me know how many places you want to book!

This is how it’s looking at Beudy for the next couple of months. Ian Wilson’s annual Mines Meet is taking place this weekend (7-9 Feb). If your inclination is to stay above ground, Dan Calverley will be in residence next weekend (14-16 Feb) with another Club Meet – look out for news on the airwaves or contact Dan direct. Lancaster University Mountaineering Club have booked the whole hut for the following weekend (21-23 Feb). The month ends with Ellie Tristam and her family at Beudy (28 Feb- 3 Mar) but there is still plenty of room. Lots of availability in March – the only booking is a mid-week Veterans in Sefton group session (5-7). In April, our old friends Peak Climbing Club have booked the main dorm (11 spaces) for the weekend of 4-6. Margaret Hart and her guest will also be there. The following weekend (11-13) sees the return of OBEC for a whole hut booking (OBEC have been coming to Beudy for well over 50 years). At present, the hut is empty over the Easter break. Phil Deakin (no relation), another regular, has booked the whole hut for the weekend of 25-27. As ever, just let me know[…]

The annual working meet at Beudy, scheduled for the weekend of 31 May/1June, will now take place on the weekend of 14/15 June. This is due to a clash of dates.

Many of you will know that I’d like to see more people use Beudy – it’s a wonderful place but often lies empty ( sometimes for weeks on end). Midweek and family usage is minimal. It got me thinking of ways of improving that situation. So – to that end, you may have seen in Meetstaff that there is a proposal to install Wifi at the hut. I am putting together a paper for the Committee to consider at the next meeting on 17 February. So that the Committee can be fully informed, I would like to ask Members for their views so that I can incorporate them into the paper. If you have a view please let me know as soon as you can by emailing me direct (billdeakin@yahoo.com). It would be helpful if you could indicate whether you actually use Beudy, or would/would not use it if Wifi was put in. I know many Members will have strong opinions but I would like to try and get a feel from those who are currently active in the Welsh mountains. Hoping to hear from you.

Mr Gregory and myself would like to wish everyone all the best over the festive season. To those who have stayed at Beudy over the last twelve months, thank you – we hope you have enjoyed your stay. To those who haven’t stayed (either this year, or at all), you’re missing out on the best hut in North Wales, situated in the heart of Eryri. Just a reminder of what the hut has to offer – 17 bunks in two upstairs heated dorms, with an extra 3 sleeping spaces in the lounge, two woodburning stoves, comfy lounge, fully equipped kitchen, washroom, drying room, showers and toilets. Camping available on the lawn and ample space for campervans. Families are welcome. Within walking distance of the best climbing and hillwalking in the area (and not too far from Tremadog, Gogarth and the North Wales limestone crags), what more do you want? Ah – maybe the internet. We have made enquiries of the company that supplies wifi to the three Climbers Club huts (two in the Pass, the other in Ogwen). It is possible, and we will be starting the process in the New Year to obtain Committee approval. Just to remind you,[…]

For the first time in many years, there has been absolutely no interest in going to Beudy anytime in December. After a busy last few months at the hut, it’s as if people have decided to hibernate (or maybe, they’ve started getting ready for Christmas!). It’s made me wonder how long it is since some Members last visited Beudy and how many of our newer Members have ever been. It is a wonderful place to spend some time, whatever time of year. Woodburning fires (wood supplied), drying room (should you need it!), fully equipped kitchen (ok, there isn’t an air fryer yet!), cosy lounge and heaters in the bedrooms to take the chill off! Is it because there’s no reliable Wifi, which might make having to talk to other people, or getting stuck into one of the many inspirational books in the hut library, unavoidable options? Why not give it a try – in the past, there have been some very enjoyable get togethers at Christmas and New Year. Families are always welcome at Beudy. Oops – nearly forgot to mention it – there are no bookings in January either, until Gareth Llewellyn’s Meet on the weekend of the 18th/19th.[…]

Just an update on how calendar sales, aka donations to CAC, are going – we shifted 30 odd at the Dinner (thank you, everyone). There again, we’ve got 500 odd Members. I’m sure many Members will have picked one up from their local climbing wall and I’ve had a postal request for half a dozen more. Hmmm – that leaves HUNDREDS of you who haven’t got one. Come one, even if YOU don’t want one, buy one for someone as a Christmas present. Or just buy one to support a worthy cause. For the price of a couple of pints (OK, three pints if you drink at Wetherspoons), you get some stunning pictures and a reminder of all the Club meets next year! Details on how to get a calendar from me can be found here Full details of the calendar are available in this post.

Yes! Its now available! The Club Calendar for 2025 is here! All proceeds to Climbers Against Cancer. If you are unable to get to any of the various venues where the the calendar is on sale, I will be happy to post one (or more) to you. The calendar is £10 – with postage it becomes £12. Just transfer the money into the Beudy Mawr account and I’ll deal with getting the money over to CAC (account number 40599913, sort code 20 55 41, account name Rucksack Club). As well as stunning pictures, the calendar features all next year’s weekend meets (so there is no excuse!). Get out there!

There’s plenty of room at Beudy this coming weekend. OK – the weather forecast isn’t brilliant but the drying room is there for a reason! Get out there! Let me know if you want to go.