Author: Dominic Oughton

This year’s Gogarth Meet is taking place on 15 & 16 June ‘Phew, what a scorcher!’ was the headline from the 2023 Gogarth Meet, and of course we’ll be hoping for more of the same when we gather this year on Porth Dafarch beach. In any event, it’s the same old formula that has served us well for the last twenty years. Come equipped with a rack & rope; a bike; kayak or pair of binoculars; or just a tube of factor 50 and a bucket and spade – whatever you need to ‘Get Out There!’ and work up a thirst / appetite. Bring your friends and family – the more the merrier! In terms of logistics, plans will be familiar to anyone who’s been along for any of the last twenty years: Camping is pre‐booked at Valley of The Rocks Google Maps – you don’t need to book separately, but on arrival please let them know you are there. They’re offering a special rate for The Rucksack Club and are always very welcoming, so be sure to say Hi and thank you! The Saturday morning rendezvous is the South Stack Café (as usual) Google Maps They’re open at 10[…]

May often has the best of the spring weather, so the Rucksack Club has a burgeoning programme to take full advantage: Meanwhile, here are some shots of Rucksackers “Getting Out There!” from May 2023

The clocks change this weekend which means it’s the start of Wednesday Evening Outdoor Climbing! Wednesday Evening supremo, John Jefferies, has pulled together a great program for these much-loved mid-week meets, and they’re all in the Events Calendar on the website as well as featuring in The Journal / Handbook. To save you a few clicks or rummaging on the bookshelf, the whole thing is here too. You might notice a few TBDs so keep an eye on the WhatsApp group and Facebook for updates, and why not get in touch with John and baggsy a slot?! Meanwhile, back to this Wednesday, and I’m “coordinating” the season opener at Hobby a.k.a. Hobson Moor Quarry – it has to be confessed that my usual pact with the weather gods isn’t currently reflected in the forecast. However, there’s plenty of time for that to change, and in the unlikely event of a washout we’ll switch to Awesome Walls Stockport. Again keep an eye on WA & FB. Meanwhile, as a reminder of what we’ve been missing for the last six months, here’s a few pics from Hobby meets past. See you at Hobby or Stockport 🙂

April is often a great month in the hills, so the Rucksack Club has a succession of meets to take advantage of the opportunities: Our Easter Meet is at our own hut close to Glencoe, from where parties will no doubt venture onto Ben Nevis, the Glencoe hills and all manner of wild terrain such as across Loch Linnhe in Ardgour. The evenings will be warm social gatherings, with some home-grown entertainment in prospect! On Sunday 14th April we will meet for a day walk of 21km over the hills south of Whaley Bridge – to be concluded with post-walk refreshments  at a local pub. We have a climbing meet planned for 20th April, weather permitting. Our objective will be some of the Peak’s least-visited western gritstone edges north of Leek. Then we have a weekend booked at the enchanting Bryn Hafod hut in mid-Wales, just east of Cader Idris. In addition to the chance to enjoy that great hill, there is the opportunity to explore the less-visited Aran hills. Finally, and extending into May, we have a joint meet with the Climbers’ Club at our Scottish hut near Glencoe. This is a ‘return fixture’ to complement our previous joint[…]

The recording from Tuesday’s Zoom show is now available here and also in the Virtual Meets Gallery under the Get Out There tab on the menu bar (as with all the zoom shows). This featured Adventures by Rucksack Club members Bill, Rich, Andy, Jake & Dom inspired by this ‘climbing bible’ in the Picos, Pyrenees, Ecrins, Wadi Rum and Calanques. Big thanks to Bill, Rich, Andy and Jake for their stories and pics. That’s it for this season – we’ll be back in the Autumn. Any volunteers or suggestions welcome – drop me a message. Meanwhile, here are some pics to inspire you to view on catch up! Cheers, Dom

The tag line for Arnaud Petit’s Opus Parois de Légende (Legendary Cliffs) is ‘La bible de l’escalade en grande voie!’ 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 Andy Stewart on the iconic peak of Aiguille de Dibona and exploring Wadi Rum. Jake Oughton on perhaps the most sought after tick in the Dolomites, The Fish on the Marmolada … and an Oughton “Pere et Fils” trip to the Calanques This is the final show of the winter season, taking place only on Zoom. “Doors open” at 7.15pm and the show will start at 7.30pm – here’s the Meeting ID: 834 6933 1488 Passcode: The year of founding of The Rucksack Club See you there!

February’s indoor meet is a Zoom-only show featuring a Double Bill of fun and informative presentations. Dr Cath Flitcroft is The BMC lead on Conservation, Access and the Environment and she will be joining us to share examples on how we can all make our enjoyment of the outdoors more sustainable. From BOGS (or should I say Moorland Restoration and The BMC Climate Project) to Huts and Car Pools, Cath will no doubt inspire us all! Will Pitt and Tom Derrick are past and present MUMC Presidents respectively, as well as Rucksackers, and are already highly accomplished climbers. Join them for tales of Dollies and Follies as they make a first visit to The Dolomites – Mecca of Alpine Limestone Walls! This show is taking place only on Zoom. “Doors open” at 7.15pm and the show will start at 7.30pm – here’s the Meeting ID: 834 6933 1488 Passcode: The year of founding of The Rucksack Club

The 2024 Indoor Meets season kicks off in EXTREME style, with Mike Hartley sharing experiences From One Extreme to the Other Rucksack Club member 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. For more about Mike’s incredible achievements see this review of From One Extreme to the Other This Extreme Extravaganza will be taking place live and in person at Heaton Moor Sports Club – easily reached from the M60 from Manchester, Stockport and further afield. There’s plenty of free parking and a well-stocked bar. Address: Green Ln, Stockport SK4 2NF Google[…]