Author: Dominic Oughton

Don’t forget the next Episode of the Lockdown Slideshows next Tuesday evening (16th) – We’ll be hearing about 25 Years of Ice Climbing from Phil Smith, Mark Jenneson and Richard Clegg. Tuesday 16 March (doors open at 7pm with the show starting at 7:30) Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/91271240405 Meeting ID: 912 7124 0405 Passcode: Year of founding of The Rucksack Club …and a reminder that if you’d like to catch up on previous episodes of the Virtual Lockdown Slidshows, they’re all available here: https://test.rucksackclub.org/virtual-meet-gallery/ – Truly binge-worthy Box Set viewing! Cheers, Dom

With the publication of ‘The Roadmap’ we’ve had a rethink about Gogarth 2021 and moved it back a couple of weeks to 3 & 4 July, by which time it is hoped that most restrictions will be lifted, including the cap on 30 people meeting. Obviously, this is very much dependent on a whole bunch of things (not least of which will be England’s ‘data not dates’ and Wales’ decision whether or not to allow entry for the invading hoards!) The good news is that the tides are perfect (that much at least we can predict with confidence!) Anyway, not withstanding all of the caveats, put it on your calendar: …and start dusting off your bucket & spade (or rope and rack if you insist!) If nothing else, it’s a glimmer of hope to look forward to as we persevere through the next few months. Fingers crossed we’ll see you all there, and meanwhile here are a couple of piccies from previous Gogarth Meets to remind us all of what we missed out on last year! Cheers, Dom & Helen

Don’t forget Episode 5 of Season 2 of the Lockdown Slideshows tomorrow (Tuesday) evening – Andy Llewellyn and Andy Tomlinson are taking us on a Himalayan adventure, with a tale of two trips to Dhaulagiri VII and the Rolwaling Himal. Tuesday 2 March (doors open at 7pm with the show starting at 7:30) Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/91271240405 Meeting ID: 912 7124 0405 Passcode: Year of founding of The Rucksack Club …and a reminder that if you’d like to catch up on previous episodes of the Virtual Lockdown Slidshows, they’re all available here: https://test.rucksackclub.org/virtual-meet-gallery/ – Truly binge-worthy Box Set viewing! Cheers, Dom

There’s a great ‘Tribute to The Anabasis Mountaineering Club’ that’s just been published on The BMC website. https://www.thebmc.co.uk/the-anabasis-tribute-to-mountaineering-club?fbclid=IwAR3weMNYDt_En-gTJiA1Zlw-cVXOCNwRo4BtOtNzoMnIUVMvZL5ng8Lv5yg It’s a really good read, and gives a great insight into the history of our new found friends – so many themes around shared adventures and the spirit of community on and off the hills which resonate with my experience of The Rucksack Club. Welcome! I’m looking forward to the chance to ‘Get Out There!’ as soon as we’re allowed. Cheers, Dom

Don’t forget Episode 4 of Season 2 of the Lockdown Slideshows – John Warburton is going to guide us down The Gouffre Berger. This famous French cave discovered in 1953 was long regarded as the deepest cave in the world at −1,122 metres. Tuesday 16 February (doors open at 7pm with the show starting at 7:30) Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/91271240405 Meeting ID: 912 7124 0405 Passcode: Year of founding of The Rucksack Club …and a reminder that if you’d like to catch up on previous episodes of the Virtual Lockdown Slidshows, they’re all available here: https://test.rucksackclub.org/virtual-meet-gallery/ – Truly binge-worthy Box Set viewing! Cheers, Dom

The Pinnacle Club is 100 years old this year. So, to celebrate its centenary, the Club is (tentatively) planning to run a week-long women’s trad climbing meet in Snowdonia, open to up to 100 women climbers who are experienced and competent at multi-pitch trad, at whatever grade: the Women’s Trad 100. The Women’s Trad 100 is running for the week of Saturday June 19 to Sunday June 27 2021 – Obviously you’ll all be at The Gogarth Meet for the first couple of days, but what better way to extend your North Wales experience than by joining the Trad 100 for the rest of the week? It will be based at the Snowdonia Parc campsite, Waunfawr, Snowdonia. The meet will have exclusive use of the entire campsite, which also has an on-site pub serving food and with its very own brewery. Climbers can join the meet for the whole week or any part of it. To get an idea of what it might be like, see the write-up of the women’s international climbing meet that the Pinnacle Club ran in 2016. The hope is that, by late June, restrictions will have lifted enough for the meet to be a proper[…]

We’ve raised over £3,000 to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to discover the life-enhancing world of climbing! A huge thank you to everyone who has generously supported this great cause. Here’s a nice thank you message from the folks at Urban Uprising. https://www.facebook.com/UrbnUprising/posts/3263458263759371 Great achievement by The Rucksack Club – It’s not too late to push for £4k though – https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/dominic-oughton Cheers, Dom

Don’t forget Episode 3 of Season 2 of the Lockdown Slideshows – Joe Fisher is going to lead us along a winter traverse of the Cuillin Ridge on Skye – widely recognised as ‘one of the finest mountaineering expeditions in the UK’ as well as amongst the most sought after. Tuesday 2 February (doors open at 7pm with the show starting at 7:30) Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/91271240405 Meeting ID: 912 7124 0405 Passcode: Year of founding of The Rucksack Club

Why are islands so compelling, these small lands, half actual worlds, half ghostly, half part of our life, half from another realm? John Keats wrote of Ailsa Craig, “Hearken, thou craggy ocean pyramid! Give answer from thy voice – the sea – fowl’s screams” From icy, tropical, desert, flat, high and volcanic we are talking about islands tonight. Bring some stories of your own. I hope you’ll join me, see you there. John Beatty Zoom details are the same for ALL of these Season 2 Lockdown Slideshows (if you managed to get into the last event – The Diamond & The Black then the same link will work this time!) https://zoom.us/j/91271240405 Meeting ID: 912 7124 0405 Password – The year of founding of The Rucksack Club  

Great to see so many Club members and like-minded people from the wider climbing community on Zoom last night for the launch of Season 2 of The Rucksack Club Lockdown Slideshows (perfect timing, eh!?) There were just over a hundred in the audience, but if you did miss it, you can still share our Colorado climbing roadtrip adventure on catch-up. Here’s the link: https://vimeo.com/497686442 If you enjoyed that, then bear in mind that Bill and I are just the warm-up act. The next show is The Real Deal as John Beatty (renowned wildlife and outdoor photographer) will take us on a voyage of Island Discovery. In John’s words: Why are islands so compelling, these small lands, half actual worlds, half ghostly, half part of our life, half from another realm? John Keats wrote of Ailsa Craig, “Hearken, thou craggy ocean pyramid! Give answer from thy voice – the sea – fowl’s screams” From icy, tropical, desert, flat, high and volcanic we are talking about islands tonight. Bring some stories of your own. I hope you’ll join me, see you there. John Beatty Same log in details etc as last night’s show – see the calendar entry or watch your email /[…]