Tim Taylor – Page 2 – The Rucksack Club

A Dip into the Club Journals 1905: Underground Work by JRC and EAB

1st January 2026 Tim Taylor Classic Journal Articles, Featured Meets

The final Dip of 2025 into the Club Journals is from the 1905 Report, the third annual publication by the Club. Members had been active at home and abroad, both above and below ground. This month’s pick is a report on speleological activity ‘Underground Work 1905’ by JRC and EAB, J Rooke Corbett taking a break from compiling his eponymous list and Ernest A Baker, doyen of early cavers. Click HERE to read the article and on this LINK to read the complete report in the Club archives. Finally, this choice being a day late allows New Years Greetings to all Club members! And as there was no Club publication in 1906, this feature will return in February.

January Meets

29th December 2025 Tim Taylor Featured Meets

The Rucksack Club in January Winter is upon us, with the prospect of snow and ice to get us off our Christmas couches and out onto the hills. The Rucksack Club offers a whole range of opportunities to do just that: We begin with our traditional Marsden-Edale meet, crossing the moors in around 22 miles – or double that for those starting from Edale the previous night (9th January) and visiting Marsden just long enough for a brief breakfast, before turning around and heading back to Edale with the main contingent! The following weekend (16-18 January) we convene at our well-loved hut in Eryri, Beudy Mawr, for a weekend of whatever the weather dictates. The next weekend (23-25 January) the focus changes to our cosy Scottish hut, Craigallan, with winter climbing in mind – so long as the weather cooperates! Finally, at the end of the month (30 January – 1 February) we have a caving meet based at Matlock, an annual fixture that has become justifiably popular. The attached photo is: ‘A group of last year’s M-E participants at Fairbrook Naze’ (Ian Helliwell). Andrew Beckett Meetstaff Editor

Derek Clutterbuck

11th December 2025 Tim Taylor Featured Meets

Carole Smithies writes: Regret to say we have just heard that Derek Clutterbuck died on the 29th November. Derek joined the Club in 1977. A Service of Celebration will be held at Rochdale Crematorium next Tuesday the 16th December 2025 at 11.50am. Family flowers please by request – donations if desired to Killin Mountain Rescue Team – a donation box will be available on the day I know it is short notice, but if anyone is able to attend, please let me know as soon as possible and I will endeavour to inform his family.

December Meets

1st December 2025 Tim Taylor Featured Meets

The Rucksack Club in December Rain beating down, gales blowing us off our feet – maybe, but December can also offer snow on the hills and occasional wonderful sunrises and sunsets across the mountainous landscapes. The Rucksack Club will be out and about to experience the best of these in a few varied meets: We begin with a repeat of what turned out to be a spectacular meet last year, exploring trig points, stone pillars and ancient bridges around Blackstone edge. It was spectacular because some of the party nearly took off in the ferocious wind (see photo), but stayed the course to complete a memorable day out. This year, in response to numerous requests, the meet will be re-run on 6th December. It’ll be 18 miles, so a good stretch of the legs on a short winter day. A week later (13th December) we have one of the Rucksack Club classic meets, the Hotpot Winter Walk and Christmas Quiz. The main event is a walk across Kinder Plateau, starting and ending at Hope. There we re-convene for the aforementioned Christmas Quiz and Hotpot Supper. This is a particularly popular and convivial meet that exemplifies the benefits of Club[…]

November Meets

2nd November 2025 Tim Taylor Featured Meets

The Rucksack Club in November: We begin the month with a hill running meet at our great hut in Eryri, one of an annual series giving Peak and Pennine runners an opportunity to adapt to more mountainous terrain. The photo shows runners resting on the Tryfan cannon on a previous such meet. Then we have our biggest gathering of the year for our Annual Dinner Meet, which this year is being held in Harrogate, But it’s not just about food and drink; we have climbing, cycling and walking events planned too. Best wishes Andrew Beckett Meetstaff Editor

A Dip into the Club Journals 1925: A Long ‘Day’ in the Highlands by W. E. Richards

31st October 2025 Tim Taylor Classic Journal Articles, Featured Meets

The 1925 journal shows the club active at home and abroad, and includes excellent photographs, see below. Not an easy choice, from a fast traverse of the Cuillins, Alpine adventures and Welsh and Lakeland rock, however for continuity with later years I’ve chosen an early ‘day’ out on the Scottish 4000s, with the President (Eustace Thomas) driving between the two groups (condsider the roads in those days …). Thirty years later Brockbank and Williamson completed the expedition unaided, and in 1980 Chris Dodd was the first to get round in under 24 hours. The challenge retains its popularity with a successful traverse in 2022 by past president Andy Llewellyn and current president Helen Pritchard. You can read the article here. And the whole journal in the archive pages of the website here. Photos from the journal follow below: Just a minute – is one of those chaps really a chap! Equality on Alderley Edge …

October Meets

30th September 2025 Tim Taylor Featured Meets

As autumn takes charge of our weather, the Rucksack Club has a programme of October meets to get us out onto the hills in like-minded company: We begin (4th October) with a moorland walk over the peaceful Howgill fells, including the spectacular Cautley Spout waterfall and the high point of the Howgills, The Calf, before returning to Sedbergh. Over the long weekend of 17-20th we have one of the jewels in the crown of our outdoor programme, the Island Meet. This year we’re off to Rum, with its fantastic Rum Cuillin ridge rising steeply above the sea. Then we have a meet (24-26th) at our well-appointed Duddon Valley hut, High Moss, that is aimed at encouraging Associate Members and recently-joined members to get to know one another and to experience the joy of a weekend hut meet. Finally (31-2 November) we have another in our series of hill running meets, this time based at Beudy Mawr, our Eryri (Snowdonia) hut. An objective of the meet is to help Peak and Pennine runners to step up to the rougher terrain of the mountains. The photos are the Tryfan cannon on a past running meet and the Rum Cuillin. Best wishes[…]

A dip into the Club Journals 1945:
My Highest by Dr. Jakub Z Bujak

31st August 2025 Tim Taylor Classic Journal Articles, Featured Meets

This month’s choice of article is taken from the 1945 journal, the end of World War II is imminent, however, the wartime feel is present, especially in the Proceedings of the Club. A concise journal with fine articles and illustrations, including: * PE Brockbank on the Marsden to Edale, almost a pub crawl in those days! * Frank Kiernan on a leave trip to Kashmir while on service in India; * a report on the newly formed BMC, ever controversial; * and a sobering In Memorian, of the eight tributes four were lost inaction, three were original members, the last joined in 1910; * and a lapsed tradition, on the Easter meet the President gifted a nine gallon cask of Tetley’s mild, followed by the gift of a firkin of ale on the President’s meet. My choice is a reflective account of the Polish ascent of Nanda Devi East in July 1939 by Jakub Bujak. This a personal and honest account of high altitude mountaineering. Here’s a link to the article. And a link to the Himalayan Journal expedition article reproduced in the Alpine Journal, more immediate and factual and with excellent photos, worth a look for those alone. Here’s[…]

The Clatterbridge Abseil – 14 September 2025

30th August 2025 Tim Taylor Member Posts

Info for members from the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity: The Clatterbridge Cancer Charity is organising an Abseil down the Clatterbridge Cancer Hospital Liverpool – 150 feet descent on 14 September 2025. It is to raise vital funds to support treatment, research and care of people affected by cancer. If any of your members are interested in joining this event, please contact the Event Co-ordinator – Chloe on 0151 556 5566 or email chloe.hicks5@nhs.net See also: https://clatterbridgecharity.org/events/the-clatterbridge-abseil/

Tom Anderson reflects: The Coomloughra Horseshoe

29th August 2025 Tim Taylor Member Posts, Members Tales

Tom Anderson remembers: The Coomloughra Horseshoe is a delight to walk! A circuit Ireland’s highest Mountain plus a great scramble en route! I started at the Hydro road at a new car park at the west end of the circuit. A concrete path climbs up to the lower Lake which gives a fine view of the full circuit of hills. My route took me left on a broad ridge leading to Skregmore & on to Beenkeragh via two other summits. All with no difficulties. On reaching this point you reach the really interesting part of the outing. This is the Beenkeragh Arete which no faces you! This cannot be taken lightly! The ridge is spectacular as well as loose & slippery with a lot of exposure so great care should be taken on the crossing. There are two walkers routes around the high point of the ridge so you have a choice. Continue along passing the top of a gully until you reach the col and an easy walk to the summit of Carrauntoohil. The view from the summit is very good of the ridge of the Reeks showing the remaining 3,000ers to good effect. The final part of the[…]