Category: 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[…]

  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   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[…]

Huts: Partial re-opening of Beudy Mawr: After lengthy discussions, the Beudy Mawr Hut Wardens proposed a partial re-opening of their Hut to allow a limited number of members at any one time [taking account of social distancing requirements] to camp or use a campervan in the grounds, whilst allowing access to the toilet and shower block only [the rest of the Hut will remain locked and out of bounds]. The Committee held a Zoom meeting on Monday evening [24th] and, after due consideration, agreed to support this proposal, starting immediately. Importantly, members must pre-book. For full information, including how to book, please log-in as a member and visit the Huts menu of the website. High Moss: Extensive renovation work is being undertaken which means this will remain closed. Craigallan: The position here will be under review, but it remains closed at present.   Outdoor Meets: We are aware that many members are arranging small informal meets whilst the formal programme is on hold. We are waiting for the BMC to announce that following discussions with the English Government, an increased number of participants can attend outdoor meets…we are led to believe the number could be as high as 30. We[…]

Alison and Jonathon Birch have expressed a wish to join the Club. Both have adequate records with regard to their outdoor experience. Both have attended a number of meets over the years. With the current situation (suspension of meets) likely to continue they would be grateful for offers of sponsorship from those members who have met them on passed Meets and who may wish to act as proposers or seconders.

Morley Wood joined the Club in 1909. He was an active climber who climbed many new routes, often with Fred Pigott including the first route on ‘Cloggy’s’ East Buttress [Pigott’s Route]…Morley Wood was affectionately known as Pigott’s F.H [Faithful Hound] and together they were known as The Inseparables.  Gritstone Rocks 1921, from the 1922 RCJ details ascents of new routes at the Roches [note their spelling] and Bosley Cloud…The Inseparables had quite a year with six new routes at the Roaches, Pigott climbing Bachelor’s Buttress and Black and Tans, whilst Morley Wood climbed Pedestal Route Left and Right Hand, Right Route and Crack and Corner…in the current Rockfax Western Grit Guide, two of these routes are in the ‘Top 50’ list, with the others either 2 or 3 star routes…not a bad haul! Enjoy the article right from the opening sentence which reads: “Gritstone climbing, as most English climbing, has become so specialised that it is in danger of losing its value as a training for mountaineering”! Click here for the article.  

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A number of the Club’s officers have been working through the problems of accommodating to the circumstances in which we now operate, what adjustments there need to be to recognise those and how we might begin to have a programme of activities.  That the ground shifts constantly is well illustrated by the announcement last Thursday of added restrictions in Greater Manchester and parts of Yorkshire. An adjustment unaffected by that is a change in Club admission requirements. Given the suspension of all Meets, the Committee has agreed that the three Meets rule should be waived for the foreseeable future. As a result, potential new members need to find two current members who will propose and second a Membership application. More information and the application form can be found at https://test.rucksackclub.org/who-we-are/join-us/. With that adjustment a number of new members have been recruited since lockdown occurred…we look forward to further appropriate applications coming in. The Club’s Hut Wardens, Andy Llewellyn, Andy Tomlinson and John Farrow met – virtually – Monday evening to look at the issue of day Meets and reopening the Huts for albeit limited use. After considerable discussion, they concluded that the current policy of suspending the meets programme and[…]