Category: Featured Meets

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

This month we return to 2004 and on that occasion the Journal spanned the two years 2003/4. Although an article from this publication appeared last year [RC Expedition to East Greenland], this Journal packed full of interesting and well penned articles spanning the breadth of interest found in our Club, from Big Wall and exploratory new route climbing, through mountaineering, walking, sailing, kayaking and ice kiting! I could have chosen any but had to pick one so it is Mike Hartley’s ‘My Modest Plan’ which is an account of a solo kayak day trip along Loch Quoich and walk up a Munro in Knoydart that didn’t go quite to plan. To view the full Journal click here. To whet your appetite, here are some photos from that Journal [I love the mobile phone the Editor is shown using…how they have changed in the last 20 years!]. Happy reading!  

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

Joint Meet with CC at Craigallan Following a very successful Joint CC/RC Meet at the Count House in Cornwall last year, there was a general view that we should have another Joint Meet in 2024…the venue, Craigallan. Spring is a great time to visit Craigallan whether climbing, walking, cycling or getting out on the water. So come and join me for all or part of the time for a ‘do your own thing’ Meet, with a communal meal on either Friday or Saturday evening.  I will be there from Sunday April 28th, leaving Tuesday 7th May, hoping that the many stellar crags and big hills within easy reach are in good condition, which will allow for some ‘group’ activities if desired. Climbing on the Etive Slabs Beinn a Bheithir and Kingairloch from Sgurr na h-Ulaidh Contact me via email [andy.tomlinson@doctors.org.uk] to book your bed space…my plan is to share the accommodation available on a 50:50 basis between the clubs, at least in the first instance. Andy   Enjoying an evening BBQ in the front garden Evening light across Loch Linnhe to Ardgour from Craigallan

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!