Category: Featured Meets

The Rucksack Club are aiming to take full advantage of summer in some great locations: We begin the month (31st July – 2 August) with a running/ walking/ bouldering meet based at our well-situated Welsh hut, Beudy Mawr. Then we’re off to northern Spain for our Picos de Europa meet (8-14 August), with wonderful opportunities for climbing, mountaineering, walking and cycling from our campsite. But there is a bonus – the prospect of seeing a total solar eclipse on 12th! We’re not neglecting England; on 16th August we have a walk over Chinley’s Three Peaks, including Chinley Churn, South Head and Eccles Pike. Finally (19-26 August) we are guests at the Climbers’ Club hut at Bosigran, The Count House, for fun on the Cornish sea cliffs or walks along the coastal path. Photo – on the Chinley Round, photo Lis Bloor.

Carole Smithies writes: Sad news.  Have just heard that Harry Moody died on the 1st of June and his funeral took place on the 7th July.  Harry, who joined the Club in 1963, was a very active member in his early days with the Club, as his 1964 meet attendance shows. “Harry Moody heads the list with the astonishing figure of 33 attendances, which I assume will only be a Club record for a year.  Next comes John Allen with 22, and third, Bill Rowntree with 20.”  RCJ 1965 p134.   

Tom Anderson writes: I would like to send a thank you to all members who made the trek to Carlisle (Brampton) for Anne’s funeral, or sent messages to me.  It was a great consolation to receive them and gave me great comfort at this sad time. Best wishes to all Tom Anderson photo Anne on Blencathra ================================================================= We’re very sorry to let you know that Anne, Tom Anderson’s wife of fifty years, passed away on 10th June.  Although Anne never formally joined the club, member many members knew her well. The funeral service took place on Tuesday 30th June 2026 at 10 a.m. at Brampton Methodist Church. The service was followed by the committal at Carlisle Crematorium at 11:40 a.m.

Here’s what the Rucksack Club has lined up for July: Our fabulous Duddon Valley Hut, High Moss (pictured), is the favoured venue for our July meets, but we range further too: We begin with a road cycling event, 3-5 July, based at High Moss. As the hut is nestled in the Lake District hills, expect a tough ascent or two! The next weekend (10-12 July) we have a family-orientated climbing meet, again based at High Moss. There will be lots of options for smaller family members. The weekend after, 17-19 July, we’re back to High Moss for a joint meet with the JMCS. Then we break the sequence (24-26 July) by convening at The Smithy, Thirlmere, which is a Gritstone Club hut. This hut provides ample opportunities for climbing, hillwalking or just taking a steamer… Finally, taking us into August (July 31-2 August) we have a meet at our Welsh hut, Beudy Mawr, with opportunities for walking, running, bouldering and climbing.

Hi all,           Rather later than I’d intended, here are a few words of encouragement for our June meets.   High summer may have been and gone for a while, but the Rucksack Club has a programme to get us all out whatever the weather: We begin (5-7 June) with a Family Meet at our well-loved and capacious Dunnerdale hut, High Moss. Then over the weekend of 19-21 June, the renown Gogarth Meet will take place. On past precedent it will draw climbers from far and wide to enjoy the seaside location, spectacular routes and famous barbecue.  We end the month with more climbing, this time based at our lovely Scottish hut, Craigallan. Photo: a scene from the previous Gogarth Meet.           Andrew Beckett          Meetstaff Editor

Please enjoy watching this short video of the extensive work now completed at Craigallan. Gareth Llewellyn gives you a tour of the new flooring and kitchen that will hopefully be enjoyed by members and friends for decades to come. A huge thank you to Gareth for project managing a very successful refurb Helen Pritchard President

Good afternoon,   Here are some teasers for our May meets:   Spring really takes off in May, so the Rucksack Club calendar is packed with activities to encourage us all to get out and enjoy the mountains: Taking advantage of the bank holiday weekend, we have a camping trip over the wild hills of the Ben Alder Forest, both north and south of the Bealach Dubh. We start from the remote railway station at Corrour on Saturday 2nd, then head north east to Beinn Eibhinn for our first ascent (of many…) The following weekend we’re off to our great hut in North Wales, Beudy Mawr, with climbing in mind.  Another weekend, another country – this time (15-17 May) we’re in England, the Duddon Valley to be precise, to enjoy the Lake District from our superb hut, High Moss. This is a joint meet with the Wayfarers.  Just a week later and we’re back to Scotland, this time taking advantage of Craigallan, our wonderful hut in Ballachulish, to give us a springboard for tackling the great ridges of Ben Nevis, not to mention trying out the new kitchen.  Finally in May, we’re back to High Moss to coincide with the[…]

Carole Smithies writes: Regret to say that John Russell, who joined the Club in 1959, died yesterday the 16th of April. His funeral will be held on Tuesday 5th May 2:30pm at Altrincham Crematorium; Rucksack Club members are invited. Please let Carole or John’s son Nicholas know if you will attend, contact details in the Handbook.

This year’s Gogarth Meet is taking place on 20 & 21 June – no doubt it’s already in your diary (…and of course it will be if you’ve got a copy the 2026 Rucksack Club Calendar 🙂 ) ‘Got away with it!’ was the headline from the 2025 edition, when despite a dodgy forecast 92 members, family, friends and guests came together for the traditional BBQ on Porth Dafarch beach – more in hope than expectation. The rain held off, a good time was had by all, and I didn’t end up with a van full of soggy sausages. We even got some climbing done! Fingers crossed for better weather this year, especially as we’ll be hosting some of the visitors from across the world who are attending the BMC’s International Meet – I’ve promised the best crag on the planet and the friendliest club! Beyond that it’s the same old formula that has served us well for the last twenty plus 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[…]