Category: Featured Meets

February’s indoor meet is a Zoom-only show featuring a Double Bill of fun and informative presentations. Dr Cath Flitcroft is The BMC lead on Conservation, Access and the Environment and she will be joining us to share examples on how we can all make our enjoyment of the outdoors more sustainable. From BOGS (or should I say Moorland Restoration and The BMC Climate Project) to Huts and Car Pools, Cath will no doubt inspire us all! Will Pitt and Tom Derrick are past and present MUMC Presidents respectively, as well as Rucksackers, and are already highly accomplished climbers. Join them for tales of Dollies and Follies as they make a first visit to The Dolomites – Mecca of Alpine Limestone Walls! This show is 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

Eight Rucksackers are booked, packed and sat at home patiently sharpening their tools ready for the Tatras mountains. The great news is we have two spare beds booked at Morskie Oko hut (About us | Morskie Oko Mountain Hut (schroniskomorskieoko.pl)).   So, if anybody missed out on the original meet notice there is a second chance to join us.   Most people are flying out from Manchester on Thursday Feb 22nd and back late on the Thursday Feb 29th but not all.   The meet really starts at 7:30am on the Friday the 23rd at Krakow bus depot, from which two busses and horse drawn sled will get us to Morskie Oko. If you interested, please let me know by Sunday 21 Jan, so that I cancel the extra beds in good time.    

The 2024 Indoor Meets season kicks off in EXTREME style, with Mike Hartley sharing experiences From One Extreme to the Other Rucksack Club member Mike Hartley is perhaps most well-known for his record-breaking achievements for many of the UK’s ultra-running challenges, but his impressive CV doesn’t stop there. He has also turned his hand to numerous of the Rucksack Club’s other core activities, including climbing in the UK to Yosemite, caving, sea kayaking, peak bagging and cycling. He has brought the same focus and drive to each of these pursuits and continued to ‘take things to extremes’, and has finally taken the plunge to record his extraordinary life in his book: From One Extreme to the Other. Join us to hear some of the tales, and Mike’s thinking on his approach to the mental and physical preparation necessary for success. For more about Mike’s incredible achievements see this review of From One Extreme to the Other This Extreme Extravaganza will be taking place live and in person at Heaton Moor Sports Club – easily reached from the M60 from Manchester, Stockport and further afield. There’s plenty of free parking and a well-stocked bar. Address: Green Ln, Stockport SK4 2NF Google[…]

If you didn’t manage to make it to the December Indoor Meet / Slideshow, you missed a real treat! Thrilling tales of climbing the Alpine Four Thousanders and some great pics and stories from other club members. Fear not! The catch-up video is now available here – or just click on the ‘Get out There!’ option on the main menu and scroll down to the ‘Virtual Meets Gallery’ where you’ll also find another 40 videos covering everything from Himalayan expeditions to Hard Grit; and Ultra Endurance feats to Sun Rocking. Take a browse! Meanwhile, keep an eye out for details of the next show: Tuesday 16th January (In person – Heaton Moor and on Zoom) – Mike Hartley – From One Extreme to the Other

An early Christmas present I’m pleased to announce the official launch of The Rucksack Club Digital Archives.  This new on-line resource contains a wealth of material to either browse or download, and will give you plenty of things to fill those long winter evenings. The archive contains material covering over 120 years of the Club’s history and is constantly growing. It currently includes: All 105 Journals from 1903 to the current edition – available to read as flip-books with clickable contents or to download. The last 30 editions of Meetstaff – again available to read as flip-books or download. Hut logbooks from the Club’s Welsh huts covering years 1926 – 2022 The digital archives of the Anabasis Club from its formation in 1961 to its incorporation into The Rucksack Club in 2021. “On The Hill with…” – 3 volumes containing over 30 interviews with notable Club Members. This development of this has been made possible via a generous bequest from the estate of the late Albert and Alice Dale. In addition to this fantastic on-line resource, the Dale bequest has also enabled the Club to develop a fully secure Digital Vault for the long-term preservation of its digital assets.  This[…]

The 121st Annual General Meeting of The Rucksack Club will take place on Monday 8th January 2024 at 7.30pm. Please come – it is your club and we would like to hear from you. The meeting will take place on-line via Zoom.  Information on how to join is given below. Papers for the meeting will be circulated to members electronically in early December. If any member wishes to propose an item for consideration at the meeting please inform the Secretary and/or President as soon as possible – for alteration to club rules such proposal should reach the Secretary at least 28 days before the meeting, i.e. by 11 December. We look forward to seeing you! Richard Clegg Secretary How to join the AGM: Here are details for joining the AGM Zoom meeting. Topic: Rucksack Club 121st Annual General Meeting Monday 8th January 2024 at 7.30pm Time: Jan 8, 2024 19:30 London Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89953862975?pwd=lfwYiDJpm7SG1h7af2ZNyqFhl4XrZE.1 Meeting ID: 899 5386 2975 Passcode: 630185

Hopefully December 12th is already in your diaries for this great pre-Christmas social, whether you’ll be joining us in person at the Heaton Moor Sports Club or on Zoom from the comfort of your sofa. The program will feature the much-anticipated (rescheduled from November) talk by Dave Palmer. He has been forging his way through the ultimate Alpine Ticklist – the Four Thousanders. and will be thrilling and entertaining us with his latest adventures and the occasional scrape, with the help of special guest star appearances. Some of the featured summits include The Aiguille Noire de Peuterey, Aiguille Vert, Dôme de Neige and The Barre des Écrins. The other half of the Double Bill is down to YOU! Following the success of last year’s 120th ‘Birthday Party’ we’ll be repeating the formula (but with Xmas mince pies this time!) with members bringing along a few photos that capture some ‘Get Out There!’ moments from the last 12 months or from “back in the day”. The event will take place in person and on zoom so there’s no excuse for EVERYONE not to share some pics and a few stories. Please send photos to dominic@oughton.uk.com, by the end of Sunday 10th,[…]

Carole Smithies writes: Sad to report Fred Taylor died on the 4th November.  Fred joined the Club in 1967.  His funeral will take place at St Asaph Crematorium on Friday 24th November.  Given this short notice, I‘m pleased to say that Eddie Birch will attend and represent the Club.