Category: Featured Meets

The Meetstaff Editor writes: April is often a fine weather month and the Rucksack Club has another varied programme of meets to take full advantage: One of our most enthusiastic new members is running a weekend meet at our superb Lake District hut, High Moss (4-6 April). A week later we will explore one of the less-trodden hills of the north-western Yorkshire Dales, opening views to the Howgill Fells as well as to Whernside and Ingleborough (12 April). Our Easter Meet will have a family theme, for which the large capacity of High Moss is ideal. We will of course have an Easter egg hunt! (17-21 April). Finally in April we will be reviving a Rucksack Club classic, the 35-mile Etherow Watershed walk that circumnavigates the catchment basin of the River Etherow (26 April).  The attached photo shows the setting of High Moss (behnd the trees) in Dunnerdale (Mark Baron). Best wishes          Andrew Beckett          Meetstaff Editor

If you missed out on the final episode in the 24/25 Indoor Meets Season you missed a treat – two expeditions to Mt Kenya, 30 years apart. Mark Jenneson and Rich Clegg are recently returned from their equatorial excursion, and recounted the unique challenges of climbing a mountain with one side in full summer whilst the other is shrouded in winter. Bill Deakin chipped in with his foray from 1995. Entertaining and informative as usual. Here’s the catch up video: Good to see a bunch of folks at Summit Up and another crowd on Zoom. We also raised almost £100 for Mountain Rescue England and Wales https://www.mountain.rescue.org.uk/ Thanks to Mark Jenneson, Richard Clegg and Bill Deakin  for a great talk, Andrew Barlass  for hosting, Gareth and Netty Llewellyn  for raffle duties and David Nightingale for managing the zoom room…. and a big thank you to everyone who rocked up to participate at any of the shows over the winter. Finally a huge thank you to Summit Up for hosting us and making us so welcome! That concludes the 24/25 Slideshow season – if you’ve got a story to tell for next year, get in touch with me or Andy B[…]

The Meetstaff Editor writes:   The Rucksack Club again has a busy programme this March: We have a running meet based at our capacious Dunnerdale hut, High Moss, which offers some of the best fell running opportunities in the UK (7-9 March). We welcome the Karabiner Club to our great Scottish hut, Craigallan, which is attractively-situated by Loch Linnhe, for some winter mountaineering (we hope) on Ben Nevis, Glencoe and the surrounding hills (13-16 March).  We visit the FRCC hut at Brackenclose for mountain exploits in Wasdale (21-23 March). We return to Craigallan late in the month for more winter mountain activities – or will it be summer by then (28-30 March)? Best wishes          Andrew Beckett          Meetstaff Editor Harry Martin starting up the final pitch of Raeburn’s (Rob McGinnes).

Carole Smithies writes: Sad to report that Vin Birtles died on the 22nd February, just 2 weeks after the death of his wife Sylvia.  Vin who was 90 last year, joined the Club relatively late in life in 1982.  But he more than made up for that in the years that followed, leading, and joining in, many meets.  He also served on the Committee from 1985 to 1987. It was Vin’s wish that he should have a direct, that is, an unattended cremation. However, there will be a service in his memory at St. Aidan’s Church, Manchester Road, Sudden, Rochdale OL113EL at 11am on Friday 7th March, followed by a gathering at the Success to the Plough, Bolton Road Rochdale OL113LW.  Please, let me know if you intend to go, so we can let the family know.  Contact details as in the handbook.

The final episode in the 24/25 Indoor Meets Season is at 7.30pm on Tuesday 11 March, when we travel to Africa for an ascent of Mt Kenya. Mark Jenneson and Rich Clegg are recently returned from their equatorial excursion, and will recount the unique challenges of climbing a mountain with one side in full summer whilst the other is shrouded in winter. Once again entry is completely FREE and open to EVERYONE! Tell your friends and bring them along. Each Slideshow this season features a raffle, with all proceeds going to a climbing related charity. The February event will support Mountain Rescue England and Wales https://www.mountain.rescue.org.uk/ The show will commence at 7.30pm, so how about coming along early to grab a few routes (did you know Rucksack Club members get concessionary rates?) or to enjoy a chat over a brew, pizza or ice-cream in the cheerful cafe? Breaking News – I know that a number of Rucksack Club regulars (mentioning no names) enjoy a little tipple as an accompaniment to a Slideshow. They will be pleased to hear that they are welcome to bring BYO refreshments to the show, with the obvious proviso that there is NO CLIMBING AFTER DRINKING[…]

Huge thanks again to Mark, Joe and Andy for a brilliant Slideshow on Tuesday evening. The room at Summit Up was full to bursting, and we squeezed in another 20 or so with the magic of Zoom. If you missed out, you can now watch the show on catch up: As well as brightening up a February evening, the event also raised £115 for Urban Uprising (thanks to Netty and Gareth on raffle duty!) You can read about the great work that they do (and chip in with a donation if you are inspired!) here: https://www.urbanuprising.org/ Next up, for the season finale, we’ve got Mark Jenneson and Richard Clegg relating the tales of their recent mission to Mt Kenya. Tuesday 11 March: A Grand Traverse of Mount Kenya – Mark Jenneson and Rich Clegg. (at Summit Up, Oldham and on Zoom).

The Meetstaff Editor writes: February can be a great month for winter mountaineering in Scotland, so we start and end the month with weekend meets at our fabulous Scottish hut, Craigallan (pictured). In between we make good use of our great hut in Eryri (Snowdonia), Beudy Mawr, for our mine exploration meet and a running meet, both weekend meets also.   But for a little climbing, cycling or running in the sun – we hope – we have a week-long meet in Costa Blanca towards the end of the month! Best wishes          Andrew Beckett          Meetstaff Editor

Next up in the Indoor Meets Season at 7.30pm on Tuesday 11 February, we’ve got a brilliant Double Bill: Britain’s Finest Seacliffs? – Mark Hounslea will take us on a journey to explore Pabbay and Mingullay in the Outer Hebrides. Half Day Men – Andy Barlass and Joe Fisher will share tales from their Climbing and Trekking in the Khumbu Himalayas including an ascent of Lobouche East at 6,119m Something for everyone, and once again entry is completely FREE and open to EVERYONE! Tell your friends and bring them along. Each Slideshow this season features a raffle, with all proceeds going to a climbing related charity. The February event will support Urban Uprising https://www.urbanuprising.org/ who’s mission is Elevating and inspiring young people through climbing The show will commence at 7.30pm, so how about coming along early to grab a few routes (did you know Rucksack Club members get concessionary rates?) or to enjoy a chat over a brew, pizza or ice-cream in the cheerful cafe? Breaking News – I know that a number of Rucksack Club regulars (mentioning no names) enjoy a little tipple as an accompaniment to a Slideshow. They will be pleased to hear that they are welcome[…]