Category: Member Posts

Club member Phil Smith has sent the following, which I hope all members will take time to read and, hopefully, help organise some fund raising. Andy Hi all. We have recently launched ‘Everest for Elsie’ and are putting a call out for people to take part, including members of the Rucksack Club! The idea is to help raise funds for our ten year old daughter who has a rare terminal condition called CLN 3 batten’s disease.  The plan is that on the 27-29th May Bank holiday weekend people get sponsored to do as many meters of human powered ‘up’ as possible to help fund the build of an extension so Elsie’s long term care needs can be met. More details on this wider appeal are available here: https://gofund.me/02a719b0  By a twist of fate it is the 70th anniversary of the first ascent of Everest on Monday 29th May so we think this is also a nice way to commemorate that. Maybe we can get to 70 Everest’s with enough people joining in. We are getting incredible support from the outdoors community and have been given some spot prizes for participants from Outside and the mountain boot co, with Tom Ripley also[…]

For those of you who look at the hut the bookings calendar on the website, you will know exactly what is going on. For those of you who don’t/won’t/can’t look, here’s what is happening over the next couple of months. Apart from Steve Gregory, the hut looks like it’s empty over the Easter weekend, with a couple of people arriving on Easter Monday for a few days. From the 19th to the 23rd April, the hut is full (Veterans in Sefton and OBEC). Rae Pritchard’s Barmouth – Aber Meet is on the following weekend. In May, various parties have booked but there is always room for a few more apart from the17th to the 19th, when Veterans in Sefton are using the hut. In June, apart from the 75th birthday meet on the 2nd to the 4th, and the 21st to the 23rd (the Veterans again), the hut is empty at present. As ever, please let me or Steve Gregory know if you want to make a booking.

I have been investigating the possibility of organising a trip to the Polish Tatra Mountains next winter. The Polish lass, Anna who I climb with has been useful in providing info. EasyJet fly to Krakow from both Manchester and Edinburgh (for me). It is then 2 hours south to Zakopane by hire car. There are various mountain huts in the national park which can be used. Morskie Oko has been recommended to me. Morskie Oko Mountain Hut (schroniskomorskieoko.pl) Unfortunately, you cannot drive to these huts, so you have to park and hoof it. And it’s 15km … on a road though. There is a very comprehensive guide book which has an English introduction and details on approaches and descents. I’m sure we can all read Polish topos! CLIMBING GUIDE – WINTER TATRAS – Jakub Radziejowski – Międzynarodowy Przewodnik Wysokogórski IVBV (przewodnikwysokogorski.com.pl) One major downside seems to be the unpredictability of the weather, but hey we climb in Scotland, and the fact that the authorities close the park when there is high possibility of avalanches. Large rooms for up to 6 people can be booked at Morskie Oko but I have yet to enquire about availability. Early booking (i.e. a year[…]

Date: Saturday April 15th 2023 Meet up time: 12 noon (late start to allow the sun get round to shining on the crag) Meeting venue: At the top of Crescent Drive, Helsby WA6 9PU Directions: Leave the M56 at Junction 14 (Hapsford) and follow signs to Helsby. At the A56, turn left (east) and after just short of a mile look for a Thriftys Store on the left. Crescent Drive is opposite, a right turn. Head up the drive and there is roadside parking on the left and, if need be, around the corner past the bin first right, in Old Chester Road. Climbing: We’ll have some locals on hand to show you round. What is possible on the day depends on our old friend the weather, and it’s a bit early in the year to be best. But I know that one of the old classics (the enticingly named Carsten’s Abortion, E2 5b) has been done recently. That particular gem (?) may be out of bounds because of nesting peregrines but the best are not subject to avian interference (Twin Caves Crack, Flake Crack, Eliminate 1, Daniel, Wood’s, etc) and there’s good bouldering alternatives should conditions be poor on[…]

Not a lot has changed but we thought we would remind/update you about the following bookings:- 15 – 17 March Veterans in Sefton group session (all) 18 – 19 March Will Pitt (11), Paul Seymour (2) 10 – 14 April George Yates (1) 19 – 21 April Veterans in Sefton group session (all) 21 – 23 April OBEC (all) 28 April – 1 May Rae Pritchard Barmouth to Aber Meet. Richard Taylor (5) 6 – 10 May Luke Travis, Gritstone Club (1) 17 – 19 May Veterans in Sefton group session (all) 23 – 25 May Mike Hartley (6) 26 – 29 May Peak MC (11) You can check availability at any time by using the calendar on the website.

The Club has kindly agreed to me posting occasional information about meetings of Bury Photographic Society that may be of interest to Rucksack Club members. On Thursday 30th March we have a talk by James Rushforth. He will tell us how he made the transition from mountain guide to travel writer and photographer. His Wikipedia entry has a long list of the awards he has won including Landscape Photographer of the Year. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Rushforth His recently published two volume guide to photographing Iceland took several years in Iceland to complete and has won four awards for travel writing and photography. See https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=james+rushforth+iceland&crid=KYHS1YIUPWPP&sprefix=james+rushforth+iceland%2Caps%2C200&ref=nb_sb_noss for more details of these. His own web site is https://www.jamesrushforth.com/ James will have some books for sale at the end of the evening so remember to bring cash if you are interested. (He may also take credit cards, I’m not sure about that). We meet at 7.30pm ready for a 7.45pm start. Our address is Fishpool Liberal Club, Bury BL9 9HX The car park entrance is on Woodley Street near the Nelson Street end. We use the back door to the club directly from the car park. Prospective members of Bury Photographic Society are welcome to attend three[…]

In response to comments made in the recent Member’s survey about the information available about bookings (or the lack of it), the hut bookings calendars for Beudy Mawr and High Moss have had a bit of a technical ‘tweak’. You can now go to the calendars and hover or click on a date with any kind of booking and, as if by magic, a box will appear giving more information about that booking. If you want to make a booking, simply contact Bill Deakin or Steve Beswick as appropriate. The situation at Craigallan is different. John Patrick has kindly provided the following information so that Members may understand why. Craigallan Hut Booking Arrangements I have decided not to attempt to put Craigallan bookings on the website page primarily because I know that I would be unable to maintain the accuracy of the information. When the hut is busy, as it is this winter, there are frequent changes due to weather related decisions, alterations in group numbers and last minute enquiries. There are often multiple e-mail exchanges to sort out individual bookings over a few days so arrangements are continuously changing. In particular, I try to negotiate with those in charge[…]

Hi Everyone. As you may already be aware High Moss has been fitted with new windows. They look rather nice and they don’t leak or let draughts in. So hopefully the comfort level will be improved. We are fully operational again and awaiting bookings. The Website has been changed to allow members to easily access the Booking Calendar. You can now see at a glance what the booking situation is.

Due to cancellation, a place at Forest Way has become available. £82.50 for 4 nights from 7th April. Please spread the word to anyone not using the website or facebook.

I am running my WYE VALLEY meet again from JULY 7-9th.For those who don’t know the area the wye valley is one of the most tranquil and unspoiled places, i have been.The area has lots of different places and things to do,rock climbing at wintours leap a 300ft crag overlooking the river, also shornecliff crag down in the woods below the campsite.Ban y Gor for the hard core sports climbers are all within easy access from the camping.I have provisionally booked us in at BEECHES FARM CAMPSITE MISS GRACES LANE TIDENHAM CHEPSTOW NP16 7JR. £10 per night for adult camping ,elec hook up £ 5 per night .I will need to know well in advance how many people will be coming as i need to let the site know so they can allow us plenty of space.The site has showers toilets and wood for campfires which can be booked in advance as we can only burn their wood. I have stayed and climbed in the area many times and i think there is a new climbing guide out SPORT CLIMBING IN THE WYE VALLEY.The meet is just before our combined CC meet at the counthouse Bosigran so i will be[…]