Category: Member Posts

Don’t forget it’s The Torrs tomorrow (9th)! There’s something for everyone (well, maybe not slab climbers) – bouldering (I’ll buy you a pint if can complete the Low Girdle of the crag), steep crack climbing, steep face climbing, even sport climbing on the viaduct pillar (better than it sounds). Easy access, a pub 2 minutes walk away – what more do you want? OK, maybe a slab, but you can’t have everything! See you there.

David Nightingale writes: Sat 12th April 2025 Yorkshire Dales day walk to Baugh Fell. IMPORTANT ROAD CLOSURE INFORMATION near Sedbergh. Just to add to the sheer awkwardness of this walk, there is now a road and bridge closure on the A684 between the M6 motorway Junction 37 and Sedbergh, which means those travelling to Sedbergh from the North or South on the M6 will have to take alternative routes. From the North: Exit Motorway at Junction 38 Tebay, take A685 towards Kirkby Stephen, turn right on A683 to Sedbergh From the South: Exit motorway at Junction 36, take A65 to Kirkby Lonsdale, turn left on A683 to Sedbergh You will need to allow extra time for your journey on both these diversions. MEET POINT and START TIME: 10.00am, ‘Tom Croft Hill’ large roadside car park beside the A684 Sedbergh to Garsdale and Hawes road, 2.5 miles outside Sedbergh.  GR: SD 694 912 (OS map OL19)  

David Nightingale writes: Baugh Fell, near Sedbergh. ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ Saturday 12th April 2025, 10.00am start. Yorkshire Dales walk Co-ordinator: David Nightingale Join me for an 11 mile (approx.) moorland walk exploring Baugh Fell (676m), at a relaxed pace.  This seldom visited hill lies in the Northwest corner of the Yorkshire Dales and sits in splendid isolation. We will meet near Sedbergh, which is easily accessible from Junction 37 of the M6 motorway. THE GOOD: Baugh Fell is 678metres / 2,237 feet high, so features on the Nuttall’s list of 442 English and Welsh hills above 2000 feet and on the Marilyn’s list.  If the weather is kind to us, we will be treated to great views of the Howgill Fells and the Dales peaks of Whernside and Ingleborough. THE BAD: The fell has virtually no paths. Our route is mostly across pathless, wet and boggy ground, covered in awkward tussock grass. THE UGLY: Wainwright described much of the walk and fell as “tedious”. Other commentators have described the fell as “for fanatics, sadistic DOE organisers or army training exercises only”. The exact route and total distance will depend on weather and ground conditions on the[…]

Neil Goldsmith writes: I have some climbing guides cluttering up our bookshelves which I am unlikely to use again. Some are reasonably recent. They are: Northern Limestone – Rockfax Dorset  Fax 50 Pembroke – Cicerone 2 volumes Lundy Avon and Cheddar Swanage and Portland Froggat to Black Rocks – BMC Stanage Burbage Millstone and Beyond – BMC Saffordshire Grit – BMC The Alpine 4000 Peaks by the classic routes – 2003 All free, just a contribution to Climbers for Cancer. Contact me if interested, details in the handbook.

The new Rucksack Club meets calendar is now published via the website.  This is driven from a public google calendar which can be edited by the coordinators of the various programmes of meets (outdoor, indoor, Wednesday Walks etc) ensuring that the details on the website are always up to date. This is a great technical improvement on the proprietary calendar we have been using for years (and is no longer supported).  The other great thing is that any member can, if they wish, “subscribe” to the google calendar and view the meets in their own personal calendars. This will work whatever app/software or webmail service that you use, and is applicable to laptops, mobiles, tablets etc.  This means that you can always have the latest details at your fingertips. Note: to “subscribe” in this context is a technical term, there are no costs involved and you are not committing to anything. It just refers to you receiving updates from the meets calendar automatically. A few more details about the website: On the home page (and many other pagesof the website) you will see a list of upcoming meets on the righthand menu and clicking on any of them will allow[…]

Hi All My son on 17. He is not yet a member. I am wondering if there is a younger group of members in their 20s that me might be able to meet. He is a gentle chap. Enjoys climbing can belay indoors. He likes wild camping and has done this alone up kinder a few times. He really could do with some mates to get out there with. Thank you Dave Coyne

Can anybody confirm the news that Bridi aka Kieth Bridges has died

Having failed to get across the water to Rum last year due to the arrival of Storm Ashley, I’ve decided to have another go this year. However on this occasion a slightly different plan. I have booked the very well-appointed Rum Bunkhouse for the 3 nights Friday 17th, Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th October at a cost of £34 per person per night. This is on the basis that we book the whole bunkhouse which accommodates 20. If the weather is favourable I may well look to extend the trip by a night or so and spend a night at  one of the two bothies on the Island at Dibidil or Guirdil. Rum is magnificently wild and rugged, and dominated by the mountains of the Rum Cuillin including two Corbetts. If you have been to Rum you get drawn back time and again, if you haven’t visited the island you really should.    The Ferry leaves Mallaig at 12.50 on Friday (arriving Rum 14.15) and returns on Monday leaving Rum at 16.05 (arriving Mallaig 18.50). However it is possible to travel to and from Rum on most days of the week if an extended trip is planned (ferries are of[…]

Winter climbers/walkers: joint meet with Karabiner MC at Craigallan 13th-16th March. At the moment there is good interest from the Rucksack Club and very high interest from Karabiner Club. At present there are 2 bunk spaces left, I will hold these open for Rucksack Club members until the end of this week, but if they aren’t taken by the weekend I’ll open them up to Karabiner Club members (they already have a waiting list!). Please contact me ASAP if you’re thinking of coming, please don’t assume that there will be bunks free if you turn up without getting in touch first. Cheers, Gareth (contact details in Handbook under Gareth R Williams)

For your convenience, here’s the 2025 outdoor weekend meets programme on a single page. Also available for download to print here. The eagle-eyed amongst you may spot that there are no UK outdoor weekend meets scheduled for a few weekends. Please contact outdoormeets@rucksackclub.org if you are interested in putting on a meet on any of these weekends (one day or the whole weekend). 31st May / 1st June 2nd / 3rd August 9th / 10th August 15th / 16th November 29th / 30th November