The Rucksack Club

Sept-Dec 2024 Gallery photos uploaded

Thanks to all members who submitted photos for the final 4 months of 2024. They can now be viewed by clicking on the link below. Once in the Gallery if you click on a photo, it enlarges and you can scroll through the rest in the larger format easily.  I am certain there are many more photos sitting on members phones and home computers…please have a search and send in so they can be added to the Gallery. Please email to: photos@rucksackclub.org and ensure you label with month taken, title of the photo and who took it! Finally, it would be great if members just send in photos as they are taken [including the information requested]. In that way, the Gallery can be kept bang up to date! The gallery can be found via the “Get Out There!” menu or by clicking this link: https://test.rucksackclub.org/gallery-overview/

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A dip into the Club’s Journals: 2015 and ‘A quick way down’ by Peter Benson

A new year brings us to Journals of year’s ending in ‘5’ and this month we are looking at the fairly contemporary Journal of ten years ago, 2015. As always, there is a wide selection of articles covering many of the Club’s activities. I have gone for one of the shorter articles entitled ‘A quick way down’, written by Peter Benson. Pete was an indefatigable raconteur who had, in the late 50s and early 60s been at the cutting edge of rock climbing during which time he made early ascents of notable routes including Cenotaph Corner, Vector and White Slab, as well as the first ascent of Grey Arete on Glyder Fawr. He was also a prolific contributor to the Club Journal [just look up Benson in the definitive Journal Index!], with his articles often including some falling out that occurred on the hill somewhere and always with a good dose of humour! So, enjoy ‘A quick way down’ by clicking here. The 2015 Journal also includes a review of ‘Rucksacks at Dawn’, a collection of Pete’s tales many of which have appeared in the Journal over many years. Pete died in 2018 and his Obituary appeared in that year’s[…]

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A dip into the Club Journals: 1924.

We look back at the 1924 Journal this month, which was heralded as the Club’s ‘Coming of Age Journal’. Choosing one article from it proves difficult, as it is packed full of articles written by legendary ‘greats’ of the Club including Eustace Thomas on an incredible 5 weeks of alpinism and peak bagging with the famous guide Joseph Knubel, Rooke Corbett on 10 days walking ‘In Unknown Lochaber’, an amusing article by Morley Wood entitled ‘Lesser Climbing’ and the article I have chosen by AS Pigott describing the first ‘amateur ascent’(ie guideless) of the Grepon from the Mer de Glace. At the start of the article are the following two sentences: “The Grepon has a fascinating history. Surely few climbers have read Mummery without registering a vow to climb its rocks, and the account of the first ascent of the Mer de Glace face (Alpine Journal, vol. xxvi., 1912) is an epic of Alpine endeavour so hauntingly disturbing as to excuse our attempt to recapture a little of the glory the pioneers must have felt.“  Appetite whetted,  read the full article here. In addition to those already mentioned there is a long article by EW Steeple on a First Visit[…]

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A dip into the Club Journals: 1943-44

This month we return to the 1943-44 Journal, which was visited last year when the 3’s were reviewed. It is a rather ‘thin’ Journal, but there was a World War raging. The Editor at the time felt the need to apologise ‘to those who are away from home for the fact that this Journal, slim though it is, has to do for two years.’ It is the extensive Editor’s Notes that I have chosen to highlight on this occasion, as they given a clear insight into the many difficulties faced producing the Journal. These included few meets, low numbers attending and, for those posted abroad, the ‘efficiency of the censorial pencils’. There is also a plea to write about simple trips, something the current Editor may approve of! In the Notes, the Editor then muses about accidents, as well as how beginners should be introduced to the hills. I hope you find it as insightful as I have. The article can be found by clicking here. There are also some excellent pen and ink sketches in its pages such as the one of Three Shire Head below.   To read the full 1943-44 Journal, please click this link.

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Wednesday climbing Meet 21 August: The Roaches

I am not able to coordinates this Meet as I’m in Scotland. Harry Martin has kindly agreed to take it on and he has posted the following message on the WhatsApp Climbers Group: Roaches meet – 21st August. I am now coordinating this meet. It is at the Roaches. Stunning climbing to suit all abilities. Weather looks promising ????????????. I am available all day so would love to get a full day’s climbing. Please message me if you would like to join for the full day. For folk still at work, come and join as soon as you can, we will climb until sundown if possible then head to THE ROCK pub circa 9pm. I will update on Tuesday for a final weather call and memory jog.” Weather forecast still looks good. If there are any updates on the WhatsApp Group site, I will update this Post. Andy Tomlinson PS Thumbnail photo shows Peter Harding repeating Valkyrie many years after his first ascent…just one of many great routes at the Roaches

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A dip into the Club Journals – 1964: A Journey in Peru by Alfred Gregory.

It was a real pleasure to open the 1964 Journal, although choosing one article was a challenge!  I hope the contents list below will help explain this dilemma: The article I finally chose was A Journey in Peru by Alfred Gregory. He was the photographer on the successful 1953 Everest expedition, reaching 8500m in support of the successful assault and took many of the best known pictures from that expedition including one of Hillary and Tenzing as they left for the summit. He was also a Rucksack Club member. He describes a journey through Peru in a bygone era wonderfully and I cannot recommend it highly enough. He has certainly made me think I should try and get to the Andes at least once! Click here to read the article. Below are two photographs that accompany the article. There is much else in the Journal to read, including the first article entitled ‘Forget Giant Groundsel’ by Vin Dillon, someone I never met, but I know someone who knew him well (Andy Llewellyn). He has kindly provided some background to the article: Vin Dillon was one of the Clubs greatest storytellers. Whether he was talking, singing or writing you never really[…]

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A dip in the Club Journals – 1984: Haute Route by John Richardson

In May [sorry one day late as it’s June 1st!], we go back to 1984 and this Journal covers the two years 1984/5. I have chosen the article written by  John Richardson describing the traverse of the classic Haute Route on skis by members of the Club, which is still a greatly sought after route. John writes in his usual humorous and understated way as the team complete the classic traverse in five days [six being the usual allotted time], despite it not all going to plan! Extra days at the end allow for other adventures on skis, including peak bagging. Click here to read the article in full. Below are a few photos from the Journal giving a flavour of the breadth of content:

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Joint RC/CC Meet 29 April – 7 May 2024 [updated]

6 RC members, 1 AM, 1 guest and 1 CC member enjoyed a week of amazingly good weather, especially given a less than encouraging forecast! We walked, climbed, ran, biked, marshalled pre-65 motorcycles ‘trialing’, rested and socialised! Those who decided not to come missed a great week! A few pictures below capture the week [with captions now added]: Devils Ridge Mamores. Photo Charlie Elliot Adam Gouldsworthy on Pandora Glen Nevis. Photo Andy Tomlinson Rest day visit to Ariundle woods Strontian via the Corran ferry. Photo John Rowlands Tim Taylor surveying Ardverikie Wall. Photo Andy Tomlinson Tim Taylor Ardverikie Wall. Photo Andy Tomlinson Afternoon light on hills beyond Loch-Treig, walk out from Ardverikie Wall. Photo Tim Taylor Adam Gouldsworthy Pitch 2 Secretaries Direct Glen Nevis. Photo Andy Tomlinson Andy Tomlinson and Collette Haig Meall-na-Teanga. Photo Andy Tomlinson Rest day bike ride Lismore ferry. Photo Tim Taylor Communal meal. Photo Andy Tomlinson Sunset over Ardgour from Craigallan. Photo Charlie Elliot

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A dip in the Club Journal: 2003 & 2004 with Mike Hartley and ‘My Modest Plan’

This month we return to 2004 and on that occasion the Journal spanned the two years 2003/4. Although an article from this publication appeared last year [RC Expedition to East Greenland], this Journal packed full of interesting and well penned articles spanning the breadth of interest found in our Club, from Big Wall and exploratory new route climbing, through mountaineering, walking, sailing, kayaking and ice kiting! I could have chosen any but had to pick one so it is Mike Hartley’s ‘My Modest Plan’ which is an account of a solo kayak day trip along Loch Quoich and walk up a Munro in Knoydart that didn’t go quite to plan. To view the full Journal click here. To whet your appetite, here are some photos from that Journal [I love the mobile phone the Editor is shown using…how they have changed in the last 20 years!]. Happy reading!  

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Joint Meet with the Climbers’ Club, Craigallan. Monday 29th April – Tuesday 7th May.

Joint Meet with CC at Craigallan Following a very successful Joint CC/RC Meet at the Count House in Cornwall last year, there was a general view that we should have another Joint Meet in 2024…the venue, Craigallan. Spring is a great time to visit Craigallan whether climbing, walking, cycling or getting out on the water. So come and join me for all or part of the time for a ‘do your own thing’ Meet, with a communal meal on either Friday or Saturday evening.  I will be there from Sunday April 28th, leaving Tuesday 7th May, hoping that the many stellar crags and big hills within easy reach are in good condition, which will allow for some ‘group’ activities if desired. Climbing on the Etive Slabs Beinn a Bheithir and Kingairloch from Sgurr na h-Ulaidh Contact me via email [andy.tomlinson@doctors.org.uk] to book your bed space…my plan is to share the accommodation available on a 50:50 basis between the clubs, at least in the first instance. Andy   Enjoying an evening BBQ in the front garden Evening light across Loch Linnhe to Ardgour from Craigallan

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