The Rucksack Club

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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A dip into the Club Journals – 1913 – ‘A Tramper’s Easter Soliloquy’ by HS Porter

The final Dip into the Club Journals for 2023 [in the nick of time!] takes us back to 1913 and what a Journal this was. It was, of course, the last to be published before the start of World War I and it is full of classic writing making it difficult to choose just one! Initially, the article on the first Club Hut [in Cwm Eigiau] appealed, but this was highlighted in the earlier “Classic Article” series (available here)…no need to repeat given the quality to be found in the Journal . I have gone for ‘A Tramper’s Easter Soliloquy’, a relatively short but pithily humorous essay in which HS Porter laments the fact that a peaceful and well-earned rest after a good tramp and scramble can be transformed into a hideous nightmare by the “Ultra Cragsmen” who are as ‘fresh as paint and no wonder…it’s motors for them, to the foot of the crags’! This may have been uncomfortably close to his true feelings as in A Short History of The Rucksack Club 1902-1939 [Page 16] there is reference to an altercation in a 1911 Committee Meeting where an angry Laycock [he of Central Climb on Hen Cloud, also[…]

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A Dip into the Club Journals – 1953 – Ted Courtenay: The Tan Hill Walk

The 1953 Journal is a celebration of the Club’s 50th Anniversary. At the time, photographs were few and far between, so all the articles are mainly prose. There is an amazing selection to choose from as shown here:I was torn between Neil Mather’s Peteret Ridge and Ted Courtenay’s Tan Hill Walk; indeed these two authors are Club legends. Ultimately, The Tan Hill Walk [click here] stood out as a celebration of an activity central to the Club over many years…long arduous walks. It records the first Tan-Cat walk, which Courtenay proposed to friends in the Club as “a hundred-mile hill walk, to take place sometime during the Jubilee year”. Neil Mather was one of the participants although he pulled out after completing over 100 miles because of severe knee pain…undeterred he returned the next year to complete it, as recorded by Brockbank, his partner, in the 1954 Journal [click here]. Finally, the whole of the 1953 Journal can be accessed here…happy reading!

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Joint RC/CC Cornwall Meet report

Joint Rucksack Club Meet with the Climbers Club at The Count House, Cornwall. July 10-16. The forecast for the week didn’t look great as we headed to Cornwall, but has this ever deterred us?! John and I arrived at the Count House to find quite a few CC members already there…the majority of the RC members arrived on Monday, with two hardy individuals arriving in pouring rain on Wednesday afternoon having cycled over a couple of days from Exeter, even managing to nab a route on Haytor [Dartmoor] and another on The Lizard on the way! Over the week, 11 CC members and 16 RC members and guests enjoyed a couple of wonderful sunny days, two more mixed days when it dried up late morning allowing good climbing conditions over the remainder of the days and two very wet and windy days…one being Friday when many decided to head home early. A highlight of the week was a communal pasty supper night, with a local supplier providing an excellent selection of meat and veggie pasties of varying sizes! Thanks to the CC for helping to sponsor this evening. A pesky little virus also visited, but the vast majority of people[…]

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A Dip into the Club Journals – 1973 – Eddie Birch; Fitzroy

The 1973 Journal is full of great articles making the choice of just one difficult. There were several based on Munroing, an article on the Alpine 4000ers and the one chosen, authored by Eddie Birch, on the fourth ascent of Fitzroy in Patagonia via a new route up the SE Ridge by the British Argentinian Expedition in 1972 of which Eddie was a member. It paints a picture of a different era of expedition travel and life with two of the members taking vast quantities of gear and food in a VW out by boat to be joined by the others in the team in Argentina. It was a highly successful trip and, as Eddie noted, they were very fortunate as all members maintain a harmonious and cordial working friendship throughout. The photo shows Fitzroy on the right with the Mount Poincenot on the right which, together, form a central part in the Patagonia clothing logo! The map below shows the route taken; the SE Ridge can be clearly seen in the photograph above. Enjoy the article, which can be accessed by clicking here  

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January to April 2023: photos of various Club activities

Thanks to all who sent me Photos of individual and Meet activities during the first 4 months of this year. They are now collated and up on the website for all to peruse…click here for the link! Alternatively go to “Get out there” and scroll down to “Gallery”. A special thanks, once again, to Ian Helliwell who has ensured that the Gallery functions seamlessly. I am now collecting photos for the next 4 months, May through to the end of August, so please send me any you have! Andy  

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Wednesday evening climbing…back “Out there!”

The midweek climbing Meets have started! Below are brief reports on the first two Meets, along with some photos. Carry on to the bottom and see where the Meets are throughout May. On 19th April, fifteen members enjoyed a magical evening at Windgather, with stunning views and a very warm crag…until you popped your head over the top when the strongly easterly cooled things down!    On 26th April, the first of this season’s TBD (To Be Decided!) evening Meets headed to Hobson Moor Quarry (aka Hobby), a regular favourite that was washed out at the end of March. No such problems this time with glorious sunshine and a dry crag. More than a dozen members enjoyed the climbing, the craic and even a bit of cleaning to restore a couple of back wall obscurities to pristine condition: Apres Midi and Crock’s Climb. Wednesday evening climbing plans through May are: 3 May: Wilton 1 10 May: Bamford 17 May: TBD (join the WhatsApp Group to have your say!) 24 May: Hidden Quarry, Stoney 31 May: Stanage Popular

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