Author: Tim Taylor

We restart a new year of dips into the journal with extracts from years ending in a ‘4’.  So this month’s is from ten years ago, a very difficult choice with many excellent articles, mostly of folk putting themselves under duress. The article that sums it all up concisely is Brian Cunningham’s Beyond the Bonk, attempting to defy age, weather and Scottish terrain. You can find Brian’s article here, and the whole journal here in the club archives (under the Get Out There! tab). Here’s a clearer view of the map. PS You can find out what went on before and after in Brian’s On The Hill With here  

Welcome to November’s dip into the journals. And there’s much to consider in the 1923 journal.  This journal celebrated the coming of age the club, A E Burns (Hon. Sec.) provides an interesting summary, this shows, inter alia, that the club has always undertaken a range of diverse activities. There are articles about solo trips through Dartmoor, Scotland and the Alps, and similar group excursions, new routes at Stanage End and High Neb, and on Ben Eighe. But this month’s pick is again an article by Eustace Thomas.  At this stage in his early fifties, his Long Circuit of the Fells describes an attempt on the Lake District Fell Record, supported by club members, which he extended within the allowed 24 hours in covering 66 1/2 miles and 25,000 feet of ascent.  Typically he kept going and achieved 30,000 feet of ascent (a personal Everest?).  This was not bettered until 1932 when Bob Graham completed his eponymous round. Read his article here, and more from the 1923 journal here.

Les Aiguilles de Diable, photo B. Cosby Welcome to October’s dip into the journals, (apologies for the delay, it’s a busy autumn). And there’s much to consider in the 1933 journal.  Articles by members whose names are still well known: * John Rooke Corbett on a solo stravaig in the Applecross area in February; * H.M. Kelly writing about Corbett’s last munro, somewhat tongue in cheek; * a report by Maurice Linnell of the first ascent of Great Eastern on Scafell East Buttress, the first route on the buttress. But this month’s pick is Eustace Thomas’ article on his is completion of the Alpine 4000m peaks on the Aiguilles de Diable, with guides Alexander Taugwalder and Cachat. He then continues on to the Dolomites!  Read his article here, and more from the 1933 journal here.    

This month’s journal article, another decade back, is from 1943.  The 1943 and 1944 journals were combined, and there are few articles, there was a war on … C.D. Milner’s article revitalises the spirit despite advancing years.  An accomplished mountain photographer, he was also a member of the FRCC, Wayfarers and Alpine Club, worth reading his obituary in the RC 1991 journal here. It was a hardly a difficult choice this month, the other article may well appear next year when we visit 1944! Read the article here and in the 1943-44 Journal in the archive section of the website here, amongst other things the climbing notes have a write up of the first ascent of Manx Wall on Clogwyn Du in 1942, a climb worth seeking out.