Category: Featured Meets

Huts: Members will have received the latest update about the use of the Huts, which mainly clarifies the numbers of beds available for booking in each hut. We hope as many members and their guest as possible can get to use our Huts which are a fantastic resource. These latest ‘Regulations’ come into effect today and can be found under ‘Huts’ in the drop-down menu on the Website.   Meets: These are picking up and the Calendar on the Website details all our events; again, this can be accessed in the ‘Get out there’ drop-down Website menu.   Annual Dinner: I am pleased to say that bookings for the Annual Dinner are coming in thick and fast, with over 60 confirmed for the Dinner. Mick Fowler is our Guest speaker on Saturday night and two excellent speakers from within the Club have agreed to talk on Friday night. As soon as the programme is finalised, I will be sending it around to all members. It promises to be a great weekend outdoors and socially, so if you’ve not booked as yet get your form in to me as there is a limit on the numbers we can accommodate on Saturday[…]

Calling all High Campers, Old and New Carole Smithies writes: Yes, I’m delighted to say that after last year’s virtual ascent of Mont Blanc, it’s a real High Camp on a real mountain this year.  We’re off to my favourite Yorkshire “2”, — Buckden Pike in Wharefedale.  Last week’s recce on a fine summer day reminded me just what a great little mountain it is.  A couple of points to note, the National Park car park at Buckden charges £5 for 24 hours.  It gets a bit busy during the day but most people are either wandering by the Wharfe or going over to Cray and back.  And water?  There’s a peaty gully at the 2-mile point on the normal route, which did have a little stream, though given the next 2 week’s dry weather forecast, you might not want to risk it. But enough of the technicalities!  This is my 30th real High Camp, and El Presidente Andy T. hopes to join in the celebrations, following in the footsteps of 14 previous Presidential High Campers.  Talking last week, we both thought that after all the disruption of Club activities, this is a great opportunity to celebrate what the Club[…]

Rucksack Club Meets and Huts Update: 8th August 2021 With the easing of restrictions across England, Wales and Scotland continue, the Club is trying to get the Meets Programme and Hut use back to as near normal as possible.   Meets: The full Meets programme has recommenced and all details can be found on the website Meets Calendar [both weekday, particularly Wednesday walks and climbing, and weekend]. The July Meetstaff also included much information on these. If you are prepared to coordinate an additional Meet, please contact our Outdoor Meets Organiser [Andy Llewellyn] and help increase the number of members and guests ‘Getting out there”! The Meets information on the website is continually updated, so please keep checking for both updates and new/additional Meets. Finally, the Annual Dinner is booked for 13/14 November 2021 at the Cumbria Grand, with Mick Fowler as our guest speaker. Don’t forget to post me your Booking Form [which can then be printed off] and cheque too please!   Huts:  The Committee is keen to see the use of huts increase, whilst recognising the need to ensure their use is in accordance with the law, and that safety is correctly addressed. With this in mind, the[…]

As you will be aware, the English, Welsh and Scottish Governments have announced a further easing of Coronavirus restrictions over the last week. We are awaiting updated guidance from the BMC before finalising new guidance for the future use of individual Huts. Importantly “appropriate and reasonable” steps to manage the risk of infection will have to stay in place; this means continuing to follow the Coronavirus guidance we have in place for the use of the Huts at present.As a consequence, this will continue to affect the numbers of people we can allow into each hut at any one time and that the 48hr ‘down time’ between use by members will remain until such time as there is a change in BMC guidance.   Huts:The update on individual Hut use is as follows and takes account of the local restrictions: High Moss: Whilst the English Government has indicated that all restrictions are to be lifted from 19thJuly, statements such as “we cannot simply revert instantly from Monday July 19 to life as it was before Covid” [Prime Minister during his Downing Street Press Conference last week when confirming restrictions were to be lifted], implies we need to move with caution. We[…]

I held off Posting an update at the beginning of the month as the next Committee meeting was scheduled for Monday 14th June, fortuitously the same day that the English Government was announcing its recommendations for Step 4 of the Road Map out of lockdown. Until a week ago, I was hoping all restrictions would be lifted, but in the end the spread of the Delta variant has led to another month’s delay. As a consequence, there was less decision making needed and there are just two things to mention: Meets: Both the climbing and walking Wednesday meets have been well attended since they were reinstated [climbing at the end of March and walking mid-May].Club members enjoying the first Wednesday evening climbing meet at Hobby Moor [Photo Dom Oughton] The relaxation in numbers allowed to meet on May 17th [now up to 30] and the easing of pre-meeting registration, adding to their popularity. Visit the Calendar where all upcoming Meets are highlighted; for climbing the crag location is identified and more information can be obtained at: wednesday.climbs@rucksackclub.org. For the walks the start point and main route are detailed, however there is usually a shorter ‘B’ route for the day too;[…]

Hut “down time” between visits reduced to 48hrs More good news…I am pleased to say that we are reducing the quarantine period between groups using the huts from 72hrs to 48hrs from Monday 17th May, as outlined by the updated BMC guidance. The following is a summary from the BMC: “In line with current advice from the UK government and World Health Organisation, the BMC has amended its guidance on Covid-19 and reopening club huts. The original 72hr quarantine period between visits can be reduced to 48hrs once multiple indoor household occupancy is permitted, with the aspiration that all restrictions will be lifted during Summer 2021.” To see the full BMC update please click here. The consequence of this is that, potentially, our huts may be available on an increased number of days each week to members, although many bookings have already been made. Please contact the individual Hut Warden to obtain the latest information. Andy

If the lockdown easing continues as planned on Monday 17th May, we can restart Wednesday Walks on the 19th May without too much pandemic admin, as a minimum we need a record of attendees. From recent emails the view seems to be that we should use the program from last year running until the end of June.  This is available in the Wednesday Walking folder in the Members Area, so you’ll need to be logged in to access it, here.  Details of the walk of the 19th May are on the calendar, meet at the car park at Eyam at 10:00.  One thing to talk about on the walk is how to operate the group(s) now that Simon and Bev have stood down.  Many thanks to them for years of coordinating.

May has arrived and with it another update on Rucksack Club activities…along with an icy blast from the north! Despite this summer is getting closer with, hopefully, further easing of lockdown restrictions across the four nations.   Meets. Meets have run throughout April, though numbers attending have been relatively low…7 to 10 being the maximum to date. I am certain that this is partly due to the extra administrative work required, as well as a tendency towards caution amongst many when it comes to meeting up in bigger groups. I attended the Wednesday evening climbing Meet at Castle Naze last week…good weather, good climbing and good company along with a beer at the end of the day outside the Beehive made me realise how much I’d missed such Club activities. Hopefully on 17 May, restrictions will ease further such that outside activities of up to 30 people can occur without the need for prior registration, agreement to follow Covid guidelines etc, all of which should make a significant difference. Please see the Calendar on the Website for the latest information on Meets, all of which continue to be single day only.   Huts. All three huts opened to one household/bubble[…]

Reopening High Moss Steve Beswick writes: An easing of the Covid restrictions has been announced by the English Government which allows High Moss to be opened as detailed below. All bookings are subject to reading and accepting the Conditions of Use Document, accessed here. UPDATE – please note that the usual huts fees apply and ignore the temporary fee structure in the Conditions of Use Document (third paragraph). Members must not use the hut in any circumstances unless they have booked in with the warden. All bookings will be made by one member who will be responsible for keeping the contact details of all occupants. From 12th April High Moss can be used as a self contained accomodation. The booking will be restricted to a single household or bubble. There will need to be a seventy two hour “Fallow Period” between occupancies. In practical terms this means that High Moss can be occupied at weekends from Friday to Tuesday morning. From 17th May occupancy will be restricted to two households or bubbles. It is expected that the two households will be known to each other. The member making the booking will be responsible for keeping the contact details of all[…]