Category: On the hill with

Welcome to “On the hill with…” a series of short interviews with members of the Rucksack Club. This edition features our current hut warden of Craigallan, John Patrick.  How did you get into walking and climbing? Growing up in Sheffield allowed easy access to the Peak District and family walks were my first experiences amongst the hills.  Joining a local Scout group led to more adventurous exploits involving camping trips further afield to the Lake District.  The equipment available to the Scouts included not only camping gear but ropes.  This was available for loan with no questions asked and certainly no Health and Safety precautions.  Along with a group of school friends, I borrowed a rope and we invested the proceeds of Saturday jobs in other climbing gear.  We often caught the bus out of Sheffield as far west as possible then continued walking until we reached Stanage.  After A levels a group of four of us had a post exam celebration by spending a week climbing whilst living in the somewhat basic accommodation provided by Robin Hood’s Cave.  University time in Nottingham provided more opportunities with weekends in Lake District and Welsh Huts.  I became enthused about the chance[…]

Welcome to “On the hill with…” a series of short interviews with members of the Rucksack Club. This edition features Tom Anderson, honorary member and hut warden (retired) of High Moss. Skye, Tom on the Dubh Ridge in characteristic attire.  Photo Geoff Gosling How did you get into walking and climbing? This was one of the defining moments of my life!  I got married! This prompted me to retire from playing rugby union, as I was picking up injuries, mainly knees and left me without an outdoor hobby.  I had met Anne on a holiday in Hassness in Buttermere hillwalking, we decided to continue with this, and as we lived in Surrey, country walking as well, because mountains are a long way off for a climb from there. I also joined the Long Distance Walkers Association (LDWA) about this time, which also added an element of competition on the fitness front, to add to my gym work, more about this later.   I had started on my route to join the Rucksack Club. Anne looking down The Ogwen Valley towards Tryfan on one of our early walks on the hills. Uncredited photos from the Anderson Collection Who has had the most influence[…]

This OTHW is the story of Dave Atkinson, who joined the club last spring with his friends from the Anabasis MC, as you will see he has been active on the hills for many years.   Dave ran a Saturday walk/climb meet on the 18th of June around the Cheshire Set’s stomping grounds of Helsby and Frodsham – good walking and fine climbing to suit all tastes and abilities on the sandstone, have a look at the report in the latest Meetsaff. Dave assured me that he did not finish the evening with his guitar at the White Lion…. but contact him if you’re interested in free listens to/downloads of his mountain songs or in a copy of his book ‘Letters Home from the Hills’.  dave.atkinson27@gmail.com

Welcome again to this occasional series, this edition features one of our High Moss wardens, Boece Cardus.                   Boece in the Bregaglia – Above the Albigna (all photos – Cardus collection) How did you get into walking and climbing? My Dad took me up Snowdon when I was 11, and soon after I started going up Kinder with school friends.  In those days there was a train service to Hayfield, and we used to go there from Romiley where I lived.  I can remember how proud we felt when we reached Kinder “summit”, 2088 ft, a mound of peat barely higher than anywhere else. We would occasionally see people rock climbing, and I fancied having a go.  I was put in touch with Colin Firth, a member of the Black and Tans, who took me under his wing for a couple of years.  My first climb was at Yellowslacks above Old Glossop in November 1961, and then I was taken to the Lakes that Christmas. We stayed at the Solving House in Borrowdale; the group included Cliff Meredith, Tony Brooder and Vic Davies who all became Rucksackers. I could also catch a train to Hathersage and most weekends would meet[…]

Welcome again to this occasional series, this time we hear from Club President Andy Tomlinson. About to complete his first year in post, although it probably feels longer given what we’ve been through. Andy has climbed around the world and here tells us something of his climbing background, and as a bonus, gives us a guide to outdoor fashion over the last 60 years or so … On Great Calva, April 2021. Photo Andy Tomlinson collection How did you get into walking and climbing? My dad. He had been a very active climber during the Second World War where, when stationed in Tehran, he fell in with Griff Pugh (Physiologist on the 1953 Everest Expedition) who taught him to rock climb and look after himself in the mountains. The first trip I remember was Tryfan when I was eight…the sight of someone jumping from Adam to Eve was awe-inspiring! I was taken climbing a couple of years later and that was it, I was hooked. We had a one week mountain holiday in Wales or the Lakes most years, which was my annual treat as we lived in the Cotswolds…very frustrating for this teenager!  Immediately before university I spent two[…]

Welcome back to “On the hill with …”, this time the interviewee is Lyn Noble, a long time member of the club who besides being an all round outdoor person is also an accomplished watercolourist and mean banjo player!  Over to you Lyn … How did you get into walking and climbing? Back in the middle of the last century (!) a young Unitarian minister, Keith Treacher, who many will remember, planned an expedition to Arctic Norway. Through his contacts in Unitarian chapels he recruited a handful of  “likely lads” (V1 form and Uni) and started a training programme. Enter me. I’d never done anything other than the odd walk over Ilkley Moor with parents so real hills were an eye opener. It started with a trip to Windgather and I remember struggling to tie a bowline on the train to Sheffield. After that it was Reade’s Route on Crib Goch  and Angel Pavement on Craig Y Bera. Treacher climbs had to be on mountains. I was hooked. Lyn on Brimham Rocks – early days Who has had the most influence on your mountain experiences? Keith Treacher and Lyn – Norway – 1957 Undoubtedly, Keith. It wasn’t just climbing it[…]

Welcome to “On the hill with…” and thanks very much to our current Website Secretary, Tim Taylor, for agreeing to be interviewed…my last such “On the hill with…” as I hand over to Tim from now on…just got him in time! Tim at the top of Notch Arete, Tryfan (2018) before heading to Beudy for some Anniversary drinks! (Les Watt) How did you get into walking and climbing? Family walks and then school outdoor pursuits.  We lived on the edge of the Peak District. My mother’s side had been in the area for a few generations and knew the local footpaths, which we walked.  This was in the days before rights of way were marked on the OS maps, and existing footpaths were sketchy.  We came across Peak and Northern signs further into the hills and followed these too. Then a school trip to the Lakes for a week, walking the hills around Ambleside with an overnight camp.  All in for £5.  I wanted to do more. This was around the time of the TV spectaculars, climbs like the Old Man of Hoy and Gogarth, along with main stream media coverage of expeditions like Annapurna South Face in 1970.  So,[…]

‘On the hill with…” returns with a look into the very full and active life of Helen Oughton. Helen will need no introduction to any Club member, as she has been a very active member for as long as I can remember…and I’ve been a member longer than she has! Helen in Quebec, Autumn 2019   How did you get into walking and climbing? My parents (Pete and Chris Cockshott) took me walking and climbing from babyhood (see the picture of me at the Roaches when I was just a few months old) and I toddled over rocks and mountains from about the age I could walk.  I like to think we have perpetuated this cycle of abuse with our own children. Helen at the Roaches with mum Chris Cockshott (late ’63 or early ’64)   Who has had the most influence on your mountain experiences? This has to be my Dad – not least because he is also the earliest influence on Dom’s mountain experiences too!  We still strictly follow the rule (developed by Dad in conjunction with Peter Benson, I think) of “three routes before butties”.   How did you come to join the RC? My parents were[…]

Welcome to another On the hill with…” This time it is John Beatty, our well known nature, travel and adventure photographer member. He is a former Club President [2007-08] who has been ‘getting out there’ for many years…read on and enjoy  John in Antartica, 2014 How did you get into walking and climbing? From the age of 5 my dad took us (and two sisters) out walking twice a week throughout our years as children at home. Behind our house in Bramhall in those days, were fields. We had complete freedom to play away from home with friends out into the surrounding woods, valleys and fields. Every Sunday morning our favourite places were Lyme Park West Lodge entrance near Pott Shrigley….and the Hayfied side of Kinder, as far up as the bottom of William Clough. On one very special occasion when I was 7, we made a day trip to Ramshaw Rocks near Leek. Scrambling around those rocks that day made an enormous impression on me. I never knew their name for many years, they were known to us as “the rocks”. During the late 1950’s we went on holiday to Anglesey and frequently passed through Ogwen. One misty day we[…]