Welcome to the Lancashire Mountaineering Club Website

The LMC was founded originally as the Lancashire Teachers Mountaineering Club in 1966, since when the ranks have been swelled with new members from all walks of life, so it changed its name in 1986. Current membership stands at almost 200, predominantly from the Lancashire area, but with a number from further afield.

The LMC is a great way to get out into the mountains with fellow walkers and climbers! Rock climbing, walking, mountaineering, skiing, mountain-biking and ice-climbing are activities enjoyed by members throughout Britain, Europe and the World.

There is a meets programme throughout the year, comprising week-day evening, Sunday and weekend camping or hut or bivvy meets. There are often more adventurous meets during the summer months, in the Alps or greater ranges.

The club also have two huts, a caravan in Scotland at Tyndrum and one in The Lake District at Blea Tarn - also known as The Loft. We have some land in North Wales near Bedgellert and plan to build a hut here too. All members get BMC membership, low price to use the clubs huts and discount at selected outdoor shops.

New and prospective members are always welcome. We are a friendly club with a large number of meets, social events and active members. The Club caters for young and old, expert and novice and we boast a broad range of interests and experience. If you would like to come along on one of our meets just contact our New Member Contacts, Will Wheale on 07765 400985, or e-mail us at membershiplancsmc.org. We look forward to meeting you in the near future!!

LMC News

Tyndrum Meet - 22nd January

Unfortunately due to lack of numbers I am having to postpone my Tyndrum Meet over the weekend. But as the weather isn't to brill it might not be a bad thing.

As long as the roads stay clear next week I plan to go set off to Tyndrum at around 6pm from Chorley on Friday 22nd for those interested in sharing a lift. Hopefully more people will be able to attend the meet.

I will send more details out next week but any questions please give me a ring on Will Wheale - 01772 497888 or 07765 400985.

200 Club - January Draw

Due to the Alpine conditions we experienced and the road closures in Belmont the 200 club draw did not take place at the Black Dog on the first Tuesday of January.

Therefore two draws will take place next month at the Black Dog so that we can catch up!

John Toon - Treasurer

Tues 2nd February - Members Photo Night - The Black Dog - Belmont

This is a reminder that the Members Photo Night will be taking place at The Black Dog on 2nd February starting at 8pm.

If you have any pictures then please bring them along to share with the rest of the club. We are hoping there will be a big turn out.

Sad death of Arthur Hassall, LMC President

I was saddened to learn on the 19th November of the recent death of Arthur Hassall, LMC President. Arthur was a founder member of the LMC in 1967, when it was known as the Lancashire Teachers Mountaineering Club.

The LMC owes a great debt to Arthur and other founding members of the club. Their efforts helped to establish a flourishing and active mountaineering club which now embraces all aspects of the sport, with huts in the Lakes, North Wales and Scotland.

Arthur was an active member and supporter of the club, attending the club’s AGMs and Annual Dinners including last year’s bash at the Shap Wells hotel. He was also, until several months ago, a regular participant in the Wednesday walking group, enjoying the hills in convivial mid week fashion.

I know that Arthur will be missed by many of our members and our thoughts are with his family.

An obituary will appear later in the club’s newsletter and on the website.

Andy Bond - LMC Chairman

Ice Climbing 2010

This winter season, we are going to the Swiss/Italian border, based on the Simplon Pass which runs between Brig in the Rhone valley in Switzerland and the Lakes and Milan in northern Italy.

There are routes of all grades and most of it is very accessible, apparently. I've attached extracts from the Italian guidebook - showing the location of the routes and a list (its the Gondo section only).

We will be there from SATURDAY 30TH JANUARY to SATURDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 2010.

The times are chosen to minimise the cost and maximise the cold!

The pass is kept open all through the winter.

Routes to get there are - probably best, flying to Geneva and onwards by car. Alternatively, the route from Italy via Milan/Bergamo would be OK but there are far fewer flights from the UK. Other possibilities are to use the train to Brig, followed by the post bus up the pass, so long as we have enough road transport at Simplon.

I've booked places provisionally at the Ferienlage Simplon. We will self-cater. The cost will be between 30 and 40SFR (£17 to £23) per person per day - this depends on how many are in our group and the extent of the facilities we use. This is their website.
There is a bit of piste skiing nearby (and lots of touring!!) and a few other things to do. The local website is here

If you want to go, I suggest you book your flights (or make other travel arrangements) very soon - there were still flights to Geneva for about £100 return when I looked the other day - but the prices will change of course.

The arrangements are being made jointly by Richard Toon - 07771 946641 and Will Wheale - 07765400985. We are on overlapping trips at the moment, so try either of us if you need to talk about arrangements, or send both of us an e-mail.

I need to confirm the numbers with the accommodation BY THE 10TH OCTOBER. You don't need to wait to book your flights, other than to let us know your proposed flight times as we will be arranging hire cars later. Best if we all try to arrive at similar times!!

Over the past 5 years or so, LMC has had an annual ice climbing trip abroad, with around 10 or a dozen people. Every trip has been brilliant!! You can read about some of these on the website.

20th - 21st March 2010 - Working Weekend - Cae Ysgubor

Initial work to clear the site in preparation for the foundations to be laid the following weekend.

More details to appear as we receive them.

LMC Mingulay meet – 29th May – 6th June 2010

Mingulay is small uninhabited hebridean island situated just to the south of Barra in the Western Isles, the largest of the Barra isles and close to Pabbay which the club visited last year. The island offers a mixture of dramatic sea cliff climbing and unspoilt sandy beaches. The rock is excellent compact gneiss with routes from severe upwards although most of the routes are in the harder grades.

Many of the routes require an abseil approach which, with the absence of any rescue facilities on the island, means that climbing on the island is a relatively serious undertaking.

The plan is to visit Mingulay on the Spring Bank holiday week, 29th May – 6th June 2010, travelling by car or train to Oban, then, as foot passengers by ferry from Oban to Barra (Castlebay) and finally by charter fishing boat from Barra to Mingulay. The fishing boat has a maximum capacity of 12 passengers. The journey times are approximately 5 hours on the Oban – Barra ferry and 1 hour+ from Barra to Mingulay. Hopefully it will be possible to complete the whole outward journey in one day, arriving late on Saturday 29th May. The return journey may require an overnight stop on Barra on Saturday 5th June in order to connect with the morning ferry leaving Barra for Oban on Sunday.

Costs (2009 prices) – the cost of the Oban to Barra ferry is approximately £44 return for foot passengers via Caledonian McBrane. From Barra to Mingulay by Barra Fishing Charters the cost is approximately £70 return. You will need to add travel costs to/from Oban and food/ fuel for a week camping on the island.

Facilities – there are no facilities on Mingulay! All food, fuel, camping and climbing kit will need to be taken in by ferry/ fishing boat. Although there are shops in Castlebay there will be little opportunity to shop there as the plan is that Barra Fishing Charters meet us off the Oban ferry for immediate transfer to the island.

This is an opportunity to climb in one of the most dramatic and remote coastal settings in the UK, where the quality of climbing experience is comparable to Lundy.

Please contact me if you are interested in coming on this meet so I can confirm no’s and dates to Barra Fishing Charters.

Andy Bond - mob 07967 585156

2010 Club Calendar

The Club has put together a calendar for 2010. They are priced £10 including P & P.

You can purchase through Janette or Mark Braithwaite - 01477 549538 or email Mark

LMC 200 Club

The 200 Club has proved very popular in other clubs and groups and is now being offered to LMC members and their families and friends. It offers the chance to enter a monthly draw, with a guaranteed winner every month.

The member (or family/friend member) chooses to pay £5 per month by regular standing order payment and is allocated a number. They keep this number and their number is entered into each monthly draw, as long as the standing order remains valid.

Of course, more than one monthly 'chance' can be purchased, with a different number allocated for each £5 payment. So it's a great opportunity to buy 'chances' for each member of your family or buy several 'chances' for yourself... SOMEONE WINS EACH MONTH AND IT COULD BE YOU!

The draw also helps the Club with fundraising, with proceeds each month split between LMC Club fundraising, currently focused on the Beddgelert hut, and the winner. The winner receives a cheque for 30% of the month's proceeds and 70% is retained in Club funds.

Each monthly draw will take place with at least 1 LMC Committee member and 2 other LMC members present, at the monthly social meet or regular climbing meet, and the winner’s name and winning number will be displayed on the LMC website each month.

Download the application form here

Important Information about The Loft

The LMC has received a number of complaints from the residents of Blea Tarn House (next to the Loft) about the behaviour of people using the Loft and the Solitary. This is very unfortunate as they have been perfect neighbours and we wish to maintain a good relationship with them both now and in the future.

The Committee asks all groups and individuals using the Loft to ensure these simple basics are adhered to:

• Switch off music systems prior to your arrival.
• Close the gates immediately after using them.
• Do not park anywhere in the yard other than in our parking area, next to the Loft.
• Do not venture into any of the garden areas.
• Do not disturb the people at Blea Tarn house and be aware that they have young children who go to bed early.
• Be quiet by the house and within our car park, especially after 9.00 pm.
• Do not take vehicles into the yard after 11.00 pm. Late arrivals must be unloaded from the road and then parked overnight on the National Trust car park at Blea Tarn, which is about ten minutes' walk away.
• Only 6 cars can be parked on our car park, additional vehicles should use the National Trust car park at Blea Tarn.

Dave Sudell - LMC Hut Bookings Secretary

Summer Newsletter

Click here to download the September 2009 Newsletter.

Spring Tuesday evening meet list

Download the latest LMC evening meets.

New meet reports

Mountain Bike Meet 29th November 2009 - Richard Toon

Loft Maintenance Meet 2009 - Bernard Smith

Potholing Meet - Richard Toon

Turkey - Martin Jolly

Club Related News

Extensions to the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales National Parks

Natural England have published proposals to extend the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District National Parks, to take in several areas, especially the Howgills.

The LMC Committee discussed this briefly and asked to make a response to the consultation, giving broad support to the proposals. The deadline is mid-March.

There are several areas, too complicated for me to try to describe briefly!! But we do know them, as they include, for example, the area around the Shap Wells Hotel; Scout Scar near Kendal where there is an excellent small crag; the Howgills where we have had recent mountain-bike and walking meets; and Leck Fell where we have pot-holed in recent years.

Full details are available on this link. You could make a response as an individual or you may pass this on to other organisations or individuals who might be interested. The company contracted to provide the information about the proposals and to conduct surveys of opinion are focussing on people living in the immediate areas - not those of us living in or close by the large conurbations.

If you have any views you would like me to reflect in the LMC response, please contact me. I wasn't going to look at the exact boundaries of the proposals, but if anyone has any detailed knowledge, do let me know.

Richard Toon - 07771 946641

Up and Coming Meets

FEBRUARY

Various dates - Feb - Winter Mountaineering Trips – Weather dependent

Will Wheale - 07765 400985 or Andy Bond - 07967 585156

Tues 2nd - Members Photo Night

The Black Dog - Belmont

Sun 7st - Lake District Walk/Scramble – Pinnacle Ridge

Roger Gott – 07768 138330

19th - 21st - Scottish Meet – The Caravan - Tyndrum

Will Wheale – 07765 400985

Sun 28th - Trevor Rocks/Wall (Weather dependent)

Heike Funke – 07717 764584

MARCH

Various dates - March - Winter Mountaineering Trips – Weather dependent

Will Wheale - 07765 400985 or Andy Bond - 07967 585156

Sun 14th - Castlebergh Crag/Wall (Weather dependent)

Heike Funke – 07717 764584

19th - 21st - Welsh Hut Working Weekend

Richard Toon - 07771 946641

Sun 28th - Mountain Bike Excursion

Iain McClellan – 07813 336619

Tues 30th - Evening Rock Climbing Commences

Jon Banks – 01204 469850

APRIL

1st - 5th - Easter Meet – NW Scotland

Andy Bond – 0161 763 6958

16th - 18th - Lake District Meet – The Loft

Jason Whiteley - 07765004222

Sun 25th - Orienteering Meet

Pete & Jenny Corr – 01254 831022

Participation Statement

The LMC and BMC recognises that climbing and mountaineering are activities with a danger of personal injury or death.

Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.