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.

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.

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. If you would like to come along on one of our meets just contact us at membershiplancsmc.org or phone our new members secretary Dan Baron on 07900907522.

We meet socially on the first Tuesday of the month at the Belmont Bull, Belmont at approximately 8:30pm for 9:00pm.

We look forward to meeting you in the near future!!

LMC News

Ice climbing in Rjukan, Norway. 2012

Between 5-14th Jan or 19th Feb - 10th March. 4-6 days between these dates or however long you wish. I'd suggest early March, more daylight and a bit warmer.

Flights available with Ryanair from Liverpool, approx cost for cheapest flights = £60, including luggage and taxes. Ryan air flights depart at approx 17:00 for Oslo Torp, arriving Oslo at 21:15 then 3 hr drive to Rjukan.

Accom last year cost £450 total for four people sharing two rooms for 6 days, self-catering.

Hire car also required approx £400 for 6 days. Anyone interested contact Gareth Snell

Gareth Snell

Verdon Gorge - Easter 2012

We are planning a trip next Easter to the Verdon Gorge for a bit of early season sport climbing... As you may know or not, the Verdon Gorge is a mecca of multi pitch sport climbing as wiki says:

It is considered an outstanding destination for multi-pitch climbing. There are routes encompassing cracks, pillars and seemingly endless walls. The climbing is generally of a technical nature, and there are over 1,500 routes, ranging from 20m to over 400m.

We are planning on going over the Easter bank holiday - during half term which I'm led to believe is 6th April - 15th April.

There are EasyJet flights which depart 13:15 - 6th April - returning on 17:25 - 15th April from £162.34 to £175.29 (paying by Credit Card)...

We will obviously need to rent a car before we arrive, but I will leave this until we can firm up numbers.

Obviously these flights will be much sought after so please let me know if you are interested asap.

David Toon - 07764857221

Direct debit for membership subs

As mentioned at the club AGM it is the Club’s intention to change the way we collect membership fees. At present membership fees are collected by standing order which are paid into either our “old” Lloyds bank account or the “newer” CAF bank account. Due to the way standing orders are processed this causes Kate, as membership secretary, and myself, as treasurer, some large logistical issues every January/February.

This isn’t simply about ensuring that members have paid their subs, but to whom we should be sending out membership packs and also on who’s behalf we should be paying fees to the BMC for. Thus, ensuring that all members reap the full benefits of LMC membership, our BMC affiliated status and receive the necessary club card, meets list and other information on a more timely basis.

By switching to direct debit rather than standing order for collecting our subs it means that I can control the process of subs collection. You will be covered by the direct debit guarantee and it will prevent some of the issues we have had with certain member’s banks processing standing orders in duplicate or at the wrong time.

In order to enable the change to occur, attached is a direct debit mandate which I would kindly ask that you complete and send back to me. I must receive the completed direct debit form by 11 December at the latest (apologies for the tight deadline). You will also need to cancel your standing order to the club with your bank as well!

I should reiterate that there will be no increase in subs because of this change and if you do not manage to get the direct debit mandate to me before the deadline your subs will be collected by standing order as usual.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Download Direct Debit form here.

John Toon

Outdoor Tuesday evening meet list

Download the latest LMC evening meets.

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

ENews

ENews - November 2011

Meet Reports

Annual Caving Report - Richard Toon

Chit Chat - El Chorro 2011 - Dave Sudell

Oktoberfest - Dave Sudell

"Hey - hi Mar'in!! Long time no see!!" - Richard Toon

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

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.