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

The plan is to meet up about 9:30am in the main car park in Glenridding, setting off soon after that for an ascent of the mountain via whichever route gets the most votes! The options are Striding Edge, Swirral Edge or Catstye Cam North Ridge then Swirral Edge.

I'm not sure what the weather will be like yet, although 'cold' seems likely, so Winter woollies are a must!

Please let me know if you are coming so that I know to expect you on the day. I will circulate a list of attendees to attendees, so that car-shares can be organised in order to reduce the collective tax burden.

Tradition dictates that we must enjoy a pint after the exertions of the day, location to be decided.

Jason Whiteley - 07765004222

Hi People, hope you are all fit and well! For those of you I have not seen or spoken to this year, All the best for 2012!

I would just like to invite you all to my annual winter meet at the club caravan in Tyndrum on Fri 10th Feb to Sunday 12th Feb 2012. For those of you who haven't been before please make an effort as it is usually a great weekend and with the site being refurbished, it maybe our last. There is plenty to do in the area for walkers, climbers, skiers, mountaineers and people who just like to be sociable and drinks lots of beer!

We usually meet around 6pm to car share from Chorley and stop at the Fish and Chip shop in Callander for supper. People venture out on to the hills on Saturday to walk, climb or ski, then either cook in the caravan or dine in the pub, depending on what time they return. Sunday is more of the same, catching a bite to eat on the journey home.

If anyone hasn't been out walking or mountaineering in winter before, I am happy to spend time over the weekend with them helping to get to grips with the basics of using Ice axes, crampons and general winter navigation. Hopefully we can build the winter skills bit into a nice walk on the hills.

If you are interested in coming along, please let me know so I can arrange car share, bed nights in the caravan. If anyone needs a little help with the basic winter skills but doesn't have the equipment let me know and I will try to borrow some for you!

Will Wheale - 07765 400985

Julie will be leading a MTB day at Whinlatter on 4th March 2010. The plan is to meet on the car park at 10am for 10:30am start. There are two circuits the North loop and the South loop both being graded red (for the uninitiated this means you have to pedal). The intent is to warm up on the South and then hopefully follow this by a blast around the North. Whinlatter is famed for its flowing single track and magnificent views.

For those not into challenging biking there are very pleasant rides on forest roads, forest walks, bird watching and a really comfy cafe! Oh and for those with monkey features there's a Go Ape but it must be booked in advanced. For more and details of how to find Whinlatter see www.forestry.gov.uk/alturatrail or just go north on M6 and turn left onto A66 at Penrith, passing Keswick. If you run into the sea at Workington you've gone too far.

Hope to see you in the saddle.

Julie Harold - 01942 258158

'Costa del Trevor', or Trevor Rocks to the locals, is a limestone escarpment perched high above Llangollen, near (ish) Wrexham. It's mainly a bolted crag, with single pitch sport routes ranging from French 4 right through to F6c. There are also a few trad lines, but the name of the game at Trevor is bolt-clipping. Check out http://trevorlimestone.wetpaint.com/ for a full list of routes, but my personal favourites are Borderline and Traction Control - the latter of which I have popped off too many times!

I've never climbed at Trevor in anything but amazing Welsh sunshine (honestly!) and the crag gets the sun all day - the outlook over Llangollen and the Dee Valley is beautiful and the sunset over Llangollen castle is not to be missed. Add to that a 10 minute easy walk in and what is not to like?!

If you are a beginner, please still come along - we will put a rope up on some easier lines for you to enjoy. Get in touch for more info or to let me know that you are coming along

Si Withington - 07702 942980

Cae Ysgubor: Calling all workers!!

Those of us old enough will remember this tune as the opening bars to Workers Playtime. The BBC Light programme – oh happy days!! Enough of this rambling senility!

As you know the LMC is back on track with its project to build a hut in North Wales near Beddgelert. This is known as Cae Ysgubor . We already have the foundations completed and the building sub-committee has initially pencilled in three sets of working days for 2012.

They are all Thursday late morning until Sunday:

• March 22nd – 25th
• April 26th – 29th
• May 24th – 27th

It is all too easy to leave it to others but for this project to be completed the core team are going to need the support of every member – not all the time, but if each member pledged just 20 hours of time over the next couple of years that would be some 4000 hours!

I hear you say "but what skills have I got that would be useful?" For every bricklayer to keep laying requires a backup crew to supply mortar, move bricks, keep them supplied with tea – just to name a few.

To begin with facilities will be limited – though we do have a large steel container on site that serves to store equipment and has brewing facilities. During the camping season tents and caravans could use Mr Porters site which would give you access to his excellent facilities.

The aim for this season is to get the external block walls and roof completed. With enough help we also would like to clear and level the area above the hut which will make an excellent camping spot. We also need to trench and lay a water pipe from our abstraction point upstream.

Once we get a feel for the speed of building more dates for 2012 will be decided on.

What do I want you to do now? If you have block/brick laying skills your contribution during these first three sets of dates would be extremely valuable. Jim Cunningham or myself would urgently like to hear from you. If you could give some time (we don't demand all 4 days!!) as a "go-fer" please send me an e-mail or give either Jim C or myself a ring. We need more go-fers than bricklayers!! It might be sensible if you were able to say in advance when you would be helping so that tasks and equipment could be organised.

Please make 2012 the year when the only new mountaineering hut being built in North Wales starts to take shape.

Contact either : Chris Walker - 01942 831924 or Jim Cunningham - 01254812258

Chris Walker -On behalf of the Cae Ysgubor building sub-com.

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

The Wednesday walk planned for the last week of May this year will be part of a three-day, mid-week meet in Glenmalure in Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

Accommodation will be in the Glenmalure Lodge Inn www.glenmalurelodge.ie which is a late 18th century hostelry that has become very popular with mountaineering groups over the past 20 years. We have negotiated a special package with the proprietors Anne and Paddy Dowling. This will include three nights B&B, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, a set dinner on Wednesday evening and a pack lunch on Wednesday and Thursday. The all-in price is €135 per person sharing. The Inn holds about 29 people in double, twin and three bedded rooms and all rooms are en-suite. There is also an extensive and reasonably priced bar menu available for anyone wishing to eat at the Lodge on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

The Glenmalure valley itself has a wide variety of walking routes for all grades, including some fine approaches to the Lugnaquilla massif, which is Wicklow’s only Munro. There are some rock routes too. Nearby Glendalough (about 20 minutes north by car ) has lots of fine rock climbing, good walking routes as well as leisure-type walks around its two lakes. There is also an extensive early monastic settlement dating from the 7th century at Glendalough. See http://www.heritageireland.ie

The village of Avoca (the original Ballykissangel) is about 40 minutes by car, as are the beaches at Brittas Bay but May is not likely to be the month for dipping in the Irish Sea!

Liam Ó Cléirigh, who is an LMC member, will act as coordinator. He and his friends will act as guides, both on and off the hills, during the three days. They will also advise on important issues like the correct pronunciation of Irish place names, the degree of deference to be shown at monuments commemorating battles with the English and how to get the attention of the barman in a crowded pub without opening your mouth. However, they will expect very fat tips which must be paid in precious metals or stones! So bring along your discarded wedding ring, the chain from your grandfather’s pocket watch, your one remaining diamond ear ring or cuff link, etc. Titanium ice-screws and crampons will also be accepted.

Advanced booking is essential and a deposit will be required. To simplify matters, we have made arrangements for deposits to be paid in sterling. Simply send your name(s), address, phone number and email address, plus a sterling cheque for £50 per person to Derek Miller at 35 Lightfoot Lane, Fullwood, Preston PR23 LQ. Cheques should be made out to Derek personally. He will transfer the deposits to the Glenmalure Lodge and each £50 sterling will count as €60 towards your bill. You will pay the remainder of your bill in euro to the Glenmalure Lodge at the end of your stay. VISA credit cards and MAESTRO charge cards are accepted.

Deposits must be received before 30th March as the Glenmalure Lodge cannot be expected to keep its rooms available for the LMC indefinitely. The Lodge is on the Wicklow Way, which is a multi-day route that is popular with continental trekkers so it can expect to have quite a demand during late May.

Glenmalure is about one and a half hour’s drive south from Dublin Port and somewhat less from Dún Laoghaire Port. Ferries operate between both of these locations and Holyhead but Dún Laoghaire is just slightly more convenient. Ferry journeys take, roughly, between one-and-a-half and three hours, depending on the type of vessel. Both Irish Ferries and Stena Line operate from Holyhead. For more information go to the following websites:

• http://www.irishferries.com/ie/index-uk-ie.asp
• http://www.stenaline.ie/ferry/

To get the best deals you should book the ferry as early as possible and coordinate your travel arrangements with other members. Remember: filling a car with 5 passengers will bring down the ferry cost.

Liam Ó Cléirigh

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
  

  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.