A shorter Newsletter this month. I have been in the Alps where it was just not practicable to try and produce a newsletter. This one is already late, so I want to get it out ASAP. Normal service will be resumed next month.
I started off in Chamonix, where the weather went from snowing in the mountains to heatwave and back to snowing in the mountains, in three weeks. Temperatures in the valley dropped by 20 degrees C in a week.
I called in at the OHM to check on conditions: “Approach too dangerous” “Too late in the season” ” The start is now 60m above the glacier” “You need to find somewhere else to climb”. Did he mean other than Chamonix? Certainly all our climbs in the Mont Blanc Range were accompanied by frequent crashes from significant rockfall. I guess August is not a good month anymore. But when is?
Feedback always welcome.
I like to feature members activities, so if you have been somewhere different or interesting this year, why not send me some brief details and high res photos? Just one or two of the best pics will do. Also I would like to receive high res pics from Club Meets. Scavagening pics from Facebook and Meet Reports usually produces pics of a lower quality than desired.
Likewise other members activities linked to climbing, like publishing, talks etc.
The link to send them to is above.
CC matters have been somewhat distant in my head this month, as I’ve spent a lot of time honing my (non-existent) flower-arranging skills in preparation for my daughter’s wedding just outside Leeds last weekend. The sun shone, the bride looked suitably gorgeous and the cows in the neighbouring field didn’t interrupt the important parts of the ceremony.
The joint meet with the FRCC at Rawhead at the beginning of the month is a vague memory – I seem to recall it was a bit damp on the Saturday, quite sunny on the Sunday and there were plenty of people there.
Today I am heading to Ilfracombe for the meet on Lundy, anticipating some strong legs after carting my new 100m ab rope up and down those slopes.
Hilary Lawrenson
Health and Safety
We are considering the findings of a recent review of health and safety at our huts. The issue of charging electrical and electronic devices at huts (especially when devices are left charging when the hut is unoccupied, during the night, or in fire escape routes) is particularly concerning. We would ask all hut visitors to check carefully the condition of any batteries and chargers they bring to huts, to switch off and unplug chargers from the socket at night and when going out of the hut for the day and not to clutter fire escape routes with charging devices.
eBike batteries appear to be a particular hazard and we would ask that these are not charged in huts at all. External sockets are fitted at several huts and these should be used instead.
Electric cars are not to be charged using the consumer supply, the installations are not intended to deliver current continually for several hours or overnight.
Health and safety is the responsibility of every member. If you see something you are concerned about, identify this to the hut custodian or other club officials.
Ongoing building work
Work at the R W Lloyd Hut, Ynys Ettws, commenced as planned at the end of July. Photos posted on the CC Facebook group show significant progress on site. Regular meetings between the contractor, architect/ project manager and club representatives are happening and issues arising are being discussed and resolved in a sensible and practical way.
At The Count House, hot and cold water services are commissioned, all toilets, showers and basins are operational. The electrician has started the final fix of lights, switches, plug sockets, smoke detectors and alarm call points. This work should be finished over the next week or so, after which completion certificates can be issued.
Covid
Covid and other viruses are still prevalent, as a recent outbreak at The Count House in early July proved. All hut visitors are asked to be self-critical about their state of health before deciding to visit huts. If you feel unwell, please don’t travel to the hut, cancel your booking as soon as possible and (if appropriate) we can arrange a refund. Keep the huts well-ventilated (but this also requires more vigilance about who is coming and going– see security above) and clean touch surfaces carefully. As the weather gets colder, doors and windows won’t be left open as much, so it is more important than ever to rely on people not arriving at huts if they feel unwell. If you do become unwell at a hut, let us know so we can inform anyone who was there at the time to take a test.
Booking visits
If you are staying overnight in a van at a hut (or even nearby and using hut facilities) this is staying at the hut. You must
If you are making a genuine day visit for parking, please write your vehicle licence plate on the register sheet so other visitors know that you are parked at the hut legitimately.
The Handbook and the CC website contain a lot of information about how to book to stay at our huts. If you are unsure or there is any doubt about what does or does not constitute acceptable use at our huts, ask a club officer or volunteer for help or guidance.
Rob Seymour: Chair HMSC
The committee have set up some Zoom Meetings for New Members to gain knowledge of how the Club operates. The President has invited New Club Members to join one of the sessions, where we will explain how huts and bookings work, talk about meets and newsletters and give you time to ask questions about the club and meet some of the committee. If you’ve joined in the past year or so you are welcome to ‘drop in’ and say hello.
The first meeting ran last June and those New Members that joined the meeting found it very helpful and all their queries were answered. Please find time to join one of the planned sessions below:-
Topic: Welcome to New Members.
The following are under consideration for membership.
| Tim Sellears | Nottingham | Jeff Ingman | Chris Radcliffe |
| Claire Carpenter | Edinburgh | David Almond | Michelle Hickson |
| Mary Slingo | Winchester | Matt Burrows | Chris Smith-Duque |
| Christopher Davies | Rossendale | Tim Lowe | Ian Carr |
| Matthew Charles Stephenson (Charlie) | Cambridge | Maggie Brocklebank | Steve Christian |
| Thomas Christian (Tom) | Matlock | Maggie Bass | Astrid Saxby |
| Jay Sheppard | Caernarfon | Astrid Saxby | Steve Christian |
Members wishing to comment on any candidate are asked to contact the membership secretary, Chris Allan.
Contact details are in the handbook or email.
Chris Allan: Membership Secretary
We have had some excellent meets this month with the Family Meet at The Count House, the Pembroke Meet, the Aspirants Meet at the Grange and The Lundy Meet.
In September we have a meet every weekend and the two week September meet at the Count House. So please do book in early
We have a women’s focused meet on the 23rd of September which any female aspirants can also join and there will be a guest speaker. Ferdia Earle who is a climber (first female ascent of the Rising Son E8 6c) and Nutritional Therapist and Functional Medicine Practioner. This meet is an opportunity for CC women to climb with each other in the Peak District and women aspirants to climb with CC members.
Meets Update
Coming up we have the following meets.
Do check the calendar and book early for meets, so as not to be disappointed.
Debbie Marsh Meets Secretary
The summer monsoon weather has been challenging for guidebooks in development this year, but we all have our fingers crossed for a good week on Lundy working on the new guide. Plans have been laid for routes to be checked, approaches to be double checked and photographed, and images to be captured (all participants are instructed to wear bright camera friendly clothing). We will also be giving the Club Tent a second outing!
Val Hennelly: Chair of PSC
Further to last month’s ‘save the date’ notification, we now have some exciting news to share! We’ve booked the Llanberis Youth Hostel for our exclusive use over the whole weekend (i.e. Friday & Saturday nights).
Only 20 minutes walk from the Royal Victoria Hotel (albeit somewhat uphill on the way back I admit), it has 45 beds spread over 12 bedrooms, a comfortable spacious communal lounge/dining area and self catering kitchen.
You’ll be able to book this at the same time as making your dinner booking – we expect to start taking bookings in October. With two nights accommodation at only £40 per person these are sure to go fast, so watch this space and be ready to get your booking in quickly.
More info at YHA Website (see below)
A reminder that the 2024 AGM & Dinner will be at the Royal Victoria Hotel, Llanberis over the weekend of February 23-25th.
Alison Cairns, Dinner Organiser
CC member Jesse Dufton will be giving an evening talk this month, cost £7.50, all proceeds to Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team.
The talk will be on Friday 22nd September at Caban Brynrefail, LL55 3NR. To obtain tickets see below. There is only a small number of tickets, so don’t delay.
Martin Young, Custodian at Grange Old School, emailed me about a theft this week: a group of three climbing Troutdale Pinnacle found someone had been through their rucksacks at the bottom of the route and had stolen wallets, cams and car keys among other things.
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This isn’t new, of course, but it is a reminder that when we are climbing, rucksacks and anything else left at the bottom of the crag or on the cliff top are vulnerable. It makes sense to take as little as possible with you and to hide things out of sight as far as possible.
The same is true at huts. Many hut visitors are not vigilant about hut security. At the Count House I often find the front door open and people sitting on the patio at the back. Anybody could walk in unnoticed and take anything they wanted to. Aside from the hassle and paperwork that reporting a crime entails, you are reminded that the club insures its property and fixtures, fittings and equipment but does not insure any property visitors bring onto the premises.
Rob Seymour: Chair HMSC
The winner is: Oliver Barton A copy of Highland Scrambles North is on its way to him.
