The Alpine Club, the world’s first mountaineering club, was founded in 1857.  For over 150 years, members have been at the leading edge of worldwide mountaineering development and exploration. 

With membership, experienced and aspiring alpinists benefit from a varied meets programme, regional lectures with notable guest speakers, reduced rates at many alpine huts, opportunity to apply for grants to support expeditions, significant discounts at many UK retailers, extensive networking contacts, access to the AC Library and maps - and more! 

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The meet took place in the club’s new hut, the George Starky Hut in Patterdale.  This has often been the venue for the meet, in previous years, but for the first time, we are part owners of the premises. Although the meet official runs from Friday evening, several people arrived on Thursday, with Nick Smith and Nigel Bassam climbing Kestrel Wall S and Sobrenada VS 4c on Eagle Crag Grisedale on Thursday.

Somewhat damp conditions on the higher crags discouraged any serious climbing on Friday, but several parties went walking, over some of the local favourites, such as St Sunday Crag.  Low cloud, dampness and the threat of rain greeted Saturday morning.  This did not discourage a couple of parties from climbing Pinnacle Ridge on St Sunday Crag.  Various groups headed off to local hills, with the low cloud encouraging a couple of people to walk on some of the lower, outlying hills, Great and Little Mel Fell and Gowbarrow Fell.  A further group visited the climbing wall in Keswick and were almost benighted by the Keswick gear shops.  The evening was very convivial, with a three course meal prepared in the hut, followed by brief slide presentations about club meets, during the year.  On Sunday, most people headed to Shepherd’s Crag, in Borrowdale, where a good number of routes were climbed, including Crescendo MVS 4b and Ardus (direct finish in rain) VS 4c by Nick Smith and David, despite a few showers.

The hut has already seen considerable improvements, with new bunks, windows and heating works and I look forward to the further works planned to make it a good Lake District base for the club.

The meet was attended by:-

Julia Banks, Nigel Bassam, Helen Brown, Steve Goodwin, Margaret Graham, Tom Hare, Roland Jackson, Adam Kassyk, Terry Kenny, Vikky Kenny, John Kentish, Keith Lambley, Paul McWhinney, Andrew Moore, Mike Parsons, Kate Ross, Nick Smith, Barry Speed, Chris Storie, David Teasdale, Howard Telford, Tony Westcott

 

John Kentish

13 October 2016