This Annual trip to the snow clad mountains of North Wales (hopefully) will allow any RoCs member to experience some easy winter mountaineering challenges without having to travel up to Scotland. We will be camping at Capel Curig in the 1* site next to the Bryn Tyrch Hotel on the A5, just before reaching the shops at Capel Curig. Camping conditions can be a bit windy and exposed sometimes, but not as bad as in the Ogwyn Valley. If you have a reasonable tent and a winter sleeping bag you will be fine. There are alternative options for accommodation on site in one of the small bunk rooms where light and a bed is supplied with mattress only. (Assuming it is open, if not we will use the alternative campsite down the road at Dolgam Farm, near the river, which has been known to be a bit wet in the past!). There are also bunk rooms available in the Rocks Hostel adjacent to the campsite or a room in the Bryn Tyrch Hotel (phone 01690 720223 to make your booking), for the less hardy climber. Hannah is considering booking the Bryn Brethynau Barn hut which we used this year. Please state if you are camping, using the hut or making your own arrangements in one of the other options.
As it is a winter trip, bring with you suitable winter warm and waterproof clothing, a decent pair of mountaineering boots, crampons and a walking axe as a minimum set of gear. Quite often the snow does not settle (or even arrive) so then it can be a bit wet and wild. Be prepared to bring waterproof trousers and jacket and a set of dry clothes for the pub in the evening.
We do not need to book places for the campsite, but if the weather is forecast to be really high wind or heavy rain for the weekend, we may well cancel at the last moment, so be aware of this if booking rooms or paying a deposit for a room in the hotel or bunk house off site to the camping area.
Patrick and I will probably go up Thursday morning and return Sunday afternoon. Travel plans will be confirmed nearer the time depending on who is attending. Post if you are interested in joining the Winter crew on this mad adventure full of fun, possibly some winter mountaineering and more than likely a good time in the pub.
Organiser: Pete /Hannah
Members Camping (Unless it is monsoon season)
- Pete (organising Camping) :- Thursday – Sunday
- Patrick :- Thursday – Sunday
- Ro :- ?? TBD
- Rachel :- ?? TBD
- …
Members in a Hut
- Hannah (organising Hut) :- Thursday – Sunday
- Jim :-Thursday – Sunday
- Matt:- Thursday – Sunday
- Steve:- Thursday – Sunday
- Jonathan:- Thursday – Sunday
- …
This meet is aimed at outdoor novices and anyone else who needs to ease themselves back into climbing after a long layoff, although all club members will be very welcome. Fairy Cave is one of our favourite ‘local’ venues and is about an hour and forty minutes from Romsey. 
There are many lower-grade routes to learn or refresh techniques and plenty of harder routes, virtually all on amenably-angled slabs, if you want to push yourself.
Organiser: John H
Members going:
- John H
- Lindsay
- Emma
- Clive
- …
A Romsey Climbers first – a meet in the world’s highest mountains! It’s a three week trip to climb Mera Peak. Mera Peak is the highest trekking peak in Nepal with an elevation of 6,476m/ 21,247ft and situated to the east of Mt. Everest in the Khumbu region. It has stupendous view of the surrounding peaks including 5 out of the world’s 6 highest peaks in Nepal: Mount Everest, Lhotse, Cho-Oyu, Makalu and Kanchenjunga.
After flying to Nepal the trek commences from Kathmandu to Lukla with 30-40 minutes of a scenic turbulent mountain flight. After landing at Lukla, the trails trace the untouched and natural villages of Hinku Valley. There are two different trekking trails from Lukla to the Mera Peak, but we walk towards Chuthanga which is the less travelled trail. The trip follows rivers and frozen streams; Zatrawala Pass; dense fir, pine and rhododendron forest; terraced green paddy fields; glaciers and traditional villages.
Mountain Mart Treks (based in Kathmandu and owned by a friend of John Horton) are organising an itinerary and trek solely for Romsey Climbers. More information about the trek can be found at Mera Peak Climbing | Mera Peak trek, Expedition cost | Mera Peak itinerary (mountainmarttreks.com). The total cost will be about £3000 including flights, trek, insurance and spending money. For more information contact Patrick or John H.
Organiser: Patrick
Members going:
- Patrick
- Matt L
- Jim K
- …
This is the first of our biannual RoCs weekend meets to the delights of the Peak District National Park. We will be camping at the usual site near Hathersage at the North Lees (Peak District National Park) camp site. This is about 1 mile due North of Hathersage. This meet is suitable for all members as it is ideal for beginners and the more experienced climbers in the club. If you have never climbed outside on real rock, we can take you up some really easy nice rock. There is a wide choice of gritstone crags to choose from, some with a few multi pitch routes, but mainly all single pitch with a short walk in.
The campsite is a small friendly site with wash and shower facilities. It also has some wooden Pods if you prefer not to use a tent. All you will need for a Pod is a sleeping mat and bag plus your own cooking gear, just as you would for a tent. There is heating and lighting in the Pods. If you wish to use a Pod, please book this in advance yourself. A deposit may be required for a booking. Please indicate to me if you are camping or in a Pod. At the moment booking in advance is required for camping so you will need to do this yourselves, in groups up to 5 per pitch with a car. If you decide to come with someone who has already booked their pitch with a car, you can add yourself by booking a pitch without a car.
The contact details for the site are 01433 650838. or their website is www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/visiting/things-to-do/camping/camping-northlees . To get to the campsite from Hathersage, go west on the A6187 Main Street and TR before the railway bridge up Jaggers Lane, then TR up Coggers Lane for about 1/2 mile, then TR into Birley Lane. After about 1/2 mile North Lees site is on your left just before a left hand bend. There is a wooden gate (often closed) to enter the site. Ignore the “Campsite full” sign as we will have a booking for Romsey Climbers under my name. We will be car sharing as much as possible due to the limited parking spaces and to save fuel costs.
Hathersage has a couple of pubs, and we will use the Robin Hood pub in Hathersage. There are also food shops and a few Outdoor gear shops so all you need for a weekend away with RoCs. If you prefer the luxury of a proper bed ???? then there are B&B’s, hotels and Youth Hostels in and around Hathersage, but book early to ensure a room. Be aware if you choose to book accommodation and we have to cancel the meet at the last moment due to extreme bad weather, you may loose your deposit with your booking.
Bring along some wet weather walking gear as well, (water proof coat, over trousers and walking boots) just in case the weather turns damp and we decide to go for a bit of a bog trot up on the hills. You will also need to bring along breakfast and any cooking gear required, food for mid-day lunch as there are no food facilities at the crags. We will be eating at a pub in the evenings.
Organiser: Pete T
Members going:
- Pete T (organiser) – camping- Thursday am – Sunday pm
- Ro Manuel- camping -Thursday am – Sunday pm
- Rachel Searle- camping – Thursday am – Sunday pm
- Clive Pearson -Van – Friday pm to Sunday pm
- Kirsty Chapman – camping -Friday pm to Sunday pm
- Tim Griffiths ? camping TBC
- Ivan Kileff ?- camping TBC
- …
Climbing by the seaside, with many routes starting from the beach! The rock is excellent and there’s a wide range of routes, mainly trad but a few sport venues too. We’ll be based at Nicolaston Farm: Nicholaston Farm Touring Caravan and Campsite | Camping in Gower. From the site it’s a ten minute walk through dunes to the nearest crag.
Organiser:
Members going:
- Clive
- James ?
- …
This meet is aimed at outdoor novices and anyone else who needs to ease themselves back into climbing after a long layoff, although all club members will be very welcome. Fairy Cave is one of our favourite ‘local’ venues and is about an hour and forty minutes from Romsey.
There are many lower-grade routes to learn or refresh techniques and plenty of harder routes, virtually all on amenably-angled slabs, if you want to push yourself.
Organiser: Duncan
Members going:
- Duncan
- Clive
- Emma
- Lindsay
- Steve E
- …
Organiser: John H
We’re staying at The Barn climbing hut at Capel Curig, which belongs to North London Mountaineering Club. It sleeps 30 in three bunkrooms and we’ve got the whole hut to ourselves so there will be plenty of space. The barn is set in a beautifully secluded location with wonderful mountain views and only five minutes’ walk from the Tyn Y Coed Pub and A5 lay-by (GR: SH 737572, postcode: LL24 0DT). It’s centrally situated, very handy for climbing in Ogwen and has mountain walks from the door. More details:Guest Barn – North London Mountaineering Club (nlmc.co.uk)
Sam Blandford-Elliott, a professional mountaineer and climber who’s a club member and lives in North Wales, has offered to run two courses at a discounted rate for club members during this meet. He’s offering a two-day ‘Extended Scrambling’ course on 7-8 May, and a one-day ‘Problem Solving/Rescue Techniques’ course on 9 May. He could adapt these, or do climbing/mountaineering/navigation days instead, depending on members preferences. See the links below for further details and contact him directly to discuss or book.
Who’s going?
- John H
- Dave R
- Ivan (Wed-Sat)
- Hannah (Wed-Sun/Mon)
- Pete (Wed-Sun)
- Jon (Wed-Sun)
- John K (Thur-Sun)
- Adam F
- …
Corrine on Bosigran Ridge
Bosigran Ridge
Sennen
Trevalor campsite
West Cornwall is a superb place for a Spring meet. The Rockfax guide says: ‘its great rock, beautiful coastal scenery and ‘End of the Land’ atmosphere blend together to form a world-class trad climbing destination. The main crags are Sennen and Bosigran (with its must-do classic VDiff ridge) with lots of routes from nice and easy to very tough! We’re planning to stay at our usual friendly family-run Trevalor campsite at Botallack, near St Just: Trevaylor Caravan & Camping Park Located in West Cornwall (cornishcamping.co.uk), which has good facilities including a pub/restaurant.
Organiser:
Members going:
- …
- This is a weekend meet with campsite to be decided but can easily be done as a day trip (Portland is 1hr 30mins from Romsey).
- The aim will be to head to the quieter areas of Portland (such as The Lost Valley on the east side) with options to head elsewhere should people wish.
- There are a good number of easier grade 3, 4 and 5 slabs available, with plenty of top roping options. Or harder grades can be targeted, depending on what people wish to do.
- Bouldering is also an option – I will have a crash pad and the local bouldering guide book with me.
- Options for a swim in the sea at Ope Cove if the weather is nice.
- The plan will also be to stop at the Chesil Chippie after the days climbing for fish and chips on the beach (or a pint at The Cove).
Organiser: Jamie M
Members going:
- Jamie
- Emma
- Clive
- Alex
- Tony
- Ivan ?
- Jim
- Darren
- Lindsay
- …
Only two hours from Romsey, this area offers climbing in a wide range of grades. There are single- and multi-pitch routes and some real gems in idyllic locations high above the river Wye.
Organiser: Patrick
Members going:
- Patrick
- Tony
- Sarah
- Alex
- Duncan
- Clive
- Emma
- Matt
- Charlotte
- Roland
- Rachel
- Jim (day trip Saturday)
- Ivan (day trip Saturday)
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