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Village sign

John at the top of the second 40m pitch

Naomi belaying Mike at Valle de Abdalajis

Mark, Stu and Darren at Los Cotos

Late autumn in Spain – the rock’s warm, the beer’s cold and the pool has had eight months to warm up. If you fancy a week sport climbing in a T shirt in October, this is the trip for you! El Chorro has dozens of crags with thousands of routes and RoCs has a copy of the new (December 2018) Rockfax guidebook. We’ll explore several areas, perhaps including some long (40m+) and multi-pitch routes. For more inspiration see https://mojagear.com/sport/2017/06/01/climbing-destination-guide-el-chorro-spain/.

Eight of us went in 2019 and had a brilliant time!

This year quite a few of us have already booked Ryanair flights from Bournemouth to Malaga, but there are plenty of flights from London airports if you want more options. I’ve booked a large villa: https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p10456446, which has plenty of space and flexibility. It’s also got several fun activities for entertainment including ping pong so from now on will be known as Ping Pong Palace! We’ll self-cater (well, Hannah organises it with our assistance!) and rented several cars for flexibility (volunteer drivers needed…).

Meet organiser: John H

Members booked:

1. John
2. Mandy
3. Matt
4. Hannah
5. Jon
6. Sarah
7. Tony
8. Patrick
9. Adam
10. Emma
11. Stu
12. Roland
13. …

Staying at Stu’s flat in the heart of Keswick. It’s got four beds so, depending on numbers, some people may be sleeping on the floor.

Now CANCELLED due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Meet Organiser – Pete Telling.

For this regular Dartmoor meet we will be staying at the usual “glamping value” site at Langstone Manor, Moortown PL19 9JZ about 2 miles east of Tavistock on the western edge of Dartmoor in the grounds of an old manor house. We have used this site for many years and we know the owners very well. The facilities are excellent with good showers, toilets and washing up, clothes washing and drying, as well as an on-site shop, bar, lounge and eating facilities. The owners are Jane and David.

The contact details for the site are 01822 613371 and the website is  https://www.langstonemanor.co.uk/

As well as camping, there are some wooden Pods with power and lighting for the less hardy climbers. You will still need to bring sleeping bag, mattress and cooking gear. If you wish to book a Pod, or plan to use a Camper Van, please do this yourself as I will only be booking camping places with Jane. There will probably be a deposit to be paid for a Pod, so book early to ensure a bed for the night. Be aware that if we have to cancel at the last minute due to bad weather you may lose your deposit on a Pod booking. Please let me know if you are camping or using a Pod or Camper Van so I know how many camping spaces to book.

We advise you also bring along wet weather walking gear in case the weather turns damp as there are many miles of Dartmoor to explore if we cannot climb. All that is required is a waterproof coat, over trousers, some walking boots and a small ruck sac for food etc.

Dartmoor is an ideal climbing area for members who have not climbed outside before. The climbing will be either at Dewerstone Rocks, Sheeps Tor or on any of the numerous Dartmoor outcrops (Hound Tor or Hay Tor for example) where there are many single and multi-pitch routes of all grades, from very easy to quite tough!! This meet is ideal for beginners and the more experienced climbers so if you are new to outside rock climbing it is an ideal meet for you. Make sure you bring suitable food and cooking gear for breakfast and also food for mid-day as there are no facilities near the climbing areas for food and drink. We will be using the bar or a pub for evening food and drink.

Anyone wishing to attend this meet can you please post on this page your intention, including when you plan to travel down, which nights you plan to stay and if you are camping, using a Camper Van or a Pod. We will be trying to car share as much as possible to save on fuel costs. We hope to negotiate a single person price per night of about £8 per night by sharing pitches. Jane has confirmed that we now have 6 pitches all near each other in the name of Romsey Climbers (for about 18 people). We will need to know the final camping numbers nearer the time to ensure there is enough spaces for all the members to be together. Do not leave this until the last week or so as they may be full very soon.

We have secured 6 camping pitches booked for about 18 small tents in the Daffodil Field (top right field). I will not be arriving with Helen until Friday afternoon. Patrick will be the meets sub organiser for Wednesday and Thursday. I have booked places in the ‘on site restaurant’ as shown in the table below. They are very flexible and will even be able to provide food for those wishing to eat outside if it is nice weather!! The restaurant is open from 5-pm to 8-30 pm along with the bar (which I hope will stay open later!). If the numbers change they think they will be able to take extra bookings on the day.

Patrick, Roland, Mandy and their guests will be arriving Wednesday.

People attending so far.

1. Pete Telling (organiser) – camping Thursday to Sunday
2. Kirsty Chapman – camping Friday – Sunday
3. Hannah Hetherington – *not camping!! Friday – Saturday
4. Patrick Manuel (sub-organiser) – camping Wednesday – Sunday
5. Roland Manuel  – camping Wednesday – Sunday
6. Rolands Guest – camping Wednesday – Sunday
7. Jon Gibbins ? – camping Thursday – Sunday if it is not too wet!!
8. Jim Kearn – camping Thursday – Sunday
9. Matt Lovesey – camping maybe Saturday – Tuesday ?? (Weather dependent)
10. Ivan Kileff – camping  maybe Saturday – Tuesday?? (Weather dependent)

Mandy Chapman – Not camping but may join us for a day trip (Weather dependent)

Hannah Hetherington – *staying in a B & B type accommodation

Camper van slots to be booked WITH THE CAMPSITE by individual members please. I have only booked camping slots.

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:

1. John H
2. Matt
3. Hannah
4. Jim
5. Jon G
6. Jon H
7. Jamie
8. Trevor
9. John D

We’ve got limited beds available (up to six)  at the Don Whillans hut due to Covid restrictions. The rest of us will be at Hazel Barrow Farm (Hazel Barrow Farm holidays | Facebook), about a mile from the crags, either camping or in the bunkhouse.

Organiser: Patrick

Who’s going:

1 Patrick (Thursday-Tuesday) camping
2 Ro (Thursday-Tuesday) camping
3 Pete (Thursday-Tuesday with Patrick or Friday-Sunday with Helen) camping 
4 Helen (Friday-Sunday) camping
5 Charlotte (Friday-Sunday)
6 Caron (?)
7 Matt (Thursday-Sunday)
8 Ivan (Thursday-Sunday)
9 Mandy (Thursday-Sunday)
10 Jim K (Thursday-Sunday)
11 Hannah (possibly Thursday-Sunday)
12 Kirsty (possibly)
13 John D (camping)
14 Neil (Thursday- Sunday)hut
15 Naomi (Friday - Sunday) hut
16 Tony (Thursday - Sunday) camping
17 Boyd (Thursday - Sunday) hut

Organiser: John H

We’ve got a new venue for this year’s Snowdonia meet! 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)

Because of the restrictions we’re close to the maximum number for the hut.

Who’s going?

John H
Jon G
Ivan
Jim
Stu
Matt

Meet Organiser – Pete Telling.

NOTE. DATE CHANGES 

The meet date will now be Thursday 1st July to Sunday 4th July

Apologies to everyone for the changes twice to the dates. Circumstances dictated this, and I realise it means that this meet follows on directly from the North Wales meet, and that may mean some of the members going to North Wales may not be able to attend this meet. We can always have another Peaks meet later on in the year.

If you have made an on line booking with the site, please post this so that I know who is booked in, and when you are arriving. I will travel with Patrick & Ro Thursday to Sunday unless Helen is going alone and wishes to share, then it will be Friday to Sunday.

This is an annual RoCs weekend meet 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, or a Camper Van, please book this in advance yourself. A deposit may be required for a Pod booking.

To book a camping or camper van slot, you will need to go to the North Lees website here and book a pitch or a camper van slot on line, and pay for this yourself. I am unable to do the usual group booking this year as they want exact numbers and all money up front. If you are car sharing, then you can make one booking for all the people in your car group up to 5 and pay for all those people in on transaction, thus only paying for one car and however number of people in that group. If you are travelling alone you will need to book your own pitch and a car slot. If you do not book, there will not be any spaces as they are getting booked up now.

The contact details for the site are 01433 650838. 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, (although the Robin Hood pub in Hathersage is now not very good for food and atmosphere so we may need to travel further afield to the one we used last year), 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 lose your deposit with your booking.

Bring along some wet weather walking gear as well, (waterproof 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 if we can get in. If not we will be campsite cooking!

People going.

1. Pete Telling (Organiser) – camping Thursday – Sunday BOOKED
2. Patrick Manuel – camping Thursday – Sunday BOOKED
3. Ro Manuel – camping Thursday – Sunday BOOKED
4. Rachel – camping Thursday – Sunday BOOKED
5. Joshua Wright – Day trip Saturday