Hertfordshire Mountaineering Club

HMC January 2017 Update (Supplemental)

Dear HMC members

Just a quick update on the upcoming HMC events where spaces have been increased due to popularity and of course our January pub social is just around the corner.

HMC Social at the Three Horseshoes from 8:30pm – Tuesday 31 January – Collect your new HMC membership card!

We have our first social of the year this coming Tuesday at the Three Horseshoes. I would like to encourage as many of you to come as possible as we have received lots of enquiries from prospective members and we may have some new members turning up too. It would be great to show what a great bunch of people we are. The secretary will also be there to hand out new 2017 membership cards. If that isn’t a reason to turn up….what is?

Beer!

As usual the social is from 8.30pm in the main bar at the Three Horseshoes, 612 Hatfield Road, Smallford, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL4 0HP. Come along and have a catch up with fellow members, make arrangements for trips, talk about your last adventures and meet prospective members.

More spaces available on the HMC Trip to The Dragon’s Back Bunkhouse, The Black Mountains – 10th-12th February

This event is proving popular so we have increased the available spaces. We do expect these to go quickly so best to book your place now. The Dragons Back ( formerly The Castle Inn ), is the highest pub in the Brecon Beacons National Park, a Country Inn with plenty of accommodation, b&b rooms, bunkhouses, Shepherds hut and a campsite. Located in a glorious valley, over 1000ft above sea level in The Black Mountains – part of The Brecon Beacons National Park. Ideally situated for the local towns of Brecon, Hay on Wye & Crickhowell.

The Black Mountains

More spaces available on the Snowdonia Annual Dinner:  Tan Yr Wyddfa Hut – 24th-26th March

Spaces have also been increased for the Annual Dinner to celebrate Eddie’s 80th birthday. A long time member – climber, cyclist and walker- come and help us celebrate Eddie turning 80 but still as active as the average 50 year old! Book your place and join the party.

The Tan Yr Wyddfa Hut

Membership Update

Don’t forget that to receive your copy of the BMC magazine, ‘Summit’, members need to renew their HMC subscription by 15 February.

That’s it for this January. Look out for the full February update coming out soon.

All the best

Steve Deaville

HMC Secretary

HMC January 2017 Update

Dear HMC Members

Welcome to your January 2017 club update

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Christmas has been and gone and its been a mild December, however, there is snow and ice on the hills so ensure that you have your winter gear all primed and ready. Our Christmas trip to Hartington Hall in the Peak District was well attended. Thank you to everyone who came along.

There was a BBC news article in early January showing two mountain walkers who got caught out on Cairngorm in blizzard conditions at night after both their head-lights failed. Thankfully, both walkers were found in good spirits by the Scottish mountain rescue services but its a good reminder to check those batteries, take a spare set and ensure your survival gear is in your bag along with plenty of high energy food and hot liquid.

News in Brief

  • Membership renewals for the new 2017 season – Important Information – PLEASE READ
  • See what events we have planned for the 2017 season
  • Seathwaite Lake District trip this weekend – places still available

HMC Membership 2017- Important Information

As of the 1st January, your HMC subscription will be due in order to continue your existing membership of the club.

The HMC membership fee from the start of 2017 will be £22. The membership fee covers the BMC subscription fees and will also help the club to maintain a healthy financial position to continue to support future events for its members.

If you are renewing your membership for 2017, fees can be paid by:

– e-bank transfer to the HMC account (SC 20-74-09) (AC 90371467) – please notify the treasurer by email
– sending a cheque made payable to the Hertfordshire Mountaineering Club (not HMC) to the treasurer or secretary.
– cash given to committee members at the pub socials.

Please note that if any of your contact or address details have changed over the last 12 months, please complete a HMC membership form providing your new details and send it to the Secretary together with your membership fee. Click here to download a Membership form. Failure to update your contact details to the HMC Secretary could invalidate any insurance policy you have with the BMC.

A window of three months is open to renew your membership until 31 March to coincide with the HMC’s requirement to update subscription fees to the BMC each quarter. Please note that in order to receive your Spring edition of the BMC magazine, Summit, please renew your membership by the 15th of February 2017.

As a demonstration of support for our mountain rescue services in 2017, the HMC is offering the option to make an additional discretionary contribution of £3 as part of the membership renewal which will be given to a nominated mountain rescue charity. The contribution will be entirely optional. If you wish to make a contribution please add £3 to your membership fee.

We look forward to seeing you all return for another great year of adventure in the mountains.

What events are coming up in 2017?

This weekend…..High House Bunkhouse, Seathwaite, Borrowdale, Lake District – 6th January 2017….last minute places available

HMC have been fortunate to book High House again for 2 nights  6-8 January 2017. It is a great location in Seathwaite, at the head of the Borrowdale Valley, just outside Keswick. Scafell Pike is within easy walking distance from the hut.

Accommodation includes one dorm downstairs sleeping 18 with an adjoining shower-room and 2 toilets. Upstairs is another dorm sleeping 8 with an additional toilet and shower-room. Other facilities include a drying room, common room with a multi-fuel burning stove, and a very well-equipped kitchen.

High House

At the foot of the Fells – the Seathwaite Hut is tucked away in the hills

HMC Social at the Three Horseshoes from 8:30pm – Tuesday 31 January

The HMC pub social is at the Three Horseshoes as usual from 8.30pm in the main bar at the Three Horseshoes, 612 Hatfield Road, Smallford, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL4 0HP. Come along and have a catch up with fellow members, make arrangements for trips, talk about your last adventures and meet prospective members.

The Dragon’s Back Bunkhouse, The Black Mountains – 10th-12th February

The Dragons Back ( formerly The Castle Inn ), is the highest pub in the Brecon Beacons National Park, a Country Inn with plenty of accommodation, b&b rooms, bunkhouses, Shepherds hut and a campsite.

Located in a glorious valley, over 1000ft above sea level in The Black Mountains – part of The Brecon Beacons National Park. Ideally situated for the local towns of Brecon, Hay on Wye & Crickhowell.

A whole host of activities are available on our doorstep, and you can mountain bike – The killer loop, or hike a huge variety of walks straight from the Inn . The whole of The Black Mountains are literally on our doorstep.

The pub provides generous servings of very tasty home cooked food, a fine selection of local real ales, with a huge log fire on one side of the pub, and a lovely log burning stove with leather sofas to sit on.

The HMC has booked the 10 bed bunkroom.

The Black Mountains

Snowdonia Annual Dinner:  Tan Yr Wyddfa Hut – 24th-26th March

Join us for the Annual Dinner to celebrate Eddie’s 80th birthday. A long time member – climber, cyclist and walker- come and help us celebrate Eddie turning 80 but still as active as the average 50 year old! Join the party!

Tan Yr Wyddfa, mountaineering hut in Snowdonia, is at Rhyd Ddu.  On a clear day you can see the top of Snowdon and you can walk from here all the way to the summit on the well marked Rhyd Ddu path.

The hut is also a superb base for walks onto the Nantlle ridge, Moel Hebog, Mynydd Mawr and Yr Aran.  There is a pub, a café and a Welsh Highland Railway station close by.  Beddgelert is five miles away. The hut is well placed for climbing  – being within easy driving distance of Tremadog, the Moelwyns, the Llanberis pass and most other popular mountains crags and paths within central Snowdonia.   If you want to climb on Cloggy, you can walk there!

HMC has the use of three bedrooms which  sleeps 16 people in bunk beds.

The hut has its own car park adjacent to the hut, which accommodates 10 cars.

Glencoe Independent Hostel, Scotland – Easter Trip – 13-18 April

HMC has booked the Alpine bunkhouse for our sole use. 5 nights accommodation . Sleeps 16. Plenty of free parking. Very close to the famous Clachaig Inn.

The Alpine Bunkhouse is just yards away from the main Hostel and was originally a barn on the farming croft. A major refurbishment of the building has taken place and now offer 3 heated bedrooms sleeping up to 16  (all bed linen is provided free of charge).

The bunkhouse facilities include a communal area for dining, relaxing and cooking as well as access to the site drying room with commercial de-humidifier and wifi in reception.  The bunkhouse has 3 wc’s and 4 wash hand basins inside and another 2 wc’s, 2 showers and 3 wash hand basins accessed externally

That’s it for now….

Hope to see you all at the next club trip

All the best

Steve Deaville

HMC Secretary