Participating in meets is what the club is all about. Meets are run by members, for members.
The club thrives by having members take an active interest in the meets that are run. To volunteer to steward a meet, or to suggest a new meet, please contact our meets secretary. The FAQ page offers advice on what to expect on a meet and guidelines for organising meets. Remember that if you have spotted potential for a new meet, the chances are high that others will also be interested!
To subscribe to the meets calendar on your smartphone, please use the URL: https://www.londonmountaineeringclub.com/icalendar/view_all
Useful Links:
A wintry, dark time of the year - the perfect time to organise a trip to the Lakes for some walking, with a Burns Supper themed meal on Saturday night. Crampons dependent on weather but Kilts obligatory. Staying at the Cleveland Mountaineering Club’s Hut in Patterdale.
MoreThe deadline for being included in the group accommodation booking has now passed. More members are welcome to come on the meet, but will need to sort their own accommodation. There should be options on the usual platforms. And Hotel La Barme in Valnontey is popular with ice climbers. Let Dai Richards (meet steward) know if you're a late joiner and he can add you to the email list and trip Whatsapp group.
Sign up deadline: 30th September 2023
Waterfall ice climbing in Cogne in the Gran Paradiso national park in northern Italy.
Dozens of very accessible single and multipitch routes across all grades with relatively reliable ice conditions and weather.
This meet is suitable for those that are new to ice climbing as well as seasoned chasers of the ephemeral. But budding ice climbers will get much more out of it if they're comfortable leading multipitch trad (same rope work and head game) and ideally have some general winter mountaineering experience.
There's also lots of skiing opportunities in the area including piste, cross country and ski touring.
Accommodation: chalet/Airbnb will be booked based on the number of people that sign up and pay their deposit of £100 by the 30th September.
Deposits are non-refundable and those that sign up are expected to pay their share of the accommodation costs (likely to be around £30 p.p.p.n)
Travel: Fly to Turin or Milan and then hire a car
Guidebook: Cogne Selected Climbs, Oxford Alpine Club
For more info on ice climbing in the area see: https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/destinations/cogne__icefall_climbing_in_the_italian_alps-12486
More
A week of Winter climbing and walking in and around Lochaber, staying at the LSCC’s Blackrock cottage, sited more or less in front of Buchaille Etive Mor.
Nearby is the winter climbing arena of Stob Coire Nan Lochan, offering excellent routes at all grades. The classic days out of Aonach Eagach and Curved ridge are close by too.
A little further afield, the winter climbs of Aonach Mor are a 45 minute drive away.
Dozens of Munos are around the hut, offering options from short days out to major winter expeditions.
Regardless of the conditions, there will be plenty to explore.
More4-5 days of Cross Country Skiing repeating the fabulous trip run in 2013.
Cross country skiing in the mountains north of Oslo near Lillehammer. The meet will be based in a mountain hut and will explore the surrounding area on skiis.
It is suitable for complete beginners and there are many miles of beautiful trails. All necessary equipment is available for hire at the hire shop next to the hut.
Due to the nature of the trip the meet is limited to 15 spaces.
The cost includes a coach/minbus from the airport as well as accommodation in the hut.
Flights
Flights from Heathrow on BA are currently around £100.
Flight details are below:
British Airways Heathrow - Oslo
Out: 29/02/24 at 19:45 - 22:45 (BA0770)
Return: 05/03/24 at 19:30 - 20:55 (BA0769)
It's no problem if you want to come for the weekend and leave on Sunday or Monday night (please book the relevant return flight from Oslo), however, for the outbound flight, please can you try to be on the same flight as part of the cost includes a minibus transfer to the hut as it is late at night and the trains will have stopped running by then.
Accommodation
We will be staying in a self-service apartment in the Nordseter Fjellpark: More Details
Food
To keep the costs low and due to the remoteness of our accommodation we will be organising some group meals for each night. People will be split into teams for this (3 per night).
Ski Hire
There is ski hire underneath the apartment at the Service Centre. More Details
Return to the Airport
This will be by bus from Nordseter to Lillehammer and then by train direct to the airport. Total cost around £30.
Bus 500 Nordseter 13:45 - Lillehammer 14:10
Train F6 Lillehammer 15:16 - Oslo Airport 17:04
Our monthly meet at the club hut in North Wales. Make the most of one of the key benefits of club membership by enjoying the mountains of North Wales. So come and enjoy the plentiful supply of walking and climbing straight out of the door.
Photo from https://www.flickr.com/photos/jimborobbo/
MoreThis meet it best suited to experienced winter climbers.
5 Nights at the CIC hut situated at the foot of the North Face of Ben Nevis. The UK's premier winter climbing crag and home to a huge range of routes including many classics!
The hut is booked from the Sunday to the Friday morning so it's recommended to travel up on the Saturday and then use Sunday to walk up to the hut with food and gear for the week and ideally do a climb that day as well
The CIC hut is basic. It has a kitchen, toilets, running water and drying room, but no shower. For details on facilities, and the hut more generally, see https://www.smc.org.uk/huts/cic.
All gear and food needs to be taken up on foot from the Ben Nevis North Face Car Park which takes around 2hrs 30 mins and is a real slog. But once you're there, there are relatively short walk-ins to all the climbs on the North Face.
Early march is typically a good time for ice routes on Ben Nevis so you're likely to get more out of this meet if you're happy on this surface and can climb at least Scottish grade III, but there are enough easier routes to fill a week also. This meet is not recommended for those that favour winter walking as options for that activity are very limited.
The cost of a bed in the hut is £26 p.p.p.n. The full cost of £130 is payable on sign up. Unfortunately due to high demand for the CIC hut in the winter season the Scottish Mountaineering Club cannot offer refunds in the event of cancellation. If you need to cancel your place then please find someone else to take it and transfer you the money.
Guidebook: Scottish Winter Climbs - SMC (available in paperback or to download on the Rockfax app)
Scottish Winter Climbs West - Scottish Mountaineering Club
Travel to Ben Nevis: The drive is about 10 hours from London and can easily be done in a day.
MoreFor anyone who did the champagne challenge and was thinking whilst at it, ‘why the hell am I doing it? ‘ And I will never ever initiate anything like this again’, here comes chapter two ; The Hot Chocolate Challenge (HCC).
Tried to depict a realistic picture of what can be fun but also gruesome at times..
Gear - will see closer to the date, subject to weather, if full winter gear is required
MoreSport climbing on the south coast
Staying at the Portland Bunkhouse at 40 per person for two nights.
MoreA return to Kelynack campsite with the affable Francis. Twinkling granite in the sunshine above a turquoise ocean, climbs steeped in history and stature, clifftop paths and white sand beaches, Cornish pasties, palm trees, and maybe the occasional pirate. Unlimited camping as usual. CARAVANS ARE NOW FULL
MoreA weekend of climbing and walking on "God's own rock". The perfect opportunity to get back into your climbing groove or develop your skills following the Easter Cornwall meet.
I have booked us into two bunkhouses. You will be either in the Climbers Club Downes Hut or at The Hayloft at Thorpe Farm.
MoreThis is an entirely weather dependent day trip to Harrison's Rocks which have been freshly re-bolted last year!
The plan is to either drive (and park at the Harrison's Rocks Campsite) or take the train to Eridge. There is a direct train connection from London Bridge or a train involving one change from London Victoria. Both journeys take about 1 hour or 1 hour and 15 minutes.
The Southern Sandstones are top rope or bouldering ONLY. Learn more here: https://www.southernsandstoneclimbs.co.uk/
Please note that I have no bouldering mats, so you will have to bring your own (plus a trustworthy spotter) if you wish to boulder.
The rocks are not imposing and average less than 10 meters in height.
This is an ideal venue for beginners.
I will bring rope, anchor material and a guidebook.
Please note that this meet is weather dependent and will be cancelled if it is pissing down with rain :-).
This trip will take place on 27 April. Please ignore the end date.
MoreBank holiday climbing on the sea cliffs of the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast — finest limestone in the country.
Pembroke is an excellent destination for climbers of all skill levels, and offers a good opportunity to those looking to develop their skills or just get back to form.
Photo by https://www.flickr.com/photos/dldx/8757222287/
Camping is likely to be at the basic, but ideally positioned (and very welcoming) St Petrox campsite (http://www.stpetroxcampingandcaravansite.co.uk).
MoreA weekend trip to this popular (and easy to get to from London) climbing area that offers some fine limestone trad & sports climbing venues.
Camping at Beeches Farm campsite which is near to most of the crags and one of very few campsites that allows bonfire. BBQ is customary on Saturday night.
Details of campsite can be found at www.beechesfarmcampsite.co.uk/
Explore the ancient Forest of Dean and Offas Dyke which borders the campsite. The area also offers some great walks.
Club member Richard Holdsworth is a qualified rock climbing instructor and will be running this meet with the assistance of other experienced climbers.
Participants will be shown the fundamentals of trad climbing including placing gear and building belay anchors as well as some skills, suggestions, habits that have been learned through Richard's 25 years as a climber. There will also be the opportunity to practice some supervised leading.
This weekend of instruction is aimed at those that are new to trad, as opposed to intermediate climbers.
To be eligible to participate you must at least be familiar with climbing indoors on a top rope and ideally have some indoor or outdoor lead climbing experience. Many indoor walls offer courses in this or if you contact the club's Membership Secretary he might be able to arrange for you to be shown how to do this at one of the club's regular Tuesday night indoor climbing sessions.
The course is on the Saturday and Sunday in the Peak District with participants travelling up on the Friday night and returning Sunday late afternoon/evening.
Accommodation is TBC but will be camping or staying in a climbers' hut.
Please let us know if you're driving by selecting the correct options when you sign up so that passengers can request lifts via the automated system on this webpage.
The cost of instruction is free but there will be a charge for the camping/hut of around £10 - £20 per person per night (2 nights).
Ropes and gear (nuts, cams etc) will be provided but participants will need to bring their own harness, helmet, belay device and climbing shoes.
MoreLMC members have booked 12 of the available 16 hut spaces for this weekend.
Please email Hut Bookings if you want to book.
4 spaces remain.
A meet for those members with young children keen to get into the great outdoors.
We have the 13 spaces for Saturday/Sunday night and will have all 16 spaces from Monday onwards.
MoreThe semi-annual Skye meet returns for 2024. Join the intrepid LMCers heading to the Misty Isle for a hopefully midge-free week of sun, sea and maybe even a stab at traversing the formidable Cuillin range - the UK's premier mountaineering challenge.
The reserved accommodation is now fully booked, but you are welcome to find your own accommodation and join the meet. If you want to sign up please see the 2nd Skye meet entry below.
Accommodation:
9 beds booked at the SJMC's Coruisk Hut for 5 nights from Sun 26 - Fri 31 May, and one night in the YHA in Broadford on Friday 31st.
NB The night of Saturday 25th is not included in this and you'll need to arrange your own accommodation that night.
Coruisk hut is £15 per night, dorm bed in the YHA is £25. £50 deposit needed to take part.
Logistics:
I will be driving from London to Glasgow on Saturday 25th, and Glasgow to Elgol for a 12:00 arrival on Sunday 26th. I'll have space for 1 passenger from London.
Aiming to get the ferry at 2pm from Elgol to Coruisk pier on the afternoon Sunday 26th.
There's a 3.30 sailing for anyone who misses the first one, but later than that and you'll have to wait until the morning.
I've contacted one of Elgol's ferry services to arrange our tickets: if you want to book your Sunday ferry, you can do so at Bella Jane for £18 (https://www.bellajane.co.uk/boattrips.asp#).
For the more intrepid/self-punishing, there's an option to hike approx 10km from Camasunary if you drive there.
Activities:
More a question of what there isn't to do.
With the mighty Cuillin ridge looming over us, the opportunities for scrambling and climbing are simply out of this world. Gars Bheinn and Sgurr na Stri are two of the nearest mountains, with Bidean Druim nan Ramh and Bla Bheinn further from the hut. The hut is also an excellent staging post for an attempt at traversing the ridge - but make sure to get your climbing and topo knowledge up to scratch before attempting.
For people who prefer horizontal movement, there are hikes both up to the Cuillin and around Loch Coruisk next door; and the nautically inclined even have wild swimming in the sea or Loch Coruisk to hand. Even wildlife photography of the seals and sea eagles which live in the area is an option for anyone bold enough to bring a big camera...
NB: There are no power sockets at the Coruisk hut, so don't bring lots of appliances and remember battery packs.
We'll also have to bring all of our food with us and take any rubbish away at the end.
Looking forward to seeing some of you for a mythical week on the Misty Isle...
MoreThe semi-annual Skye meet returns for 2024.
Join the intrepid LMC-ers heading to the Misty Isle for a hopefully midge-free week of sun, sea and maybe even a stab at traversing the formidable Cuillin range - the UK's premier mountaineering challenge.
THE RESERVED ACCOMMODATION FOR 9 IS NOW FULLY BOOKED.
This meet entry is for those that wish to join the meet and are willing to find their own accommodation on the island.
Looking forward to seeing some of you for a mythical week on the Misty Isle...
MoreThe LMC annual endurance weekend at Fronwydyr, the Champagne challenge has returned.
Start and finish from the hut climbing all 14 peaks over 3,000ft in North Wales. It is a monster day out, but there should be plenty of daylight. And complete the challenge in under 15 hours you'll get a bottle of champers.
A successful Champagne Challenge also requires team support to rescue the exhausted. Anyone interested in assisting, please let the meet steward know.
Fingers crossed for good weather, I chose the weekend closest to the longest day, which I'm sure we will need every minute of daylight ;)
MoreNow in its 17th year!
Started by Ralph Hale back in 2008, the Gritstone Gallop follows in the great tradition of the Rock and Ice club who apparently used this event for their pre-Alpine training, in days of yore.
The 'Gallop' is about 12-14 miles in length, and is done entirely on foot (and hands!). It starts in the High Neb area of Stanage in the Peak District and ends at Birchens Edge, a route is climbed on every edge/crag on the way - 12 in total!
The full Gallop is a long day, finishing up in the Robin Hood Inn near Birchen and the campsite. But you're welcome to cut it short as you wish.
Your grade for the 'Gallop' is the lowest grade you climb in the day, and the more crags you climb, the more beers you are allowed in the Robin Hood Inn.... if you make it before closing time!
Staying in the Eric Byrne campsite (bring cash for your camp fees!).
MoreSign up deadline: May 19th
Location: Fronwydyr (LMC hut in Eryri)
This meet is primarily aimed at those that will be attending the main Alps meet in Saas-Grund, but other club members that want to learn alpine climbing skills are welcome.
Some of the more experienced alpine climbers in the club will be offering informal guidance and demonstrating some of the specific skills and techniques that are required to climb in the alps.
This includes:
crevasse rescue
taking coils
moving together
Weather permitting, the majority of the time will be spent practising 'moving together' by climbing easy multipitch rock routes or hard scrambles in simul climbing fashion, placing and removing gear as we go. It is assumed that any participants wishing to do this element will already know how to place gear and build belays and are capable of leading at least VDiff. If not, and you're reading this in the spring, there's plenty of time to learn that before the meet.
Participants should bring a harness, belay device, approach shoes, climbing shoes, B2 boots if they want to practise climbing in these for the Alps, and a helmet. A couple of slings and screwgate carabiners are also useful to bring if people have them.
The experienced alpine climbers on the meet will bring ropes, gear and crevasse rescue specific equipment.
MoreA week of alpine pursuits in Saas-Grund, Switzerland — an ideal location for those looking to get one or two of the Alps 4000m peaks under their belt. Notable mountains include the Allalinhorn, the Nadelhorn and the Täschhorn.
The Saas valley is the ideal playground for the novice and intermediate alpinist with many classic routes ranging from PD to AD+ on 3000m and 4000m peaks. There is also sport climbing both down in the valley and up on mountain crags.
The area has good public transport links from Geneva airport and up and down the valley so hiring a car is not necessary
Currently arranging accommodation options. More details to follow.
More12 spaces booked by Rockhoppers MC.
4 loft spaces booked by LMC member and guests.
This is a Monday to Friday booking.
MoreA weekend of family-friendly adventures on the beautiful Gower peninsula — Britain's first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The area offers a mix of Trad and Sport climbing, plus lots of stunning coastal walks.
You can find trad climbing at Tor Bay, Three Cliffs Bay, and Fall Bay. Sport climbing is at Ramsgrove, Southgate and Rhossili Beach — the largest sport climbing area in the Gower with over 100 routes in the F3+ to F7a grade range. There is also some bouldering including the ideal family venue of Rotherslade Bay.
Guidebooks:
- Gower Rock Selected Rock Climbs
- Rockfax South Wales Sport Climbs Guidebook
- South Wales Bouldering Guidebook
Accommodation will be camping — site still to be confirmed.
MoreTrad, sport climbing and walking on the sea cliffs of Dorset.
Staying at Tom's Field campsite. £24 camping fee required on booking. Cancellations are not refundable.
MoreA long weekend of walking, climbing and other mountain pursuits in the Lake District.
Exact location to be determined.
MoreFollow in the footsteps, or rather handholds, of such greats as Yvon Chouinard, Royal Robbins, Tommy Caldwell, Alex Honnold, Andy Kirkpatrick and Leo Houlding by climbing the granite walls of California’s famous national park.
But, if you think those walls are reserved only for the premier crew, you'd be mistaken — there are tonnes of climbs within the capabilities of mere mortals. In fact, there is this handy list on UKC exactly along those lines —
A list of climbs under grade E1 (5.10b US)
And a search on Mountain Project reveals an extensive list of routes between 5.4 (HVD) and 5.8 (HVS) —
Chance to sharpen your map reading and navigation skills - both by day and night. Suitable for novice navigators and wizard-like wanderers.
We will to focus on using maps, and then go out on the hill to practice navigation. We will all make use of traditional navigation (e.g. using a compass and looking around!), but also discuss the GPS-based devices people may bring along.
Bookings open on 1 September, and will be limited to ten participants. We will organise a communal meal on the Saturday night (I'll be looking for a volunteer co-ordinator). The meet fees will include an extra amount to pay for food.
{This weekend has been run since 1997 by myself and a dedicated band of seasoned LMC navigators. I am looking for two or three new people to join us to help run the meet in future years. Contact me directly if you'd like a chat about what that might entail.}
MoreCome and and spend a long weekend climbing unpronounceable hills in indifferent weather - a return of the Winter Munro bagging meet.
Bring axe. Crampons, warm clothes and your sense of adventure.
We’ll stay at the Ochil Mountaineering Club’s hut at Crianlarich, which gives loads of options for days out of of any length and any technicality direct from the doorstep.
MoreThis meet is recommended for experienced winter walkers and wild campers only.
Winter backpacking hike in Scotland -
Tyndrum to Corrour via Glencoe.
Route is mainly based on West Highland Way with few munros to cross, 60km in total.
Train and bus as main transportation, then hike for almost 4 days- day and night most likely, wild camping.
More