We'll be walking a c.18km loop taking in Lardon Chase, Moulsford and Streatley with views of the Berkshire Downs, Thames Valley and Chilterns.

The walk starts and ends at Goring & Streatley Station at 9:45am and we should finish between 3 - 3:30pm. At the end of the walk there is the option to head to the nearby Catherine Wheel pub for a pint and food for those who want it. The pub is a 6-minute walk from the station.

Goring & Streatley station is about 45 minutes from London Paddington and an off-peak day return ticket costs around £32. The 08:38 from Paddington gets into Goring & Streatley at 09:35. Parking is available at Goring & Streatley station for about a fiver according to the APCOA website, for those who prefer to drive.

Non-members welcome, non-members please sign up with Eventbrite here: Eventbrite link

Saturday 17th October only.

Pinnacle Club Emily Kelly Hut – Nant Gwynant

Join us for a mountain weekend based at the Emily Kelly Hut (Cwm Dyli), the Pinnacle Club’s historic hut in the beautiful Nant Gwynant valley, beneath Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon).

The hut is situated at SH 653541, close to the Gwynant Valley Power Station and just south-west of Pen-y-Gwryd. It makes an excellent base for exploring some of the best walking, scrambling and climbing in Eryri (Snowdonia).

The hut

The Emily Kelly Hut sleeps 20 people in alpine-style bunks. Facilities include electricity, a well-equipped kitchen, hot shower, toilets, drying room and heating. Parking is available close to the hut, with a short walk across a small bridge to reach the building. The hut has no phone signal or Wi-Fi, making it an ideal base for a proper mountain weekend. Sleeping bags and pillow cases required.

What's nearby?

There are plenty of options for a weekend of walking, scrambling and rock climbing, with something to suit different abilities.

Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) – The hut is particularly well placed for the Watkin Path, one of the most challenging of the main routes to the summit. For experienced scramblers, the Snowdon Horseshoe and Crib Goch offer a much more committing mountain day.
Cnicht – Often nicknamed the “Welsh Matterhorn”, Cnicht provides a fantastic mountain day with steep, rocky terrain and excellent views across the surrounding mountains.
Glyderau – The Glyderau offer superb opportunities for longer mountain days and scrambling, including the dramatic summits of Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr.
Clogwyn y Wenallt – A small but atmospheric crag at the head of Llyn Gwynant, with an open aspect and beautiful views over the lake. The crag offers routes ranging from Moderate and Severe through to harder grades, making it a good option for a day or half-day of rock climbing.
Lockwood's Chimney – A historic local climb with a special connection to the hut itself. In 1932, four Pinnacle Club members climbed Lockwood's Chimney in wet weather and subsequently spotted the cottage that would become the Emily Kelly Hut.
The Llanberis Pass and surrounding crags – A short drive away is one of North Wales' classic climbing areas, with a huge range of traditional climbing and scrambling on offer.

MEET FULL - If you want to join, please book a bunk bed at Finca La Campana: https://www.fincalacampana.com/en/bunkhouse/bunk-beds.html?task=showprc&roomsnum=1&roomopt[0]=8&adults[0]=1&children[0]=0&days=7&checkin=1794052800&checkout=1794650400

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Hello everyone,

Welcome to our first official International trip for a while! We're heading to El Chorro, a wonderful sport climbing destination in Southern Spain. There are so many phenomenal crags with excellent limestone routes, along with some classic multi-pitch routes.

We have booked La Finca Campana - we have a small apartment with two rooms of four beds, a kitchen, a shared outdoor area and a shared swimming pool. La Finca is walking distance from the main crags but a car is recommended as they're so cheap. There are daily trains from Malaga to El Chorro.

Accommodation costs - £120 for 7 nights.

Only the accommodation is currently booked. There are return flights for less than £100 right now. It's nicer if people travel together but not essential.

Southern Spain is the perfect autumn destination, with almost guaranteed autumn sun. Currently space for 8 people with lots of potential to add more if it's popular.

All are welcome, come on a walk or climb, make new friends and strengthen existing friendships. If you can only make it to one meet this year, make it this one!

It's a great opportunity to meet other club members over a weekend in the outdoors, with the comforts of a hostel to return to in the evening. There will be food, drink and general celebrations.

We have exclusive use of YHA Helvellyn, a converted farmhouse tucked beneath the mountain itself in the heart of the Lake District, with Ullswater just a short drive away. The weather in November is anyone's guess, but Rockhoppers have never let a bit of rain get in the way of a good walk. If it does turn wet and that's not your thing, there's Aira Force waterfall and the Ullswater ferry nearby, plus plenty of tea rooms and pubs in Glenridding and Patterdale to retreat to.
The nearest proper hill is Helvellyn itself, England's third highest peak and regularly voted one of the best walks in the country, with the famous Striding Edge and Swirral Edge scrambles on its flanks. The surrounding fells, including Fairfield, Catstycam and the Dodds, offer plenty more for walkers of all abilities, and there's Eagle Crag for those wanting to climb with a 3* S 4a multipitch or Dove Crag with some 3* E5-E9s for those interested.

As we have exclusive use of the hostel, we'll have a mix of dorm rooms and smaller private rooms, with separate female-only, male-only and snorer-only dorms (for those who prefer this) and a good number of doubles/twins. There's a cosy bar and lounge to retreat to after a day on the hills, plus a self-catering kitchen if you fancy sorting your own lunches. Bedding is provided throughout, just bring a towel.

The general plan for the weekend is:

Friday night, arrive by car or train and settle in. Make yourself at home and relax in the lounge with a drink once you've dropped your bags.

Saturday day, enjoy breakfast, then head out for a walk or a climb, before returning to the hostel to get changed for:

Saturday night, a hot sit-down dinner, with an awards ceremony and voting for Rockhopper of the Year, followed by a photo slideshow and a chance to kick back and catch up with everyone. Bring your own drinks.

Sunday, another walk, or just a relaxed morning before heading home.

The cost is £65 per person for two nights' accommodation, two breakfasts and dinner on the Saturday night.
If you'd like to travel by train, Windermere is the nearest station, with bus or taxi connections. Please indicate in the trip notes if you'd consider taking the train and I'll see if we can coordinate travel.

Any questions, please ask!

If you've not been to this remote hut set high above the village of Dolgarrog in the Conwy valley, then make sure you book this trip and experience something unique!

The hut is a two mile walk in from the carpark and what goes in must come out. It's basic but quaint, small but snug, and the isolated feel is magical. It gives superb access to all the hills in the Carneddau.

Communal meals recommended. All rubbish must be carried out, and human waste must be buried at the end of the trip.

This is a must try for any Rockhoppers who haven't been before. Spaces usually go quickly.

This year's New Year trip is going to Braemar, in the Cairngorms.

Braemar sits right in the heart of the Grampian mountains, some of the remotest in the UK. Walking options range from the relatively accessible Munros beside the Glenshee ski centre to long hard walks to the remote peaks in the subarctic wilderness of the Cairngorm plateau. Depending on conditions, there might also be opportunities for skiing at Glenshee and the Licht, or even winter climbing at Lochnagar and beyond. There are also numerous lower routes for those who don't fancy this or if the weather gods decide to not play along.

The New Year trip is also a great social occasion - in the past, we've filled in the long evenings with everything from impromptu ceilidhs, dubiously legal fireworks to demonstrably unsafe party games. Expect a big haggis supper for Hogmanay.

We last stayed at SYHA Braemar, a former shooting lodge, in 2019. It has since been fully renovated.

For our first meet of the year we're returning to the Peak District in January. Last year was so popular we had to book emergency accommodation for all the extras.

Despite the cold it's the perfect conditions for bouldering on the Peak Gritstone, join us for some on-off-on-off coating and some stellar sends as we project some classic routes.

There's plenty of walking in the area as well as well known trad routes.

We're heading to Bamford Bunkhouse https://independenthostels.co.uk/members/homesteadandcheesehouses/

Price is £16 per night per person.

Come one come all.

Icebreaker returns in 2027!

Join us for winter climbing, winter walking and adventures in Glen Coe, with a subsidised winter skills course.

Winter Skills

This year we’re subsidising a winter skills course, covering the essentials of moving safely in the mountains in winter. Depending on uptake, it will run for either one or two days. The cost is £50 per person.

Winter Climbing

Glen Coe is one of Scotland’s most iconic winter climbing destinations, with big mountain routes and classic lines across all grades. If you’d like to build skills or tackle something harder, you can always book a local guide. Just ask and we’ll happily recommend options.

Winter Walking

If you prefer keeping your feet on the ground, Glen Coe and the surrounding hills offer outstanding winter walking.

Accommodation

We’ll be based at Glen Coe SYHA, right in the heart of the glen. We’ve booked a 7-bed dorm. The cost of accommodation is £101 per person. If the trip fills, you can book your own bed directly with the hostel. Please email me so I can add you to the trip. If you’d like to extend your stay, this also needs to be arranged directly with the hostel.

Transport

Train & Bus: The Caledonian Sleeper serves the West Highland line and there are buses from Fort William. Or you could get the train to Glasgow and get a coach to Glen Coe. From the bus stop in Glen Coe, it's a 30min walk (or you could hitchhike).
Car: Driving is an option, though it’s a long journey. If you're keen on having a car, maybe renting one from Glasgow or Fort William could be an option.

Staying at the Wayfarers' Club Robertson Lamb Hut, we're in the heart of Langdale. Plenty of famous climbers have stayed here and climbed at some of the most famous and prominent crags in all of the UK.

We're a stones throw from Old Dungeon Ghyll, a brilliant climbers pub ready to welcome you after a day at the crag or in the fells.

Climbing - Gimmer crag, Raven crag.

Hiking - So many Wainwrights in walking distance from the hut. The Langdale Pikes via Jacks Rake (Grade 1 scramble) is a classic. For an extra long day why not head to Scafell Pike from Langdale. Alternatively, the central fells are in striking distance with High Raise being the most central of them all with views in all directions.

Bouldering - Roadside boulders are close as well as the Chapel Style circuit.

Elterwater is pretty close with the Britannia pub being voted in top 10 for beer gardens. Chesters by the River well worth a visit for a cafe stop on the way out on Sunday afternoon.

https://www.wayfarersclub.org.uk/robertson_lamb_hut.html

£20 per night.

We've booked for 14 people but there is space for more!

TBC

Our Easter Meet this year is to Roy Bridge, staying at Grey Corrie Lodge.

It's a wonderful location in the heart of Lochaber not often explored by Rockhoppers in trips past.

The lodge is ideally placed for exploring some of the finest mountain country in the Highlands, with the Grey Corries, Aonachs and Ben Nevis all within easy reach.

There are plenty of options for big mountain days, including the classic Grey Corries ridge taking in Stob Choire Claurigh, Stob Coire an Laoigh and Sgùrr Choinnich Mòr, as well as Aonach Mòr, Aonach Beag, Càrn Mòr Dearg and Ben Nevis. For those looking for something more technical, the surrounding area also offers opportunities for scrambling and traditional climbing, with a variety of crags around Glen Nevis and the wider Lochaber area.

With options to suit a range of abilities and ambitions, this should make for a great Easter weekend of mountain days, climbing and good company, with the lodge providing a comfortable base at the end of the day.

Will Green to complete

TBC

This meet is specifically for those of you who want to learn skills that will enable you to take on the wonderful world of trad climbing. This Skills Weekender is for you if you are already an indoor climber with the confidence to lead and belay a partner safely or you're a sport climber looking to make the leap into trad. You'll learn skills vital for trad climbing that you can then use to further your own progression.

We'll cover 4 core areas;
1) Gear, what is it and how to place it safely,
2) Belaying with half ropes,
3) Setting up anchors to keep you and your climbing partner safe,
4) Abseiling on a single line and half ropes.

We will climb on Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th of May. Details of groups and leaders will be posted closer to the dates but it wont deviate much from previous years.

We have booked Bamford Bunkhouse for the second time this year.

Our late May Bank Holiday meet is to the beautiful coast of Northumberland. This area rarely visited by Rockhoppers has plenty to offer.

The coast is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. We're staying in Belford, a couple of hours walk from Lindisfarne and Bamburgh Castle. Alnwick is located just south. The beaches are stunning and has become a hot spot for surfing and birdwatching.

Bouldering - Everyone knows that Font is the Northumberland of France. The spots of Kyloe-in-the-Woods and Bowden are super close.

Trad - So much trad all around Northumberland.

Walking - As well as coastal walks the underrated Cheviot hills are closeby.

We're staying at Belford Bunkhouse. There's only space for 16 but we could possibly add some campers.

We might buy a load of Lumo train tickets in advance for some Rockhoppers and hire cars - TBC.

Join us for a five-day club meet on the Isle of Arran, staying at Lochranza YHA in the north of the island. Arran offers an impressive variety of mountain walking, scrambling and climbing, with dramatic granite peaks, ridges, coastal scenery and beautiful glens all packed into a relatively small area.

The main attraction for hill days is the spectacular Goatfell (874m), Arran’s highest summit, with several approaches and the opportunity to extend the day along the Stacach Ridge or over neighbouring summits. Other options include Cir Mhor, Caisteal Abhail (Castle of the Witches) and the Arran Northern Hills, with plenty of scope for longer ridge days and scrambling depending on conditions.

Message for some scrambling routes because they look mega.

For those looking to climb, Arran is well known for its granite crags and has a long tradition of traditional climbing, with areas around Glen Rosa, Goatfell and North Arran offering a range of routes. There are also plenty of lower-level walks and coastal options for more relaxed days or when the mountain weather isn't playing ball.

With five days on the island, there should be plenty of opportunity to mix and match mountain days, scrambling, climbing and exploring, while Lochranza provides a great base in a spectacular setting. A relaxed island meet with plenty to keep everyone busy, whatever the weather and ambitions.

After last years absolute success of a trip, we're heading back at the same time of year. Remember those climbs in the sun and the swims that followed, well it was so popular we've booked out the whole of the bunkhouse this time.

Where else would you want to be for the Summer Solstice* than the isle of Portland? If you fancy climbing well into the evening, grabbing a chippy and a pint and watching the sunset on the UKs longest day then this is the meet for you.

*close enough

We're staying at the Bunkhouse located near Portland Bill. This is the perfect location - a 5 minute walk to the crags of Coastguard and Wallsend North/South whose perfect conditions are late afternoon / early evening due to their west facing sea cliffs. Make sure you save some gas to utilise some late day climbing.

Beginners and grade chasers all welcome. Never discount a bit of DWS also.

Supermarkets and pubs aplenty on the island and one of the best chippy's around - Chesil Chippy. Follow it with a pint at the The Cove.

Why aren't we camping? Well the bunkhouse is too good to pass up. Comes with communal dorms, a living room space, an outdoor area for garden games and a big kitchen. You'll get a better sleep than a tent and be all rested for your climbs.

Spaces will fill up quickly for this annual trip!