Good, sound clothing and equipment is essential for mountain safety and contributes greatly to an enjoyable day on hills and mountains. Its important to have the right personal gear forContinue reading “Personal gear for mountain walking”
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Boulders in the forest
Fontainebleau, France, Easter 2024. A fantastic Easter break was enjoyed by a group of Club members among the boulders in the forest surrounding Fontainebleau. An amazing week of great bouldering,Continue reading “Boulders in the forest”
After Island Peak, Labouche East
Dave Bingham successfully summited Island Peak and Labouche East in Nepal. A technical peak of 6119m, Labouche East requires a six-hour ascent with difficult slabs and fixed ropes. Dave, an experienced mountaineer, describes it as one of his toughest climbs.
A wandering Mynydd Maen
Trefor Beese, a resident of Pontnewydd and an established mountaineer, successfully campaigned for the restoration of the original name “Mynydd Maen” to the main summit of the mountain in South Wales, correcting decades of misplacement on Ordnance Survey maps.
Becoming a competent second
Bob Thomas MBE AMI, principal of Contour Outdoor, ran a training weekend for ten new Club members to become competent seconds in rock climbing. The course covered safety, best practices, and gear retrieval, with trainees gaining experience despite varying weather conditions.
Convert OS grid references to lat/lon coordinates
Modern technologies, like smartphone apps and in-car satellite navigation systems, can assist in finding start or meeting points for walking or climbing events. Learn how to convert Ordnance Survey grid references to latitude/longitude coordinates, and how to input these into smartphones and satnav systems. This allows easier navigation to locations, including remote ones, beyond usual street addresses or postcodes.
Tristan summits Island Peak
On 13th May 2023, Tristan Blanchard, a member of the Gwent Mountaineering Club, successfully reached the summit of Imja Tse/Island Peak (20,305ft) in the Nepal Himalaya, coinciding with his birthday.
All new, photo competition categories refreshed for 2023/24
The Club announces refreshing changes to their annual photography competition for 2023/24, introducing four new categories: The Club in action, Mountain weather, Portrait of a mountain, hill or crag, and Adventure in wild places. Entries taken during 2023 qualify for judgings in February 2024, with further rules to be detailed later.
Another great trip to the Lake District
Gwent Mountaineering Club had another successful trip to the Lake District, staying at Stair Cottage and hiking well-known and lesser-known fells. The diverse terrain and the opportunity for members to work towards completing famed hill lists made the experience rewarding.