Meets Info

Meets Info

Day Trips

We run several day trips a term to crags in Northumberland, Yorkshire, or the peak district for sport, trad or bouldering.
These are a great opportunity to get out and climb with people and make partners before bigger trips.

These will be advertised on our news letter and Facebook so keep your eyes peeled.

Residential trips

In the middle of the Michaelmas term and at the end of the Epiphany term we go away for the whole weekend, staying overnight at a mountaineering hut. This means we get loads more climbing done and get to go further away to the Peak or Lake District. We leave after lectures on Friday night and stop off at a supermarket for supplies on the way, arriving at the bunkhouse in the evening. We get up early and climb all day Saturday then have a big group meal. On Sunday we climb all day and then come home. You will need to bring everything you would for a normal day meet AND:

• • A sleeping bag

• • A toothbrush, maybe some soap if you’re feeling flash

• • Snacks and drinks for the evenings

After exams at the beginning of June we go away for a whole week on our summer meet. For a week it’s worth our while to go just about anywhere: Wales, Cornwall, Skye. The destination is decided at the AGM in February, so if you have any brilliant ideas make sure you go along. Again more information including sign-up will be sent round in an e-mail before the meet. Over a longer period we need to be more flexible with accommodation often with camping involved. If you have tents, sleeping mats and stoves, make sure you bring them to Durham with you for the summer meet.

Winter Meets Info

Winter mountaineering is a little bit different to the club’s usual weekend meets. Mountaineering can encompass anything from a lovely walk in the snow involving snowball fights, snowmen and snowholes, to an epic 7 pitch ice route up a gully 3 hours walk-in from the road. We don’t mind what you come to Scotland to do, but one thing we ask is that you either have a reasonable amount of experience with crampons, axes and mountain safety, or go along on the course on the Cairngorms weekend.

The introductory course is aimed at people who have climbed before but want to make the move into winter climbing. It will cover all the basics like crampons, ice axe arrests, how to cope with winter conditions, and also avalanche awareness and navigation. To progress beyond the course into winter walking, all you need is an adventurous spirit and a smile, but to progress to winter-climbing you will NEED outdoor trad experience. Due to additional communication problems in Scottish weather conditions, a Scottish gully is not the place to be learning how to extract nuts!

If there is enough interest, we will be running two courses over the weekend, catering for people who have slightly more experience, and those who don’t. Please respond to the email if you are interested in either course, as this will allow us create the best possible experience for you.

Aviemore, Cairngorms – Late January

On this weekend we offer introductory courses for those interested in learning winter mountaineering skills as well as courses for those attempting to take thier trad skills colder. We also offer winter freedom for those who know what they are doing however you MUST have suitable experience to sign up to this.

This is also our Burns night weekend so after a long day on the hills, tatties, haggis and whisky awaits…

Throughout the winter…

Keep an eye on the DUMC Forum for last minute weekend warrior trips to the Lake District and Scotland organised by members of the club. What do you mean I’m here to do a degree…?