South Wales Mountaineering Club

Clwb Dringo De Cymru

www.southwalesmountaineering.org.uk

Newsletter, March 2002

Notes from the editor

It's been a slow couple of months for copy, which is surprising given some of the mishaps of recent weeks!

Best wishes go to Lyndsey Foulkes who suffered a serious fall in the Italian Alps. He is mending well and can be found wheeling around various bars in South Wales. Some people will do anything to get a flight in a Lear Jet!!!

Also on the "Down but not out" list is John Goodwin who injured his knee skiing. Again, best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Believe me, people do want to read about your trip, whether it was an epic or raging success. If anyone wants to bare their soul about these or any other experiences, please forward any items for publication. If you want to tell your story but want somebody else to write it, contact me by email. Don't forget, I write stories for a living!

Reports from the committee

The committee last met on 12^th March and the following matters are reported.

Hut fees for under 14s are set at £2.50 per night for non members and £2.00 per night for members children. Adult rates are £5.00 per night non-members, £3.50 per night for members.

The electricity meter at the hut is to be replaced rather than removed. It was felt that the possibility of someone leaving the electrical appliances switched on for days, whilst the hut was closed, could run up huge debts for the club. The meter will serve as a "cut off" and prevent this happening.

The guidebook is moving forward as ever. The text should be finalised over the next month and then the layout worked out. Various options are being explored for the final format.

Other matters were discussed which will be reported upon as they develop.

The committee will next be meeting on 14^th May 2002

Letter from the barn warden

We had a work weekend in February attended by myself, our chairman for life Gwyn Evans, Dave Griffiths and Kathryn Colling, at which much useful work was done. You now have new furniture in the kitchen and the living room. In the living room you will find a bed-settee for those occasions when you didn't check beforehand to see whether there was any space at the barn or you are driven downstairs by somebody else's snoring, need to be close to the toilet/radiators etc. There is also now a timer on the toilet light switch to stop it being left on for hours or weeks: you now get approximately five minutes of light to use the facility, so don't stop to read Lord of the Rings while you are in there.

Just to recap on arrangements for Cardiff members to get keys. These are now with Pete Bennett and John Goodwin.

Please check with me 01792 527237, (0781 695 1220) or on the website http://www.southwalesmountaineering.org.ukfor availability of space though.

The barn is beginning to get quite busy with a noticeable increase in outside bookings: these are all posted on the website on the 'Hut Bookings' page. So if sharing your weekend with a group of university students does not appeal, look beforehand to see who else is going.

Swansea members can get the key off me (or off Anne Pitman when I'm not around). We will shortly be changing the padlock and adding a Yale lock, so if you have been keeping a key in secret, best consign it to the same place as all those leftover pesetas, francs etc. If you want to arrange a member's only weekend, get in touch and it can be arranged.

Club Meetings

Kim Collis and other members from the Swansea area will be camping in Cornwall over the Easter weekend, 4^th to 6^th May 2002. All are welcome to join them. Contact Kim for further details.

On Sat 18^th May 2002, SWMC together with the BMC are hosting a "Next Step" event, trying to coax all those climbers, particularly the younger ones, to leave the sanitised indoor arena and venture into the scarier but infinitely more satisfying outdoors. It is open to anyone who is old enough for secondary school, regardless of their links to any club or not.

Climbing will take place at the Wye Valley and lead climbers are asked to support the event by climbing with novices.

Parents who do not want to climb are encouraged to attend and will be taught how to belay their loved ones in safety. The bigger boys and girls who don't want their wrinklies around will need to bring a letter of consent.

For further info contact:

Gary Lewis (SWMC) 02920 214677 or Linda Jensen (BMC) 02920 652992

Stuart and Jen Lloyd will be in Cornwall for the week 1st-8th June, staying at Kellynack Caravan & Camping Park, St Just. Anybody who wishes to climb, bike or surf with them is welcome.

Lisa Thomas and Nigel Lewis are getting married on Friday 2^nd August 2002. All club members and partners are invited to celebrate afterwards at the Orangery, Margam Park, near Port Talbot, from 7pm until late.

Tim Hoddy and numerous other members will be colonising the Dauphine Alps during the summer hols. All are welcome to drop in and out whenever. Contact Tim for details.

Last years "One Club" meet, postponed from the autumn due to foot and mouth will hopefully be rescheduled for September 2002, taking place in Mid Wales. The meet will be for climbers of all abilities and is designed to forge stronger links between Cardiff and Swansea climbers.

Put these dates in your diary today!

BMC Dates and Info.

(ACW Area committee for Wales)

For those who want access to Pembroke Range West, you must attend a briefing from the military. A number are scheduled and Gary Lewis is proposing car sharing to the Gloucester based briefing on 13^th June 2002. The favoured option is to meet at Asda, Coryton about 1800hrs and travel together from there. Contact Gary if you're interested.

Cardiff "summer" arrangements

After the clocks go forward, it's proposed that people start to meet at Coryton again for 1800hrs each Wednesday, commencing 10^th April 2002. For the first couple of weeks, while the days are still short, we will climb outdoors and then for those who want more, finish off at the wall.

Letters from members

Linda Jensen would like some new pictures to display on the website. Please send her your climbing photos in jpeg format. Preferably of climbing areas in South Wales but anywhere considered. Linda.Jensen@ntlworld.com

Ben Ball is looking for a good condition second hand climbing harness. (Male, medium) If you can help, contact Ben.ball@ntlworl.com

Just Arrived

Congratulations to Rob and Jules Carling on the birth of their daughter, Bethan. Following an overnight labour, fuelled by curry, Beth bounced in at 8lb 9oz, around 1120hrs in the morning. Bethan and mum are both doing fine.

Coming soon

The next newsletter will be published in June 2002. Please submit any items, requests or pictures by 1^st June to n.and.l@ntlworld.com

All submissions will be considered for publication and almost definitely printed.

Remember, the submission date means the date for inclusion in the next newsletter. Any item can be sent to me at any time for future publication.