The Meets Programme

The Club runs a meets programme with weekend meets approximately every other week throughout the year.  These weekend meets usually visit areas in the UK that are of interest to walkers and climbers and can cover different regions.  Timings of locations visited will often depend on local ‘attractions’ e.g. Scotland for winter climbing or avoiding certain sea cliffs during bird nesting season etc.  In addition, there is usually an ‘Alpine’ meet in the summer and meets to ‘sun’ rock venues in Spring, Autumn and Winter.  There are also specific day meets that get organised through the year such as meets to a particular crag for climbing or a particular walk. 

Going on a Meet

Meets usually have a designated ‘Meet Leader’, however this is dependent on someone volunteering for the role.  The Meet leader can be viewed as the central co-ordinator of the meet.  They are the first contact point if you want any information about the area or the venue.  If you wish to attend a meet you should first ‘book in’ with the Meet Leader, this is to avoid too many people turning up as we usually book a number of beds in a hut.  The meet leader may be able to put people in touch with each other if they wish to share or offer transport.  Once on the meet it is up to the individual to decide how they spend their time.  The meet leader does not organise what people do, but they can introduce people and suggest who might have similar interests.

Payment

In some huts we only pay for the beds used. In other huts we need to pay for the places reserved even if they are not used. The club will pay for unused beds in these circumstances. However if you have booked a place you are expected to pay for it even if you cannot subsequently attend the meet. In some cases you may be asked for payment ‘up front’ if the club has to make a large outlay before the meet. If you have booked on and then can’t attend a meet please let the meet leader know as soon as possible as your place may be reallocated.

Payment is normally either by cash to the meet leader during the weekend, or by bank transfer to the club account as soon as possible (see Club Information on the Members pages for Bank Details).

For camping meets payment is usually made individually to the campsite.

Non Members on Meets

On meets some members may be accompanied by friends or partners (guests). In these situations, the guests are welcome but certain points must be borne in mind. Meets are primarily organised for the benefit of members, if the meet has limited accommodation (such as in a hut) priority must be given to members. It is expected that the guests follow the same rules as members, the member who introduces the guest is accountable for their conduct. Guests will not be covered by the Combined Liability Insurance enjoyed by the member through the BMC, unless the guests are members of the BMC in their own right.

Children (under 18’s) on Meets:

On some meets members may be accompanied by children. If you are not the parent or guardian, we advise that you have explicit authority from the child’s parents. (The BMC have produced a Parent’s Guide to climbing aimed at ‘non-climbing’ parents). The child/children will not be covered by the Combined Liability Insurance enjoyed by the member through the BMC, unless they are members of the BMC in their own right. The member is responsible for the supervision and the conduct of the child /children whilst on the meet. If the meet involves staying in shared accommodation, such as a hut, the Meet Leader must be consulted before booking children onto the meet.

Where we stay

For the weekend, or longer meets, we usually use climbing huts, bunkhouses and campsites for accommodation. Climbing huts are bunkhouse type accommodation providing cooking facilities and (usually) mixed gender dormitories.  The kitchens are equipped with crockery, cutlery, utensils, pots and pans.  On meets you bring your own food and drink for the weekend.  Some members use local facilities, such as pubs for an evening meal if there is a convenient one.  Dormitories usually have bunks with mattresses; you will need to provide your own sleeping bag (pillows are sometimes provided).  At the end of the meet huts have to be cleaned, please do your bit to help.

In campsites we normally try and camp together in the same area of the campsite. This will depend on how busy the site is and when during the evening (night) you arrive and whether you recognise others.  It also depends on the campsite which can range from the well laid out with designated pitches and luxurious facilities to a field with only a tap and basic toilet facilities provided.  On camping meets you will need to provide your own camping equipment. 

Ad-hoc Meets

In addition to the meets listed on the meets list there are other meets taking place. These can be posted on social media or email groups as ‘we are going to crag X on Saturday afternoon any one welcome to join us’ or someone saying they are planning to go to Kalymnos (other venues available) and inviting others to join them. These types of meet aredescribed as ‘ad-hoc’ meets. There is no meet leader as such on these meets and as an attendee you would be expected to keep yourself informed about where you will meet and you should be ‘self sufficient’. It is not unknown on this sort of meet for the venue to change at the last minute or even not take place due to weather conditions etc.

What you do on a meet

On some meets it is obvious what you do, such as on a one day walk. On weekend or longer meets it is entirely up to you, but you need to be aware of your own experience and competence.  It is a good idea to have some idea of things to do before you go, if only to join in the ‘what are we going to do tomorrow’ conversation.  If you are wanting to venture into an activity where you have no or limited experience it would be worth discussing this with the meet leader, before booking on the meet to make sure there is someone to go with and you have access to any equipment you may need.  Whilst you are responsible for your own safety it is sensible to let others know where you intend to go and what you will do, along with a rough estimation of when you expect to return.  The reason for this should be self-explanatory, that is allowing help to be summoned should you be extensively delayed for any reason.  It is worth remembering that in the British mountains mobile telephone reception is not guaranteed and thinking that having a mobile ‘phone with you does not mean you will be able to contact others or the emergency services; also batteries can, and do, lose their charge, particularly in cold conditions.

What to take on a meet

What you need for the accommodation has been mentioned earlier.  What else you take depends on what you are planning to do.  If you are venturing into the mountains, as a minimum, you need suitable footwear for the activity and conditions, waterproofs, spare warm clothing, food and so on. You should also have a map and compass and knowledge as to how to use them to navigate.  There are many sources of information recommending what to take and the skills needed.   The expectation would be for you to have all the equipment you need, if you do not have it please ask ahead of the meet and see if you can borrow it.