EUHWC Newsletter July 2024

Hello all! Well, what a year. Well into July and we’re still waiting for summer to start. And the nights are fair drawing in. Maybe we should just write this one off. Or give up hillwalking and go sunbathing in Spain instead.

While we await the arrival of the sun, we’ve got a few items on the agenda:

  • Ellie tells us about her Mountain Leader training
  • Yours truly presents a poem for your pleasure
  • Announcing the winners of the EUHWC Photo Competition 2024!

There’s also some sad news. This will be my last blog post as Alumni Officer.

I know, I know. I can hear your cries through cyberspace. (They’re not cries of joy, are they?) In any case, ‘I will not leave you as orphans’ (John 14:19) but will send to you ‘another Helper‘, and she shall be called… Tereza! I’m sure you’ll be in safe hands.

Ellie’s Mountain Leader Training

The Mountain Leader qualification has been on my list of “to-dos” for what seems like forever. After months of complaining about logging the dreaded QMDs, endless debates with Chris arguing if winter days count and actually being bothered to navigate on club trips, I finally booked my training for May at the outdoor Mecca: Glenmore Lodge. The training was a six-day intensive course covering all aspects of hillwalking and leadership. Topics covered included: leadership styles, route finding on difficult terrain, river crossings, rope work (ROPES on a EUHWC blog post?!), night navigation, camping and Silas’ favourite word: liability.

My favourite part was the night navigation around Tom Dubh (918m). After summiting Sgòr Gaoith (1118m), we made camp at Loch nan Cnapan, a relatively high campsite due to the low winds and minimal rain forecasted that evening. We pitched at 5pm before our course instructor told us to have some food, have a nap and be ready at 10pm for night nav. I was exhausted at this point so managed to get a couple hours kip before waking up to discover that the mist had descended on the hills. Not only would we have to navigate at night, but in the mist and cloud too. In my group of 6, we each took it in turns to lead a leg, the rest of the group having to take bearings off the leader and pace to determine where we think they ended up. That was the bit I found most difficult but it was a great challenge. During my turn I was excited to use navigation mechanisms I don’t frequently get to use on hillwalking trips: slope aspect, aiming off, etc. I made it and was happy with my efforts.

Overall the ML training has given me an incredible insight into leadership and group safety in the mountains. Not only did I learn so much but I wouldn’t have enjoyed nearly enough without the amazing group of individuals I was with. I strongly encourage anyone with an interest in hillwalking to at least do the ML training to learn about these important skills… you never know when you might need them.

P.S. If you are thinking about doing your ML award or any other hillwalking related course (First Aid et cetera), apply for the EUSU coaching and officiating fund to potentially receive some dosh towards the cost. The EUHWC can also contribute if you are an active member.

Ellie Bestington

The gate at Glen Brittle

One day, I’ll stagger to this gate
with grazed skin for the hundredth time
having a hundred hill-days clocked:
days of wonder, and of bright terror,
clasping slight crimps and clumps of grass,
a hundred fearful, excellent days:
wide skies, black smirr, fierce frost, deep cloud,
the gate waiting where it started.

Today, these days have, humbly, started,
those hundred days obscured in cloud.
For the first time, I feel sun-daze,
sand-shimmer washing sharp dune grass,
warm waves wilder than looming terror,
than chimneys which loose chockstones clocked,
than fathoming a chain in time –
I pause. Breathe salt. Pass through the gate.

Joe Carstairs

Photo Competition winners

People

Joe Carstairs: Dr George Peat PhD, Wayfinding

Landscape

Ainslie Rönsdorf: Looking westward from Stob Poite Coire Ardair

Wildlife

Dr George Peat: Harmony in nature, a rarely seen Bucky Beaver is hugging the club’s unofficial mascot

Winter

Angela Tsai

Wildcard

Ellie Bestington: Wild night x

That’s it!

Thanks for reading, and until next time, happy hillwalking!

If you’re a club member or alumna/alumnus and have any stories, photos, sketches, poems, songs or interpretive dance routines inspired by your recent hillwalking adventures, we’d love to share them on this blog! Get in touch at edunihillwalkingalumni@gmail.com.