Twenty-five club members and two guests went to the Llangollen Hostel for the 2014 annual dinner meet. This was a new venue for the club and despite being a bit snug in terms of the sitting and dining rooms proved to be a very comfortable venue.
Llangollen is surrounded by great countryside packed with outstanding views and, with the canal and Pontcysyllte and Chirk aqueducts, steeped in well preserved industrial history that are well worth visiting. On the Saturday (a cold but clear day) members variously walked, biked and ran round the surrounding hills and valleys (and aqueducts!).
Back at the hostel club members and guests were lucky enough to have Marian once again in charge of the catering. Some members set to supporting Marian by preparing vegetables while in the spirit of too many cooks spoil … others felt it only right to support local breweries and nipped out for aperitifs. All were back for 7.15 and sat down to an outstanding three course meal. The meal was followed by David delivering the club president’s annual awards ceremony to club members who had an exceptional achievement during 2014 or had in a couple of cases bounced back from injury and surgery to carry on enjoying outdoor activities. Later Gordon provided great live entertaiment.
It was more of the same on the Sunday with 14 members walking in the Worlds End area and three members enjoying some navigation challenges as they ran around the local mountains (possibly due to the speed they were going?).
Personal highlights were the cycle along the ‘Panorama’ road that follows the Eglwyseg valley – a quiet road with stunning views and the walk to Castell Dinas Bran a ruined castle that sits above the town on a relatively small hill in a big setting. And then of course there was the meal …
Thanks to all for coming and playing a part in a great weekend. Now where should we go next year …
Andrew Milne
Sheffield’s Castle Mountaineering Club is holding an open climbing weekend on the 12 and 13 May, providing the opportunity to find out more about the Club and meet some of its members. The weekend will focus on rock climbing on the Peak District’s glorious gritstone.