Thanks Bert

Bill Sutherland

I had always wanted to join another club after the Troll Climbing Club (that's another story) of which I was a member folded way back in 196--, but never seemed to get round to doing anything about it. One day I bumped into a one time colleague in the Merton pub one lunch time, just minding my own business, having a swift half to clear away the morning's dust, way back in 1972. His name was Bert Harold and I had not seen him for about five years. After we exchanged the usual 'whatever happened to so and so?' he asked me if I was still climbing or had I given it up like a lot of blokes give things up like football and cricket when they that feel they have had enough. I was pleased to announce that I had not given up (true climbers never really do) or had enough, but I was not doing too much at present because of romantic commitments and a lot of my climbing friends were not able to get out as much as they would like to do. I also mentioned that I was thinking of joining another club as the one I was in folded. I presumed that another club would be a good source of climbing partners. Bert said that his brother Ray was in a climbing club but he did not know the name of it, however he said he would find out and 'give me a ring'.

I thought that like a lot of people Bert would forget 'a casual pub promise' and I would drift on still thinking about joining a club when, about a week later, he did ring me with the name of the then Secretary, Dave Salter. I then remembered that a few years previously I had been the guest of one time Club members Colin and Christine Jones. This was to a meet in the Lake District staying at the Fell and Rock hut Raw Head with my climbing partners at the time Dave McGonigal and George Bowden. My memories of that weekend was of rain and confusion over the 'catered meet'. We had never heard of catered meets and Colin had not told us that we would be fed. We had turned up with our food for the weekend as usual, however an amicable agreement was reached in a pub in Ambleside 'we still had to pay for the food'. I remembered that the group was fairly friendly so I thought why not give them a try.

Dave Salter only lived a few roads away from me so I rang him up and went round to see him. He told me all about the club and how the Club meet system worked so I paid my dues and became a Graduate Member

The next meet was quite a few weeks off but Dave Salter rang me a few days later to say that there were quite a few members going out to Caer Fran the next weekend and there was another new Graduate called Tony Fulton who would be looking for a climbing partner. I was already going out to Llanberis that weekend with my Mum and some friends as we had a caravan in Nant Peris at that time (an old TV programme used to say 'there are a million stories in the naked city'- there's at least the same in that caravan !!!) so I thought it would be a good opportunity to meet the members.

After tea on the Saturday evening I set off to find Cae'r Fran, going up the Youth Hostel road and getting lost. Enquiries at Tyn Mawn (the white cottage above and to the south-east of Cae'r Fran) produced a negative result. I was about to give up when Inoticed a collection of buildings across the fields. I thought at first that it was a farm but then noticed that there was no collection of old tyres and rusting machinery with dogs barking usually associated with working Welsh farms. I decided to investigate. Just as I approached the 'farm' a 'climber' complete with breeches appeared at the front door, so I asked him if this was the Merseyside Mountaineering Club Hut 'Cae'r Fran'.

His reply of "I don't know. I am under orders" threw me until he explained that he and a number of others were the guests of an RAF Officer. He disappeared inside and returned a few moments later to confirm that I had found Cae'r Fran. I asked if I could go inside and have a look round announcing to the mob in the living room that I was a new member and enquiring where was Tony Fulton. Tony was there seated by the fire but didn't seem too interested in a day's rock climbing the following day. I went into the kitchen and there was Ian Wright, the RAF Officer, who remembered me from a day's climbing on Clogwyn y Wenallt a few years previously when we had done Carol Crack and Oxo with Colin Jones. Ian performed the introductions and we all met later in the Royal Victoria after they had dined. I bought a large round of drinks to get to know everyone but had to shuffle and stumble before someone else eventually bought me one in return. I should have got out then but something made me stay -- they still owed me a lot of beer !!

We met up the next day but it was raining fairly heavily so I suggested that we went to Gogarth. This sent a few scurrying away mumbling about going to Tony's (the 'in' cafe at the time which was after Wendy's and before Pete's Eats) for a cup of tea. The rest of us carried on to Gogarth but it was raining there as well, so as no one else in the group had been there before it fell to me to give them a conducted tour of the various crags. I went home thinking that this Club seems alright and looking forward to my first real meet.

The opportunity soon came and I was the first to book on to a meet being organized by a Dave Robinson from the Midlands. I was never to meet Dave as the Thursday before the meet his wife was rushed into hospital for an emergency operation and he thought as there were only three booked on the meet, excluding himself, it would be better for us to self-cater. Dave as far as I know ever turned out on a meet again. I went out to Cae'r Fran and met up with a Steve Kenny and another Colin Jones (more youthful than my old friend).

The weather was good and we went to Clogwyn y Grochan and did Slape and Phantom Rib, both good VS's. I had not climbed at this level for some time and was all in after getting down from Phantom Rib. Steve had also had enough but Colin had got the bit between his teeth and went on to solo Nea, Hazel Groove and Babel, a very good effort. On Sunday it was my birthday and I was due back in Liverpool to go out for a meal with some friends. Steve and Colin went to Cloggy and did Bow Shaped Slab and I went for a walk in Crafnant with an old friend who lives in Llanberis. Thus ended my first weekend with the Club.

I was disappointed with the numbers attending the meet and wondered if this was normal and was there anyone else climbing at my level. I had not climbed for a while; Steve and Colin were both climbing at HVS and above; was I getting in too deeply? It seemed a good club though so I thought I would carry on and see out my Graduate Membership before deciding if I wanted to carry on. I thought I will just go along with the flow, just be an Indian, no involvement with the chiefs and the organisational side of things.

During the next few meets I got to know Fred and Bet Smith, Pete and Lyn Smith, Lin Lacey and Denny, Nick and Lew Jones, to name but a few, and a lot of others who are now no longer members. Whatever happened to Dave and Freda Clark, Ian Hilditch, Colin and Christine Jones, Ray and Buff Harold?

Golden days followed both on the hills and crags in Wales, the Lakes and Scotland and down by the sea 'Gogarth' side. I went to places I had never heard of and climbed with all sorts of characters. I thought I knew North Wales fairly well until I was introduced to places I never knew existed. I learned a lot and made many friends.

Not long afterwards I was asked if I would like to go on the Committee and that, as they say, is another story.

Why didn't I join years ago?

Thanks Bert.

PS. I did eventually meet Dave Robinson at the 40th Year Celebration Dinner at The St George Hotel in Liverpool on 20 June 1998.