COVID-19
As government COVID- 19 restrictions are lifted for meeting up with others, members must follow the current government guidance and instructions at the meet venue.
No-one who has COVID- 19 symptoms, anyone who has had contact with anyone else with the virus currently, been contact traced, or anyone in the quarantine period, should ever be on a meet.
In deciding whether to attend a meet and in their conduct on a meet, members must act responsibly in weighing up the risk to themselves and others. This is a personal responsibility not a club responsibility. The availability of a meet is not a guarantee of safety by the club.
For camping meets check campsite information and maintain social distancing and sanitary behaviour. The situation regarding huts at the time of writing is unclear and will depend on the hut and how social distancing may be maintained. Particular care needs to be taken by members on hut meets due to the varying physical restrictions of huts. Many huts will be closed for the rest of this year.
If you are new to club meets then please read the helpful information below.
I’m new to the WMC, what do I need to know?
Meets, social events and the contacts for local walks and hut booking (Pen y Clogwyn) can be found on the website. You must be a member to book onto meets and social events and the new year’s events are posted on the website at the end of the previous year. To book on a meet you’ll need to log into the website, choose the meet you want and click on ‘book on meet’. Your request will go through to the Meet/Social Secretary who will review your request and book you on the meet. They will get in touch if the meet is oversubscribed or if they have any questions.
Accommodation
For non local meets a range of accommodation is used, including camping, bunk houses and YHAs. For weekend meets the accommodation will be for the Friday and Saturday nights.
We try and keep it flexible, but where the club has to commit to paying for accommodation you may have to pay in advance or commit to paying if you cancel. This will be stated on the meet information.
Some accommodation, in particular bunk houses, may have restrictions on children. This should be stated on the meet detail.
Be sociable!
It’s always useful if you have met, or know a member who is going to the meet. It’s also important that a competent club member has a good idea of your background and aspirations. This way members can get to know one another and manage their safety and yours in the best way. If you’re unsure about anything then ask the Meet Secretary.
Lift sharing
It’s more sociable and cheaper if people can lift share. The meet page shows who is booked on the meet and there is a ‘Members Map’ link you can click to see where other members live. Use the discussion area to let others know what your plans are for driving and if you have a spare space in your car.
Meet costs
The club often pays for accommodation costs upfront. Some meets will need to be paid for in full before the event and this will be made clear by the Meet Secretary. Payment for some meet costs e.g. campsites will be collected on the meet by an allocated member. Otherwise it’s your responsibility to make payment. If you’re not sure then please check with the Meet Secretary.
Safety and Experience
- Whether walking or climbing, before you book onto the meet, please contact the Meet Secretary and give them an honest overview of your capability / experience indoors and outdoors so they can understand whether the meet you’re looking to join is suitable for you.
- To come on a climbing meet you will ideally have climbed outdoors before – if not and you are looking to come on a meet to get outdoor experience you will need to let the Meet Secretary know so that they can check whether there will be enough, more experienced members on the meet who are able and willing to assist your safe transition onto real rock.
- If you are climbing or mountaineering, the majority of the meets require you to be able to belay safely on single ropes. If you’re not able to do this then please take part in an introductory course to learn this skill as this is an essential safety and partnership aspect of these meets.
- Be safe: don’t assume that the other member(s) you’re with has/have enough experience to lead a walk, climb, or mountain route. Many of the members have a lot of experience, but they may not have enough experience, or as much as you may think. Ultimately you are responsible for your own safety.
Have a positive attitude
- Be clear about what you want to do on the meet and be sure that you are competent and fit enough for the meet.
- Make an effort to build relationships with a number of other members in the club. You should be prepared to take the initiative to connect with other members who can help you learn how to be competent outdoors and hopefully you will then make lots of new friends with similar interests to yours.
- Be flexible about your aims for the meet. There are usually members who are more than happy to invest time in helping you build on your skills, help you learn to be self-sufficient and ultimately to partner up with you. However you also need to consider that some members may have personal goals or ambitions of their own and may have already made their own plans which could mean that they are not able to walk/climb at your level or where you wish.
- However the main aim is for everyone to enjoy themselves safely!