About the Club
Bla Bheinn, Skye 2007: Neil ClementsThe club organises walking trips to the hills of Scotland and
further afield. We go to destinations all around the Highlands, Islands,
Southern Uplands as well as to the north of England. Our trips are a superb way
to get away from the city life of Edinburgh and to experience
some of the spectacular scenery Scotland
has to offer.
The club runs daytrips from Edinburgh and weekend trips based away; there will be a trip of some kind every two weeks during term time. Weekend trips are accommodated in youth hostels and bunkhouses rather than camping, this is a privilege worth taking when you consider the academic year is mainly in the winter and camping in January can be a little on the chilly side!
We're not always on the hill however - the social scene is fantastic. A regular pub night where we all meet up for a drink and chat, and loads of fun events every 2 weeks as well as on some of our trips!
Ceilidh: Andy MacLeod Hillwalking is a great way to exercise. It is aerobic and
develops strength and stamina as well as all-round fitness. Even if you
consider yourself unfit you may be surprised how far you can walk in a day. And
unlike some other forms of exercise, it has a purpose: you are going somewhere!
Walks with the club are organised by experienced members, and you do not need any previous experience of walking to come along. Many of our members climb their first hill with us! Experienced walkers, both from within Britain and overseas, will fit in easily and there are walks to stretch even the fittest and most confident mountaineer. Indeed, if you have already done quite a bit of walking (e.g. Gold Duke of Edinburgh) then we encourage you to organise walks. This is really rewarding, helps you develop your leadership skills and enables you to choose the route! For those not so confident, then why not "second" a walk - a great stepping-stone to becoming an organiser. You can develop your skills with professionally run training courses, in navigation, winter skills, and the Summer Mountain Leader training and assessment programme for walk organisers.
The highest mountain in Scotland (Ben Nevis) is 1344m high. Most walks with the club will climb Munros, Scottish mountains with summits over 3000ft (914m). This is a significant amount of ascent and unless you are pretty fit you will feel it! The weather is not always bad but is always changeable, and you have to be prepared and equipped for strong winds, heavy rain, sleet or snow at any time of year. The more you come out the better your chance of a good day and the more you'll appreciate it when you get it!
The Scottish Landscape
Deer on Rannoch Moor: Andrew Bates Scotland
is an incredibly beautiful country, with a diversity of landscapes far greater
than its size ought to allow. Away from the urbanised Central Lowlands, most of
the country is sparsely populated and the mountainous Highlands
are left virtually wild. The geology of Scotland is very varied, leading to
a landscape that changes dramatically throughout the country.
Scotland has a rich flora and fauna, with many rare and charismatic animals, none of which will eat you (except for the dreaded midge, which only appears in high summer). Keep an eye out for red deer, ptarmigan and golden eagles. The open landscape is not natural, and neither are the conifer plantations you see in many of the glens - both are a product of the Highlands' turbulent history, which you will see writ on the landscape in ruined shielings and abandoned townships.
Sightseeing tours will take you to Scotland's castles and towns and a few roadside beauty spots. However the only way to truly appreciate the landscape is to walk through it, to climb its hills and look out over a wilderness that stretches to the horizon. And once you get off the bus, it's all free!
How much does it all cost?
We are all students and we wish being involved in the club could be free, and as a University Sports Club we do not make a profit. We use our Sports Union grant to subsidise all costs down to an absolute minimum and we think we've come up with an excellent deal.
You must be a member to come on trips. You can join the club by paying for a membership card at any social, and you must fill in the online membership form before you can come on any trip.
Membership prices
On Beinn Heasgairnich: Neil ClementsWhole academic year: £25- One semester: £15
- Existing MCofS/BMC members
- Full year: £16
- One semester: £10
Trip prices
- Daytrip: £15
- Weekend trip: £45
- Long weekends: £62
The committee reserves the right to change prices through the year if this proves necessary.