British Mountaineering Council
Encyclopedia
The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is the national representative body for England and Wales that exists to protect the freedoms and promote the interests of climbers
, hill walkers
and mountaineers
, including ski-mountaineers. Its headquarters are on Burton Road in West Didsbury, an area of Manchester
, England
.
The organisation was originally formed in order to represent the interests of climbing clubs and primarily maintain access for climbers to climb on a mountain
, a crag
, or even a sea cliff in England and Wales. The organisation now has two types of membership; those that are affiliated via a club
and those that are individual
members.
The BMC currently has 65,000 members, of which 40,000 are individual members. Membership benefits include access to the BMC travel insurance scheme, civil liability insurance, discounts on equipment, technical and training advice, and four copies of Summit magazine each year.
The magazine aims to cover articles of interest to all climbers, hill walkers, and mountaineers. It will frequently cover topics outside the remit of the mainstream magazines. Summit is produced four times per year (Feb,May,Sept, Nov) and is sent direct to all British Mountaineering Council (BMC) individual members. People who are members of the BMC through an affiliated club only receive one copy - the February issue. The circulation therefore varies from 40,000 (May,Sept,Nov) to 75,000 (Nov). This makes it the largest circulation climbing magazine in the UK. It is also available to purchase in the BMC online shop and available from selected mountain centres throughout the UK, such as Plas y Brenin in Capel Curig.
The BMC also produces rock climbing
guidebooks to some parts of the UK
primarily, the Peak District
and Lancashire
.
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
, hill walkers
Hillwalking
In the British Isles, the terms hillwalking or fellwalking are commonly used to describe the recreational outdoor activity of walking on hills and mountains, often with the intention of visiting their summits...
and mountaineers
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
, including ski-mountaineers. Its headquarters are on Burton Road in West Didsbury, an area of Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
The organisation was originally formed in order to represent the interests of climbing clubs and primarily maintain access for climbers to climb on a mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
, a crag
Cliff
In geography and geology, a cliff is a significant vertical, or near vertical, rock exposure. Cliffs are formed as erosion landforms due to the processes of erosion and weathering that produce them. Cliffs are common on coasts, in mountainous areas, escarpments and along rivers. Cliffs are usually...
, or even a sea cliff in England and Wales. The organisation now has two types of membership; those that are affiliated via a club
Club
A club is an association of two or more people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities; there are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.- History...
and those that are individual
Individual
An individual is a person or any specific object or thing in a collection. Individuality is the state or quality of being an individual; a person separate from other persons and possessing his or her own needs, goals, and desires. Being self expressive...
members.
The BMC currently has 65,000 members, of which 40,000 are individual members. Membership benefits include access to the BMC travel insurance scheme, civil liability insurance, discounts on equipment, technical and training advice, and four copies of Summit magazine each year.
The magazine aims to cover articles of interest to all climbers, hill walkers, and mountaineers. It will frequently cover topics outside the remit of the mainstream magazines. Summit is produced four times per year (Feb,May,Sept, Nov) and is sent direct to all British Mountaineering Council (BMC) individual members. People who are members of the BMC through an affiliated club only receive one copy - the February issue. The circulation therefore varies from 40,000 (May,Sept,Nov) to 75,000 (Nov). This makes it the largest circulation climbing magazine in the UK. It is also available to purchase in the BMC online shop and available from selected mountain centres throughout the UK, such as Plas y Brenin in Capel Curig.
The BMC also produces rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
guidebooks to some parts of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
primarily, the Peak District
Peak District
The Peak District is an upland area in central and northern England, lying mainly in northern Derbyshire, but also covering parts of Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Staffordshire, and South and West Yorkshire....
and Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
.
Founding members
- Alpine ClubAlpine Club (UK)The Alpine Club was founded in London in 1857 and was probably the world's first mountaineering club. It is UK mountaineering's acknowledged 'senior club'.-History:...
- The Rucksack ClubThe Rucksack ClubThe Rucksack Club was founded in Manchester in 1902 and has a current membership of well over 400 men and women. According to the Rules, "The objects of the Club are to facilitate walking tours, cave explorations and mountaineering in the British Isles and elsewhere, and bring into fellowship men...
- The Wayfarers' ClubThe Wayfarers' ClubThe Wayfarers' Club is a senior mountaineering club founded in the United Kingdom over a hundred years ago. Rule number 1 in the club's handbook stated that the object of the club's existence was to:...