FMC Revival 2023
We are an active and friendly club of around 160 members, based on the Fylde Coast, Lancashire. We offer a warm welcome to walkers, climbers and mountaineers of all abilities, who share our enthusiasm for the outdoors.
If you would like to find out more, please explore the rest of the website, come along to one of our meets, including winter social meets in Poulton-le-Fylde.
You can contact us here or find us on Facebook here.
The club meets regularly most weekends throughout the summer and winter months at venues around the UK and at the Club’s two huts, both of which are situated in the English Lake District.
Latest from Facebook
This is a live feed from our Facebook group. Unfortunately, recent changes to the Facebook integration have prevented us from displaying some individual member names & photos.
I can Climb HVS again! Best route up there was Walking on Sunshine HVS 5a. The two VSs were HARD!




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Good effort Steve! Back to caving soon?
Great news Steve! Did you not do my route, "Nobble Nibble"?
Good to hear it's improved enough to climb HVS!
Just so you all know I am cycling Fron landsend to Johnagrotes un asisted for mountains rescue. I have a just giving page.
FMC Evening Climbing Wilton 1 This week's outdoor evening climbing meet is at Wilton 1. As always, please comment on here or on the WhatsApp group if you are going so others know there will be someone there to climb with.

I will be there later on this afternoon!
Good meet at Wilton last night! Some good stuff done!
Hello I live in Carleton, Poulton le fylde and would love to try climbing. Would it be possible to join your club. I am reasonably fit, carry my own weight but have no climbing experience (other than basic indoor fun stuff - clip & climb)….many thanks in advance Colin
Hello Colin. You'd be most welcome to get involved in the club. Best to point out at the start that we're not instructors - people learn climbing by coming out to the crag and trying it and maybe taking a formal instruction course at their own cost. But - hey just come out with us and see ! Simon DM me if you want and we can talk
As Simon says we do not offer formal instruction. A fair few of our members do hold various climbing instructor qualifications and our members have many years of experience that they are happy to share on in informal basis. You are welcome to join us
I live in Carleton 👍🏼
Just a query🤔
I 'abdicated' membership in 1966 when I went first to Manchester then Sussex then Scotland. They let me back in in 1985. And still tolerate me!😉
Hi Mike, I remember you from when you were a member all those years ago! Only problem you may have is that you don't live in the area!😉
I joined when at College in 85ish and despite not renewing my membership after moving up to Cumbria I continued caving and climbing with FMC members until 2015!
Mike - I've sent a message to you but you've not seen it. Can you please contact me? Their Simon
Just reading some of the old newsletters that my dad (Brian Wilkinson) had written articles in. I have some fabulous memories of walks and holidays. Especially camping in the Isle of Mull. The songs the kids used to sing on the coach and the stop off at The New Holly on the A6 on the way home.
Your Dad was a great character, Sue! Fond memories from times in the Thatched and from on the Owd Lags meets! 😉
FMC Evening Climbing This week's evening venue is down on the syllabus as Trow Gill. It's a sport venue where the easiest route is 5c. On a recent visit, Nick Hepburn found that there was a lot of vegetation on the easier routes. He also found the routes done were very soily. A lot of trees came down at the top during a storm a couple of years ago and whilst they have since been stabilised it does seem that some detritus may have been washed down onto the routes. I would suggest that a different venue may be more suitable? Any comments and suggestions below please!
No suggestions but if its an easy(er) mainly sport venue then we might come along 🙂
There may be a rumour that a certain rock god is starting his comeback trail at Noggarth tomorrow....
Tro will be fine just need a bit of tlc. Dandelions frequently grow early year but just needs it of a tug
There are folks going to Noggarth, however whether they will be there still in the evening is debatable.
Next weekend, the Bradford Pothole Club are lighting the main chamber in Gaping Gill with powerful LED floodlights and it is open to the public, including non-cavers. They have a winch set up in the main shaft and members of the public are welcome to come along and be lowered into the main chamber. This is an impressive place normally only seen by cavers with headlamps. I am going to try and coordinate this as a day out for the FMC. Everyone welcome. No caving gear required, just normal hill-waking gear with a waterproof jacket & a packed lunch. It's a good idea to have an early start to avoid the worst of the queues. Plan is to meet in Clapham Main Car Park at 8am. (Happy to car share from Lancaster at 7.15am.) We will walk up to Gaping Gill via Trow Gill, that takes around an hour. Once at Gaping Gill we will register with the club and get a ticket for the winch. Dependent on the timing and length of queue we will go for a walk up Ingleborough before or after going down into the main chamber. There is a charge of £15 per person to use the winch. If we use the private nature trail approach walk (easiest) then they also charge £2.50. I have had some interest from John Bailey & others who want to come. This is a meet suitable for all folks and it would be good to have a good turn-out.Next Saturday 27th May - Gaping Gill & Walk.

Gaping Gill Winch - May Bank Holiday - Bradford Pothole Club
www.bpc-cave.org.uk
Decend the 98m Gaping Gill main shaft and see Britain's largest underground chamber at the BPC Gaping Gill Winch meetI went last year it was fantastic!
Currently we have John B, Andy C, Kevan, Dave & Karen H and myself coming on Saturday. Meeting at Clapham at 8am. Anyone else planning to come?
Another week; another evening meet. At Troy Quarry this week's chosen few (fresh euphemism for poor turnout) comprised me, Grumpy Graham, Craig, Martin D, John Hickman and Nick H. Arriving early we had the best of the warmth for at about teatime the wind backed (or veered?) and brought clouds so it got a bit cooler - jackets were pulled on. And now to the story of the 2nd venue for the evening, the pub, or as it turned out, pubs - 3 of them. Arriving first at the designated Dog Inn in Belthorn Village Graham and I found it closes at 9pm on Tuesdays. We rapidly returned a mile up the Grane Road to The Grey Mare where drinks were ordered and we were told it too would soon close! The landlord was persuaded to stay open for another 10 minutes, allowing Martin and John, 5 mins behind us, to get one in before we had to leave and head for pub 3, The Willows in Guide Village, where we got 2nd drinks and Craig and Nick caught up. Thus honour was satisfied and a dry meet was avoided. Phew!




Chasing round trying to catch a beer at a closing time of 9pm reminded me of the bad old days 😂
Thanks Craig for some of the photos including this from the WhatsApp group of me and Graham.
No idea which routes I climbed but all good, including the crack that I bailed on leading (it was ok on second)
May be of interest to those going on NE Scotland trip?
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FMC Evening Climbing Tuesday night. This week's outdoor climbing meet is at Troy Quarry, near Haslingden. Lots of good crack climbing so a good place to learn protection placing skills! The weather looks like being good! Park in the lane, not in the car park but not in front of people's houses! The car park is being locked early by the farmer. Beer afterwards in The Dog, Belthorn. Martin Bennett's local!
Me and Grumpy will be weighing in . . . weighing . . . Troy - geddit?
Taken a day or two but here are some photos from last week's "Nobs noggin' at Noggarth" evening meet which saw a select band of devotees (euphemism for a disappointing turnout) have a good night out. Concentrating on the Central Slabs area many of the best routes at the crag were climbed in a convivial atmosphere which continued for most at the bijou but welcoming "Banker's Draft" pub. 😊




Great evening out, good to see everyone 😃
Cracking resumé of thr evening Nob. Great meet rounded off with great company and super beer and welcome at the Bankers Draft.....
Great write up. Good company and a convivially graded crag which massages the ego 😂
Haha, was eventful with the 30m rope, but we worked through it 🤟 Thank you all for making me feel welcome, really enjoyed it. Will catch you all again soon
Thanks Martin Bennett for a great write up! 😉
FMC Evening Climbing Thursday 18th May This week's venue is Noggarth. Lots of lovely slabs, mostly bolted at all grades! So, suitable for all abilities except you hard nuts! Easy and quick access. For those of you who don't know where it is, it's near Barrowford which is near Burnley. All welcome but please comment on here or on the WhatsApp group if you are going so folks know there will be someone there to climb with.

I’m hoping to be there.
Me and Graham plan to be there.
I'm plannings on gping
I won't be there sadly. Too steep for me! 😂
No, actually a gig in MCR!
Would appreciate a report from anyone who went please! How many members? Who? Which pub afterwards? Was it any good? For my end of year review! Ta!
Nice pic but where's the crag😉
I shall oblige with a post shortly Martin Dale - bit delayed but have been enjoying the weather. Most recently in the best beer garden in these parts.😊
Left a pair of Black jeans at Stair Hut this weekend. I will collect at the Hut maintenance weekend hopefully.
‘Welsh’ Meet at Stair Hut. Alex & Happy Caver topping out on a very busy Corvus, Combe Ghyll.




Well done Alex
Evening meet this week was blessed with unexpected sunshine at Cadshaw despite a poor forecast for the week. The "youngsters" team of Craig, Luke and Ryan turned up eventually, ran all over the crag, were still there when we old lags left and never made it to the pub! Talking of the pub the designated Number 39 (sounds more like a buz (as they call 'em in 'Darren'!)) was shut so we had recourse to the local 'spoon's.




Another fine evening......
Fond memories of earliest evening meets attended with FMC Juniors at Cadshaw. And being sneaked into the pub....
IMPORTANT- this is now cancelled. Provisional plan to go to Stair instead. Chester Hut swap meet at Llanberis this weekend. I’ve setup a WhatsApp group for anyone likely to be coming (Howard, Jill, Christine, Peter Wilson, maybe Nick, maybe wriggers, Luke for one day, myself). Options for walking, climbing and slate mine through trip. Let me know if you may want to come and I’ll add you to the group. Weather is looking excellent for Saturday.

Ah bugger that's annoying for those who had made plans. Hope you make a good weekend of it up at Stair!
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😮 Strange thing. In a twofold way - it's strange in itself and strangely coincidental in that on my local dog walk this weekend we were surrounded by these:
FMC Evening Climbing tonight! Please comment on here or on the WhatsApp group if you intend going!
Grumpy and I will be there
To follow on from Steve's post. Excellent family meet this weekend. Some action shots from Thomas's first unassisted ascent and descent of Cat Bells 😍 As Steve says, great to see the kids enjoying the huts and the mountains! Thanks to Steve for organising 🤗




Family meet at Stair a great success, lots of hiking, eating, a fire pit and of course Minecraft for the older ones. Wet weather on Monday forced us to Kong climbing wall and Rheged soft play. Nice to see the kids enjoying our great huts.




Brewery about to open in Guide where Chinese Restnt was. From our house equidistant to Dog Inn, Belthorn. Will create my kind of dilemma🍺🍻🤩


Mind you, just noticed something - I may not be able to do bizz with them for they seem to have apostrophe blindness - perhaps marginally better than the opposite affliction suffered by many greengrocers but... 😂
Evening Walk from Garstang today. 7pm. Contact : John Wiseman. Meet 7pm in the main car park in Garstang. W3W "constants.front.however" grid ref SD493454. ..
Howard and Jill will be there
Nutters!

Keswick (35) - Keswick Mountain Rescue
keswickmrt.org.uk
A small group had decided on an indoor caving experience at a local climbing wall. Once in a narrow tunnel a male participant had a change of heart and attempted to turn around but got well and truly ...Aye!😂
Sad news, the guy died in hospital yesterday from his injuries. www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/people/lancaster-dad-dies-a-week-after-tragic-accident-at-climbi...
A chat on an FMC WhatsApp group has led me to realise my copy of this is missing from my guide book shelves. Have I lent it to anybody reading this? Please.

Martin - I think I may have borrowed it from you. Let me check!
And you had Simon Fenna thanks. And here it is just to prove to Andrew Hird I do have two!
FMC Evening Climbing Wednesday night This week's outdoor climbing meet is at Warton Pinnacle! Lots of good quality easy routes and some great bouldering. Hopefully the sun will shine! Park up in the small quarry behind the Old School Brewery in Warton and walk up from there. There is also climbing to be had in the small quarry (recently cleaned) and on the upper crag. We will be having a beer in the Old School Brewery afterwards! Hope to see loads of you there. Please comment below or on the WhatsApp group if you are coming!

I'm totally trashed after trying (and failing) to follow Andy H up some stuff at Scout Scar this afternoon ... but Old School Brewery certainly sounds attractive. I don't know how active the deer ticks are at this time of year but there's a lot of them about at Warton Pinnacle, so a bit of Smidge around the ankles might be a good idea.
That photo's putting me off Mark Harding. Might see you at OSB though. My diary tells me I went there once in 1983 and solo'd 20 climbs up to Hard VS 5c. But that was then and this is now...
I’ll be there. 😃
I’ll be there 👍
Tom Lyons been telling you to join.
Good turnout last night! Here's Grumpy leading Lone Tree Groove.
The only usable footage from a prolonged pull-through trip in Swinsto Hole on Tuesday night. More chance of breakfast than a pint.
Kevin Stephens these are Nutters!😂
First time I've seen that entrance in daylight.
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