The GMC is a friendly local club that consists of members who enjoy rock climbing, mountaineering and hill walking. We have female and male members, with ages ranging from 20 to over 60 (i.e. we’re not all Chris Bonnington look-alikes!). We have fortnightly meets to locations all over the UK, from Cornwall to the Cairngorms, as well as trips abroad to areas such as Fontainebleau, Spain and the Alps (see the Gallery section for photos of recent trips).
The club meets at Blue Spider climbing wall in Guildford most Wednesday nights, and often at a local pub after climbing, where, as well as enjoying a beer, we finalise details for the forthcoming trip (i.e. accommodation, travel arrangements, etc.). The dates and locations for meets are planned well in advance to enable people to decide which trips they can attend. Members usually share transport and we stay mostly on campsites in summer and in mountaineering club huts in the winter.
We can give you your first climbing experience and even have a small amount of equipment to lend you for your first few club meets.
Although we’re unable to offer formal instruction, we can point those new to climbing in the right direction. This may be a short course to learn the basics so you can climb at an indoor wall (both of Guildford’s climbing walls – Blue Spider and Surrey Sports Park– offer courses) or for those who wish to lead outdoors, a residential course at Plas y Brenin, the National Mountain Centre in Snowdonia. Plas y Brenin, and Glenmore Lodge the Scottish counterpart, also offer winter walking and mountaineering courses for those who want to learn how to use crampons and ice axes and go out in the white stuff.
As soon as you know the basics (e.g. how to belay), the club provides the perfect environment to put your new skills to work while learning from those around you.