Location: North Wales (Cae Ysgubor)
Date: 2nd – 4th November 2018
Activities: Walking in the rain & eating curry
Author: Charli Wisbey

Attendees: You know who you are !
Accommodation: Cae Ysgubor (Hut)

Over the weekend it was noted that the hut facilities were exceptionally good and there was an impressive number of showers (4 to be exact).

The Golden knob award has been set up as a way of recognising and celebrating great showering facilities in huts.

Although the independent shower adjudicator only sampled 1 shower (even though it was twice) the scoring was as followed

Temperature: 9.5 / 10 – hot but I couldn’t smell cooking

Flow: 9.5/10 – plenty of it but I still had skin left on my back

Cleanliness: 10/10 – struggled to fault this one

Extra points were awarded for the fact that dry clothes stayed dry even though they were in the same room, and that the ambient temperature of the bathroom was pleasant and didn’t make getting out of the shower an unpleasant experience.

Overall rating: 9.5 drips – possibly the best hut shower we know!

Location: North York Moors
Date: 10th – 12th August 2018
Activities: Climbing, Mountain Biking & Boozing
Author: Michael Kinge
Attendees: Kinge, Elwyn, Charli, Ed Prince, Ian & Martin
Accommodation: Camping – Kildale Camping Barn and Campsite

I’ve been wondering for a while what I wanted this article to be as the first item on the Loudhailer blog, a section of this wonderful new website that showcases all the brilliant stuff the Lanch do. Do I want it to show the style I’m thinking for articles, do I want it to be a full account of the trip (the climbs we did, including my first E1 lead), is it going to be full of jokes, what do the rest of the committee think is best, how will this go down with the club? I’m sure that’s an incorrect use of commas, I should be using question marks right? Is that what this article is, a chance for the editor to show his exceptional ability to not use grammar and to waffle uncontrollably?

My thought with this blog is that it is for everyone in the club, a chance to share stories as soon as possible. For example; personal achievements (such as leading E1 for the first time), witty stories (bailing to a part of the Callister estate due to fear of rain) or questionable antics (*redacted*). I’ve thought about how long I think the articles should be and concluded that if they’re a good read then it’s at the author’s discretion, tone and content will be their call too. As you can see I’m going very formal and limiting the jokes, but that doesn’t have to be your style. As editor, I’m just here to check over what’s been written, catch typos (I need it more than most!), redact swear words and fiddle with fonts!

Am I going to say much about the North York Moors trip? Probably not, it was a month ago and I’ve fallen off a mountain bike since then. Turns out that there’s real value in walking before you can run, or at least walking down very steep bike tracks. I fell off the bike near to where we camped in Kildale at a lovely little farm that is within walking distance of some good single pitch climbing (a location that we skipped due to the rain on Friday night). Saturday’s climbing at Scugdale was top notch and the five who headed there had a great time (someone even led E1 for the first time). Martin went mountain biking at Dalby Forest, but I don’t like talking about biking at the moment as I’m still sore from my own misadventures…

Saltburn is a lovely seaside town in the North East and is about five minutes’ drive from my flat, with a beach side pub providing the visitors the chance to experience parmos, a Teesside delicacy, for the first time. Beer in the party capital (unconfirmed) of the North East, Saltburn, followed by a dark walk home, Charli brought the group saving torch. Sunday was rainy and I had to work, so everyone disappeared after a bacon butty.

A good trip and hopefully a solid start to the future of the Loudhailer (I hope). Please let us know what you think and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you want to write for the blog.

Did I mention I’ve finally led E1? I hardly ever talk about it. ;)