The dawn of a new year brings a chance to reflect on past achievements and set future goals. 'Get out in the hills and climb more' probably features highly in many BMC members’ resolutions. Here are a few ideas you may want to add to your hit list for 2014.

1.  Attend a BMC event
There are lots of great climbing and walking 'festivals’ being planned for 2014 by BMC volunteers. Help us celebrate our 70th anniversary by attending our Portland Festival / AGM in April .  Put 26 July in your diary as the proposed date for the Bristol Climbing Festival which hopes to attract climbers from across the country to climb Avon Gorge’s famous routes and celebrate its history in the company of activists from past, present, and future. 

2.  Book that holiday – don’t forget BMC insurance!
Feeling the winter chill and want to get away for some hot rock action? Make those dream trips a reality…and choose a BMC Travel Insurance policy to suit your needs. 

3.  Complete your own walking challenge
Take the physical challenge.  Is there a walk out there you’ve wanted to do for ages?  Or do you feel compelled to make up your own challenge?  Here are a few weird and wonderful coastal walks and epic challenge walks to get the juices flowing. 

4.  Donate to ACT
After a season of excess (for many of us) and with Christmas out of the way, when your next pay day comes or when your membership renewal comes up perhaps think of donating a few pennies to the BMC’s charity – the BMC Access & Conservation Trust. The projects it supports such as path work and conservation projects may help you on your way when you’re putting in those extra miles on the hills and crags this year. You can now donate to ACT by text message – that’s an easy tick. 

5.  Get a Mountain Training qualification
Are you thinking of getting that Mountain Leader or coaching award...or one of the many other qualifications offered by Mountain Training? This could be the year to do it, it is Mountain Training's 50th anniversary year after all.

6.  Get kitted out with BMC discounts
Did you get everything on your Christmas wish list or do you still have shopping to do?  Make the most of the discounts included in your BMC membership. BMC members get 10% off in our online shop and with over 700 outdoor shops and online retailers.

7.  Go to a BMC area meeting
Have you been meaning to go along to your local BMC area meeting but not made it yet?  Now’s the time to come along discuss the latest issues, have your say, meet other BMC members and see what it’s all about. You may even get some free chips!  

8.  Introduce a young climber or walker to the BMC
We may be turning 70 this year but the BMC is an organisation for everyone from young to old.  Perhaps they’d enjoy taking part in the BMC Youth Climbing Series (for approximately 7-15 year olds). Or if they are looking to make the transition from climbing indoors to outdoors you could point them in the direction of our subsidised Ready to Rock courses which specifically cater for 14-19 year olds and families at Plas y Brenin, the National Mountain Centre in north Wales.

9.  Join a club
A third of BMC Individual members who completed our 2010 membership survey expressed an interest in joining a climbing, hill walking or mountaineering club. Were you one of them and have you joined one yet?  Find out more about joining a BMC affiliated club. 

10.  Read Summit from cover to cover
We know you already do this one but we challenge you to do it again in 2014. Look out for our bumper 70th anniversary issue.

11.  Sharpen your skills / go on a BMC subsidised course
Book on to one of our great value courses subsidised through our Sport England grant. These include a range of BMC subsidised courses at Plas y Brenin including climbing, hill walking, scrambling and winter skills.  If you want to start climbing outdoors check out the BMC’s Ready to Rock courses at Plas y Brenin or the Rock Out courses we’re running in conjunction with local climbing walls.  Also look out for our climbing movement masterclasses with Naomi Buys and our Alpine lecture series, both touring this spring.

12.  Volunteer for the BMC
Much of the BMC's work is carried out by our band of hard working volunteers.  If you have time or expertise to lend and fancy getting involved you can find out more about volunteering for the BMC.  You never know, one day you may be presented with the BMC’s George Band Award for Exceptional Voluntary Contribution to Mountaineering.

Happy new year and good luck with sticking to your resolutions!

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