Planning your club's next destination for sock wrestling and drinking game antics? Not forgetting the climbing of course. The venue will obviously depend on what type of climbing you want to do and the skills level of your club but here are a few possibilities to whet your appetite.
The following ten possibilities are listed in order of farthest north to farthest south.
1. North west Scotland
It’s a bit of a journey to get there which adds to the adventurous feel and once you're there you've got loads of amazing rock climbing. Just make sure you hit a good weather window because when it’s good, there’s nowhere better in the world to be, but when it’s bad it can be grim.
Where to stay: There's heaps of free camping in amazing places – pretty key for skint students, hey! Sheigra and Diabiag are two places that will get you off to a good start.
Guides: Northern Highlands North and Northern Highlands South
2. Ben Nevis/Glencoe (Scottish winter week)
For sheer quantity of classics in a relatively small area, you can't beat Glencoe/Ben Nevis area or Aviemore in the Cairngorms.
Where to stay: BMC affiliated club members can book and stay at the Alex MacIntyre Memorial Hut between Glencoe and Ben Nevis. There’s free camping in Glencoe outside the Kings House (we think!) if you’re tough, or plenty of bunkhouses/cottages/hostels to book if not.
Guides: Scottish Winter Climbs, Ben Nevis Rock & Ice Climbs and Glen Coe Rock and Ice Climbs.
3. Northumberland
Northumberland boasts world class crags to rank with the best outcrops in Yorkshire and the Peak District. Also in its favour it is significantly less crowded than the Peak. Check out the sandstone gems such as Bowden Doors and Kyloe Crag. To sample the dolerite crags under Hadrian's Wall head to Crag Lough.
Where to stay: Try South Meadows near Belford for the sandstone crags and Winshields Farm for Crag Lough.
Guides: Northumberland Climbing Guide
Quality and quiet at Crag Lough. Photo: Rob Dyer
4. North Wales
A good option if you want a spread of different climbing styles – trad, sport, boulder, hill walking, you name it – and on a range of different rock types from mountain crag to sea cliff.
Where to stay: Lots of huts available, a good pub in both Nant Peris and Llanberis. Some of the best climbing shops in the country and home to Pete's Eats!!
Guides: North Wales Rock - Selection Rock Climbs in North Wales
5. South Pembroke
A lifetime’s worth of some of the best sea cliff trad available packed into a couple of miles of coastline. Not a place for absolute beginners but contrary to popular belief there's plenty for lower grade climbers at sub VS if you’re willing to move crags during the day. At HVS and above the world is your oyster.
Where to stay: Cheap basic campsite in Bosherston at £3 a night within walking distance of the pub.
Guides: Climbers Club guides volumes 2-5. e.g. Pembroke Vol 4 - Range East
6. Portland
Portland has the highest concentration of sport climbs in the UK. Often nice weather during the winter too.
Where to stay: Portland YHA, Portland Bill campsite.
Guides: Portland - The Definitive Guidebook
We're holding the BMC AGM 2014 in Portland from 25-27 April 2014. The BMC is offering half price accommodation to student clubs. Book early to avoid disappointment. Contact kate@thebmc.co.uk with any queries.
7. Cornwall
There's loads to do in the West Penwith area on a variety of rock types, although mostly granite. Classics all over the place, cream teas, cider, often good weather and generally just a class place to spend a week.
Where to stay: Lots of campsites to choose from. St Just is nice.
Guides: Western Cornwall and West Cornwall Supplement
8. Fontainebleau, France
The bouldering mecca of Font is an obvious choice – located just south of Paris, it's really easy to organise and it caters for all climbing levels. Just get everyone to group into cars and book their own ferry, pick a campsite and meet there.
Where to stay: Plenty of camping. Grez sur Loing is nice, cheap and allows campfires. See Climb Europe.
Guides: You don't really need a guide as you can just find out what colour corresponds with the grade you want to climb and follow the circuit. For those who feel lost without a guide: 5 + 6 Fontainebleau, 7+8: 2669 straight ups in Fontainebleau
10. Siurana and other european sport venues
Plenty to choose from and being students it will probably revolve around where the cheapest flights go to. Good places to start looking at are Siurana (Catalunya), Costa Blanca (Spain), El Chorro (southern Spain) and Arco (Italy) to name a few.
Siurana is a classic spanish sport climbing. It's a tiny village hamlet packed with lots of climbing action. Sweeping limestone cliffs in a beautiful location...what more so you want?
Where to stay: Camping Siurana is a buzzy place to stay with climbers social scene in bar and perfectly located for all the crags. Alternatively there's the Refugio.
Guides: Tarragona
11. Your favourites
We asked our Facebook friends to tell us where they go with their uni clubs. Some of their favourite memories for club meets have included staying at the Wellingborough Mountaineering Club Cottage (north Wales), Borrowdale hut at the Bowderstone (Lakes), Lagangarbh hut, Glencoe and the North London Climbing and Mountaineering Club hut Snowdonia.
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Read our advice for running the perfect climbing meet.
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This article is part of BMC Student Season, a term's worth of student-friendly articles and social media banter to help students get the most out of climbing and walking. Please tell us what you think of the BMC by completing our young people survey aimed at 14-25 year olds.
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