FAQs

Answers to some of the questions we’ve had from people checking out the Club.

• I’m not really a mountaineer, can I still join?
• What happens on a trip?
• Where do you stay?
• I don’t know anyone in the Club. Would I fit in?
• How fast do you walk?
• Does the Club provide training?
• Where are you based?
• What equipment do I need for Summer?
• What equipment do I need for Winter?
• How much does it cost to join?
• How can I find out more?

Really though, the only way to find out if the Gentian Mountaineering & Hill Walking Club is the one for you is to take a deep breath, sign up and book onto an event (maybe with a friend?).

We’re a very friendly and welcoming club but if you decide we’re not what you’re looking for we’ll refund your membership fee in full. We want you to be happy!

I’m not really a mountaineer, can I still join?

Yes! We welcome everyone from complete beginners to experienced mountaineers and hill walkers.

What happens on a trip?

Most trips are for a weekend although we run day walks and week long trips as well. A couple of weeks before a trip members will receive details of how to get to the accommodation, what to bring etc. There will also be a list of who else is going so that car share can be arranged and a contact number for any questions. A WhatsApp group will be set up to share plans and photos. You can join this or not as you wish.

A typical weekend then starts with everyone arriving on Friday evening. Members who arrive early often get together to cook a meal or eat in a pub. Unlike many clubs we cater together and eat as a group. This is not only more sociable but saves queues for the cookers and gets us out quicker.

On Saturday morning we all have breakfast together and members who have offered to coordinate a route describe their plans. Members sign up as they wish. On any trip there is usually a choice of groups to go with. Whatever the route, the aim is to have a sociable day on the hills and no-one gets left behind!

At the end of the day we have a meal together. There is a vegetarian and non-veg option with starter and dessert. There’s wine and beer as well. Saturday evening is a great opportunity for a chat about the day’s walks or to catch up on other news. Sunday proceeds in the same way and we generally leave late afternoon.

Where do you go?

All over! Snowdonia, the Lake District, Brecon Beacons, the Peak District and Yorkshire Dales are regulars and we also go to Dartmoor, the Shropshire Hills, the Gower Peninsula and the Long Mynd.

Scotland is covered with a Winter week in February and a Spring week in late May. We go to Glencoe, Skye, Arran, the Cairngorms and Knoydart.

There is also an annual trip abroad, e.g. Mallorca, the French Alps, Austrian Alps, Pyrenees or the Costa Blanca.

Click Club events to see full details of current trips.

Where do you stay?

We book a very wide range of accommodation. At one end of the spectrum we use other clubs’ huts with basic facilities. At the other end we visit luxury lodges with twin rooms, wifi and ensuites. Most trips are somewhere in the middle. Full details of the accommodation are always given on the programme.

Click Club events to see full details of current trips.

I don’t know anyone in the Club. Would I fit in?

We pride ourselves on being a friendly and welcoming club. You can come along on your own without worrying about it (or join with a friend!). We have couples, many single members and some members whose partners are not interested in hills and mountains. You can come to every tripor just one. Every-time you will be welcomed by like-minded people.

How fast do you walk?

There is usually a choice of groups to go with and before setting off the volunteer coordinators will explain what is involved in terms of distance and height gain. Whatever the route, the aim is to have a sociable day on the hills and no-one gets left behind!

Does the Club provide training?

Experienced Club members are always willing to share their knowledge. In addition, we run Club events such as ‘Improve your navigation’ and subsidize places on professionally run courses such as ‘Winter Skills’ and ‘Discover Scrambling’. Members of the Club are automatically members of the BMC (British Mountaineering Council) and are eligible to attend BMC training events.

Where are you based?

We’re a national club with members all over, some to the South of London but mainly in the Midlands and a bit further North. We don’t have a club ‘hut’ and instead use a wide variety of accommodation.

What equipment do I need for Summer?

What equipment do I need for Winter?

How much does it cost to join?

Click to see the current subscription rate for new members.

We’re a very friendly and welcoming club but if you decide we’re not what you’re looking for within three months of joining we’ll refund your membership fee in full. We want you to be happy!

How can I find out more?

Just contact us with the form below. We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.