As Geoffrey Winthrop Young comments in the foreword to the first edition of the Rock Climbing Guide to Northumberland, rock climbing in Northumberland began almost as soon as in the Lake District or Wales, the Club followed later. It would be a braver man than I who would put a precise date on the start of these rock climbing activities.

In 1995 the Northumbrian Mountaineering Club celebrated its 50th anniversary, the foundation of the club taking place on the 31st May 1945, a date which in itself was some 46 years after the first recorded rock climb in Northumberland.

The climbing activities of the founders were primarily centred around Crag Lough, a crag of dolerite, and is the largest and most extensive crag in the county. Crag Lough was chosen as the crag for the inaugural NMC meet on the 23rd June 1945; a fact that was commemorated on 23rd June 1995 with a club meet, and photograph which is published in the book "No Nobler County; A Celebration of Climbing In Northumberland" (NMC 1995, ISBN 0 0504686 22).

Such was the early influence and importance of Crag Lough on the Club members as a venue that the NMC established its first hut, "Antic Hay", at Twice Brewed; a stone's throw from Crag Lough.

Later development expanded into Northumberland, particularly in and around Cheviot, most notably Henhole, Bizzle and Dunsdale.

In 1950 The NMC published its first Climber's Guide To Northumberland. This Guide contained three main sections; Crag Lough, Simonside and The Wanneys (what is surprising is the omission of Cheviot from this guide).

Since then there have been five editions of the Guide published, with numerous supplements.

In 2000, as a response to the rise in popularity of bouldering in the county, the club produced it's first bouldering guide.