FAQ ~ Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can Anyone Join the NMC?
Q. I'm an absolute beginner and really want to start climbing, what should I do now?
Q. If I can climb how do I join?
Q. Subs?
Q. What do I get for my money?
Q. Sounds cool, how much does it cost?
Q. Do I need all my own equipment to join in with the club?
Q. I don't have a climbing partner, is that a problem?
Q. Do I need to be able to lead before I come along?
Q. If I come along by myself to a meet will that be OK?
Q. Is there an age-limit on who can join?
Q. How do I find out about where your "meets" are?
Q. I want to come along to a Wednesday evening meet, how do I do that?
Q. So, what time do people meet up?
Q. What about the weekend meets?
Q. What time?
Q. What about full-weekend meets?
Q. OK, what now?
Q. Can Anyone Join the NMC?
A. Pretty much, yes.
Membership is open to anyone who wants to climb. We can't take absolute beginners, if you've been on an "introduction to climbing" course then that will have given you the basics, after that you're welcome to come along.
Q. I'm an absolute beginner and really want to start climbing, what should I do now?
A. A few simple things
We can't take absolute beginners (unless you're a
relative/friend of a member a come along with them) because of the laws
regulating instructors, etc., but anyone who has had something like a
basic/introductory course is more than welcome to come along and take
things up with us from there and a lot of our members, both new to us
now and more established, have done it that way.
The courses that are available in the Newcastle area are available at 3
venues; Central Newcastle, Newburn and Sunderland. The Central Newcastle
course is run at the Berghaus wall within the Eldon-sports part of Eldon
Square. Newburn wall is within Newburn Sports Centre, and Sunderland
wall is on the western fringes of the city centre - near the Queen
Alexandra Bridge - at Sunderland Climbing wall.(I think all three have
their own web-sites, or at least info on the web, somewhere.)
Each course is as good as the other, without a doubt, and each wall is a
good training venue so which you choose would depend upon other
intangible factors, I suppose. Berghaus wall is an excellent bouldering
wall, lacking the height of the other two (it's about 4m-5m tall).
Newburn is a roped-wall and is quite compact. Sunderland has some
bouldering facilities but most of it is roped-climbing.
Ultimately there isn't anything to choose between the
three: each venue has its pluses and minuses.
Q. If I can climb how do I join?
A. Easily
Come along to a few meets, fill in an application form, hand over you hard-earned dosh to pay your subs and it's a simple as that.
Q. Subs?
A. Yep.
Subs; subscription fee; paid annually from the start of the year.
Q. What do I get for my money?
A. Quite a lot really.
We use your subs to provide things like third-party insurance through the BMC (British Mountaineering Council). As a member you are eligible to use the club's hut (bunkhouse) in Borrowdale in the Lake District at a reduced rate compared to non-club members. Your membership card will get you up to 15% discount off climbing gear in the shops in Newcastle, Sunderland and Keswick. The club publishes a handbook with contact details, etc., which members receive. We also publish a Quarterly Magazine and a monthly eNewsletter.
Over the
winter the club organises half a dozen slide shows/talks which take place after
the wall session and are held in a lecture theatre within Burnside. These slide
shows are free to attend (they're actually paid for from part of the subs) and are a mix of pro climbers and
members slides depending upon what is scheduled. Previous speakers have been
Alan Hinkes, Jonny Dawes, Leo Houlding, Paul Pritchard, Doug Scott and Mick
Fowler. 2007-'08 will see Anne Arran, Nick Bullock, Alastair Lee and one or two
others.
Q. Sounds cool, how much does it cost?
A. £22.00 for a year (2007).
The membership year is the calendar year and subs become due with the start of the year. If you join the club later in the year then there is a reduction in fees according to how far through the year we are.
Q. Do I need all my own equipment to join in with the club?
A. No
The only equipment you need is rock shoes, harness and belay device. Come along to a meet and you'll be able to climb with someone else who has all the gear.
Q. I don't have a climbing partner, is that a problem?
A. No, not a problem at all
In fact the club exists so that people who are interested in climbing can meet up with other climbers.
Q. Do I need to be able to lead before I come along?
A. No, not at all.
There is no need for anyone to be able to lead when they come along; just as long as you can belay you'll be welcome. You can start leading , if you want to, at your own pace / when it feels right for you. There's no timescale on this at all and it's no problem at all.
Q. If I come along by myself to a meet will that be OK?
A. Yes, of course.
If you come along to any meet you'll naturally find it a little bit daunting at first but there's no need to worry: come along, say hello and someone will happily let you tie in to their rope - it's very informal and very friendly. All you need to do is bring your rockshoes, harness and belay device and say hello :-)
Q. Is there an age-limit on who can join?
A. No, not really, but there are two things to think about here.
1.) Anyone over the age of 18 is welcome to come along as long as you've done a bit of climbing.
2.) The NMC has an "under-18 policy" which can be downloaded in full >> here < <, the gist of it is as follows:
Under-18s may join the club and attend meets provided
(a) They
are accompanied by their parent who is a member of the club, or
(b) They
are accompanied by an adult member of the club who is in loco parentis ("in the place of a parent") for the specific child
Q. How do I find out where your "meets" are?
A. All of our meets are listed in the Events Diary section of this web site.
There is a link in the menu bar on the left of this page or you can click this link.
Q. I want to come along to a Wednesday evening meet, how do I do that?
A. Easily, just come along:
a.) Look in the Events Diary to see where the venue is;
b.) Use the side menu on this page to navigate to Online Guide Book > Full Crag List;
c.) Find the crag, click on the link to open it's page;
d.) That page will also have a link to streetmap to show you where the crag is. Et viola!
Q. So, what time do people meet up?
A. As soon as is best for you.
What people do is usually just go to the crag from straight from work and get to the crag when they can. It doesn't really mattter what time you get there. After the climbing we will go to a pub and have a beer to wind down.
Q. What about the weekend meets?
A. Slightly different here, but just as easy.
1.) if it's a day-meet then we usually arrange to meet up somewhere nearer to Newcastle to car-share, etc.
2.) or you can make your own way to the crag.
Q . What time?
A. Depends, you have to play this one by ear.
1.) Arrangements for the weekend are frequently sorted out on the Wednesday beforehand in the pub after the meet
2.) Often these meets are also co-ordinated through this web site's forum, just keep an eye in there or post a question yourself.
2.) Or get in touch with the Secretary and you should get some help there (I'm quite friendly really ;-)
Q. What about full-weekend meets?
A. These are slightly more structured.
1.) A weekend (away) meet will have a someone nominated as "Meet Leader" who is the person to get in touch with - if you don't know that person then post into the forum or get in touch with the Secretary. If it's a hut meet the the Meet Leader keeps tabs on bed spaces, etc., if it's a camping meet then they will keep an eye on camping pitches needed/booked, etc..
2.) Weekend meets usually leave for the venue on the Friday evening and return home on the Sunday, but it's entirely up to the individual.
Q. OK, what now?
A. Just get in touch - use the form on >>this page< <
shoobeedoobeedoooo
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