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 About the Club
What we do
Walking with the Stockets
Membership
The Committee
The Club was founded in 1979 by residents in the
Midstocket area of Aberdeen and is loosely affiliated to the Stocket
Community Council. Please see the Club's constitution
here. Some of the early members still walk regularly with the
Club, although over the years many members have come and gone. New members
are always welcome.
The Stockets are renowned in the hill fraternity of
Aberdeen as being friendly and sociable and this is the Club’s purpose
as much as the serious hill walks. All walks end with a session of about
an hour in the pub. A number of social events are also organised,
including a Christmas party.
The
Stocket Hillwalking Club is affiliated to the
Mountaineering Council of Scotland.
The MCofS provides an extensive range of
support to affiliated clubs,
and their members enjoy a range of
benefits
including access to
huts
and
civil liability insurance.
Please ensure that you familiarise yourself
with the conditions of the insurance cover before going on the hills with
the Club.
What we
do
The Stockets go hill walking throughout the year, generally
in the Grampian Mountains and other hills within a day’s travel of
Aberdeen. Most of the walks include hills over 3000 feet in height; often
these are Munros. Typically between 15 and 25 members go on each walk.
By using a coach, many "through" walks can be arranged,
i.e. routes starting and finishing at different places.
The Club runs a monthly one-day walk, usually on a
Sunday. This means that we operate through the winter season unlike a few
of the local clubs. The winter walks usually cover 8 to 12 miles. A number
of winter walks have been altered to suit conditions, but very few are
canceled due to extreme weather.
Summer walks tend to be
longer to make use of the daylight hours available and are generally
between 15 and 20 miles
An alternative route
following a shorter lower level walk is generally available. By
providing two walks the Club aims to cater for all member’s
requirements.
The Stockets organise up to three
week-ends a year further a field, providing an opportunity to visit the West
Coast and the rest of the Highlands. Week-ends away are a great
opportunity for beginners to fulfill their desire to experience hills
further a field, and for Munro baggers to add few more ticks to their list.
It is also a good way to get to know fellow Club members on a more sociable
basis.
As in most cases,
week-end trips are organised by car and lifts. The more people
share a car, the more economical it becomes for everyone. Accommodation is usually in a hostel or
bunkhouse.
Details of the walks for the year and the cost of each
(£15) are shown on the Club card. This is issued to all members.
Walking with the Stockets
Hill walking with the Stockets requires a reasonable
level of fitness. By definition hill walking involves walking up large
hills and covering at least 10 miles some of the times
on rough grounds. However most people who lead normal
active lives are probably sufficiently fit. New or inexperienced
participants should consider the alternative shorter walks, where
available, until confident of their fitness.
Most people arrive at the coach wearing their hill
walking gear and normal day footwear. There is time before starting
walking to put on boots, which it is a good idea to take with you onto the
coach. The coach usually makes a "loo stop" on
the outward and return journeys.
Some of the more experienced Club Members are prepared
to accompany and advise novice or less experienced walkers on the hill.
Thus both the main and alternative walks can be done with a group of
others if so desired.
Many people bring normal casual clothing to change out
of possibly wet gear after the walk, for the pub session.
The June walk is
an overnight walk. The coach departs
Aberdeen late on a Friday evening and the walk starts around dawn 3 am)
with a finish around lunchtime. A BBQ is then held, for which food is
provided; bring your own drink. The coach
returns to Aberdeen early Saturday evening.
The December walk, on a Saturday, is
followed by the Christmas party in a Deeside venue. This
is the highlight of the year. Members don fancy dress and party until
midnight before the coach home. The event features Christmas dinner, party
pieces and a disco.
Membership
Membership of the Club currently costs £25,
with the subscription year starting in October. Guests and prospective
Members are welcome to come on one or two walks before joining, but would
then be expected to join if they wish to continue.
All what you need to do is to send
the subscription
form
along with a £25 cheque to:
Graeme Duncan
9 Mile-End Place
Aberdeen AB15 5PZ
In return
new members will receive
the Club card for the year 2006/2007
Membership benefits include personal civil liability insurance through the
affiliation to the Mountaineering Council of Scotland
as well as Club
discounts at local hill walking shops.
Travel Arrangements and Booking
A coach is
used for transport for the day walks from Aberdeen, departing from and
returning to Mile End Primary School, on
Gordondale Road. The
cost of each outing is £15 regardless of the driving distance. The
coach departure times are stated on the Club Card:
8.00 am in winter and 7.00 am in summer. Return time to
Aberdeen depends on the season, weather and location of the walk. It
ranges from 5 to 6 pm in winter to 7 to 9 pm in
summer. For weekends
away transport is generally by car.
P lease
make bookings with Graeme Duncan.
Tel: 01224 638510
or email:
graeme.duncan@talktalk.net
The Committee
A Committee of six
members runs the Club; names and contact details are given
below. They meet several
times in the year to discuss
club affairs. At the August meeting the programme of walks for the next year is compiled.
The Committee, both with regard to general club matters and for future
walks, always welcomes suggestions. This is your Club and the Committee's
aim is to cater for your requirements.
The Club holds its Annual General Meeting usually at
the end of September. All members are
notified in advance and nominations for Office Bearers and Committee
Members are invited at that time.
|
Stocket Committee 08-09 |
|
Jim
Hunter
|
President |
tel:
(01224) 582669 |
email |
|
Steve Coutts
|
Vice-President
|
tel:
(01224) 317324 |
email |
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Graeme Duncan
|
Treasurer |
tel: (01224) 638510
|
email |
|
Sylvie Davies
|
Secretary |
tel:
(01224) 495189 |
email |
|
Liz
Jackson
|
Committee Member |
tel:
|
email |
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David Laing
|
Committee Member |
tel:
|
email |
|
Elaine
Kivlichan
|
Committee Member |
tel: (01224) 316112
|
email |
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