'What did the Romans ever do for us?' When in fact we have a lot to thank - the Romans for... http://mounteverest.net/news.php?id=10265
The Cover Photograph of the Book: The First Fifty Years (of the so-called British Mountaineering Council) says it all - publicising as it does, a lack of basic safety equipment (no safety helmet) and a quiet country lane choked with - cars. Welcome to the outcome - of the first fifty years... Fifty years ago looking out from the same spot, not a single motor vehicle was to be seen.
1997: 'Looking ahead to the future it is appropriate to note that we are once again embroiled in various conflicts such as: how are we to check the spread of Bolts in Britain?', (The First Fifty Years - Editorial Introduction xi). Ten years later, the BMC flooded the UK climbing scene with - 10,000 bolts - another conflict. http://groups.msn.com/SafetyInformationforMountainClients/retrobolts.msnw
"Perhaps the brave new scene (don't mention - yes there are a few skeletons in the cupboard - 'Brazilgate' or the full machinations of the Mountain Leadership tussle for control of a multi-million pound market - tried to bully Rockfax) prefers the superficialities of the British (elite) Mountaineering Council (BMC) plc, the perfect reflection of modish privatisation with its credo of the quick-fix and personal gain, no such thing as society etc., etc. The antithesis of service and care for the community , in this case the so-called climbing community. Now the BMC's taste for the life-blood of commercialism is aroused, it could (has) come amongst us (deliberately putting the competition out of business) vampire-like seeking pristine areas in which to sink its fangs and soon, very soon, the whole climbing world will be walking around (though not too far to the nearest crag) in a bloodless trance mouthing fatuous platitiudes..." http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=215043 The BMC, now a charity!?
On the other hand: What did the British (elite) Mountaineering Council (BMC) ever do for us? Don't mention 'Brazilgate' whatever you do... Er, chose to support, waste money on, indoor climbing competitions against the wishes of the vast majority of British climbers. The BMC 'took no note' of the concerns expressed in the mid 1990's and went ahead with its determination to follow 'its quest' - whatever that might be; a quest to create a multi million pound market. Enevitably, creating a million pound market for its commercial members with a vested interest in, financial gain, that included enticing as many young people as possible, in fact anyone - to climb (learn to climb) invariably - indoors via artificial climbing walls (the BMC statement - 'climbers will never pay to climb' - seems quite hollow now). And what do we see today?: 'In 2005, the Youth Advisory Panel of the BMC made a controvercial decision - to stop British Youth Team members from competing in the BRYCS (British Regional Youth Climbing Series) bouldering competitions (they were damaging themselves).'**
The BMC or Manchester Mafia, introduce Politics into mountaineering? Yes, in the last week of September, 2006, at the Labour Party Conference being held in Manchester, there will be / was a meeting of the, wait for it: The All Party Parliamentary Mountaineering Group the - APPMG. Drinks were laid on for MP's, Peers, Chief Exectutives of certain agencies and - leading (elite) climbers... Many people would regard party politics as having no place whatsoever in mountaineering but not - the BMC and those of course those with vested interests haddifferent ideas.
Tried; threatened to sue Rockfax. The BMC who took no note of the Scottish guidebook writers who were very concerned about BMC expansion in guidebook production. Typically, Roger Payne (the the General Secretary of the BMC) was involved. Whilst arranging to feather his own nest in Switzerland, he tried to spoil it for Roackfax. Ken Wilson (about Rockfax - not the BMC): '...they will then move around sinking their fangs into...'
**Bouldering Competitions are too risky (storing up future physical problems) for juniors with an untold number already injured prematurely no doubt. Another BMC debacle... A letter from G. Rimmer was printed in a specialst magazine when the BMC first tempted to grasped with both hands - indoor climbing competitions: 'Come on Dennis (Dennis Gray the then General Secretary of the BMC) forget about Access and all that rubbish - climbing competitions - that's where its at, I can make you loads-a-money...'
Allowed into the UK climbing the - bolting of; unquarried cliffs and crags, mountain crags. In 2007,the BMC flooded Btirish climbing with - 10,000 bolts. Members of the BMC once again bolting at the SSSI that is Malham Cove. Apparently, 30 peices of silver must have changed hands behind the scenes because this time around, the BMC has apparently, the backing of non-climbers in the guise of the Malham Parish Council. Bolting now takes place, sanctioned by the BMC, from Lands End to Portland to Cheddar Gorge, Malham Cove and onto the Highlands of Scotland. Another 'bolt debate' took place at St Just, Lands End, on the 7th may, 2005. The new Land Management Committee working hard for...? The BMC had the audacity to ask members to keep an eye out, and to report details of, off-road motorcyclists damaging the environment - whilst members of the BMC were deliberately and with the BMC's blessing (through BMC sponsored Bolt Funds) damage unquarried rock by drilling and placing expansion bolts... Typical BMC double standards.
Lost, wasted a lot of membership (and Taxpayers) money in recent years - 2000 - 2006. A 2006 definition of a - loan: 'A gift of money usually for political purposes, which does not have to be re-paid; given back.' Example: 'Thank you for your very generous loan. Your contract to construct all future, artificial climbing walls is in the post. Your contract to run the BMC's 'expert witness' courses is in the post.', etc., etc., etc.
Introduced the BMC's 'Expert Witnesses': Mountain clients should be aware of the BMC's new strategy to ensure that not a single BMC / BMG guide looses another court-ase where a client has been killed or seriously injured. The ploy, is for a list of - BMC mountaineering 'expert witnesses' to be drawn up (first list appeared in December, 2005) but do not expect this 'list of BMC / BMG guides' to act on behalf of BMG clients in any future court-cases. Act against them - and on behalf of, the insurance companies - yes. To give some idea of the expertise available, one of the BMG guides listed (most of the expert witnesses listed are BMG guides) left me (an unwitting Plas-y-Brenin clients) to hobble alone, into the growing darkness with a damaged knee, down into the night to Sligachan at the foot of the Cuillin Ridge in 1979. Another of the expert witnesses is pictured in a specialist magazine; Alpine Safety article, dry glacier crossing with arms and hands totally exposed to glacier-rash in the event of a slip / fall he is also not wearing a safety helmet. Fall into a crevasse, and the ice debre that can follow you in can cause much more than a headache.
'The British Mountaineering Council will have succeeded and only then, when every climber / mountaineer is a member...' A. Dummat. Not much chance of success there then as that statement was made sixty years ago. And the BMC's membership still remains at 1% of all climbers, mountaineers and hill walkers - I wonder why? The Rambler's Association has a greater membership than the BMC - fifty years on (90,000). Appparently, 50 years on, there are just 70,000 BMC members in an outdoors that caters for - 4m participants. How come, 3,999,930 activists manage without the - BMC?
Finally, and for the first time in - 50 years, the BMC is holding an Online Survey (summer 2007): Head Injuries and Helmets... Apparently, they have reolised that there is a connection (most BMC members distain the wearing of safety helmets). http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=260399
This page in fact contains some details regarding just what the BMC has done, in a negative way, for climbers, mountaineers and hillwalkers in its first - 50 years. http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?n=215043
And yet, of a Parlimentary, Early Day Motion dated the 23rd October, 2007, the RT Angels C. Smith stated: ' That this House notes the importance of mountaineering to the UK in terms of its status as an Elite sport , further notes that mountaineering, rock climbing and other mountain related activities - the House recognises the criticle role played in the development of mountain sports culture by organisations such as the - British Mountaineering Council...'
The Right Honourable Ms Smith, was commenting on the desirability of the BMC moving to Sheffield where she has a constituancy - the Manchester Mafia, apparently moving to join forces with the - Sheffield Mafia (the BMC were originally refered to as the Manchester Mafia in a Specialist Magazine some years ago).
Some years ago, Nigel Shepeard an instructor at Plas-y-Brenin stated; wrote: 'Does mountaineering really the BMC...? In 2000, another climber sent a similar letter of complaint to High magazine (now defunct) The then General Secretary of the BMC - Roger Payne replied thus: 'Steve Harison's proposal that BMC should dispose of the services it runs for climbers (members), hillwalkers and mountaineering must be based on a serious misunderstanding. There is no reason why a representative 'voluntary body' (have you seen the gigantic BMC wage bill?) should not have a commercial dimension.
To Be continued...
