Club Policy for Meets

The IMC welcomes all those with an interest in hill-walking, climbing or mountaineering. The club welcomes newcomers keen to experience these activities for the first time, those with more experience aspiring to succeed at their next challenge, and all those who seek relaxation and enjoyment from being out on the crags and hills in Britain and further afield. We aim to provide a range of activities to cater for the interests of all club members.

The IMC is primarily an adult club, but young people are welcome on most club meets with their parents or guardians. Young people over 16 may participate without their parents or guardians provided parental consent is given which acknowledges that there will be no other adult supervision. Young People Climbing, Hill Walking, Mountaineering: A Parent's Guide

The programme of club meets is organised twice a year (summer and winter) at an open meeting which all members are welcome to attend. Members are free, and indeed encouraged, to arrange any meets that suit their own interests.

Mountaineering and rock climbing can be dangerous activities. The British Mountaineering Council publication, Risk, Responsibility, Duty of Care and Liability provides guidelines adopted by the club. Members should view their own actions in the light of these guidelines and the club's policy that members participate entirely at their own risk, as set out in the club's constitution.

Informal Meets

Most club meets fall into this category. Informal meets may be arranged to venues offering any mountaineering or climbing activities, at any standard, and at any time of year.

The meet organiser will publicise the dates and venue on the club website. Depending on the venue and the nature of the meet, the meet organiser may also:

If you attend an informal meet you should expect to:

Advice to new members attending informal meets

Because members attending informal meets often expect to climb or walk with those with whom they have made prior arrangements, it is important to make your own arrangements beforehand to ensure you have climbing or walking partners on the meet. We are aware that this can sometimes be tricky, especially for new members, and you may find the following advice helpful:

Beginners's Meets (and other Formal Meets)

The club tries to arrange at least one meet each year to introduce beginners to hill-walking or outdoor climbing. The beginners' meets provide an opportunity for complete novices, and those relatively new to climbing, to "learn the ropes" from more experienced club members in a friendly and supportive environment.

The club also sometimes arranges meets for beginners or newcomers at local climbing walls.

Other formal meets may be arranged to help those progressing, for example to multi-pitch or sea cliff climbing, or scrambling or winter hill-walking. Formal meets are a good opportunity for new members to make friends and find climbing or walking partners in the club.

For any formal meet, the meet organiser will:

For a beginners' meet, the organiser will also:

For a formal meet, the organiser will decide who may attend. Places for less experienced members may sometimes need to be restricted to ensure that there are enough experienced members to assist.

Beginners' meets are planned at venues which provide opportunities to participate at a variety of standards, including the easiest. On other formal meets the organiser will try to ensure that everyone has appropriate experience to participate safely at the standard of climbing or walking available at the venue.

If you wish to attend a formal meet you should please:

A few extra notes for beginners and less experienced members attending formal meets

A few extra notes for those with more experience attending formal meets.

A final note for any member attending any meet.