STOCKET HILLWALKING CLUB

Liam Naughton

The Club was founded in 1979 by residents in the Midstocket area of Aberdeen, so will celebrate 40 years in 2019. It now has a diverse membership, with people even travelling from Dundee and Perthshire to join club events. Some of the early members still walk with the Club, and over the years many people have started walking with us, then gone on to conquer the Munros (at least 3,000 ft), Corbetts (2,500 — 3,000 ft), Grahams (2,000 — 2,499 feet) and ever more obscure groups of hills. In the past, people heard of us by word of mouth or by seeing a poster in an outdoor shop. Nowadays, almost all our new members hear of us via our website www.stockets.org.uk Newcomers are always welcome, and can join us as guests for a couple of walks before deciding whether to join the club.

The Final Munro!

We run a monthly one-day walk on Saturday or Sunday, using a coach departing from and returning to Gordondale Road in Rosemount, Aberdeen. The coach allows us to arrange many "through" walks, i.e. routes starting and finishing at different places. Our walks are generally in the Grampian Mountains and other hills within a day's bus travel from Aberdeen. The winter walks usually cover 8 to 12 miles; occasionally we alter them to suit conditions, but very few are cancelled 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. Whenever possible, an alternative route following a shorter lower level walk is available; by providing two walks the Club aims to cater for all members' requirements.

We organise May and September hillwalking weekends each year, providing an opportunity to visit the West Coast and the rest of the Highlands. Weekends away are a great opportunity for beginners to experience hills further afield, 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. Weekend trips are organised by car and lifts, with accommodation usually in a hostel or bunkhouse.

In line with the club’s friendly and sociable reputation, most walks end with a pub or other refreshment stop on the way home. Other social events include pub nights on the Friday following walks, a summer camping weekend, a Burns weekend, annual BBQ, and a Christmas party.

Being a club member brings benefits, including discount in most outdoor shops, and membership of Mountaineering Scotland and NEMT (North East Mountain Trust). The former provides Civil & Employers' Liability Insurance for club members, and both organisations provide information, support, and an opportunity to actively engage in a wide range of outdoor issues.

We hope you will give us a try – for more information, including our programme of walks through to March 2019, visit our website or email stocketshost@gmail.com

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