Over the Roses Weekend, Lancaster University Hiking Club (LUHC), one of Lancaster University’s largest and oldest societies, celebrated its 55th anniversary.
Despite not being included in the Roses weekend, LUHC hosted their own Hiker’s Roses (‘The Big Bag’) against a less forgiving opponent: the elements. The weekend was open to both alumni and current students to come together in an attempt to summit 214 of the Lake District Peaks. A hundred and four current students, alumni, and friends took part in the event and in true Roses fashion, seventeen members from Ben Lairig (York University Mountaineering) also joined.
The popularity of Lancashire-born fell-walker and cartographer Alfred Wainwright’s series of ‘pictorial guides’ to the fells of the Lake District have led to the 214 peaks being referred to as ‘Wainwrights.’
Many of these peaks can prove perilous for inexperienced hikers and as a result, the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association operates in the area. In support of this Association, LUHC decided dedicate ‘The Big Bag’ to raising money for the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association, who have twelve teams of volunteers that cover the entire Lake District National Park and Cumbria region.
“We managed to raise over £700 for the Lake District Search and Mountain Rescue Association from ‘The Big Bag’ Bar, raffle, and cake sale, on top of the donations already received via our Just Giving page and any profits from the event.”
LUHC
With 198 of the 214 fells summited by the end of the weekend, LUHC felt it was a great success, with bad weather conditions being blamed for the final 16 peaks left to be completed.
One of the lead organisers of the event and recent Lancaster University alumnus, Phil Wadley, said that 198 peaks was “pretty insane given the weather,” citing the “incredible effort” that went into the weekend: “it was great to see so many faces old and new excited to be out hiking, as well as the many new faces stepping up to navigate.”
The LUHC President, Izzy Sharpe said that it was a “great effort in hiking nearly all the Wainwrights,” and, referencing the get-together nature of the event, expressing that it was “an incredibly fun weekend and lovely to meet everyone.”
To find out more about LUHC, follow the link here
