BL-40 Group Photo

Ben Lairig 40th Anniversary, 28th October 2023

Blown away by the progress you’ve made with the club. Really can’t put words to how impressed and jealous we are that we are not freshers today! Amazing job committee! Great reunion too :)

Tom Vardy

President 2020-21, Secretary 2019-20

Had too much to drink to write anything meaningful, but having a lovely time on evening of 28-10-23. Had a brilliant, and wet, time today – so happy to be back on British hills. We’ve had some great memories with Ben Lairig over the years, Morocco skiing, Helicopter on Skye, and getting lost on glencoe, but this evening is going right up there with every epic day on the hills.*This twit always brought along cake – a whole cake mind – completely nuts but much appreciated!

Joachim Snow

Secretary 2017-18

Thanks for organising a great reunion. Lots of great memories of Ben Lairig – some of the best walking & mountaineering I’ve done with the club. Fantastic to see the club is still going strong after 40 years and everyone has had many similar trips with the club, and beyond! Langdale is a great place, and I’ve really enjoyed returning. Great walk today, despite the weather! Hope to see many of you at the 50th anniversary!

Stephen Ratcliffe

Captain 2002-03, Trip Coordinator 2001-02, Webmaster 2004-05

Thank you for organising such a fantastic trip. It has been great to catch up with old Ben Lairig friends and to see the club in such a great shape. So many great memories with the club, but my favourite is the Easter Morocco trip (2018). Look forward to seeing you all at the 50th reunion. :)

Matt Grint

Trip Secretary 2017-18, Treasurer 2018-19

Thanks for organising a great reunion. Lots of great memories of Ben Lairig – some of the best walking & mountaineering I’ve done with the club. Fantastic to see the club is still going strong after 40 years and everyone has had many similar trips with the club, and beyond! Langdale is a great place, and I’ve really enjoyed returning. Great walk today, despite the weather! Hope to see many of you at the 50th anniversary!

Stephen Ratcliffe

Captain 2002-03, Trip Coordinator 2001-02, Webmaster 2004-05

Not sure what to write, having fought for the existence of Ben Lairig. It’s great to see it still going. Long may it continue!!

Laurence Hobden

2009-16

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Ben Heggs

Beer, fells and ace chats – been a lush trip. Canny wait for the 50th anniversary!

Issy Clarke

President 2023-24, Vice President 2022-23

I have so many amazing, scary, downright terrifying and fun memories of my time in BL. Top memories definitely include Isle of Skye, Dubh Slabs (definitely on the scary but incredible list) and meeting incredible people along the way from cake making nutters to my boyfriend and the best man in the world (self proclaimed) – you know who you are! It’s been great to hear all the stories past and present and I’m still reeling from the revelation BL used to have a Health & Safety committee member. I don’t think we knew what those words meant! Wish the club all the best in the future and another 40 years! :)

Darci Hill

Secretary 2018-19, President 2019-20

Brilliant to meet all the old guard. Surprised nothing has gone tragically wrong (yet). Favourite BL memory: Nearly freezing to death on Gardyloo.

Joe Woodward

Trip Secretary 2023-24

In my time at York (and outside of it) the purest souls I met were usually part of BL. A place where you could meet unique characters with unique perspectives. It’s been a joy. Keep up the good work!

Will Carne

Tag along (professional) 2013-16

Favourite Ben Larig Memory: Having to de-ice zip with matches on our new Gortex tent due to 1 foot of snow outside Muker, Swaledale Winter 91. Thanks for organising a great trip BL committee!

Ann Futter

Equip 1990-91, Treasurer 1992-93

Most of my best memories from York were thanks to BL – My best friend and girlfriend too! Favourite trip was the Isle of Skye including an improvised wild camp in a storm by the Dubh Slabs. Thanks for a great weekend, and seeing how the Club transcends the generations. Heres to another 40 years!

Iain Malone

Member (+trouble maker) 2017-19

Amazing to see the club still thriving. Thanks to everyone involved in the organisation of the reunion, keep it up!!

Jamie Boswell

2006-09

Great to see the club is still going strong. We had a great time back in 2006-2009 and are still regularly getting together to bag munros/wainwrights, and sink a few pints. Keep up the good work!

Ben Wilmott

2006-09

Fantastic to get to know the alumni and an unnaturally smooth and stress-free BL trip! Looking forward to another forty years!

Jack Paton

Vice-President 2023-24, Merchandise Secretary 2022-23

Ace reunion, great to see so much mingling, and while the club changes the unwritten ethos is roughly the same. Best memories: life changing winter trips, and the 5 in a Nissan Micra with 3 crates (big ones!), 5 70L backpacks, going to N Wales in TERRIBLE weather, Friends for life.

Matt Fuller

Gear underling 2006, Trip Sec 2007-09

Great job keeping it all going after YUSU chaos (de-ratification), Covid & all sorts of stuff. Nice to see its still a bunch of good eggs.

Frances Treveil

Captain 2016-17, Secretary 2015-16

Was amazing to see everyone and hear all the memories from years gone by. Here’s to another 40 years!

Josh Gonzalez

Secretary 2023-24

Had awesome times, met each other and have loads of great memories from the club. Great to see the club still going strong & may it last for another 40 years!!

Carrig & Megan

Captain 2010-11 and Treasurer 2009-11, respectively

Great Trip, really surprised with the number of old + current members. Look forward to seeing people at future reunions and well done for keeping the establishment going.

Aaron Stott

President 2018-19

Thanks for organising a great reunion weekend. It’s been fun to meet so many members from across the years and see that the club is still going strong!

Helen Hudson

Treasurer 2006-07, Merchandise 2005-06, Gear Rep 2007-08

Great to see so many ‘vintage’ members about and swapping disaster tales. Best trip was Kintail – a logistical nightmare but amazing experience. See you all for the 50th anniversary!

Anabel Cole

Ordinary Member 2023-24, Gear Secretary 2021-22

Fantastic to see the club thriving after a hard few years. Really good to see everyone still loving the mountains. My best moment was our wild camping on Skye, a bit of an epic but so worth it for my 1st wildcamp. Thanks for organising this awesome trip!

Mark Halsall

Trip Secretary 2018-19

An excellent trip & good to see the club in such good shape. BL taught me to navigate, winter skills, gave me confidence & taught me to drink. Snowdon in moonlight, scrambling on Tryfan, frozen bubbles on perfect still days on Cairngorm – long may the memories continue, old Ben Lairig.

Sam Cooper

2010-14 (did safety & gear at some point)

Thanks all for an enjoyable weekend. Good to see the club is still going strong.

Ben Heggs

Webmaster 2000/01(?), Gear Rep 2001/2(?)

Favourite Ben Lairig memory: Got stuck in Keswick Spoons for 7 hours because of poor organisation, and planned a coup :)

Devi Heppenstall

Secretary 2022-23

Brilliant to see the club thriving after so many years, and still so well supported. It has been great to meet lots of people from different ‘eras’, obviously enjoying the outdoors & the pubs afterwards. Long may Ben Lairig continue. Thanks!

Adrian Anderson

​Captain 2002-04, Press & Publicity 2002-03, Gear Rep 2004-05

Great time here. Living the dream. Hands too cold to write more.

Tom Bance

2005-09