Trip Information

General

We organise four trips in each of the Michaelmas and Lent terms (three weekend trips and a day trip) and three in the Easter term (two weekends and a day trip). Longer outings take place in each vacation. We normally go to the Lake District, Snowdonia, Peak District and Pennines, with less regular visits to other hilly areas such as the Brecon Beacons and Dartmoor. Trips will appear on the calendar well in advance, and are advertised on the mailing list a week or two before the trip.

You will need a pair of sturdy walking boots, a rucksack, a decent set of waterproofs and warm clothing, as we walk all year round. There is more on this in our Kit Lists and Mountain Guidelines. The club does have a limited amount of equipment to lend to members, but note that you will need your own boots.

The committee can - and will - refuse to take people on walks whom they feel are inadequately equipped.

Weekend trips

For term-time weekend trips, transport is generally by minibus and cars, leaving from outside Churchill College Porters' Lodge (marked by the black hat) on Friday afternoon at 17:30 and returning by midnight on Sunday. This allows us to have two full days of walking. On the Friday and Sunday evenings, we usually stop at a takeaway - the time and location of the stop is up to the drivers and may be quite late.

Accommodation is usually in bunkhouses or youth hostels, with members making their own arrangements for food (often cooking communally). There will typically be 20-30 people on a trip, splitting into four or five groups doing a range of walks, all with at least one experienced club member. The cost (covering transport, accommodation and club supplies of milk, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and biscuits) is usually £30-40.

Day Trips

Day trips are usually arranged for Sundays in order to avoid Saturday lectures. They generally leave early in the morning (before sunrise, even!) to get the travelling over, and normally cost in the region of £15-20. Popular locations include the Peak District, Shropshire, and even (controversially!) the Norfolk coast.

Vacation Trips

Vacation trips are longer, staying in bunkhouses or camping. This means we can go further afield, particularly to Scotland. They are organized more informally, with the option to stay for as many or as few nights as you like. In recent years we have also run a foreign trip over the summer, which has visited destinations including the Alps, Pyrenees and Colorado. The club does not provide transport for vacation trips, but will help to coordinate lift-sharing and advise on public transport.

Membership

You will need to be a member of the club to come on any of our trips (except for the Freshers' Day Trip in October), but you can simply add the cost of membership onto your first trip fee. For more information about membership and how to obtain it, see the new members' page.

Refund Policy

People dropping out of trips creates both organizational and financial difficulties, and so refunds are not usually given to those who drop out after signing up. However if the Trip Leader is given enough notice it is sometimes possible to fill the place on the trip, in which case a refund will be given.

Please note that trips will go ahead whatever the weather!

Sign-up for Weekend Trips

Sign-up for weekend trips takes place on the Monday before the trip at 0800 outside St John's College Great Gate (marked by the black hat southeast of the red circle, on St John's Street). Spaces are allocated in the order you arrive. The aim is to ensure that the keenest people get on trips - it's a tried-and-tested system, and we haven't thought of anything that works better!

Payment will be collected at sign-up - cheques strongly preferred (payable to "CU Hillwalking Club"), with your name and email on the back. If you must pay by cash, put the correct amount in an envelope with your name and email on it. Please don't pay by cash unless you have the exact amount in change.

What if I can't get to St John's at 0800 on Monday?

Don't worry, we've thought of that! Sign-up by proxy is not allowed, but a small proportion of the total trip spaces will be allocated in advance to those who have a genuine reason for not attending sign-up.

If this applies to you, please request a pre-sign by emailing the president before 20:00 on the Friday before sign-up, giving your reason. If more valid requests are received than the number of pre-sign spaces, names will be drawn out of a hat, with the outcome emailed to all applicants by Saturday afternoon. Those not successful in gaining a place will be added to the bottom of the reserve list after sign-up. If you are given a pre-sign, you must get a cheque to the president by 0800 on Monday morning unless otherwise agreed, or your place may be given to someone else. The president has the final say on pre-sign allocation.

Sign-up for Day Trips and Vacation Trips

Sign-up for day trips (except the Freshers' Day Trip) is by email and cheque. Spaces are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Email the president by midday on the Tuesday before the trip (at the latest) if you want to come, and follow it up with a cheque (payable to "CU Hillwalking Club", with your name and email on the back - or exact amount in cash in an envelope if you must). Once you have emailed, your place will be reserved for three days, and will be confirmed by email when payment is received. If you haven't paid within three days, your place is not guaranteed unless you have agreed otherwise!

Sign-up for vacation trips is similar, though the timescale may vary - details will be given via the mailing list.

Cheques will be collected at lunch or the pub, or can be delivered to the president's pigeon hole.