BMC News

Access and Conservation Latest

Rock Climbing News

Climbing legend Chris Bonington helps BMC access iconic Skeleton Ridge route on The Needles, Isle of Wight

With the help from Chris Bonington and other legendary climbers, the BMC has reached an agreement with the Isle of Wight National Trust about rock climbing access at Skeleton Ridge on The Needles.

31 May
3 min read

Access & Conservation

Senedd scraps cut-off date for recording historic paths in Wales

Last week, the Senedd in Cardiff passed the Legislation (Procedure, Publication and Repeals) (Wales) Bill, effectively removing the threat of thousands of unrecorded footpaths being lost across Wales.

30 May
3 min read

Access & Conservation

Unsightly, polluting, plastic matting in the Peak District ordered to be removed

After lobbying from BMC Peak Area Access Reps and others, DEFRA has ruled that the landowner must now comply with an existing enforcement notice requiring them to remove a plastic matting track on Midhope Moor.

29 May
3 min read

Access News

Support Seagrass Ocean Rescue by shopping at Cotswold Outdoor this summer

Cotswold Outdoor invite you to round up your payment at the till in aid of The Climate Project from the BMC's Access & Conservation Trust until 30 June 2025.

23 May
2 min read

Indoor Climbing Latest

Indoor Climbing News

New discounts for BMC members at The Foundry Climbing Centre, Sheffield

From May 1st 2025, there’s now three different ways BMC members can save money when climbing at The Foundry Climbing Centre.

08 May
2 min read

Indoor Climbing News

McNeice and Roberts Top Semi-Final Heat at the British Lead Championships in Manchester

The competition is heating up on Day 2 of the British Lead Championships as the semi-finals conclude at the Big Depot, Manchester.

09 Feb
4 min read

Performance News

Roberts, Bridgens, Peetermans, and McNeice lead the way into the Semi-Finals at the British Lead Championships

The qualification round of the 2025 British Lead Championships concluded this evening, with Olympian Toby Roberts top of the Senior Men and a three-way tie at the top of the Senior Women.

08 Feb
3 min read

Performance News

Britain's best go head-to-head at the British Lead Championships in Manchester

This weekend (Saturday 8 February - Sunday 9 February), the country’s top Lead climbers will battle it out for the coveted title of British Champion.

07 Feb
3 min read

Hill Walking Latest

Access & Conservation

Senedd scraps cut-off date for recording historic paths in Wales

Last week, the Senedd in Cardiff passed the Legislation (Procedure, Publication and Repeals) (Wales) Bill, effectively removing the threat of thousands of unrecorded footpaths being lost across Wales.

30 May
3 min read

Hill Walking Articles

Get back on the hills with Revive Active's smart recovery tips

With brighter mornings and longer evenings, spring is the perfect time to return to the hills. As May marks National Hill Walking Month, many walkers are dusting off their boots and heading back out after a winter break - whether for a short ramble or a full-day hike. Revive Active’s Physio Health Expert, Aidan O’Flaherty, shares his top tips for recovery...

29 May
5 min read

Access & Conservation

Unsightly, polluting, plastic matting in the Peak District ordered to be removed

After lobbying from BMC Peak Area Access Reps and others, DEFRA has ruled that the landowner must now comply with an existing enforcement notice requiring them to remove a plastic matting track on Midhope Moor.

29 May
3 min read

Access News

Support Seagrass Ocean Rescue by shopping at Cotswold Outdoor this summer

Cotswold Outdoor invite you to round up your payment at the till in aid of The Climate Project from the BMC's Access & Conservation Trust until 30 June 2025.

23 May
2 min read

Access News

187 stepping stones reduce footpath erosion in Eryri (Snowdonia)

Last summer's Get Stuck In event placed 187 stepping stones along a 50m stretch of footpath in Eryri (Snowdonia). Event creator Steve Charles reports on how the path is looking eight months later.

22 May
2 min read

Wild Camping

Supreme Court rules that Wild Camping on Dartmoor is legal

The legal right to wild camp on the Dartmoor Commons has been upheld by the Supreme Court, marking a significant victory for public access to nature.

21 May
1 min read

Hill Walking Articles

The Best Hiking Trails in Madeira

Madeira, a volcanic Portuguese island in the Atlantic off northwest Africa, is a haven of dramatic landscapes. It has long attracted adventure tourists due to its diverse routes - from coastal walks to high-altitude hikes - and its year-round sunshine and sub-tropical climate. While its misty green valleys bring to mind a South American or Asian rainforest, its steep, jagged ridgelines overarched by rainbows make it feel like Europe’s answer to Hawai’i or Réunion Island. 

19 May
7 min read
21 Sep 2025

Hill Walking Event Walks

BMC Yorkshire Hill Walk | Thursday 21st August

This social walk will explore one of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks; Pen Y Ghent and Plover Hill.

Rock Climbing Latest

Rock Climbing News

Climbing legend Chris Bonington helps BMC access iconic Skeleton Ridge route on The Needles, Isle of Wight

With the help from Chris Bonington and other legendary climbers, the BMC has reached an agreement with the Isle of Wight National Trust about rock climbing access at Skeleton Ridge on The Needles.

31 May
3 min read

Wild Camping

Supreme Court rules that Wild Camping on Dartmoor is legal

The legal right to wild camp on the Dartmoor Commons has been upheld by the Supreme Court, marking a significant victory for public access to nature.

21 May
1 min read

Rock Climbing Articles

How to claim BMC Personal Accident Cover

If you're an Individual BMC member who has been involved in a climbing (rock or plastic), hill walking or mountaineering accident, you could benefit from £10,000 Personal Accident cover included in your membership - you never know when it might come in handy.

12 May
5 min read

Hill Walking News

New Plas y Brenin discounts for BMC members in renewed partnership

We’ve been working on some special offers for BMC members with our partners at Plas y Brenin, the National Outdoor Centre. Keep reading to discover how to access discounted skills courses for yourself.

01 May
3 min read
16-18 May 2025

Rock Climbing Articles

Hongian Ffest 2025

Come along to Hongian Climbing Ffest! A weekend of trad climbing, bouldering, hillwalking and outdoor workshops, rooted in the culture and spirit of this extraordinary corner of Eryri.

04-07 Jul 2025

Rock Climbing News

BMC North East / Rock Solid Northumberland Youth Meet 2025

The Youth Meet weekend is to give children who predominantly climb indoors a taste of outdoor climbing in a safe and controlled environment, whilst having fun along the way.

Indoor Climbing

Get to grips with route reading

Do you ever find yourself stuck mid-climb, lost in a sea of holds, wondering how on earth you got there in the first place and with no idea how to move up? Route reading is a key climbing skill that involves interpreting the moves on a route or problem, before you've left the ground.

23 Apr
5 min read

Rock Climbing Articles

Climbers - it's bird nesting season so keep your eyes peeled

The BMC has a 50+ year history of working with nature conservation organisations to help protect important species of nesting birds, in coastal, mountain and moorland areas.

17 Apr
3 min read

Mountaineering Latest

Rock Climbing Articles

How to claim BMC Personal Accident Cover

If you're an Individual BMC member who has been involved in a climbing (rock or plastic), hill walking or mountaineering accident, you could benefit from £10,000 Personal Accident cover included in your membership - you never know when it might come in handy.

12 May
5 min read

Mountaineering Articles

What is SkiMo, the new Winter Olympic Sport in Milano-Cortina 2026?

Ski mountaineering — or SkiMo for short — will make its Olympic debut at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games. As qualification heats up and the GB SkiMo Squad progress through the ranks, here’s a look at what the sport involves, what shape it will take in the Winter Olympics and the ones to watch…

07 May
6 min read

Performance News

Innes and Wild round out Skimo season with strong performance at Trofeo Mezzalama

GB Skimo’s Iain Innes and Finlay Wild capped off the 2024/25 Ski Mountaineering season with a 20th place finish at the ISMF Skimo Long Distance World Championships at the XXIV Trofeo Mezzalama, one of the world’s toughest and most celebrated ski mountaineering races.

06 May
2 min read

Hill Walking News

Rescue data highlights importance of outdoor preparedness

With the Easter Bank Holiday approaching and more people than ever heading to the hills, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is echoing a vitally important message from Mountain Rescue England and Wales (MREW): be prepared, be informed, and don’t rely on your phone alone.

16 Apr
1 min read

Mountaineering News

Global climbing connections made at Scottish Winter Meet

Over 60 climbers from 20 countries took to the Scottish hills from 2-7 March for the first International Winter Meet since 2020. Organised by Mountaineering Scotland in partnership with the BMC, The Scottish Mountaineering Club and The Alpine Club, the event paired visiting climbers with hosts to share knowledge, exchange skills and form international friendships in the beating heart of Scottish winter climbing.

03 Apr
11 min read

Mountaineering News

SkiMo World Cup Season Round-up 2024/2025

Ahead of the final two World Cups of the ISMF 2024/2025 Ski Mountaineering series, we take a look back at the highlights for the GB SkiMo Squad in this Winter Olympic qualifying season so far. 

01 Apr
6 min read

Hill Walking Articles

How to survive when lightning strikes in a storm

It isn’t just winter that brings threatening weather to the British hills. Summer storms can be fatal – so what should you do to stay safe?

01 Apr
8 min read

Access News

Five easy ways to be a climate hero on World Glacier Day

Today, on the first ever World Day for Glaciers, 21 March 2025, we celebrate what the BMC is already doing and how you can support us in preserving these vast, frozen rivers that we mountaineers and climbers love to work and play on.

21 Mar
5 min read

Performance Latest

Performance News

European Youth Cup Graz: Silver for Sam Hammond in U19 Men's Boulder

Great Britain’s Sam Hammond delivered an outstanding performance at the IFSC European Boulder Youth Cup in Graz this past weekend, securing a silver medal in the U19 Men’s competition - his first podium finish in Boulder on the international stage.

12 May
2 min read

Performance News

Innes and Wild round out Skimo season with strong performance at Trofeo Mezzalama

GB Skimo’s Iain Innes and Finlay Wild capped off the 2024/25 Ski Mountaineering season with a 20th place finish at the ISMF Skimo Long Distance World Championships at the XXIV Trofeo Mezzalama, one of the world’s toughest and most celebrated ski mountaineering races.

06 May
2 min read

Performance News

GB Climbing: IFSC 2025 competition season preview

With the first senior IFSC World Cups just around the corner, the GB Climbing Teams are preparing for the busy 2025 season ahead.

15 Apr
7 min read

Performance News

BMC welcomes decision for three standalone medal events for sport climbing at LA28

The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) welcomes the news from the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that Sport Climbing will feature three standalone medal events at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

10 Apr
2 min read

Mountaineering News

SkiMo World Cup Season Round-up 2024/2025

Ahead of the final two World Cups of the ISMF 2024/2025 Ski Mountaineering series, we take a look back at the highlights for the GB SkiMo Squad in this Winter Olympic qualifying season so far. 

01 Apr
6 min read

Performance News

BMC announces England National and Regional Squads for 2025

The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) can today announce the climbers who have been named as part of the England National and Regional Squads for the 2025 season.

14 Mar
1 min read

Performance News

MacDougall takes first medal of the international season in Munich

The international climbing season got underway this past weekend with the IFSC Boulder European Cup in Munich, Germany, with a strong showing from the eight athletes representing Great Britain.

10 Mar
3 min read

Performance News

GB Climbing Team announced for 2025

The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) can today announce the climbers who have been named as part of the GB Climbing Team for the 2025 season.

27 Feb
3 min read

ORGANISATION LATEST

Governance

John Willmott to step down from BMC Board

The Board of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) today announces that Interim Chair of the Board, John Willmott, will step down from his position as Senior Independent Director on 30 May 2025.

15 May
1 min read

Governance

Catherine Hawkins appointed as Chair of the BMC Board

The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is delighted to announce the appointment of Catherine Hawkins as Chair of its Board of Directors. Catherine will commence her term in June 2025, bringing with her a wealth of leadership experience and a deep-rooted passion for outdoor recreation and conservation.

25 Mar
3 min read

News

BMC share 2025 budget and key priorities for year ahead

At it’s recent Members Open Forum the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) shared their budget priorities for the 2025/2026 financial year.

07 Mar
3 min read

Governance

Joanna Coates to step down from BMC Board

The board of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) today announces that Joanna Coates is stepping down from her position as Nominated Director on the 18 March 2025.

25 Feb
1 min read

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