BMC Regional Access Database 

BMC volunteers from the Get Stuck In programme joined Fix the Fells last month in Wasdale on Lingmell Breast, one of the main routes up to Scafell Pike. They spent the day helping to maintain part of this hugely popular footpath up to England’s highest mountain.

Hill walking requires a range of skills, and no matter how experienced you are there’s always something more to learn.

Right now, this May, it’s National Hill Walking month, but not everyone finds it easy to access this hills, whether that’s due to physical, financial or knowledge-based barriers. That’s where the BMC’s Mend Our Mountains charity campaign comes in - this year funding a new Grants & Access officer for the Cotswolds Natural Landscape (formerly known as Cotswolds AONB). The newly appointed Nina Stubbington is now leading the ‘Access for All; Removing Barriers’ programme, improving access to the area for people of all ages, abilities and from all backgrounds.

This May is National Walking month, so to celebrate the power of a good old stomp around the UK’s countryside, nine of the BMC staff have shared their favourite hike. From fossil-hunting in the Peak District and airy Scottish scrambling to the Via Alpina in Switzerland, one of these is bound to tickle your fancy this spring or summer. Better still, with the BMC collaborations with Komoot and HotelPlanner, you can plan and navigate your route and find your accommodation for your trip for less!

While a bite is generally harmless, it is possible that ticks carry and transmit diseases to humans. Stack the odds in your favour by knowing how to reduce the likelihood of a bite, and how to safely remove a tick.

On this year’s Earth Day, Monday 22 April 2024, the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) would love you to donate the cost of your usual cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate to The Climate Project charity campaign. Will you take part?

The Watkin Path up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and the peat hags on neighbouring mountain Glyder Fach have benefitted from BMC volunteer improvement work on the latest Get Stuck In event, 15-16 April 2024. This was organised by Hill Walking Rep Steve Charles and Access & Conservation Officer (Wales) Tom Carrick as part of the Mend Our Mountains project, funded by the BMC Access & Conservation Trust.

The BMC’s volunteering arm, Get Stuck In, donated £1,500 to Fix the Fells this week to buy footpath repair tools to enable our teams to quite literally get stuck in to fixing the mountain footpaths in the Lake District.

The sphagnum-planting season has come to an end to allow the ground-nesting birds to, well, ground nest! Thank you to all the volunteers that have helped the BMC to plant over 16,000 plugs of this super soggy, carbon-locking moss this winter, helping to restore the Peak District peat bog.

A look at when you do, and don't, need hillwalking qualifications, and what training is available for professionals and individuals wanting to improve their skills.

The BMC have been hard at work presenting the Outdoors For All Manifesto to parliament, kick-starting a new addition to The Climate Project, arranging re-bolting, cleaning up crags and consulting on access across England and Wales. Here are the highlights as we swing into spring.

Diversity conversations in the outdoors can’t leave anyone out. At ESEA Outdoors UK we’re celebrating the fact that East and Southeast Asian people go outdoors too, in spite of historical erasure and lack of representation in outdoors media. Here’s what you need to know:

BMC members receive a free komoot map bundle (worth £8.99)

A series of guides to some of the most popular scrambles in England, Scotland and Wales.

What’s better than a day in the hills? Easy – several days! Here are our tips for walkers looking to take their first steps into walking far and sleeping enroute.

Whether you want a career in the outdoors, or to improve your own personal skills, there are a number of training providers offering courses and instruction.

In this article we’ve listed the ideal range of hill walking items so you can head out with everything you might need.

We take a look at what clothing to wear when hill walking, and how to layer it to stay warm, dry and comfortable in cold and wet conditions.

Hill walking doesn’t require as much specialist equipment as many other outdoor activities, but is important to have the appropriate equipment for the route and activity you have chosen and the weather forecasted. In this article we outline the basic equipment every hill walker needs:

Clean out your kit cupboard and put a spring in your step knowing that you’re making greener choices throughout the lifecycle of your outdoor products.

What should you look for when choosing down products? Some factors to consider when investing in new down gear.

There are many ways to get into hill walking, the best way is the way that suits you! Here are a few pointers to get you started. 

Over the past decade, women's outdoor clothing has made leaps and bounds from the ‘shrink it and pink it’ years, where women's clothing was made smaller and pinker. Brands are now delivering features tailored to a woman's physique. From specific materials that make you feel great, to sizing and style options to boost confidence, Cotswold Outdoor dive into the details.

This article outlines a few navigation techniques you can practise to stack the odds in your favour in poor visibility and severe weather. 

Take a look at the Mountain Leader qualification so you can decide whether it’s the right qualification for you. 

Take a look at the Hill & Moorland Leader qualification, so you can decide whether it’s right for you.

Fancy a life leading treks abroad? The International Mountain Leader may be the qualification for you

If you’d like to guide people up hills in winter conditions the Winter Mountain Leader qualification could be for you.

Take a look at the Lowland Leader scheme, so you can decide whether it’s the right qualification for you. 

Find out more about the Camping Leader qualification, so you can decide whether it’s right for you.

The BMC and Mountain Training have gathered this list of resources for leaders to support anyone in their outdoor groups who has their period

Christine Cornock shares how she managed her period along the South West Coastal Path multi-day hike.

Menopause is a significant and transformative phase in a woman’s life. It is a natural biological process during which ovulation stops and periods end. The experience of menopause can be different for each individual and often comes with a wave of physical and emotional changes. In this guide, we will explore the different phases of menopause, common symptoms, and the power of regular movement and exercise to manage symptoms and support good health.

Planning outdoor adventures comes with lots of preparation and adding a period into the mix can be one more thing to think about. While not everyone will be up for a hike or a climb on their period, if you are preparing for your next trip in the good company of menstrual blood, here’s what to do.

Watch five great walks in the Lake District, including family inspiration, lesser-known routes to popular summits and dog-friendly fell walking.

Many BMC members enjoy taking their dog for a walk and to the crag but increasingly, there is a growing awareness of the need to preserve and conserve the fragile landscapes we love to visit with our furry companions along with an increasing amount of advice and legislation governing what we should and shouldn’t do.

If you’re keen to make the transition from hill walker to scrambler, we set out the basics to get you started:

Of course, there are many more great beginner hills, but here are seven to get you started.

When out for the day it is likely you will need to go to the toilet at some point. Whether it be for ones and twos or refreshing period products, we’ve got you covered with all you need to know to be prepared. Things can get tricky out there so we will run through the ideal options through to the less ideal, but sometimes necessary, options when it comes to toileting. Wherever you can try to focus on what will have the least impact and do as much as possible to leave no trace.

Striding Edge is a classic Grade 1 scramble in the Lake District - and if you’re looking to make your first foray into scrambling territory then it’s the perfect place to start. Here, we take a look at the know-how you’ll need to tackle this epic mountain day.

Ideas and inspiration for your next walk, including long distance paths around the UK.

Boots are a big investment, look after them and they will look after your feet for years to come. Here are our tips to keep your boots in top condition.

Join us as we explore five breathtaking walks on the UK's national trails with YHA (England & Wales) as part of the YHA Festival of Walking.

The BMC produces a number of good practice Green Guides for climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers.

This Valentine’s Day, show your love for our land by sharing the BMC’s new Access Land film to help campaign for better access to wild spaces.

The BMC have partnered with YHA (England and Wales) to support the Festival of Walking as it returns this autumn.

Thousands more people embrace hill and mountain walking, according to new Sport England figures.

BMC Training Essentials offers a series of one-day skills training courses at a reduced price for BMC club members.

Mountain Training have developed two courses designed to equip new hill walkers with basic knowledge and safety skills.