The Early Years

These articles were written for the Newsletter in 1995/6 by Judith James and are based on the memories of Chris Hart, Hilary and Phil Tarr, Phil Dant, Chris Merkins, Guy Cooper, Val Fane and others.

The first weekend
Have you ever wondered who started the Christian Rambling Club? "It was formed in the Spring of 1981 by Christopher Hart, a Worcestershire man who was converted in November 1979 as a result of meeting Phil Roberts, an evangelist working in Southern Ireland. Chris had always been keen on rambling, hillwalking and youth hostelling. At the time he was a self employed van driver and before that he had held various clerical jobs. Twelve months after his conversion, he was meditating on Ephesians 4:11 and wondered how God could use his skills and interests? Why not try to start a Christian Youth Hostelling Group ... there was a need for Christian witness in Youth Hostels." (Chris Hart)

Chris asked the YHA about the possibility of a Christian group within YHA, like their local groups. This proved to be against the YHA's ethos of being a multi-faith, multi-cultural organisation; however, they had no objection to an independent Christian group using hostels. Chris placed an advertisment in the January 1981 edition of Hostelling News, inviting anyone interested in starting a Christian Rambling Club to contact him. "He received 55 replies from Christians all over the country. This was greater than he had anticipated, he had only expected about a dozen replies and organising 3 or 4 weekends a year. He wrote back to all those who had enquired and told them he would organise a weekend at Castleton hostel in Derbyshire in March 1981." (C.H.)

"The first weekend was quite something. Phil and I met there for the first time and everybody came not knowing at all what to expect. It was attended by about 12 people - from London, Stamford, the Manchester area, Blackburn, Exeter and Oxford. Of course, nobody knew anybody else, but we were all known to Chris Hart, who put a spoke in the wheels by not turning up on the Friday evening because of an offer of a job... We recognised each other by various means such as Bibles on beds and an opening line of conversation "are you waiting for Chris Hart?" Chris arrived on the Saturday morning and by then the last group member had identified himself so we were able to set off walking. The rain started and worsened throughout the day... Our walk was from Castleton to Hollins Cross, down to Edale (sheltering in the station for lunch), along the valley and back to Castleton via Mam Tor. At the end of the walk one member disappeared and was never seen again that weekend ... On the Sunday morning we went to the small church in Castleton and then visited the Speedwell Caverns." (Hilary Tarr)

The first newsletter had appeared in February 1981 with a request for a subscription of £1. A meeting was held at Castleton on the Saturday evening .."to discuss the future of the club and lay the foundations for its development. Despite another newsletter in April, giving dates of future events and a report on Castleton, there could not be much progress made before the next event. Only Chris Hart and 2 went to Guestling but at Idwal Cottage at the May Bank Holiday things really began to move forward." (H.T.)

Organising the Club
"I would value your prayers for the following:
1 That God will uplift someone to act as an assistant organiser and leader.
2 That despite a very erratic programme this year, the group will keep together."
Chris Hart, Amendment to April Newsletter 1981.

As Chris had said in the first Newsletter, his "original plan was to start an informal group ..." which he would organise himself, but by the CRC's third (effectively the second) event at Idwal Cottage it became clear that more organisation was required if the Club was to continue. "This weekend had the benefit of an extra day. Some key players joined in then, amongst whom was Steve Gale complete with a large box of broken biscuits. There was big enthusiasm to get things going and the first committee was formed. It was decided that the Club should have a constitution, a new members leaflet and should advertise." (Hilary Tarr) "It was in the inauspicious surroundings of the drying room at Idwal Cottage that the Club first met ... I think there were only about 12 people there, so there was a limited number of people to choose from." (Phil Tarr) The first committee of five were Chris Hart (Chairman), Hilary Pope (now Tarr) (Secretary), Howard Turner (Treasurer and New Members' Secretary), Phil Tarr (Transport Arranger) and Steve Gale (Weekends and Rambles Organiser). The subscription was £1 per year.

Phil Dant recalls that he "and a friend stumbled across the CRC at Idwal Cottage ... We got talking to a friendly bunch of walkers ... To cut a long story short, they explained about the CRC and their aims and activities. My friend and I were so impressed that we joined there and then ...! My first zany memory of the CRC was on that weekend, on the back of Howard's motorbike roaring round the Snowdonia lanes to Beddgelert Christian Fellowship" (P.D.) Phil got rather more involved than he had intended when his name appeared in the June/July 1981 Newsletter as Transport Arranger (it should have been Phil Tarr). "Phil was surprised to receive letters regarding the business of the Club, but not knowing that they were meant for someone else, he replied to them and it took several exchanges before the mistake came to light." (P.T.) "One problem encountered was communication difficulties between committee members at a time when many decisions were being taken. Physical distances between our addresses, lack of telephones, etc. meant that it was rather too easy for enthusiasm to get the better of caution. I recall that unofficial versions of documents, 'drafts' etc. were circulated before due time ... misunderstandings, the odd clash of personality and some uncouth behaviour on the part of a couple of newcomers ... the first year or so of the club's existence was not all plain sailing." (H.T.)

"The biggest issue in the first few months was the constitution and particularly what basis of belief it should contain. There were some quite strong feelings aroused and I remember many debates about it as we walked together... One of the drafts proposed could have resulted in a "Calvinistic Rambling Club". I think it was Hilary who eventually came up with a very short but sound basis of belief from UCCF which was acceptable ... and which was incorporated in to the draft constitution ... brought for adoption to the first AGM at Shrewsbury." (P.T.)

"At subsequent weekends (High Close in September, Llwyn-y-Celyn in October and Stow on the Wold in November) numbers were still fairly small at 10-12 but this was a good thing as everybody could get to know each other ... good friendships were formed ... we used the weekends to sort out Club business ... The Club was a terrific opportunity for working and making new friends and for those of us on the committee there was the challenge of creating and setting up a club from nothing and a sense of history in the making." (H.T.)

1982 : the new Club
"In connection with the new CLUB, please pray for a permanent Treasurer, as Howard will only be able to act for a few months." (CRC Newsletter, June 1981). The new club's committee worked hard but inevitably had to struggle against other commitments - but in this case Howard was to continue doing an excellent job as Treasurer until he handed over to Joan Kinnings in 1990. Members needed enthusiasm and determination - "My 2nd booked weekend was to have been Beachy Head but the Thursday evening we had the great snow of 1982 which continued and by mid-day Friday it was impossible to leave here by any route..." (C.M.) However, five people made it: "We did a superb walk over the frozen 7 sisters, had roast chicken in a pub at Birling Gap and then back via Cuckmere Haven and Friston Forest (very Alpine!). The puddles had been frozen and swept by the wind at the same time, into an incredible array of stalagmites. I'd never seen anything like it before or since. The hostel was so cold that I wore 5 layers in bed, complete with socks and bobble hat!" (P.D.)

Early 1982 saw the formation of the first local group by Chris Hart in Worcester. This was followed by groups in Reading and London. Walks would take place on Saturdays. A Welsh group planned to have weekend events for members "who would find it difficult to travel to the more distant parts of Britain". Was it possible to have a longer holiday with the CRC? A couple of members had been to the Carnock Outdoor Centre in Glencoe and thought it would be an ideal venue - maybe for an autumn holiday? Meanwhile the first AGM came and went : held at Shrewsbury in March it was attended by 20 people. "... all I can remember about it was that I was bored and felt it was a complete waste of time." It is an unfortunate fact that people who enjoy walking and the outdoors don't necessarily like sitting indoors discussing the business side of running a walking club!

A portrait of the "average member" emerged as a result of a questionnaire sent out in the summer of 1982. "He likes to walk about 12 miles a day... hopes to attend 6 weekends a year... he does not have his own means of transport (63%) - so he should contact the Transport Arranger about a lift..." (October 1982 Newsletter)

The local groups expanded: "the one which caused the biggest problem was the "so called" Welsh Local Group. The Group did not have any local members, but because of the area in which it met, it started to attract people from all over the country and began competing with the national club at a time when attendances were variable." Other problems arose and "after about 3 meetings, the organisers of the group wrote to the CRC committee requesting that it was disbanded..." (P.T.)

Guy Cooper recalls that he joined CRC in the autumn of 1982 when the club was beginning to become more self-sustaining after an 18 month struggle to exist. He comments that "we owe the early committee members a lot". The following year (1983) was to see the club expand and change considerably.

1983: Growth and Consolidation
Cleeve Hill, January 1983: a record 35 members attended a relaxing weekend that included a slide show of previous CRC walks. February saw something quite different. "There were few members with winter mountaineering experience or equipment. In fact, the Club in its early years did not have many people with experience to lead walks in mountainous areas in summer ... We had to plan a way of getting enough people interested." (P.T.) So a week's multi-activity course at Carnoch Outdoor Centre, Glencoe, was organised for February. "One of the most enduring memories ... was when the group climbed out of Coire-nan-Lochan on to the North Ridge of Stob Coire-nan-Lochan and just as we were on the nearly vertical bit cutting through the cornice someone fell off and took several others with him, all of whom safely braked after a long slide. Another memory is of one of the party who was not very confident on ice insisting on cramponing up in the carpark!" (P.T.) Fifteen CRC members enjoyed the week for a total cost of £84, or £91 for those skiing.

Organising the Club was still problematic. Committee meetings could include discussions on "The 'soundness' of choruses which were sung at meetings. Some committee members were hard to keep under control and would often do things on their own without reference to anyone else. As an illustration of this there were two versions of the March 1983 Newsletter. One was written by the Newsletter Editor and one by another committee member (much to the Editor's disapproval)." (P.T.) Two new committee posts had been created - Local Groups Co-ordinator and Newsletter Editor. Transport for every weekend was still organised by one person: the Transport Arranger.

The March Newsletter asks for prayer "not only for effective witness, good fellowship and new leaders but that the membership will exceed 200 by 1984." There were 126 members at this time. Forty-two members gathered at Ilam Hall for the AGM on 19 March. Chris Hart stood down as Chairman. Guy Cooper was asked if he would take over this post, although he had only joined the Club 6 months previously! Guy was hesitant but during a CRC fellowship meeting David Poole gave a word that Guy applied to himself, that he should take up this responsibility. The AGM rejected a proposal for Associate Membership for people unable to sign a declaration of faith, but encouraged members to bring friends along.

Interest in Local Groups continued. The Greater London Group was formed out of the earlier East London Group, and a Peak District Group began.

Extended weekends were popular. For Easter at Steps Bridge, the programme warned "Wellington Boots advisable" but they proved insufficient: "we had great fun climbing through the hole in the Tolmen stone (reputed to be good for rheumatism) but I am sure that falling in the water did not form a part of the prescription, which unfortunately befell one of our party!" (Doreen Peskett's report).

1983: Growth and Consolidation (Part 2)
The CRC Newsletter (published every 2 months) consisted of A4 sheets stapled together. It included the programme of future events as well as reports and news. Not every event was reported but the Club did keep statistics of numbers attending events: at least we know that an advertised event actually took place. So although no report appeared of a week in the Lakes at the Keswick Convention 1983, it is recorded that 19 people attended.

"The first ever Club backpacking weekend was held at Edale on a hot weekend in August 1983. The ascent of Jacob's Ladder with 40lbs on your back in 80ºF is quite an experience. One member of the group, who was not dressed in T-shirt & shorts ... and was carrying a heavy ... tent was understandably struggling ... so we decided to distribute some of his load. We were surprised to find he was carrying a large and heavy Hebrew Old Testament." (P.T.)

"We organised a follow-on weekend in the Carneddau on 16-18 Sept which seems to have totally escaped being recorded in the annals of the Club. I think this was because it was organised between Newsletters ... Six of us set up camp ... in the Ogwen Valley ... It was a wet and windy night and we had to re-peg our tents during the night. On Saturday morning we set off ... up Pen yr Helgi Du ... past the shelter on Foel Grach to pitch beside the lake at Melynllyn. It was one of the windiest nights I have ever camped in. We had very little sleep and spent most of the night holding onto tent poles ... Overall it was a very tough but rewarding weekend ..." (P.T.)

Membership reached 200 for the first time in October. The Club was advertising in the YHA News and various Christian magazines but many new members came by contact with other members. Bonfire night fell on the Saturday of a Club event at Maeshafn, where the Club took over the hostel. The programme proclaimed "Please bring your own fireworks. It would greatly be appreciated if individual members could bring firewood with them." Members watched a display in the village before viewing their own.

The increasing number of events and members was reflected in organisational changes: weekend leaders now co-ordinated transport themselves and a Newsletter Distributor was required to cope with all the mailings.

Some strange things still happened: Windgather in December was "an unofficial event - organised by the northern committee members, who didn't want to drive to Bridport, and some 'hostel baggers' who wanted to go there before it closed for good. Phil Tarr was not happy!" As an interesting sideline, Howard taught the group to abseil. (V.F.)

Then came the first CRC New Year: "It was all my fault!" writes Val Fane (who attended a CRC New Year event every year from then until 2000). "I asked at Maeshafn in November whether anyone was interested in going to the Lakes for New Year. My innocent intention was to make up a car load! ... Phil suggested that it became an official event and gave me the names and addresses of everyone who had ticked "winter mountaineering" on their questionnaire. By the time New Year arrived, there were 27 of us and I'd gained the dubious privilege of being the first non-committee members to lead a CRC event." (V.F.)