Mountain Bothies Association: mailing of MBA Handbook
Allan
I've just received (through the post) a copy of the MBA Handbook (Yup, I
am a member). This is an excellent read full of general information.
Am I alone in feeling that this type of item should be sent by e-mail -
to those that elect to receive such things electronically, thus saving
paper and postage.
Also, the magazine goes out to members 4 times a year. I do hope there
was a good reason the Handbook couldn't go out with the next Magazine
mailing. There's usually a magazine that comes in Dec (usually about
20th of the month: they're pretty reliable): I'd have been happy to
wait, and there didn't seem to be anything too time critical in the
Handbook that it couldn't wait a month.
The Handbook doesn't appear to be on the website either, in the public
section or the members' section. Surely it should be?
I'd also rather have it as a PDF so that I can store it and search it.
Allan
1. This is not criticism: it's an attempt to solicit opinions
(especially as the forum on http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/ is no
longer available). I don't (for various reasons at the moment) have
many ways connect in a meaningful way with the membership at large, but
urw may be one.
2. the forum on http://www.mountainbothies.org.uk/ is no longer
available which would indeed have been the best place for this.
3. I could have e-mailed this to the MBA and would have got an
authorative reply of the corporate line, but I was more looking for a
bit of a straw poll from a wider audience.
4. Sorry if I've missed an answer to some of these questions in a recent
magazine. Nothwithstanding that, I'm still in favour of ditching paper
and moving to e-mail for communication for members that wish it.
5. I acknowledge the fact that the MBA is run by volunteers, giving
(heaps of) of their own time (and often money, indirectly) for the
benefit of the membership. I've done similar jobs. I wouldn't wish to
detract from that huge effort for one moment (that's not what I'm trying
to achieve), but that doesn't prevent an honest question (e.g. querying
how things are done).
Jhimmy
"Allan" <inv...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:7n4o50F...@mid.individual.net...
>
> I've just received (through the post) a copy of the MBA Handbook (Yup, I
> am a member). This is an excellent read full of general information.
>
> Am I alone in feeling that this type of item should be sent by e-mail - to
> those that elect to receive such things electronically, thus saving paper
> and postage.
>
> Also, the magazine goes out to members 4 times a year. I do hope there
> was a good reason the Handbook couldn't go out with the next Magazine
> mailing. There's usually a magazine that comes in Dec (usually about 20th
> of the month: they're pretty reliable): I'd have been happy to wait, and
> there didn't seem to be anything too time critical in the Handbook that it
> couldn't wait a month.
>
> The Handbook doesn't appear to be on the website either, in the public
> section or the members' section. Surely it should be?
>
> I'd also rather have it as a PDF so that I can store it and search it.
>
> Allan
>
The MBA is not the only one. I get BMC Summit and SYHA magazines, which I
would rather view as a PDF.
It's strange that the "outdoor" oganisations seem determined to spend
members money on postage, magazines and packaging. I suspect that the
advertising pamplets that's included are more important to their business
then members feelings on the environment. I currently don't buy any
magazines or newspapers except a weekly TV guide, yet my waste paper box
gets full every 3 weeks. Last week I had 5 pizza pamplets put in the door,
yet 3 of the shops are well outside my town! The council puts a big guide
into the door with info on local services, yet only 2 pages are on my local
area.
Jhimmy
Judith
wrote:
>I've just received (through the post) a copy of the MBA Handbook (Yup, I
>am a member). This is an excellent read full of general information.
>
Mine came this morning, too.
>Am I alone in feeling that this type of item should be sent by e-mail -
>to those that elect to receive such things electronically, thus saving
>paper and postage.
I like having these things in hard copy as it makes it easier for me
to read it at lunchtime at work or to carry around with me and refer
to. Yes, I know that various portable electronic devices could do
this, but I like the old-fashioned technology.
Tomorrow I am going to the eastern Snowdonia area for a few days
walking and camping and I am intending to take the MBA handbook for a
bit of reading material if I decide that I want to just lie in my tent
all day. (With the weather like it is, I may decide that camping is
more fun than walking.)
I do think that the handbook should be permanently available in the
Members' section of the website. Why have the forums been
discontinued? I keep meaning to find out what my username and
password are and see if there's anything useful in the Members' area.
I used to find there was some useful information in the forums.
Judith
Paul Saunders
> Tomorrow I am going to the eastern Snowdonia area for a few days
> walking and camping and I am intending to take the MBA handbook for a
> bit of reading material if I decide that I want to just lie in my tent
> all day. (With the weather like it is, I may decide that camping is
> more fun than walking.)
Don't camp too close to the river!
In fact, where do you plan to camp? Most campsites tend to be next to rivers
don't they? Dol-gam is known to flood and I'm sure the Conwy valley has
flooded in the past.
Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
Phil Cook
Who said anything about campsites? :-)
Though I have camped in a spot that turned into a lochan once :-(
--
Phil Cook, last hill: Cadair Idris in the mist.
http://www.therewaslight.co.uk
Paul Saunders
>> Don't camp too close to the river!
>>
>> In fact, where do you plan to camp? Most campsites tend to be next
>> to rivers don't they? Dol-gam is known to flood and I'm sure the
>> Conwy valley has flooded in the past.
>
> Who said anything about campsites? :-)
I did. I'm not presuming that's where Judith intends to camp, just pointing
out that they probably aren't a good idea. But the same is true of any spot
right next to a river, or even a small stream.
I once saw a stream in the Beacons that had a load of water
damage/mud/stones etc, either side of it for some distance. Further upstream
I spotted the cause, a mini landslide probably caused by a huge bubble of
water building up under the soil on a steep slope. There were some other
horizontal cracks in the soil nearby where it looked like the same thing
might be happening. Always be wary of camping right next to a stream in this
kind of weather.
> Though I have camped in a spot that turned into a lochan once :-(
I've woken up in a pool of water on two occasions, and woken up to find a
river running through my porch on another.
Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
Allan
>
> I've just received (through the post) a copy of the MBA Handbook (Yup, I
> am a member). This is an excellent read full of general information.
>
> Am I alone in feeling that this type of item should be sent by e-mail -
> to those that elect to receive such things electronically, thus saving
> paper and postage.
[snip]
Now I really am a little perturbed so that even bats couldn't hear me.
This morning (2 days after the other one), by post, another MBA booklet:
same size as the last one: another 2nd class stamp, and another plastic
wrapper.
"Bothy Notes and Directory of Office Holders 09/10"
Never mind "why couldn't they send this with the magazine"
but "Why on earth couldn't they put the Handbook and the Bothy Notes
together in the same mailing"?
2nd class stamp: 30p.
Approx MBA members: 4335 (from Ann Report 2009: at least that's PDF on
the website)
Postage (stamp) costs alone: �1300
That's a lot of money....
Judith
<ph...@p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>>Don't camp too close to the river!
>>
>>In fact, where do you plan to camp? Most campsites tend to be next to rivers
>>don't they? Dol-gam is known to flood and I'm sure the Conwy valley has
>>flooded in the past.
>
>Who said anything about campsites? :-)
Not me!
>
>Though I have camped in a spot that turned into a lochan once :-(
I've never been flooded out of my tent, thankfully, but I've had some
sleepless nights listening to the water rising.
On Thursday, I fought against the wind to erect my (new Laser
Competition) tent, then gave up. I ended up spending the night in
Dulyn bothy - snug and dry. Although the area I was walking in is
technically Snowdonia Natonal Park, I would probably refer to it as
the Carnedds.
On Friday night, I camped in a pub garden!
There's so little light at this time of year and the weather really
was horrid. Everywhere was so boggy, the streams were rivers and the
rivers were uncrossable. The hail was stinging my face and wind was
vicious. So, a lovely few days!
Judith
Judith
wrote:
>
>"Bothy Notes and Directory of Office Holders 09/10"
>
>Never mind "why couldn't they send this with the magazine"
>
>but "Why on earth couldn't they put the Handbook and the Bothy Notes
>together in the same mailing"?
I couldn't understand it either. I mean, it was only a couple of days
later. It does seem like a huge waste of money.
Judith
Martin Richardson
Remember when we did Ben More, Mull in that thunderstorm. There was
some concern that the stream in the campsite might be somewhat higher
than when we set off. Thankfully it was not too bad. Mind you we were
so wet it would not have made much difference.
Martin Richardson
> On Friday night, I camped in a pub garden!
>
campsites are not open (they seem to only open for a motorbike race or
something). I was talking to the owner of a cafe beside the beach and
when he asked me where I was staying I told him that I would probably
wildcamp on the clifftop. Without hesitation he pointed to the garden
at the back of the cafe and suggested I wildcamp there. He even gave
me a key to the cafe so that I could access the toilets overnight. I
was blown over by his generosity.
Paul Saunders
> On Thursday, I fought against the wind to erect my (new Laser
> Competition) tent, then gave up.
If my Laser is anything to go by, it's not the easiest tent to put up in
windy conditions.
> I ended up spending the night in
> Dulyn bothy - snug and dry.
Where's that?
> There's so little light at this time of year and the weather really
> was horrid. Everywhere was so boggy, the streams were rivers and the
> rivers were uncrossable. The hail was stinging my face and wind was
> vicious. So, a lovely few days!
So you enjoyed yourself then?
There's snow forecast for Snowdonia in the next few days, some on high
ground today, more on Tuesday, followed by rain.
Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
Judith
<pv...@wildwales.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>> I ended up spending the night in
>> Dulyn bothy - snug and dry.
>
>Where's that?
I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. Actually, I think
the GRs are on the MBA website now......but don't tell any
bothy-wreckers. (It's on the eastern side of Carnedd Llewellyn and
Foel Grach.)
>
>> There's so little light at this time of year and the weather really
>> was horrid. Everywhere was so boggy, the streams were rivers and the
>> rivers were uncrossable. The hail was stinging my face and wind was
>> vicious. So, a lovely few days!
>
>So you enjoyed yourself then?
Yes, of course. I like being outside regardless of the weather. I
suppose I prefer the coming-back-inside bit best, but I wouldn't feel
the benefit if I hadn't suffered from a bit of foul weather.
>
>There's snow forecast for Snowdonia in the next few days, some on high
>ground today, more on Tuesday, followed by rain.
I had hail and sleet, and there was a decent amount of snow on my car
when I got back to it on Saturday morning. The hills had a good
dusting of snow on Saturday morning but I hadn't been able to see the
hills on Thursday or Friday so maybe it had been there all along.
Judith
Phil Cook
>On Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:46:43 -0000, "Paul Saunders"
><pv...@wildwales.fsnet.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>> I ended up spending the night in
>>> Dulyn bothy - snug and dry.
>>
>>Where's that?
>
>I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. Actually, I think
>the GRs are on the MBA website now......but don't tell any
>bothy-wreckers. (It's on the eastern side of Carnedd Llewellyn and
>Foel Grach.)
I have vague recollections of passing there whilst a work party was in
progress. They had a tarpaulin rigged up and a cask or two of ale on
tap, or maybe that was somewhere else. :-)
I found most of the bothy locations by putting the names into a
streetmap search. So much for keeping their locations "secret."
Phil Cook
The tide mark was worryingly close to the tents down my end of the
field though IIRC. ;-/
Jhimmy
"Paul Saunders" <pv...@wildwales.fsnet.co.uk> wrote in message
news:R6-dnSX35dem5o_W...@pipex.net...
> Judith wrote:
>
>> On Thursday, I fought against the wind to erect my (new Laser
>> Competition) tent, then gave up.
>
> If my Laser is anything to go by, it's not the easiest tent to put up in
> windy conditions.
>
>> I ended up spending the night in
>> Dulyn bothy - snug and dry.
>
> Where's that?
>
I found it many years ago by accident. In fact it had me puzzled as it
wasn't on my 25k map, I thought I had gotten lost ;-)
Jhimmy
Jhimmy
>
> Who said anything about campsites? :-)
>
> Though I have camped in a spot that turned into a lochan once :-(
> --
> Phil Cook, last hill: Cadair Idris in the
> mist.http://www.therewaslight.co.uk
Remember when we did Ben More, Mull in that thunderstorm. There was
some concern that the stream in the campsite might be somewhat higher
than when we set off. Thankfully it was not too bad. Mind you we were
so wet it would not have made much difference.
Oh yeah, and trust me to have the pitch nearest the river. I always remember
that woman looking out of her caravan watching us with incredulity. Actually
I was so tired I only woke once during the night at 4am to check the river
bank, but I would have been too tired to have moved the tent anyhow ;-)
Jhimmy
Judith
<ph...@p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>I found most of the bothy locations by putting the names into a
>streetmap search. So much for keeping their locations "secret."
"Secret" makes it sound underhand and sneaky. I think the idea used
to be that if the MBA published a list of bothies and grid refs then
the lazy vandals would just print off the list and go on a wrecking
spree. I'm not certain that would happen, because I think bothies are
likely to be wrecked by the local hooligans who know where they are
anyway. Or, it's possible that a cold, wet hiker may decide that s/he
needed the warmth of a burning table/door/chair more than a future
visitor may need the item for its original purpose...... but then it
doesn't matter how they found out where the bothy was.
Judith
Rod
> On Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:45:11 +0000, Phil Cook
>
In fact anybody with a bit of local knowlege and a 1:25k map can get
it from the photo gallery without the GR.
Oh and btw snow above about 700m on the Cardeddau and probably the
others as well today.
Rod
Allan
>
> I've just received (through the post) a copy of the MBA Handbook (Yup, I
> am a member). This is an excellent read full of general information.
>
> Am I alone in feeling that this type of item should be sent by e-mail -
> to those that elect to receive such things electronically, thus saving
> paper and postage.
Had a helpful reply from MBA.
1. It was the best way for the items to be posted (all things considered).
2. I'm the only one who's complained (this time, and apparently it's
happened previously)
If I remember, I'll be submitting a question (not a motion) at the AGM
(Greenhead Village Hall Saturday 23 October 2010 - I might go as it's a
reasonable distance) as to why documents can't be supplied to those that
wish (on an opt-in basis) via PDF/e-mail. If anyone (MBA member,
obviously) wants to support the idea, I'll be pleased to receive the
support (or perhaps advise where to send comments to be added to mine).
Allan
Paul Saunders
>>> There's so little light at this time of year and the weather really
>>> was horrid. Everywhere was so boggy, the streams were rivers and
>>> the rivers were uncrossable. The hail was stinging my face and
>>> wind was vicious. So, a lovely few days!
>>
>> So you enjoyed yourself then?
>
> Yes, of course. I like being outside regardless of the weather. I
> suppose I prefer the coming-back-inside bit best, but I wouldn't feel
> the benefit if I hadn't suffered from a bit of foul weather.
I must admit that bad weather does have a certain appeal. I've had some
great walks in wind and rain in the past, and a few okay ones recently.
Trouble is, the bad weather hit just as I was looking forward to some
leisurely tripod photography in calm dry weather, so I was a bit miffed
about that.
Paul
--
http://www.wilderness-wales.co.uk
Richard Webb
That particular renewal notice hit the recycling bin rather fast.
R Webb