For the Mountaineering Council of Scotland (the MCofS) the last year has been spent safeguarding Scotland's mountains and supporting the people who use them. The 2013 Annual Report from the MCofS, the representative body for mountaineering in Scotland, has been published and highlights a year which has seen membership and the range of activities increase, with particular emphasis on safety, and the protection of Scotland’s remaining unspoilt mountain landscape, as well as encouraging the next generation of mountaineers.
Chief Officer David Gibson said: “We have been active in opposing some of the increasing threats to Scotland’s mountains and wild land from inappropriately-sited wind farms and from the uncontrolled spread of vehicle tracks through the hills.”
In reaction to the fatal accidents of last winter, some of which attracted ill-advised media coverage, the MCofS has united with other mountaineering organisations, including the Mountain Rescue Committee of Scotland and the sportscotland Avalanche Information Service, with the aim of developing further guidelines to assist not only mountaineers, but also to help the media provide better-informed coverage which can help to improve public awareness of safety in the mountains this coming winter.
And at the same time the MCofS has continued its own safety work, running good value courses for members on subjects such as navigation, winter safety and avalanche awareness and free to all winter safety lectures, which were attended by more than 1,000 people.
An important area of activity for the MCofS is supporting children and young people in coming into mountaineering.
David Gibson said: “Our members told us that more should be done to support children and young people. So in June, with funding from sportscotland, we appointed a Club Development Officer, Jamie Smith, part of whose role will be to help develop membership pathways for young people to progress from school, youth organisations and student clubs to membership of adult clubs.
“Whilst it was disappointing that climbing was not selected as an Olympic sport, we continue to be highly active in organising climbing competitions and coaching for youngsters, both indoors and out. It was also great to see young Scottish climbers gaining podium positions as part of the GB Climbing Team at the International Federation of Sports Climbing (IFSC) European Youth and World Championships.”
The MCofS Annual General Meeting will take place on 12 October at Forthbank Performance Sport Centre in Stirling. The Annual Report is available on the MCofS website.