Our February meeting

A mountainous meeting – our February talk by members of The Pinnacle Club

Ann and Milena from The Pinnacle Club, the UK's only national rock-climbing club for women, took us on an inspiring journey through its 100-year history. Today, the Club has 188 members.

One of the Club's purposes was, and is, to create a community. The Club has regular climbing meets of 10-20 people and two maintenance meets a year. It has organised international meets and has a list of firsts, including the first British woman mountain guide, and the first climb led by a woman.

Its hut in Wales has been transformed into a cottage with communal living area, drying room, dormitory, shower and outside, space for campers.

In the early days, skirts were worn as long as was practical. There was a report of people walking backwards in astonishment at the sight of a woman in breeches. Few had their own transport and there was little in the way of safety equipment.

Ann and Milena took us through the cleverly-engineered hooks that climbers carry today to anchor into various sizes of crack in the rock. Some sites with rock types that damage easily limit the number of times climbers can fix into the rock.

We heard about climbing walls used for training and the difference in the more gymnastic climbing emerging as an Olympic sport. There's been a university meet to encourage more young women climbers to join the Club.

As the Club enters its second century, there's a lot more tech. Its centenary meet was online and it won funding to make a short film telling its story through oral histories. 

As ever at East End WI, there were good questions:

What about insurance? There is specialist insurance, we were told, including mountain rescue and repatriation.

What kind of boots are worn? The light, tight-fitting shoes enable feet to feel as they climb – grippy on rock but slippy on grass, so climbers sometimes carry shoes for the return.

Do climbers need to be very fit and strong? It depends on the climb – the more vertical, the more strength and power you need. But Ann and Milena also told us about the difference in women's technique, using the legs as much as possible.

What are the best things about an all-women climbing group? When women are climbing with men, men take the lead; women climbing together can take either end and they're equal partners, women are supportive and everyone is there to enjoy the day.

Do you take beginners? The Pinnacle Club is for experienced climbers but local clubs and climbing walls are good places to look; and there was a festival of climbing in 2016 with a lot for beginners.

What about fear of heights? Well, climbers aren't unafraid of heights, it turns out – they learn to manage fear and understand rational versus irrational fears.

A massive thank you to Ann and Milena for a fascinating talk. Find out more about The Pinnacle Club here and watch the centenary film here.

Pictured in the bottom two photos: Milena and Gwen, The Pinnacle Club's youngest and oldest members at the opening of its Langdale Exhibition in June 2021, and club activity in its centenary year. Pictures by kind permission of The Pinnacle Club.

Friday 24th February – coffee morning from 10.30am for the early birds or join us later at 11-ish

Copper St Café, E20, adjacent to the Copper Box. Buses: 388 stops close by; the 276 stops near Hackney bridge, where there is a lift, or there is a free shuttle bus from Stratford Westfield bus station.

2nd March – Stone Rangers WI quiz evening in aid of Solace, at the Heathcote & Star 

It costs just £5 per person to get in. Teams can be up to six people or individuals are welcome to join teams with fewer than six members. Please contact Stone Rangers in advance: stonerangerswi@gmail.com