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Nations unite on Scottish summits

20 February 2009

Mountaineers from around the world will team up with British climbers to tackle routes in the Scottish mountains, as part of the British Mountaineering Council (BMC)’s International Meet taking place this week (22 February to 1 March).

BMC international meets are annual gatherings of climbers, alternating between winter meets in Scotland and summer meets in north Wales. This year’s winter meet sees 40 international climbers from 27 countries worldwide, climbing together with 40 British hosts.

International guests include renowned US climber and International Mountain Guide Zoe Hart. Also attending is Japanese mountaineer Kei Taniguchi who, alongside her climbing partner Kazuya Hiraide, accomplished one of the most significant new routes in the Himalaya in autumn 2008 on the South East Face of Kamet in India's Central Garwhal.

Amongst the accomplished British mountaineers acting as hosts, is Scotland’s Dave MacLeod. Dave has accomplished many of Scotland’s hardest climbing routes and in 2008 established possibly the world's hardest ‘trad’ route ‘Echo Wall’ situated high on the north face of Ben Nevis.

The BMC’s International Meet gives an opportunity for oversees guests to experience the full diversity of Scottish winter climbing. Scotland’s mountain regions offer climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers a wide variety of opportunities from ice climbing and hill walking in the Cairngorms to steep challenging rock faces on Ben Nevis.

The base for the meet is Glenmore Lodge – Scotland's National Outdoor Training Centre – in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. After hard days out on rock, snow and ice, the climbers will re-convene for evening socials and presentations by attendees.

Nick Colton, BMC Deputy CEO said: “BMC International Meets always spawn some fantastic mountaineering achievements as well as foster great friendships between climbers of all nationalities. We’re looking forward to welcoming our international guests and introducing them to the delights of winter climbing in Scotland.“

  • For further information please contact Tina Gardner (Press & PR Officer) on 0161 438 3337 or email tina@thebmc.co.uk
  • The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) is the national representative body for climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers in England and Wales and is recognised as such by government. The BMC is committed to protecting the freedoms and promoting the interests of climbers, hill walkers and mountaineers.
  • The BMC International Meet will take place at Glenmore Lodge in the Cairngorms, Scotland For further information see http://www.glenmorelodge.org.uk/
  • The 2008 BMC International Summer Meet took place in Plas y Brenin in north Wales. Films of the action are at http://www.outdoorstv.tv/outdoors_tv_beta_039.htm
  • For more information on Zoe Hart go to http://www.patagonia.com/usa/patagonia.go?assetid=22157
  • Dave MacLeod’s website is at http://www.davemacleod.com/biog.htm
  • Climbers are attending from the following countries: Argentina, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Georgia, Hungary, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Ukraine, USA. Hosts are from England, Scotland and Wales.
  • The Mountaineering Council of Scotland, the MCofS, represents mountaineers, climbing and hill walking enthusiasts in Scotland. http://www.mcofs.org.uk/home.asp