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CRUX is the official magazine of the HMC. It is usually published 3 to 4 times a year and contains various articles about previous meets, people and other events. Some of the articles are slightly serious, others have been written light heartedly, and may be of a humorous nature. They tend to give a flavour of the club (good or otherwise) over the past years.

The home page of each Crux edition has a contents summary per page, to assist your browsing (also see brief summary below).

Here is a summary of the articles within each Crux (latest first):

Crux February 07 - TMR - The Masochistic Route (Albert Sillwood), A Pyrenees Scrapbook (Geoff Sharpe). Adrian Jones Cooking Tips, View from Mars[h] ( Bill Marsh), Film Critic's corner - Croatia 2006 (Adrian Jones), The Complete Outdoors, Hemel Hempstead (advert), Riding The Ridgeway (Paul Dormer), The Too Wet to Climb Club (Tim Gledhill), Ten things I learnt after I jumped off a rock in France (Ann Blandford), My First Munro (Reuben Sodhi), HMC Health Warning, Discounts, Countryside in Stevenage Old Town (advert)

Crux August 06 - 3000 kilometers and no punctures (Geoff Deans), View from Mars[h] ( Bill Marsh), HMC Health Warning, Extreme Drying (Adrian Jones), The Complete Outdoors, Hemel Hempstead (advert), HMC Annual Dinner at Llanbedr Youth Hostel with photo of Leigh Singleton - Member Of The Year, Phil's Handy Tips (John Parrott), Next Issue October 2006 (Bill Marsh), The Magic of New Year in Ullapool, Scotland (Matthew Taylor), Slippery Fun on Grooved Arete (Jon), Ménage a Trois in the Lakes (Linda Powell), Countryside in Stevenage Old Town (advert)

Crux October 05 - Ten days of Climbing & Fish [Norway] (Tim Gledhill), Walking the Coast to Coast [with a bike] (Paul Dormer), View from Venus (Ann Peden), View from Mars [H[ ( Bill Marsh), Alps 2005 [La Grave] (Leigh Singleton), The HMC Committee guide [Geoff Deans] (Bill Marsh), Cottage for rent in west Highlands of Scotland (Stuart Bartlet), Balders reaches Half Century [Michael Baldwin] (Albert Sillwood), Caption Competition (Bill Marsh), HMC Discounts, The Complete Outdoors, Hemel Hempstead (advert), Scotland, May 2005 (Sally Snowdin), The Welsh 3000's: Two successes and an heroic failure (Elspeth Bartlett), Diary of a stag weekend [Phil Whitehurst] (Alex Pender), Dry stone walling [part 2] (Eddie Cornell), Battle with the Conger (Neil Jobling), A day out with the boys (Linda Powell), Countryside in Stevenage Old Town (advert)

Crux May 05 - Spanish Climbing: A Prickly Business (Bill Marsh), On Saxon - Kenidjack Castle (John Parrott), Four find entertainment in Lost Valley (Matthew Taylor), Ed speaks his mind (Bill Marsh), View from Venus (Ann Peden - ghosted by Bill Marsh), The Legendary HMC Bangers & Mash 2004 - various pictures (Bill Marsh), Competition winner (Albert Sillwood), Climbing Sharp's Ridge (Eddie Cornell), French Alps 2005 (Chris Cook), HMC Discounts, The Complete Outdoors (advert), MTB Sierra Nevada, Spain (Dave O'Gorman, Gary Bebb), La Passportes du Soleil VTT 2005 (Chris Cook), MTB weekend in the Quantocks (Alex Pender), Second Failure in Great Gully (Adrian Jones), HMC Annual Dinner 2005 in Craig-y-Nos Castle (Albert Sillwood), Member of the Year (Geoff Deans), Countryside in Stevenage Old Town (advert)

Crux October 04 - Chairman's speech empties room (Bill Burt), Member of the year 2004 (Eddie Cornell), A lucky Horseshoe (Matthew Taylor), The Art of Walking (John Parrott), Ed's Soap Box (Bill Marsh), HMC goes Kayaking (Eddie Cornell), View from Venus (Ann Peden), Welcome to Norway (Bill Burt), Drystone walling in the Cotswolds (Eddie Cornell), The Complete Outdoors (advert), How I completed the Welsh 3000's (Dave Bird), The Dibona (John Parrott), Countryside in Stevenage (advert)

Crux April 04 - Four go mad on Hoy (Tim Gledhill), A Grand Day Out (Matthew Taylor), Braeriach Adventure (Pete Durkin), Ed's little box (Bill Marsh), Advert (Chris Cook), New Year in Aviemore (Linda Powell), Thoughts at Chair Ladder (John Parrott), The Hertfordshire Way backwards (Eddie Cornell), Warning (Dave O'Snoreman). HMC Discounts, HMC Expedition to a country called America (Albert Sillwood), The Complete Outdoors in Bourne End (Advert), Countryside in Stevenage Old Town (advert)

Crux August 03 - Harry Potter & the Stone Philosophers (Bill Marsh), Cheers Ann Peden (member of the year 2003), Chairman's T(w)alk, The Wall - Phil Whitehurst in the Mountains of Mourne, Ireland, Annual Dinner 2003 pictures (Anita Hutchings), The Complete Outdoors in Bourne End, The Priests Hole (Dave O'Snoreman), 2003 Committee details, Vodafone wins HMC sponsorship deal (Matthew Taylor), et al in the Lakes, Altitude part 3 (Bill Burt), Back page - Caption competition for IMAX Everest film tickets, Discount Purchases, Countryside in Stevenage Old Town (advert)

Crux April 03 - An Andorran Adventure (Ann Peden), Altitude, Chairman's T(w)alk (Bill Burt), Ed's Square Box (Bill Marsh), Who are those guys, Shining - The HMC at the Red Lion 'Hotel', Builth Wells (Alice Whitehead) , Obsession (Calvin Burt), No 3 Gully Buttress, Coire na Ciste, Ben Nevis, Steve Ng picture (Adrian Jones), The Complete Outdoors in Bourne End, Stevie Haston eat your heart out (Gary Bebb), The Crux of the issue (anon), Ice Climbing California Style (Carolyn Dent), Yosemite & Joshua Tree Oct 2003 (Pete Durkin), Members awaiting their Bangers & Mash, Discount Purchases, Countryside in Stevenage Old Town

Crux Nov 02 - Wedding of the Year (Anne Noon), Top ten tips for the Mountaineering novice (Alice Whitehead), Chairman's T(w)alk (Bill Burt), Ed's little column (Bill Marsh), Whose bum is it anyway, Berg Heil (Adrian Jones), More Fletsch? (Richard Franklin), The Complete Outdoors in Bourne End, New routes at Shapely Glen crag (Marion Ford / Claire Phipps), Altitude (Bill Burt), A Bit of Rough in Wales (Albert Sillwood), The Climbers Guide to motorcycling (Bill Burt), Discount Purchases, Countryside in Stevenage Old Town

Crux Aug 02 - HMC Smash World Record (Bill Burt), Get Away Jubilee Weekend in Majorca (Debbie Smith & Geoff Deans), HMC & the HWW (Herts Way Walk - Eddie Cornell), Chairman's T(W)alk (Bill Burt), Ed's smaller column (Bill Marsh), The very best photos from HMC members, HMC Committee contact details, Essential items for the discerning lady climber (Ian Gibbon), Tasmanian devil (Debbie Smith), An Irish heartbeat in County Kerry (John Parrott), Run Away (Adrian Jones), A Drinking Club with a Climbing Problem (Carolyn Dent), The back page - The Climbers guide to Puddings & Cakes part 2 (Ian Gibbon), Discounts, For Sale, Countryside in Stevenage Old Town.

Crux March 02 - Chairman's T(w)alk (Bill Burt), Edwards Brothers spotted in Pub shock (Bill Marsh), Ed's little column (Bill Marsh), A good night in [Scotland] (Gary Bebb), Sketches of Espana (Rupert Priestnall), Lentils & Leeches: The quest for Mardi Himal, Nepal (Debbie Smith & Albert Sillwood), Top Dog (Eddie Cornell), A letter from America (Carolyn Dent, California), The back page - The Climbers guide to Puddings & Cakes (Ian Gibbon), Countryside in Stevenage Old Town.

Crux Oct 01 - Tales from the Alps and beyond, Chairman's chat, A post card from Arolla (Gary Bebb), Ed's little column (Bill Marsh), Fun and games in the Gower, Countryside ad, Phil's Diaries part one, An ill wind, One for the Calendar, Carry on up the Como: Milan and the Italian Lakes (Richard Bailey), October meets page, Committee contacts, Seven Summits Lecture, Trip to Nepal, Scrambles in Snowdonia.

Crux May 01 - Chairman's Chat (Bill Burt), Scotland for the brave (Rupert Priestnall), Ed's Big Column (Bill Marsh), Bebb Witch Project (Carolyn Dent), Balders are you reading this (Bill Marsh), Aviemore Times supplement (Helen & Gary Bebb), A great British Winter in pictures (Chris Cook, et al), Heather help me! (Matthew Taylor), New Year's Day in Aviemore (Dave O'Gorman), Meets Page, BBQ at Phasells Wood, The 2000 Annual HMC Awards (Rupert Priestnall), News in Brief (Jane Whitrow).

Crux Oct 00 - Chairman Bill's T(W)alk (Bill Burt), Stephan & Ali get married, Climbing Clubbers Guide to Harrogate (Rupert Priestnall), A 6X rated Welsh weekend (Bill Burt), HMC Photo pages 1 & 2 (various), Alpine Animals (Gary Bebb), Aiguille de la Tsa (Adrian Jones).

Crux July 00 - Intro by Bill Burt, Beyond Scotch Corner (to Hexton, Northumbria) (Adrian Jones), Peak Performance (Rupert Priestnall), New HMC Logo Competition, Winter Mountaineering in Antarctica (Simon Pledger), Morocco, Toubkal, the Atlas Mountains and Marrakech (Nicholas Oakley & James Hargreaves).

Crux Nov 99 - Skye (The Unfinished Ridge) (Richard Horsham), Sir Gladys, Mallory found on Everest, Ask Rupert (Priestnall), How goes it Balders (LaSource Ski Chalet) (Michael Baldwin), The Iron Way (Dolomites) (Phil Whitehurst), The X-ray Way (Ann Peden's legs), L'Eclipse Au Soleil (France Aug 99) (Albert Sillwood), Obsession (Cader Idris, Cyfrwy Arete) (Rupert Priestnall).

Crux June 99 - Lockwoods Chimney, Nant Gwynant (Phil Whitehurst), Hard life of a French Assistant (Audrey Abba), Member of the year 1999 (Gary Bebb), No F*****G Surrender (Alfie Conn, Stanley Island, Antarctica), Albert's corner, Get of your bed and climb (Rupert Priestnall), Ask Rupert (Priestnall), Destination Morocco, Ray & Trish Howes baby.

Crux Mar 99 - Confessions of a Secretary (Phil Whitehurst), Trip to France (Rupert Priestnall), To Coldly Go (Alfie Conn in Antarctica), Christmas Party at Sygun Country hotel (Tryfan, Idwal Slabs, Beddgelert), Ask Rupert (Priestnall), Northumbria (Kielder campsite, Peel Crags - Phil Whitehurst), Boys just want to have fun (Ski Chalet stories - with E.S.P.B [End of Season Panic Bonking] - Michael Baldwin).

Crux Aug 98 - Peter Thorogood's death in the Alps, Roaches Reinvested (Nick Erith), To bag or not to bag (Glencoe Whitsun 1998) (Anne Berk), Field testing a GPS (Anne Berk), Climbers Photos, Lakes (Wasdale July 1998) (Bill Burt), Albert's Knicker Elastic - response from Anne Berk, Chile (Phil Whitehurst), Pembroke (Nick Erith), Charles White picture.

Crux May 98 - Editors Note (Phil Whitehurst), Gliding at Dunstable (Jane Whitrow), Diary of a Climber (John Adams), Euston there is a Problem (Albert Sillwood, Albert's Knicker Elastic (Keith Hirst), 40th HMC Dinner article & pictures, Climbers Corner & Photos.

Crux - HMC 40th Anniversary - Chairman's introduction (Michael Baldwin), Heights of success (Welwyn Times 1966 article), Letter from Duncan Hector (early member), Surviving Dinosaurs (Origins of the HMC by Graham Daniels), Albert (Sillwood) recalls the 70's, 40th Advert, Events & Meets, Committee details.

Crux Dec 97 - No Chickens in Ladakh (Tony Edwards & Michael Baldwin), Day Tripper (Stanage), Spot the photo (Dave Nicholson & strippergram), Climbing Fashion tips, Baggy in the Autumn (John Parrot & Bill Marsh), Winter Preparation (Phil W), Charles White marriage to Caroline Nutting, Bow'd over (in the Lakes) (Phil W), Old Farts (Lundy 1984) (Brian Monk), A-Z of alcohol Phil W & Charles W), A-Z anon of Brum (Tony Edwards), The Devils Slide (Brian Monk), 1998 events & meets, Committee details..

Crux Sept 97 - Chairman's Bits (Michael Baldwin), Old Farts (Simon ), Climbers Corner (Gary Bebb), Wobbly Bob (Phil Whitehurst), Janets Foss (Phil W, Suzanne Murphy), Solo Eclipse (Phil W), Kinky boots (Phil W, Gary B), Looney Limericks, Secretaries Knee (Phil W), Campsite from Hell (Keith Hurst), Climbing Fashion Tips (Phil W), 40th Anniversary Update (Albert Sillwood), Canoeing in Wales ll (Albert S), Rugglestone Beast (Phil W), Sept 97 events & meets, Committee details.

For more info about the HMC, see the main HMC website, or send an email to the Secretary at thehmc.co.uk

This page was last updated by Ye old Webmaster on 11/04/12