ABOUT US

The Orion Mountaineering Club is a small, friendly club, based mainly in the West of Scotland although we have members scattered across the country. Our emphasis is on friendship and informality amongst people with a common interest in the mountains and crags.

Our activities revolve around hillwalking, scrambling, rock and ice climbing, as well as skiing and cycling. There are members out most weeks on the hills, and our climbers span the grades. During the summer evenings we visit local crags, and a few of us are regulars at the Glasgow Climbing Centre throughout the year. Browse our Gallery for a flavour of what we do.

As well as formal meets, members pitch ideas of their own for trips through our Facebook and WhatsApp. Members regularly train indoors at the Glasgow Climbing Centre, and TCA, and we go cragging in dry weather. If you need help finding a climbing/bouldering buddy, or are looking to get out on the hills, our Secretary can help you out. We socialise on the 3rd Thursday monthly at 8pm in The State Bar, Holland St, Glasgow.

MEETS

From October to March we hold monthly weekend meets to mountaineering huts located in some of the most beautiful and remote parts of Scotland. We also organise day walks or climbs, informal trips to bothies, winter and summer solstice high camping and the occasional bike trip. From April to September, meets and day trips are usually organised on an ad hoc basis.

Members, prospective members and guests are all welcome on meets. Places can be limited if it is a hut meet, but we do our best to accommodate those wishing to attend. There are no set activities at meets, instead all who attend can propose walks, scrambles, rock or ice climbs as best suit the weather and conditions. Often activities are decided upon the night before, or even in the mornings. We tend not to make mass ascents of hills, usually breaking into smaller groups. We strongly advocate car sharing.

To note your interest in going to a meet, contact the Secretary, speak to any of our members, or request to join our Facebook group.

Muir Cottage, Inverey

27 - 28 September 2024

George Starkey Hut, Patterdale

11 - 12 October 2024

The Cabin, Laggan

15 - 16 November, 2024

Mill Cottage, Feshiebridge

17 - 18 January, 2025

Craigallan, South Ballachulish

14 - 15 February, 2025

NTS Kintail Bunkhouse, Morvich Outdoor Centre

March 2025

JOINING

Anyone aged 18 or over is welcome to join. Feel free to meet us at the climbing wall first, or come to a meet. If you then decide the club’s for you, we have two annual membership rates: Unwaged/Student £18, or Waged £28.

Our fees include club membership of the Mountaineering Scotland. The Orion Mountaineering Club is a paid-up affiliate of Mountaineering Scotland and membership of the Orion gives pretty much all the benefits of being an individual member of Mountaineering Scotland (at a fraction of the cost) including getting the quarterly ‘Scottish Mountaineer’ magazine, civil liability insurance, voting at their AGM and reciprocal rights to hire other clubs’ huts.

Contact the Secretary if you'd like to find out about joining.

Finally, we are happy to welcome new members of all abilities and experience, but please remember that,

‘Climbing and mountaineering are risk activities with a danger of personal injury or death. Participants in these activities should be aware of and accept these risks and be responsible for their own actions and involvement.’

ORION MOUNTAINEERING CLUB

GET IN TOUCH

We use Facebook and WhatsApp to keep in touch. If you are interested in joining, we recommend you send the Secretary an email to introduce yourself and let us know who you are.