The club runs weekend meets approximately every two weeks throughout the year. These cover a wide range of venues throughout the Highlands and the Islands of Scotland, with occasional trips to the Lake District and further afield. Accommodation is typically in dorm rooms with bunks or alpine platforms. Information about the hut’s facilities is shared along with sign-up information – please make sure you read this so you know what to bring.
Signing up and ballots
Each meet is advertised in our members’ newsletter, normally just under three weeks in advance. Members can sign up for a meet using our online membership system or by contacting the meet secretaries. The full meet fee must be paid in order to sign up. Non-members can be signed up by a member at this stage, but members have priority over places. We do not run a “first-come, first-served” process. Instead, if the meet is over-subscribed, a ballot is held where members are selected at random to determine who gets a place and who is on the reserve list. Sign-up information can be found in the newsletter.
The preliminary cut-off for sign-ups is usually the Thursday night nine days before the meet. If the meet is over-subscribed, the ballot is held at 9.30pm. Club members have priority over non-members in the ballot. If the meet is undersubscribed, then sign-ups will continue on a first-come first-served basis and both-members and non-members are welcome. Occasionally, the ballot is held longer before the meet, for example, if transport is more difficult (e.g. Knoydart, Arran).
First meet
Upon joining the club a new member will be exempt from the normal ballot procedure for meets. If it is your first meet (after you have paid for membership) then you will be granted a place on the meet ahead of the ballot for normal members. This is to prevent new members from being balloted off their first meet, thereby helping to welcome new members to the club. The exception to this rule is in the unlikely event that new members form more than 50% of the places on a meet, in which case the new members will be balloted separately to reduce the number to less than 50% of the places on the meet; normal members will then be balloted.
Transport
Transport is usually by private car. After the ballot a Google Doc is circulated to those going on the meet to help coordinate lifts. Please do fill in your contact details and whether you are driving or you need a lift. There may be special arrangements when ferries are involved or access is difficult such as at Strawberry Cottage or on Arran and the Google Doc can be used to coordinate these as well. Ultimately it is up to you to make arrangements to get to and from the meet or to fill up the spaces in your car. The meets secretaries can and will help and facilitate but they are not wholly responsible.
The Google Doc can also be used to coordinate meet activities, although final decisions are usually made on the meet. Activities are not organised by the club, but most members are often happy for others, including novices, to join them. If you’re at all unsure, others on the meet will be happy to help you pick an appropriate walk. Please make sure you have appropriate clothing and equipment for the activity you choose. There is more information about clothing and equipment here.
The club also has communal gear to hire for those who need it.
Further details including the Club’s policy on refunds, children and dogs are included in the Meets Policy. Any queries please contact the Meets Secretaries at meets@jacobitesmc.co.uk.