Meet the Committee
Piers Harley | Chairman
I have been an active climber for about 20 years and in that time I have remained a loyal member of the CMC. You could call me an all rounder as Deep Water Soloing and High Altitude Mountaineering being the only areas of climbing I haven’t tried. However I have a particular love of Scottish Winter/Mixed and Alpine climbing (I should’ve been born in the Highlands!)
Favourite area: Ben Nevis (a lifetime of climbing on one mountain)
Favourite winter route: Orion Face Direct (Ben Nevis)
Favourite rock route: Dream Of White Horses (Gogarth)
Favourite piece of kit: too many to mention but my Grivel Dark Machine ice tools probably win.
Dream route: Cassin Ridge on Denali (closely followed by Infinite Spur on Mt Foraker, Eiger 1938 route)
Lee Storey | Secretary
I have been a member of the CMC since 2017, having started climbing earlier that year. All of my outdoor climbing experience has been with the club, where we’ve been to a number of great spots in Wales, the Peaks and the Lakes…and of course the venue on every climber’s bucket list - Tonbridge Wells.
Favourite area: Snowdonia
Bucket list climb: The Old Man of Hoy (I started climbing after seeing a film about climbers on here).
Favourite hill food: Always flapjacks.
Paula Pont | Treasurer
When I joined the CMC in 2021, I was welcomed by new and long-standing members alike and I’m enjoying my time with the club immensely.
All my firsts are with the CMC; trad & sport climbing, leading, multi-pitch, winter walking up Snowdon and my first taste of climbing and completing a hugely fun and challenging Via Ferrata in Europe, in the glorious sunshine.
I still have much to learn and new places to climb and experience, so looking forward to further adventures in the UK and overseas.
Being Club Treasurer suits my ‘count the pennies and pounds’ nature. I work for a Chartered Accountants, so I’m a numbers girl at heart.
Favourite area: Costa Blanca, Spain – sun and rocks, what’s not to love.
Favourite piece of kit: My comfortable Edelrid Women’s Jayne III Climbing Harness.
Favourite hill food: Love flapjacks. Avoid anything chocolate - it goes rock hard in the cold and melts in the heat.
Top tip to new club members – join us on a CMC climbing trip and you’ll soon get to enjoy and benefit from club member’s climbing experience and knowledge, as well as discover everyone’s favourite after-climbing tipple and chosen spot by an open fire.
Hannah Redfern | Members’ Rep
I joined the CMC at the end of 2021 after moving to Hertford from Liverpool, I wanted to take up indoor & trad climbing and find people who enjoy the mountains as much as I do. The club could not have been more welcoming!
Having been a lover of the outdoors from a young age I always asked how and why the rocks and landscapes varied so much. I went on to study geology at university and I now work in the mining industry.
Although I was new to the sport I gave it my all in 2022, loving the social atmosphere of the club and climbing at every chance I got. This lead to me taking home the “Most Improved” trophy at the end of year club awards, thanks mostly to the time and support from more experienced members in the club helping me develop my skills in the wall and at the crags.
In 2023 I plan on progressing into Scottish Winter climbing and Alpine Mountaineering as well as pushing my lead climbing.
Favourite Area: The Lakes will always be my answer this – however I really enjoyed climbing in Cornwall and Gower last year and I was lucky to have an unforgettable week on Ben Nevis recently.
Favourite Hill Food: Sandwiches, peperami sticks and fruitcake.
Favourite Kit: LaSportiva TX4’s or my Ortovox TradZero18 day pack.
Imogen Hewing-Powell | Meets Rep
Having grown up alongside the CMC, I rekindled my love for climbing over lockdown and joined the club at the end of 2021. I still consider myself to be relatively new to climbing and the CMC has proved the perfect place to develop my skills and knowledge. I was keen to improve my technique and the club provided an opportunity to learn from existing members.
As a result, both indoor and outdoor, my climbing and confidence has come on leaps and bounds since joining, with no sign of stopping anytime soon. I’m excited to continue learning via the many trips planned by the committee and members.
Favourite area: Sennen, on a sunny day the sea cliffs of Cornwall could easily be mistaken for the Med
Favourite Hill Food: Banana Bread (Preferably with chocolate chips)
Future plans: Getting stronger to push my lead grade and exploring more international climbing opportunities
Josh Cormack Butler | Comms Rep
I first heard about the club chatting away on a sunny ledge on the sea cliffs of Swanage. It turned out I’d stumbled upon the chairman of the CMC who recommended I come along to the next club night and I haven’t looked back since.
A university mountaineering club introduced me to climbing but since joining the CMC my skills and experience have come along leaps and bounds. I started this year by scaling the intimidating cliffs of Gogarth by the classic Dream of White Horses - something I couldn’t have imagined doing 12 months ago which is testament to being surrounded by passionate, like minded people.
I’m looking forward to another year in the club, exploring new crags, improving my grade and getting stuck into this bizarre pastime called Scottish winter climbing.
Favourite area: North Wales - mountain scrambles, huge sea cliffs, steep boulders, if only it rained less…
Favourite piece of kit: La Sportiva TX Guide - work as well at climbing gritstone as they do down in the pub.
Future goals: Bag some technical alpine peaks