Following his untimely death, a memorial fund for Don Whillans had started in the autumn of 1985 under the then Chairman of the BMC, Derek Walker. Within a few years a series of lectures by such luminaries as Chris Bonington, Doug Scott, Joe Brown, and Nat Allen, plus a well-orchestrated ‘Buy a Pint for Don’ appeal, had raised a substantial amount of money. The initial idea was to secure a permanent base or campsite for British climbers in the Chamonix valley, but in the end this project was deemed too impractical – for one thing the only possible campsite offered by the French authorities was found to be in a former avalanche zone! The Appeal Committee, backed by Don’s widow Audrey, came to favour a second option – a hut in Britain dedicated to Don’s memory. By then Rockhall had become vacant and the Peak Park Board approached the BMC to see if a joint venture could convert the cottage into a climbing hut. The site at the Roaches was especially appropriate as it was there that Don first met and climbed with his legendary partner Joe Brown, and where he first met his wife Audrey. The Peak provided the architectural planning, design, and building expertise, while the £50,000 raised by Memorial Fund was more than doubled by a grant from the Sports Council and support from the Rural Development Commission. The work was carried out during 1992, costing over £100,000, and the Hut was officially opened in January 1993 by Audrey Williams.

Cookie's companions👣🐾🐾💔💔

March 25, 2019

Apparently lodgings can be had here if booked with BMC.

Cookie's companions👣🐾🐾💔💔

March 25, 2019

This is an outstanding gritstone profile of a face looking directly over Don Whillan's hut.

Even head on (no pun intended), it is striking.

(Please feel free to suggest an edit if anyone finds a formerly designated name for this rock form.)

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Details

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Elevation 390 m

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Sunday 9 November

10°C

70 %

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Max wind speed: 16.0 km/h

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Location: Leekfrith, Staffordshire Moorlands, Staffordshire, West Midlands Region, England, United Kingdom

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Don Whillans Memorial Hut

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