The club was founded in 1906-07 and the first informal meeting was held at the Sun Inn , Coniston on 11th November 1906 and the first General Meeting at the Wastwater Hotel on 30th March 1907. Since then the club has grown to about 1100 members who are spread all over the world but who found their mountaineering origins in the Lakes.

The aims of the club are to encourage rock climbing and fell walking in the English Lake District and to act as a bond of union for its members. To this end we have regular meets in the Lakes, other parts of the UK and abroad, with evening climbing meets throughout the summer in the Lakes, Yorkshire and Lancashire. We also have an active London Section who have weekend activities in the southeast. We also own climbing huts in the Lakes and Scotland and we have arrangements with our kindred clubs to use their facilities.

The FRCC Chronicle is published quarterly to keep members up to date with the activities and projects of the club. A Sample copy is available for download here. Every two years the club produces the FRCC Journal which has extensive writings from the members on mountaineering subjects worldwide.