Anfield Bicycle Club Circular
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ANFIELD BICYCLE CLl FORMED MARCH 1879 PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL. Monthly Circular Vol. XX. No. 227. A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL. ! FIXTURES FOR JANUARY, 1925. Light up at Jan. 3. liaiswood (Darky Arms) 5-4 p.m. 10. Annual General Meeting 6-30 s.-.m. Halewood (Derby Arms) s-ll p.m. 12. Committee Meeting, 7 p.m., 25 Water St.. Liverpool „ 17. Pulford (Grosvenoi' Arms) 5-23 p-m. 24. Warrington (Pauen Arms) 5-36 p.m. 31. Tarvin (Red Lion) 5-49 p.m. r'eb. 7. Halewood (Derby Arms). Lantern Evening u-8 p.m. 9. Committee Meeting, 7 p.m., 25, Water St., Liverpool. ALTERNATIVE RUNS FOR MANCHESTER MEMBERS: Tea 5-30 p.m. Jan. 3. Bollinaton (Swan with Two Nicks) 5 -4 p.m. 17. Allostoek (Orovers Arms) 5-SB p.m. 31. Alderly Edge (Trafford Arms) 5-49 p.m. Feb. 7. Bollington (Swan with Two Nicks) 6 -S p.m. Full moon 10th inst. The Hon. Treasurer's address is R. L. Knipe, 108, Moscow Drive, Stoneyeroft, Liverpool, but Subseriptions ©(25,-, Anfieldunder 21 15/-, under 18Bicycle5/-, Honorary a minimum Club of 10/-) and Donations (unlimited) to the Prize Fund ean be most conveniently made to any Braneh of the Bank of Liverpool for eredit of the Anfleld Bicycle Club, Tue Brook Braneh. Committee Motes. 91, Paterson .Street, Birkenhead. New Members.--Messrs. C. Selkirk and T. A. Telford have been elected to Active Membership. The Resignations of F. B. Baster, H. Crossley, and V. H. Evans have been accepted. Will Manchester Members please note the change of rendezvous at Allostock. Annual General Meeting—The date and place have been changed to January 10th, and the Derby Arms Hotel, Halewood. A special notice has already been circularised. It is desirable to remind mem bers that the tours and the destination pi the All Night Ride have to be decided at the Annual General -Meeting, so please come along with fresh ideas. .Mr. J. Van llooydonk, North Road C.C.. who will be accom panied by Mi-. F. T. Bidlake, lias kindly offered to give us a lantern show at Halewood, on February 7th. To show our appreciation of the novel entertainment to be provided by our visitor's, a good muster is expected. Please note that tea will be ready at the Derby Arms, Halewood, •in the 10th January, at 5-30 p.m., and arrangements are being made for ;i large number. H. AUSTIN, Hon. General Secretary. The B«tter Way O'er Stepping—Hill. Years behind my betters : Cook. Hodges, Wayfarer and The What-Nots, I, the Old Man of the Hills, have at long last tottered over the Roman Steps in the tracks of these pathfinders, but I did not drag a cycle after me, and 1 traversed the greater part of the 5 miles from Llanbedr to Cwm Bycban leisurely en caboodle. On the other hand, this necessitated doing the time hononred march in both directions, and in order to be able to look at it both ways, I came down as far as Hlaen y Cae on the east side before turning back. For petrol consumers it is best to do the Steps from Llanbedr in order not to miss the 5 miles through the Valley which otherwise might be left undone, but for those doing the trip in a single direc tion, I must certainly recommend starting from Trawsfynydd to take advantage of the down grade, and above all, to be able on arrival in Owm IBychan. to cry: Halt, and stay for a spell, for a night, nay lor a moon, in that wonderful valley into which, the Steps descend. © TheAnfieldCyclist, real rider though Bicyclehe he, riding up from LlanbedrClubwith 5 miles collar work ere he faces the Steps, with a mind occupied il not harassed by the task ahead, is not ripe for the beauties of this vale of silence, while he who descends acclaims Paradise on reaching the Kesthouse Dol Wreiddiog, situated in ample grounds in a wooded glade. On his approach the Words: Apartments, Luncheons, Wagonette for Hire, do more Ihnn reassure the footsore traveller who stretching himself on the mossy banks, realises that wood- nymphe are due at any moment. 1 hear him say: " J'v suis J'y reste, as some one else remarked before him. And even the prosaic one after a respite wdl feel inclined at the valley's end to attempt the return journey by the alternate way by Maes y Garnedd, and the BwJeh Drivs Ardudwy and so by the south of Rhinog back to the upper Mawddach. Cook told us pf this other way, and tourists from Llanbedr usually make this circular tour. Cook's fear that the way is harder to find from the Trawsfynydd side is ungrounded. The road over Pont Gribble ends at BlaenV Cae farm and from this point the Gap of the Steps is clearly indicated in the hillside. Moreover, the Stone Gateway of the Path seen from the farm is unmistakable. Once there the frequent stones in the track show us that we are on the right road. The signpost for Maes 3 Garnedd shows the parting of the ways, and we keep straight on lor the Gap. Once there we are on the Steps. At once the descent commences. Going over the ground from the Llanbedr side, Dol Wreiddioa is reached in four miles, and here chariots are usually abandoned" though the road continues for another mile and a half alon<r Llvn Hychan to Owm Byehan farm, where it ends in a stable yard and where refreshments are quoted. A sign directs us over a modern raised track, which ends in the bare walls of a derelict building that looks like a farm that was intended but abandoned Here'a still smaller finger points into a wood with the words Roman Steps but ot these there is as yet no trace nor is there a sign of a path. ft was here that Hodges stood at bay as well he might and as does everyone who has not been forewarned. The Steps'are still 1 mile away on the shoulder of the hill. It is by keeping left through the wood along the lower wall that a path is reached by which one scrambles up the hillside. The absence of any steps through, the wood is difficult to account for. On my return I searched for any continuation of the steps along the topside of the wood, but was not successful. In descending, however, the valley lies at one's feet so there is no uncertainty, and we can pick our own way. The two Miles of Steps have been fully described and photographed but let me add that on at least two steep stretches the Steps have been duplicated by a second path, laid of slanting stones, clear.lv intended for the use of cattle. These steeply slanting tracks are apparently of later date, and are more out of the way of the water torrents. One ol these tracks appears among Hodges' photographs I also noticed m the watercourse itself what looks like a still older aZ.W T• /f.Proaehnigthe <fest " side track of steps leads to i V\ ""tpost that may have been a shelter for man or beast and at the absolute top above the footpath there is a small quarry where some fresh hewn stones lie ready to be carted away to places needing repair How long it is since the workmen went home is bard©to .say,Anfieldbut these things point toBicycleregular use during recent Clubcen- rnilc:ntraS^th*thise,,d"1S " "" **" »* *«* '** °* *• -od> Whether the Steps were made by the Romans to connect Sam Helen with Traeth Back o,- to afford a sheltered holiday from the rigours of Pen y Street, it would seem that they have 'served the Valley folk through the middle ages as a way to take their sheep to market in Trawsfvnydd and other places in that direction. The idea of the Steps was Nature's, for the gorge is strewn with torrent borne boulders. __ T, c, The High-Stepper. Astride the Footlights, Our old member Louis Oppe-nlicimer, if he neglects the hazard of the Road, is far from inactive and continues to lace other hazards. Besides being a producer (and writer) of plays he has become an actor of distinction in his Society and has given great delight to those of bis old pals who have been so fortunate as to obtain tickets of admission. Naturally, we are more interested m what he does on the stage than behind it. The characters chosen are unusually stern personages, for which, he is cut out by nature, as well as by the excellent make-up he selects. We have revelled in seeing him as a Scotch Professor in a farce where he instructs a young student. Louis makes us realise the true meaning of Pawky Humour On the last occasion he appeared in an Eastern Phantasy as a Wise, Wealthy Elderly Parent, choosing a suitor for his daughter. Both in feature and in the roll of his sentences he suggested Mr. Asquith His headgear had borrowed features from the Fez. the Turban, and the feathered plumage of the Red Indian, for the Society, mark you. has views unique on the subject of decorations. In addition to Louis filling the stage while he is on it (and no actor can do more), the pleasure of a visit to these performances is enhanced by the fact that it is Mrs. Louis who sees to the comforts of the audience, and what Louis does for the stage she does for the auditorium.