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NEWSLETTER No EAST BERKS RAMBLERS Berkshire Area Group website: www.eastberksramblers.org Ramblers website: www.ramblers.org.uk MEMBERS NEWSLETTER No. 130 - AUGUST 2019 The Walks Programme for September-December 2019 is enclosed with this newsletter The EBR website https://www.eastberksramblers.org contains the latest information about the walks in the programme. Check this before turning up at a walk, in case anything has changed. New Members A very warm welcome to our new Members: Paola and Mark Connolly Mandy and John Lee Suzanne Lewis Nicholas Ringwald Ann Taylor John White Elizabeth Wilson You have joined a very friendly and sociable Group and we look forward to welcoming you on our walks. We hope you will enjoy your membership on walks, at our social events, and by volunteering. But even if you play a more passive role thank you for giving your support to the Ramblers, the national Association for walkers and for the protection of our rights of way heritage. For membership enquiries contact Malcolm Stone Email: [email protected] Chairman's Chat writes Phil Smith Summer has arrived with a bang. I and my wife spend a lot of time watering the garden, particularly plants in pots which will dry out in a few hours when the sun is hot. The same applies to walkers. Water is heavy which can tempt a walker to carry as little as possible, but this is not something that should be skimped. Don’t wait until you feel thirsty, take a few sips every mile. Many members will be aware that the Royal Borough has bought 45 hectares, 110 acres, of former farmland with the stated purpose of opening the missing link of the Millennium Walk and protecting the open space and wildlife. The land has been named Battlemead Common and you will find more about it elsewhere in the newsletter. When recceing a walk on Chobham Common not long ago I was disappointed to find that the car parks on the common have been made pay and display. While local authority finances are under ever increasing strain, discouraging people, especially those of limited means, from exploring the health and educational benefits of this national nature reserve must be a mistake. While it isn’t in our area, I have written to the Surrey County Council to urge a rethink. If enough people do this perhaps this might happen. Ramblers Central Office has now established first aid training courses for Ramblers’ volunteers, for details go to the Ramblers’ website, www.ramblers.org.uk, and follow the links: Volunteer zone / Support and development / First aid for Ramblers / First aid training. Details of the East Berkshire Group Annual General Meeting will be found elsewhere in this newsletter. I hope to see as many of you as possible there. Our East Berkshire Group is part of the Berkshire Area of the Ramblers which has nine groups in total. We meet every two months to discuss issues of concern throughout the area. The Ramblers’ Berkshire Area AGM will be held on Saturday 30th November at Woolhampton Village Hall. See https://www.ramblers.org.uk/go-walking/group- finder/areas/berkshire/area-agm.aspx Countryside Matters writes Gordon Marrs Path Warden Activities The expected Spring Survey did not materialise, due to RBWM having a problem with installing a new digital mapping system to produce the forms. The forms have now arrived so it will be a Summer survey this year. I have sorted them for distribution to my path wardens and hope to have them back by the end of August. Planning Issues I continue to monitor all planning applications on a weekly basis. There was an application for a major housing development on land south of Ray Mill Road East, affecting Maidenhead footpath 7, that I checked out. The site is however designated for housing in the Borough Local Plan and will be subject to conditions. These will include protecting the footpath, providing a public open space and new access on foot and cycle to Ray Mill road. Public Access Battlemead Common – We have had the first meeting of the Friends of Battlemead Common, a group set up by RBWM to manage the project. The meeting was dominated by the “Wild” groups (Cookham and Maidenhead) who wish to create a “nature reserve” and severely restrict public access to the Common. It is planned to keep the public out of the largest field which has the best views and is next to the Thames, on the flimsiest evidence of possible harm to wildlife. Fences have already been erected in many places and we are being denied a footpath close to the Boundary stones, needed to complete the Millenium and Boundary Walks. I have sent a written response objecting to the initial planning application, as have the Civic Society and the Cookham Society. It seems that the council are more inclined to listen to the Wild lobby than to the views of established groups like Ramblers and the local Societies, who have over many years supported and collaborated with the council. If matters don’t improve it may be necessary to seek the support of our members and the public to obtain better access; to show the spirit of “Kinder Scout” is still alive. Saturday Coach Trips 2019 and 2020 write John Sainsbury & Juliet Witcher The first 2019 trip took 50 members and guests to Hastings on a very windy June day. 35 chose to do a hilly coastal walk from Fairlight through the 850-acre Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve and ending high above the Old Town. Walking in blustery winds of 40 - 45mph was challenging on the exposed cliff-top parts of the walk but we were sheltered while in the several deep and steep-sided wooded valleys on the route. At least there was no rain during the walk, which was shortened from 6 miles to 5.2 miles because of the gale-force winds, and there were good views towards Dover and of a dramatically wind-blown sea. The rest of the group had the day to enjoy Hastings Old Town, home to Europe’s largest beach-launched fishing fleet and with an unusual mix of historical sites, local museums and seaside attractions. For the second trip, 45 of us made the journey to Winchester on a fine day in August. 30 went on a 6.4 mile walk from the village of Itchen Abbas along the Itchen Valley to Winchester. The route in part used the Itchen Way as it followed the crystal- clear River Itchen but also made use of other named paths taking us through pretty villages, peaceful farmland and three nature reserves to end right in the city centre. The rest of the party had the whole day to explore the City with its magnificent Norman cathedral, Great Hall, City Mill and other treasures. Some elected to follow self- guided walks through what was England’s first capital city. All seemed to find plenty to see and do and enjoyed themselves. The River Itchen near Winchester The Future We have come to the decision not to continue as the organisers of the Saturday trips next year. We have both enjoyed arranging the six outings and walks over the past three years. We chose destinations we wanted to visit and areas we were keen to walk in. Now is your chance to take over and do the same! John Vint’s original idea 20 years ago was to make these trips inclusive, i.e. not just for keen walkers but also for those members who choose not to walk but wish to spend a relaxing day in an interesting destination and perhaps meet up with former walking friends. If you take over and stay true to that objective you can go wherever YOU wish. We would be more than happy to meet up and offer hints and tips, as Eve Norton did when we took over. If you are interested in taking over the role of organiser for 2020 please speak to the Group Secretary Liz Richardson, or e-mail her on [email protected]. The Ridgeway and North Downs Way writes Chris Roper By the time you read this Newsletter a group of us will have completed the most challenging leg of the North Downs Way … Box Hill … and will be approaching the date for Nigel and I’s penultimate long-distance footpath walk for East Berks Ramblers. We were blessed with good weather (despite one or two heavy showers) over the leg of the Ridgeway from Wendover to Ivinghoe, with beautiful views from Pitstone Hill and on to the Beacon, taking in the wonderful, recently re-chalked, lion below Whipsnade Wildlife Park. The North Downs Way first two legs have been a real treat. The first leg took us from Farnham to Guildford, an interesting walk taking us past the Watts Gallery and Artists Village and Arts and Crafts Watts Chapel. Certainly, an interesting place to return to as Nigel and I discovered on our visit back in June. Leg Two started with an enroute coffee stop (thanks to John the coach driver’s knowledge!) at the Cathedral in Guildford. A stunning modern building, and a first time visit for many of us. We then enjoyed a day of spectacular views towards the South Downs, a banana break that included ice cream at Newlands Corner, beautiful wild flower areas, bees, butterflies and just about perfect weather. The English landscape and countryside at its abundant best! To see how we fared with Leg Three please visit our website at: ndw.nigelandchris.net, where you will find photographs from the day and a short write-up! We have been asked about our walk plans for next year.
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