Valeways Newsletter

Autumn 2014

Barry Heart Walk Launch, 29 June 2014 Valeways took part in the launch of the Barry Heart Walk in Porthkerry. This walk is based on Valeways Walk No. 4 Woodlands, Park & Coast. Thanks were given to Valeways Volunteer Graham Woosnam for his help.

Vale Show 13 August 2014 Once again Valeways were present at the Vale Show. Many thanks to Claire Evans, Vale Tourism, for allowing us space in the Vale Council Marquee. It was a very productive day with many visitors to our stand. Thank you to our volunteers who helped on the day.

Photo, Brenda and Phil modelling our splendid new volunteer t-shirts

Atlantic College Atlantic College are continuing with their adoption of the Millennium Heritage Trail, with a fresh input of students for the new academic year. They will be going out weekly monitoring and reporting on each section of the Trail. Many thanks to them.

Don’t forget you can purchase a copy of the Trail from us at a fantastic price of £7.95 It can be purchased from our office in Barry or you can send a cheque to us made payable to ‘Valeways’ for £8.95 (incl. p&p) It would make a great Christmas present!

Walkers from Froncysyllte (nr. Wrexham) A member of a walking group from Froncysyllte who were visiting the Vale of Glamorgan in September approached Valeways to ask if we could lead them on a walk in the Cosmeston area. We were only too happy to oblige and Phil Gibbins, our dedicated and enthusiastic walk leader, offered his services. The 31 visitors enjoyed themselves so much they have booked to return to the Vale again next year when we will be leading them in another walk. Many thanks to them for their generous donation.

Photo: Froncysyllte Walking Group and Phil Gibbins

Walk & Clear The Walk & Clear work parties are still going strong and even got to help the BBC’s very own Derek Brockway! A researcher from the ‘Weatherman Walking’ programme got in touch with Valeways as they were going to record an episode in which Derek was going to walk a section of the Millennium Heritage Trail around St Nicholas, taking in Dyffryn Gardens and Tinkinswood Burial Chamber. We were able to help by making sure the footpaths were completely accessible in the area and Val Warlow was able to give background information regarding the MHT. Look out for the programme in the new year.

Photo: Mark Rosoman, Derek Brockway, volunteers from Scope, leader Will and his dog Teilo

We also welcome back after the school holidays the boys of Barry Comprehensive School who will be going out with Mark making sure the local footpaths are litter and bramble free.

A big ‘thank you’ also to the Walk & Clear work parties from Scope and Recovery Cymru for their tremendous help.

Vale 50+ Strategy Forum Event Valeways will once again be manning a stall at the 50+ Strategy Forum Event to be held in the Memorial Hall, Barry on Tuesday 30th September from 10:00am to 3:00pm. This will be a very informative and interesting day for all over 50s to find out what is on offer in the way of practical advice and interesting opportunities in the Vale.

Walk & Click Do you own a camera but not sure how to use it or how to get the best photos? Then join Mark on his Walk & Click monthly outings in Porthkerry Country Park on Monday 27th October and Monday 15th December and in Cosmeston on Monday 17th November. All walks start at 10:00am.

Walking Groups The coffee shop strollers in Barry and Cosmeston and the Hoffi Cerdded Hoffi Coffi group on Barry Island continue to grow and flourish. Many thanks to our walk leaders, Ruth, Val, Mike, Babs, Tim and Jan who give up their time to make sure Valeways can offer a regular walk for our members. Valeways is also pleased to offer bilingual walks for those who are Welsh speakers or learners who want to practice their Welsh in a social setting. Thank you Ruth for leading these walks in Barry and Cowbridge.

Donations Valeways has been very fortunate to receive donations recently from Aberthaw Power Station, a walking group from North as mentioned previously, a walk leader’s son, a regular walker who has been grateful to Valeways for providing an all year round walking programme and Yorkshire Building Society. Thank you to you all for your generosity.

Aberthaw Conservation Day WANTED! Can you help us help nature? The East Aberthaw Nature Reserve is managed by Aberthaw Power Station in partnership with the Wildlife Trust. They are looking for volunteers to help cut back vegetation to open up paths and a water channel to improve the area for walkers and wildlife. If you are available on Wednesday 8 October 2014 and would like to come along and help then please get in touch. All abilities are welcome and tools will be provided. Please make direct contact with Rachel on 01446 744557 or [email protected] for more information or to pledge your support.

If you would like to join the Valeways group who will be going we shall be meeting between 9:00am and 9:30am in the Blue Anchor car park, Aberthaw. Please contact Mark by telephone, 01446 7490000 or email him at [email protected].

Walk Leader Training Valeways is offering Walk Leader Training for anyone who is interested in leading walks for Valeways and becoming part of a friendly and sociable group. The training will take place on Monday 20th October 2014 at Unit 5, Barry Community Enterprise Centre from 9:00am to 1:00pm. For more details contact Mark Rosoman on 01446 749000 or email [email protected]

Photo: Previous New Walk Leader Recruits

Adopt a Footpath Valeways has produced 19 self-led walking guides around the Vale of Glamorgan. In order to make sure these routes are accessible to all, we are indebted to a group of volunteers who have offered to ‘adopt’ each of these routes and are not only monitoring and reporting any problems to us and the Vale Council’s Public Rights of Way office but are replacing missing waymarker discs and making sure the information in the leaflet is accurate and up to date.

All these walks can be found on the Valeways website. However, we also like to distribute ‘hard copies’ to outlets around the Vale. This of course incurs costs so we are looking for sponsors to help with the cost of reprints. Barry Town Council and Aberthaw Power Station are already sponsoring a reprint of two of our walks. A big ‘thank you’ to them. If you think you would like to contribute to other walks please contact us by telephone or email.

Free Guided Walks Programme What a Summer it has been! NATO Conference came to Newport and - now wasn’t that exciting? Despite all the unprecedented security precautions, road blocks, nine foot fences etc. not one Valeways walk was cancelled and not one route blocked. Well done Walk Leaders!

Throughout the Summer our walks proved very popular, with a few of our Walk Leaders pulling out all the stops to make the walks as exciting as possible. Many thanks to Carol for organising a ‘flight past’ by the Red Arrows Display Team as part of the entertainment on her ‘Coastal Walk ‘ and to Mark for showing his willing band of volunteers exactly how security around Cardiff Rhoose Airport operates!

The new Autumn Walk Programme takes advantage of the autumnal “season of mist and mellow fruitfulness” with an aptly named ‘Autumn Woods and River Walk’. Look out also for the intriguingly named ‘Birthday Walk’ and ‘Blow Away the Cobwebs Walk’.

Despite the unseasonal warm spell of late Summer the walk programme prepares us for those Winter days and includes ‘A Long Walk for Christmas’ – 8 – 9 miles. If you embark on this walk try to return in time for the ever popular ‘New Year’s Day Walk’!

This programme also includes three centenary walks specially designed to commemorate the life and work of artist Frank Roper (1914 – 2000).

From his cliff-top workshop, overlooking Penarth Pier, Frank Roper spent over fifty years producing his unique sculptures and stained glass windows for churches throughout England and Wales. These include works for cathedrals at Durham, Peterborough, Wells, Saint David’s and Llandaff and many churches in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

His work in the Vale includes two sculptures seen at St Mary’s Church, Penmark and Saint Augustine’s Church, Penarth ( see photo opposite) and commemorative windows from St Tydfil’s Church, Llyswerney, St Mary’s Church, Wenvoe, St Peter’s Church, Dinas Powis, All Saints Churches at Penarth and Barry, as well as two fine examples from St Michael’s Church, Michaelston-le-Pit.

Why not join us on the walks to learn more about this well respected artist who made Penarth his home.

Annual General Meeting 2013-14 Our Annual General Meeting will take place in November. You will be notified as soon as possible when a final date and location has been decided.

And finally……………