South Cotswold Ramblers' Group

South Cotswold Ramblers’ Group Newsletter - February 2014 Published each year in February, June and October. We look forward to hearing from you with stories, opinions, photos, poetry, art, funny tales, cartoons, appeals, you name it. This edition was edited by Sally Davis 01453 872729, email: [email protected] A NEW YEAR’S MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN Happy New Year to you all. I hope Ramblers and rambling featured in your New Year's resolutions and like me you are looking forward to another year of activities with South Cots. There should be plenty to keep you Aamused. By the time you read this our annual lunch should have come and gone, weather permitting. With numbers standing at 47 Sally continues to break all records and she is to be thanked for all her hard work in arranging this popular event. Thanks also to Pam whose golf club membership allows us to use the facilities. Unfortunately not quite as many attended the AGM, although we had a very good meeting. Perhaps we should consider holding the AGM at the Annual Lunch! All committee members offered themselves for re-election except for John Corry, who will continue on the Footpath Committee, and Kathy Bullen who stood down as publicity officer after many years in various roles with South Cots and the Ramblers organisation. Thanks to both of them for their work on the Committee. Following the meeting Andrew Hawkins volunteered as a Committee member. It’s always good to get new members with new ideas particularly when they have a considerable effect on the average age of the Committee. We are still looking for a Publicity Officer. This can be a very interesting and rewarding job. Interesting because it’s really up to you to make what you like of it. Rewarding because it can play an important role in raising the profile of the group. Rewards can also have more personal results. Trying a bit of publicity myself I recently sent a photograph and article to Country Walking Magazine for which I received a pair of walking socks. Now how good can that be! On the holiday front we have an exciting year in prospect. In June Mike is taking a party to the Lake District with HF Holidays. This should prove an exciting experience for everybody with levels of walking to suit all abilities. In September I am leading a holiday to Dunster and the Yarn Market Hotel, which has a very good reputation with Ramblers Groups. Don't think that Mike and I have sole rights where the organisation of holidays is concerned. If there is anybody out there who would like to give it a go please speak to us. It can be quite good fun. Our walks coordinators continue to put together exciting and interesting programmes and this year we can look forward to The Ice Cream Walk. If you haven't lead a walk before and would like to give it a try, please don't be afraid to come forward and, everybody, don't wait to be asked but ring the coordinators as early as possible to offer walks. As usual we are indebted to our Footpath Committee for the work which they carry out. On the 1st April the PROW work is being transferred to the outside contractor, not necessarily a bad thing but something which must be carefully monitored and which could involve our own committee in more work. A number of our members are experiencing health problems at the moment and we wish them all a speedy recovery. I would like to mention Brian Kirkman, former Chairman, holiday organiser and long time Group member and hope that he will soon be feeling better. So another year coming up of challenges and opportunities. I enjoy my volunteer work with Ramblers and if you are involved as a volunteer, in whatever capacity, it is important that you do as well. Good luck and happy walking for the next 12 months. Richard Davis, Chairman oing away with Ramblers Holidays? We have recently received a sum of money for Group Funds from Ramblers Holidays where members taking a holiday with them have nominated South GCotswold Group. If you forget to tell them when booking, there is still time if you contact them before you go. By your doing so, they will donate £10, £20 or even £30 per person to our funds to be used to benefit walkers. For more info, click the link to Walking Partnership on our Messages page. DUNSTER WALKING HOLIDAY Sun 7 Sept to Thu 11 Sept 2014 – Leaders Richard & Diana Davis tel: 01453 762373 Our Autumn holiday for 2014 is to be at Dunster on the edge of Those wishing to book please return the form below together Exmoor and the Quantock Hills staying at the Yarn Market Hotel. with a non returnable deposit of £10 per person for the hotel plus a further £20 per person for expenses and the walks The Hotel Is situated next to the Yarn Market in the middle of the guide. Please return this form together with a stamped village. Dunster has medieval origins, with a famous castle (NT) addressed envelope and a cheque for £30 per person and is regarded as one of the gateways to the Exmoor National payable to South Cotswold Ramblers by the 28th February to:- Park. Hotel facilities include:- Diana & Richard Davis, 22 Glen Park Crescent, Kingscourt, Stroud GL5 5DT • Individually styled en-suite rooms with tea and coffee making The balance of the holiday money will be payable facilities, hair dryer and TV direct to the hotel at the end of the holiday. • Full buffet style breakfast • A lounge bar and residents sitting room • A drying room • Choice of evening meals • Packed lunches can be provided for £5 per person per day • Limited car parking outside the hotel but there are arrangements for parking with the council car park Gallox Bridge, Dunster Yarn Market and the Hotel Walks Diana and I will be arranging walks on the days of arrival and departure as well as a walk in conjunction with the West Somerset Steam Railway on the Tuesday. We have the opportunity to hire a local guide for the Monday and Wednesday at a cost of £100 per day and providing enough people come we will be availing ourselves of this at a total cost of £10 per person payable on booking. Cost The cost of the hotel for 4 nights dinner, bed and breakfast is £300 per person. There is a single supplement of £10 per person per night. In addition to this there will be a small payment for organisers expenses of £10 per person and a further £10 per person for the guided walks. The overall cost will therefore be £320 per person sharing a double or twin room and £360 for a single room. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dunster Walking Holiday Sun 7 Sept to Thu 11 Sept 2014 I/We would like to book the following accommodation :-: 1) A double room @ £320 per person ( ) 2) A twin room @ £320 per person ( ) 3) A single room @ £360 ( ) I enclose a cheque payable to South Cotswold Ramblers for £______ (£30 per person including £10 non-refundable deposit). * EITHER I enclose a SAE for acknowledgement * OR Please acknowledge by email to ……………………………………………………………………………………………….... Please book no later than 28 February If this date has passed, please phone 01453 762373 to see if there is any room. The balance of the holiday money will be payable direct to the hotel at the end of the holiday. Signed Date To Diana & Richard Davis, 22 Glen Park Crescent, Kingscourt, Stroud GL5 5DT PRINT FIRST & SURNAME(S)……………………………………………………….....................….…………………………………… Address……………………………………………………………………………….............................................................................… ….......................................................................................................................... Tel no……………..............….…………………. WITH RAMBLERS TO DUBROVNIK Last October Di and I went with Ramblers Holidays to Dubrovnik and found it to be a thoroughly enjoyable holiday, although one of Rambler's easier walking offerings. We were met at the airport by our Ramblers guide, a Canadian, whose parents were Croatian and who had an enthusiasm and pride in the area which was almost infectious. Our hotel was very comfortable and situated a short bus ride from the old city. Highlights of our visit included a day island hopping on the Elaphite Islands, a group of islands just off the coast. We landed on each island for a short walk and a look around. Dubrovnik with the Elaphite Islands beyond Dubrovnik itself was quite awe inspiring and after a morning spent walking round the walls and exploring some of the narrow alleyways of the old town we went across to Lokrum a small island and nature reserve off the coast. Here we also had a swim in the salt water lagoon known locally as the dead sea. View from the walls across the bay We revisited Dubrovnik on our day off taking the opportunity for further exploration on the old Town and also a trip up Mount Srd where there is a very interesting museum commemorating the Homeland War which resulted in the break up of old Yugoslavia back in the early nineties. We had another visit to the Old Town when our Ramblers guide offered to take us in after dinner one evening and we sat in the square at a cafe listening to a jazz band playing. Dubrovnik from Srd Other excursions included a walk from the hotel round Babin Kuk then north along the hilltops, our only wet day, a trip up the north coast to Ston, where we walked through the salt flats and up into the hills working up an appetite for local oysters on our return, and a walk to the village of Cavtat to the south of Dubrovnik.

Load more