Footprints Newsletter of the Derbyshire Dales Group of the Ramblers September 2020 Editor: Martin Phillips Nick’s Natterings Nick Stephens (Chairman) In my previous Natterings, I stated “the next few months would be like nothing we’ve experienced before”. Never a true word more spoken. This will be my penultimate Natterings. At the moment and up to publication date there is much uncertainty as to what will be happening with Ramblers by 1st September and beyond. Please keep an eye on our own DDR website for the latest information. Articles elsewhere in this Footprints will be covering the rules and regulations regarding official Ramblers led walks as they currently stand. It’s an ill wind that ...... During lockdown Pat and I have enjoyed our walks across the fields to the Winster shop, appreciating the sunshine, birdsong, lack of overhead planes (and no chattering ramblers following behind!). Having bought essentials, we would stop and chat (at a distance) to Wendy & Cynthia. With no group rambles and our usual folk festivals being cancelled, I’ve been able to get on with lots of outside jobs and start the mammoth task of clearing out my ‘stuff’, as probably a lot of other folk have been doing. Thanks to Lynne France for the obituary on Howard Martin. Older members will remember him on our walks and at our Friday social events. With both of us having worked for the local electricity board, we had a common link and, whenever I was in Ashover, I would visit him. Thanks to Bo Boon for looking after him, especially during his last years of illness. His obituary is on page 5, along with a short one from Keith and Mary Mellor. Thanks go to Sue Weatherley for her very early morning attendance on 16th May at Monsal Head for a television interview. She did a good job on our behalf. Although we’ve now been allowed to lead walks of 5 people, the walk collectors and the committee thought that the restrictions and regulations were too prohibitive considering the short period of time they might be in force. With the hope that restrictions will be eased more by the start of September it is proposed that the Walk Programme be produced and printed, but may be subject to the rules and regulations mentioned above. → Footprints September 2020 Page 1 of 12 Thanks go to Cathy for her creative quizzes and to the other members for their virtual walks. With my love of map reading and 10 years’ orienteering, I thought my map reading ability was fairly good. I managed fine with Ian Weatherley’s walk but I’m afraid I was unable to complete some of the others, leaving me ‘virtually’ lost! Our Group Walks: Covid-19 Update Martin Phillips On 17th March all Ramblers walks and activities were cancelled up to 31st May, later extended to 30th June. On 23rd June Ramblers announced that group walks could restart (in England) from 1st July, but with no obligation to do so. Walks would, of course, be subject to the familiar social distancing, and with additional, and substantial, requirements for leaders to follow, (see next page). The biggest change is each walk would be limited to six participants, including the leader(s); this would necessitate the new concept of requiring walkers to book in advance. Our Committee has given careful consideration to our strategy, the impact on leaders and the logistics of setting up and running a booking system. Our view is that the effort of running walks for such a small number of participants is not realistic. Thus, it was decided to cancel the remainder of the current programme which runs to the end of August. This is in line with the adopted policies of most other Ramblers groups. We have planned and are issuing our next walks programme, September to December, but will need to defer until nearer the time whether these walks take place. If/when we do resume, there may be significant changes to the way we operate. We know that many of our members are now going out in small groups; please remember that these are informal walks being organised personally and are not part of our official Ramblers walks. Our website has a dedicated page regularly updated with the latest information. Website Area Get Together www.derbyshiredalesramblers.org.uk This is scheduled for th Our reconstructed website is now Sunday 11 October. complete and fully operational, with Choice of walks. This much information for potential new year will be organised walkers as well as existing members and walks by Derby and South leaders. Full details of walks, links to Ramblers Derbyshire Group, and GWEM, and an archive of past Footprints. There is a likely to be in Calke / mobile friendly version with the same content but Ticknall area. See our formatted for phones. website for full details, and to check whether it will be taking place. Left: Parkhouse from Chrome Hill, Andy Jeffries Footprints September 2020 Page 3 of 12 Important Information for Walks Leaders Nick Stephens / Martin Phillips There are two recent directives from Ramblers Central Office, which our leaders need to be aware of and comply with when leading all future group walks. Covid-19 Restrictions See previous page. There are several additional requirements for when Group walks restart. We realise it may not be feasible for you to lead in the near future. 1. Leaders must complete a risk assessment for each walk, using Ramblers template. It may be asked for later, eg if an incident happens on the walk. 2. Groups must have a process in place to limit group size according to current Government guidelines, at the time of writing that’s a maximum of six including leader(s) - see Ramblers Guide to Booking systems. So far, we, and Ramblers, have not implemented any Group booking system. You need to organise bookings yourself by telephone or email, try to keep it as simple as possible. Any system must be fair, transparent and accessible. 3. Leaders must compile a record of who attends the walk. 4. Leaders must ensure compliance with government guidelines on physical distancing. 5. Recommendation to carry out a(nother) recce just before. Guidance on all the above is available on the Ramblers website. Log in to your account, click on Coronavirus update, then on Information for volunteers. This next page gives you information on walking and leading, with a set of guides (as mentioned above) on the right side. Read the Ramblers Insurance Guide/Policy to ascertain what is involved and what cover you have. This is the situation as at 16th July, but changes are continually taking place. Keep checking the Ramblers website www.ramblers.org.uk and our own website www.derbyshiredalesramblers.org.uk for further updates. Registration of Leaders It is now a requirement specified by Ramblers’ insurers that all walks leaders are registered (as a volunteer leader). This must be in place before you next lead, otherwise you will not be insured. At the time of printing, we are considering the implications of this and how to process registration. It is likely you will be contacted shortly by us and/or Ramblers. You can also check your volunteer status on the new Ramblers ASSEMBLE website; your existing Ramblers login should work, but we know members have reported various problems. Keep in touch with your Walks Collector who should be able to advise you. https://ramblers.goassemble.com/portal/home. You are insured only for walks listed on our programme and/or website. Footprints September 2020 Page 4 of 12 Howard Martin Mary and Keith Mellor Howard Martin, a long-time ramblers walker, died on 27th March following a long illness. Howard is remembered by many of us for his long legs and dry sense of humour. His walks were renowned for often being a little longer than stated on the programme – a query at the end of a “12 mile” walk elicited the remark that it may have been going on 17 miles, but that was before the times of GPS. Howard also had an inside track on the weather having managed the official weather station in his garden in Ashover for many years. Even when Howard stopped walking with the Wednesday group if he was spotted out and about a shout of “Ay Up ‘oward” would erupt from the group. Lynne France Howard’s funeral took place on 14th April 2020, so due to current times this was a small gathering of his son Craig, daughter-in-law Marina, myself and the Ashover church Rector. A memorial service in Ashover will be arranged when social gatherings are permitted. Howard, who lived in Ashover village most of his adult life, moved there when he married Lydia and was to become involved in many village events such as the pantomime, May Day and Morris dancing. He had been a Derbyshire Dales walker for many years, usually Sunday and midweek longer walks. In the early years he walked with his black labrador Bracken. Conversation with him would most definitely have covered the highs and lows of Chesterfield Football Club. Having been a lifelong supporter, even in his last weeks he wanted to know the latest match results. Howard was proud to receive an MBE for his dedicated services to the Met Office. A passion that started at school, he was consumed observing and recording weather data such as cloud formations, sunshine, rain and temperature. He worked for many years with the electricity board as a meter reader so had the enviable job of being out in the beautiful Derbyshire countryside.