FARNHAM RAMBLERS....NEWSLETTER 68....SPRING 2016 Hello everyone – Hopefully spring is just around the corner bringing with it much improved less muddy walking conditions. As always we have a full walks programme and a number of special events during the course of the next 4 months. At the AGM I talked about trying different social activities and one such event is in this programme with a Spring coach trip to Exbury Gardens on the 30th April offering a choice of either a short walk or just enjoying the Gardens. We are exploring other activities such as a petanque evening for members. We will keep you updated. Our membership numbers continue to remain healthy but we cannot afford to be complacent. We strive to maintain and improve our profile in the local area. To this end we have confirmed our attendance at a retirement fair to be held at Farnham Maltings on 29th February and also continue the tradition of having a stand at the Bourne Show which this year is on the 16th July. More information below. Alan Buttery, Chairman Your Committee Farnham Ramblers has a policy that Committee Members serve for 3 years and then stand down. This policy ensures that your Committee has new faces each year to bring fresh thoughts and ideas to our Group. At the AGM in 2016, our Secretary, Geoff Scott is due to stand down having completed 3 years. We are now looking for potential candidates to replace Geoff. None of the Committee roles are particularly time consuming but all are vital to the continued success of Farnham Group so please put yourself forward. If you are interested in joining the Committee and want to find out more, contact any Committee Member and we can provide you with more information. Alternatively catch up with any of the Committee on a walk and have a chat about it. We are all happy to provide help and support to someone new to a role so don’t allow a concern that you would be left on your own influence your decision. Footpath Maintenance in 2016 Mid Winter is the time we run smaller Footpath Maintenance tasks involving between 2 to 6 Ramblers depending on the task in hand. January saw us working on a small Footpath 209 running between Old Park Lane and Castle Hill Farnham clearing vegetation and rebuilding steps and a hand rail. We also cleared some Vegetation from FP 181 off Crondall Lane (by John McQuinn's memorial gate) going north with the brush cutter and by hand. Then the following week we erected two waymark posts replacing rotten ones on Hankley Common. In February we shall carry out some light vegetation clearing on FP 209 in Badshot Lea and repair a hand rail on steps opposite Puttenham top common car park. We will also replace the rotted timber slat on the footbridge near High Mill Farnham so we are ticking over. Also in February we shall be carrying out a condition survey on the North Downs Way between Hinckley’s Corner by Farnham Station up to the A3 underpass. That’s 8 miles in our area. Later in February we shall have our annual meeting with Surrey county Council to agree our maintenance tasks from May onwards from our suggestions Our large maintenance task in March will be working on the North downs Way updating signage and adding additional signs where required and repairing any footpath furniture requiring attention. We will also be replacing rotten waymark posts on Puttenham Golf Course and some vegetation clearing. The North Downs Way is having a re launch on 17th March at Hinckley’s Corner, you may have noticed a large new Sculptural Sign by Hinckley’s Corner to be unveiled circa 10am. Images are being captured to map the route for Google Trekker-the off road equivalent to Google street view. The North Downs Way web site is well worth viewing. In April we are planning a large maintenance task in Pirbright which we have already surveyed and will require a number of teams working across the whole parish. Farnham Ramblers Footpath Wardens We have 19 Footpath Wardens trained by Surrey County Council and we find the reports we receive from our Wardens from their Parish or Area helps us greatly to target where Footpath Maintenance is needed. In fact our past and future tasks at NW Farnham, Badshot Lea, Puttenham Golf Course and Pirbright all came from reports from our wardens. We now have 3 future Wardens awaiting Surrey County Council Training. If you like to join our team of Wardens please contact John Plympton Tel. 01252 725661. Walk Co-ordinators Walk co-ordinators are our unsung heroes. I am pleased that Mo Cregan has agreed to take over responsibility for the Wednesday longer walks replacing John O’Donoghue so our thanks to Mo and also to John for his years of service. New Walk Leaders I would like to extend a welcome and our thanks to new walk leaders, Doreen Heddow and Maggie Ingram. Big Path Watch As guardians of the footpath network, the Ramblers wanted to find out the current state of our path network (the envy of the world) to find out what makes it great and what stops people in their tracks The formal survey came to a close at the end of the year. Thank you to the 20 or so local members who took part in the survey. Across Surrey about 70% of the available squares were surveyed and every two weeks Surrey County Council received a report from the Ramblers about the BigPathwatch updating them on the surveying that had taken place. There were over 2000 items reported to Surrey County Council. In the parishes in which the Farnham Group take a particular interest the proportion of squares surveyed and reports sent to SCC are similar to the Surrey average. There were 173 problems reported in Farnham’s squares. The path was said to be inconvenient in 138 cases. Of which 31 had difficulty finding your way, 31 the surface was flooded, muddy or potholed, 20 vegetation growth, 7 stiles, 9 intimidating animals or signs and 10 other reasons. In a further 35 cases the paths were reported to be unusable. However, in the majority of these that wer personally checked by David Ross the footprints on the ground showed that the paths were being used. The 35 problems broke down as 17 obstructions, 6 surface issues, 6 signage issues and 6 other. To provide a meaningful basis for national statistical analysis a subset of squares were identified as representative of each Highway Authority. For Surrey 472 squares fell into this category and every one of them was surveyed. The national results are awaited. Photos As stated in previous newsletters we still need you to provide those photos. Graham Noakes, our Publicity Officer is building up a database of photos. This helps him, for example as illustrations, when he is aiming to get an article about our activities published in a local newspaper or magazine. So get those smart phones out and start taking those pictures and for the time being send them to John Cregan at [email protected]. Hopefully in the near future we will be telling you how to download them and put them on the website. Also coming soon – keep an eye on the website for details of an incentive for taking and uploading those photos! COMING UP SPRING SOCIAL – Saturday March 19th. 7 o’clock prompt Our 2016 Spring Social will be held as usual at South Farnham Middle School. Our guest speaker is Dr Martin Angel of the Bourne Conservation Group. He will talk about Farnham’s Natural History – Its Fauna and Wildlife As usual, bring a plate of food and your own cutlery and crockery. Drinks will be available. Also you could donate a prize for the raffle? A really good social evening - please come. ALWAYS ONE OF OUR BEST EVENTS OF THE YEAR!! Parachute Jump by Dave Gibbs - Saturday 4th June Netheravon, Wiltshire SP4 9SF Many of you will know Dave Gibbs. He is raising funds for Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice by doing a Skydive from 12,000 feet. All welcome to witness this spectacular event or say a prayer! So make it a day out maybe with a picnic. Donations to Dave direct or online justgiving.com/David-Gibbs8. Dave’s family have suggested he makes a Will!! Saturday Special 30th April Coach ramble to Exbury Gardens – Organisers Chris Hodge and Sarah Storey We are going to Exbury Gardens which is a 200 acre estate next to the Beaulieu River on the edge of the New Forest. The gardens are famous for the Spring displays of rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and magnolias. Please see the website for more information (www.exbury.co.uk). Please arrive by 9.15 am for 9.30 am when the coach leaves Farnham from outside the Sports Centre in Dogflud Way (GU9 7UT). We will go direct to Lepe Country Park where there is a 3.5 mile walk to Exbury. Those who wish to go straight to the gardens remain on the coach which will then park up and stay at Exbury. The coach will depart Exbury at 4.30pm expecting to return to Farnham by 6.00pm. The cost is £10 p/p for the coach, payable in advance with the booking form which is attached at the end of this Newsletter. Entry to Exbury is another £10 and paid on the day. Booking for the coach will be on a first come first served basis (members only).