SUMMER NEWSLETTER 2012
Future Activities
Cambridge Oxfam Walk Sunday 20th May 2012: This popular annual event is back for its 45th year! It will start and finish at Chilford Hall near Linton. You can choose from 4, 7, 11, 15, 19 or 26 mile routes. The aim is to raise at least £30,000 for Oxfam’s humanitarian relief work. To register for the walk or get more details, you can go to www.oxfam.org.uk/walk . There is also a need to recruit some 100 route and desk marshals for a few hours, half a day or even the whole day, and this can be combined with one of the shorter walks. To help please contact Tania Mullins [sf_email]tania.mullins@gmail.com[/sf_email] . Other information obtainable from Simon on 01223 526157 or [sf_email]sra.watkins@ntlworld.com[/sf_email] .
10th June 2012 Sunday B bring and share meal. The Sunday B walk will be followed by a bring-and-share meal in a garden in Cambridge. Please put the date in your diary and contact Victoria on 01223 573813 or Miranda on 01223 881588 for details. Please let Miranda know if you would like to come and what food you will bring. Details will be on the website nearer the time.
Sunday 17th June 2012: Summer outing by coach to the Suffolk Coast, between Dunwich and Snape. There will be a choice of 3 walks: 13 miles (leader Jill ), 10 miles (leader Angela) and 6 miles on the fabulous Suffolk coast, south of Dunwich, visiting Thorpeness and Aldeburgh en route to Snape. Or come along for the views, sea air and a short DIY walk! The coach will leave Harvey Road at 8.30am, returning 5.30pm to arrive Cambridge at 7.00pm. Cost £15. Please send cheques to Angela, (see card for address), payable to Cambridge Rambling Club. Closing date for bookings June 2nd. We need 35 minimum to make this trip viable, so please do join us!
Saturday 8th – 15th September 2012. Lake District Week, Butharlyp Howe YH, Grasmere. There are still 5 places available in the Butharlyp Howe hostel in a 2-bedded or 4-bedded room (with some flexibility over male/female numbers). Overnight cost for room only is £21 per night in a 2-bedded room and £18.50 in a 4-bedded room. This excludes transport which must be arranged personally. If you are interested please contact Norman (01223 870121) in the first instance. An immediate deposit of £50 (payable to Cambridge Rambling Club) will be required to secure a place and the balance will be due by 31st May 2012. Offers of ‘A’ and particularly ‘B’ walks very welcome! It is also possible to make your own arrangements for accommodation and join the walks – but please let Norman know.
Friday 26th to Sunday 28th October 2012 HF’s Nythfa House, Brecon All our places are now taken at this very comfortable country house situated in mature grounds on the edge of the Welsh market town of Brecon. The total cost for 2 nights dinner, B&B, packed lunch, coach and all gratuities is £181.50 for a shared room and £195.50 for a single room. The coach will leave Cambridge (probably from Chesterton Bowling Club – to be confirmed) on Friday morning (prior Ely pick-up if required) and return late on Sunday evening. The final payment will be due by 31st July 2012, with cheques sent to Meg and payable to Cambridge Rambling Club. Please contact Meg if you would like to be on the waiting list for cancellations. There are up to 10 places on the coach for anyone booking their own accommodation in Brecon; they can take meals at Nythfa House by arrangement.
Friday 22 March – Sunday 24 March 2013, Coach Weekend, Webbington Hotel, Loxton, Somerset
A mix of twin and up to 10 single en-suite rooms reserved in this country house hotel which is situated in extensive grounds on the southern slopes of the Mendip Hills. Recently extended and refurbished, it provides a good base from which to explore the natural highlights of the Mendips, including the Mendips Way. It is close to attractions such as Cheddar Gorge, Wells and Weston Super Mare. The total cost for 2 nights dinner, B&B and coach travel (including gratuities) should not exceed £140 for a shared room and £170 for a single. To reserve your place, please send a non-refundable deposit of £30 per head to David, with cheques payable to Cambridge Rambling Club. The balance will be confirmed in the next newsletter.
Friday 1st November to Sunday 3rd November 2013, Coach Weekend, The Pines Hotel, Swanage, Dorset. We are planning another stay at this spectacular location, with its glorious panoramic views of Swanage Bay on the south coast of Dorset near the historic village of Corfe Castle on the Isle of Purbeck. There are great walks along the coast to both Lulworth and Studland Point, as well as attractive downland walking near Corfe. Meg has provisionally booked 48 places at £140 per person for 2 nights B&B and evening meal. The coach cost and gratuities will be known at a later date. Details for booking will be included in the next newsletter. Offers of leaders to Meg, please.
Hostel (& similar) Trips: Hostel trips are informal affairs and, if a long way from Cambridge, are often for 3 nights or more. ‘A’ walks are guaranteed; ‘B’ walks depend on a volunteer leader – please do offer! Travel is normally in cars and we try to arrange car sharing. All bookings are handled by Jill Tuffnell, with cheques payable to ‘E G Tuffnell’. Please book with deposit or payment well in advance as the full balance must be paid at least 8 weeks before the trip. Offers to drive or requests for a lift to Jill please. You are very welcome to book your own B&B or hotel and join us on walks.
*Conwy YH, North Wales, Friday 1st to Wednesday 6th June (5 nights). There is one bed still available for a female (share) in a two-bed room. The cost is £24.50 per night. Meals available or you can self-cater. Alternatively you are very welcome to book a B&B or guest house in the town and join us for walks.
*Grinton Lodge YH Swaledale, Thursday 16th to Monday 20th August (4 nights). This is a great situation in Swaledale. We still have a couple of two-bedded rooms available at £51 a night (i.e. £25.50 per person). The cost of beds in larger 4 and 6 bed rooms is £20.40 per person per night. Please send a deposit of £20 to Jill, stating if you want a twin room. The balance is payable by 14th June 2012. Meals available.
*Leominster YH, near Ludlow, Friday 28th to Sunday 30th September(2 nights). We have sole occupancy of this very high quality self-catering hostel in central Leominster. There are 28 beds in total, including 6 two-bedded rooms. We can walk the Hereford Way to Ludlow and return by train; on Sunday we can walk in the Malvern Hills. The cost is £40 per person. Nearby pubs for an evening meal.
*Alstonefield YH, Dovedale, Peak District, Friday 9th to Sunday 11th November (2 nights). We have sole occupancy of this very high quality 20 bed, self-catering hostel. There are 5 en-suite 4 bedded rooms, two kitchens and lounges. The cost is £35 per person.
*Blaxhall YH near Snape, Suffolk, Friday 1st to Sunday 3rd February 2013 (2 nights). We have sole use of this spacious self-catering hostel close to the Suffolk coast. We will include walks to Orford as well as Aldeburgh. The cost is £30 a head for the weekend.
Losehill Hall, Castleton YH – Peak District Friday 8th to Sunday 10th March 2013 (2 nights). This new hostel is in the former National Park Study Centre in extensive grounds on the edge of Castleton, with fabulous walking on the doorstep. We have booked 14 dormitory beds at £40 per person and 2 two-bedded rooms at £47 per person for the weekend. Please send a deposit of £15 to secure a place. All meals available as well as self-catering facilities.
News and Notices
George Brewster, a long-standing CRC member and friend of many, died in late February. George fulfilled many roles in the Club, including President, coach weekends’ organiser and, until very recently, Thursday evenings walks’ secretary. George was a regular Wednesday ‘A’ walker for many years. He enlivened Club Committee meetings and walks and we greatly miss his wit and humour. It was good to see so many at his funeral. In his memory, the Club Committee has agreed to fund a seat on land managed by Cambridge Past, Present & Future (formerly the Cambridge Preservation Society) – a society George was very closely involved with for many years. In discussion with CPPF the seat will probably be located in the Coton Nature Reserve – in a position with a view.
Spring Coach weekend organiser: David is withdrawing from responsibility for organising the Club’s Spring coach weekend trip in 2013. His arrangements have been meticulous and he has ensured we have had some great holidays. Hopefully we will be able to arrange a smooth handover to a new organiser. Please let Jill know if you are willing to be involved – possibly as a ‘sharer’ of responsibilities.
Wednesday ‘C’ walkers: Sheila writes: We have “lost” Tony and Kathy as leaders but are VERY grateful for their past help. It would be so wonderful if members who have never offered to lead could take the plunge. Please think about it. I have lots of walks that need checking out that could be loaned.
Sunday C Walkers: Shirley writes: I’d like to start by thanking all walk leaders, particularly Wendy Jones, who has been programme secretary for this first year. We have now settled into a pattern of walking about 5 miles on the 2nd and 4th Sundays each month. As pubs can be busy on Sundays we don’t usually finish with a lunch. For the summer programme we will meet at the start of the walks, but do please let the leader know a couple of days in advance if you require a lift, or are able to offer one. Walk details should shortly be appearing on the Club’s website.
Role & responsibilities of leaders: We don’t want to make the job of being a leader any more onerous than necessary, but a few issues have arisen recently which make it important to spell out a few responsibilities.
Firstly, please can leaders make it clear at the start of a walk what the arrangements are for the morning coffee and lunch stops – particularly when a pub is used. If the pub landlord has not been approached please assume that Club members can only consume food and drink purchased at the pub on the premises. Please find somewhere away from the pub for consuming your own picnic.
Secondly, if there are any issues regarding the behaviour of walkers that concern you, please mention the problem to the leader as discretely as you can; do not confront the individual involved directly! It is the leader’s responsibility to try and sort any problems out.
The Walking Partnership: The Club can be paid a donation when any Club member goes on a Ramblers Worldwide Holiday – just nominate the Club to receive it. You may already have booked a holiday or are planning a trip; as long as you haven’t already travelled you can make us your nomination. Just contact RWH, give your holiday booking reference and say you are nominating Cambridge Rambling Club for your donation. (This can also be done online). The Club receives £10 for every holiday within the UK, £20 for each holiday in Europe and £30 for every long-haul trip. We will use the funds to publicise the Club.
For sale: Leki Makalu Trail Walking Pole – single. Never used (unwanted gift). Price £15 ono. Please contact Denise on 01223 424777.
Next Committee Meeting is on Tuesday July 24th 2012 at the Wesley Church, King Street, at 7.30 pm.
