Spring 2005 Newsletter
| Haworth New Year | |
| New Year's Walk | |
| Group Dinner at the College | |
| "The Select Six on a Saturday" or Elke's Walk | |
| Chester Weekend | |
| Easter at Ilam Hall |
Haworth New Year
31st December 2004 to 3rd January 2005
Friday
Nearly all were in the dining room for our meal in anticipation of the buffet. Unfortunately Ian was unable to make it (more for us). Luckily Phil and Karen from Ipswich turned up just before dessert was served so they managed to rescue some buffet. There was music in the Ball Room, very up to date until us oldies kicked the young ones out. Although strictly Not Come Dancing, cars were raided for CDs and so the party went on.
New Year was celebrated with champagne, poppers and balloons. Some people had bought their own fireworks and we could also see others across the valley. There was limbo dancing followed by a game of picking up a cereal box with your mouth and only your feet touching the floor. The box diminished in height after each round leaving one girl from Leeds and dare I say myself, unfortunately I didn't win. (Where were all the others from Northampton?). Gone to bed, way past their bedtime.
SaturdayJan and John arrived today after an early start but chose to have a bit of luxury and a comfortable bed by staying in a B&B. Thirteen people set off at 11am on a walk from the hostel to Stanbury via a bridge short cut over the valley river. Then we were twelve as one person went to do their own thing in Haworth. We walked along a track then onto the moor where we were joined by a friendly sheep that walked along between the group for about a mile or so (making us thirteen again). It obviously didn't feel that we were looking after it well enough as a dog coming the other way deterred it from following anymore (back to twelve). We reached a barn at Top Withins, which gave some shelter from the cold head-wind to have lunch. Then up the track came a member from Ipswich to join us making thirteen again. After a demonstration by Judy on how to put on your waterproof trousers in a gale without removing your boots, we headed down towards the waterfalls. The black clouds finally caught up and the rain lashed down whilst walking along the homeward bound track. "Who didn't eat all their lunch?" asked Elke. Why? "Because the sun will not come out if you don't". The majority went into the old town for coffee and mulled wine despite all the wet clothes.
SundaySetting off a little earlier than yesterday, we drove to Wycoller County Park. Just getting ready in the car park was a feat with the wind gusting at about 60 mph. Down in the valley it was calm and we were able to enjoy the seven various bridges, ford and Aisled Barn. Twin arched pack-horse bridge 13C, Clapper bridge 18C, Clam bridge more than a thousand years old, which was originally a single slab but is now joined after being swept away in floods in 1989 and again in 1990. Judy saw a kingfisher over the stream but no one else was lucky enough. Once out of the valley and up onto the moor we had a coffee stop, then the weather changed for a sharp spell of wind and horizontal hail. We therefore decided to take the first footpath down again and to the cafe for tea and large portions of apple pie and custard. Mary would be proud. Time to peruse the map and for the sun to break through we set off on another walk to Laneshaw Bridge, then up to the top of a hill before another coffee stop we returned towards Wycoller with the light fading fast.
Back at the car park were blown about while trying to undress (out of our water-proofs) and get into the safety of the cars again.
MondayMost people left the hostel to have a walk around Haworth and then met up again at the Sculpture Park off Junction 38 on the M1 on the way home.
Thank you to Judy for a very good start to the New Year, good walking and company.
New Year's Walk from Great Brington
Sunday 9th January 2005
Sixteen group members and Smartie met in Great Brington on a chilly Sunday morning eager to set off on the walk and try to shed some of the Christmas excess. But before that, Roger told most of us off for being in the wrong place - we should have met in the church car park, not at the front. Some people just don't listen to Roger when he's giving out details - can't think why?! However, he also gave us a quick history lesson of the village and church from the walks book he kept tucked under his arm.
And so off we went through the village and across the fields to the Althorp estate. Here beside the road and in view of the house, Roger gave us more details from "the book" about the history of Althorp. We continued along the road which ran alongside the stone wall of the estate and then dropped down into Harlestone, where we turned off across the golf course. Successfully avoiding the golf balls, we stopped at St. Andrews Church for a warming coffee break. Another mini lecture from Roger told us about the rather impressive Georgian vicarage situated just behind the church. Moving on, we made our way to the main road where we briefly walked along it through Lower Harlestone before turning off into the woods. It was here that a swing was spotted hanging from a tree and Marion being Marion just couldn't resist. I shan't repeat some of the comments made about the rope and the stick!.....
Through the wood and across the fields with horses, we passed Upper Harlestone, crossed over the village road and headed across more fields towards Nobottle. On the way, Smartie gave chase to a cat lying low in one of the fields but was no match for its turn of speed. Shortly afterwards we stopped for lunch in a building described in Roger's book as a byre with a pan tiled roof. It looked like a cow shed to me!, but did provide some welcome shelter.
After lunch we set off and Norman did his very best to leave his poles behind despite numerous people pointing them out. We arrived at the Roman road at Nobottle a short while after, where there's some nice views and then cut across a rather soggy field containing some interesting but unidentifiable earthworks. A short stretch of road and a few more fields later and we were in Little Brington. Another informative speech from Roger and a telling-off for Elke for being late. We then went through the village, passed the small green and cut through the houses and across the fields back to Great Brington. We finished the walk just as it began to rain!
Many thanks to Roger for organising the walk and for the local information.
AndyGroup Dinner at the College
Thursday 27th January 2005
Eighteen people waited patiently for the arrival of Henry, who had organised this event. One (Richard) was not too sure if he should panic as he was without a list. On past culinary events he was in charge and on this occasion he seemed a bit lost without all the details. But...Henry did not disappoint and had everything under control.
Twenty-one people sat down shortly after at two tables, which were looked after by four young students. I soon found out that I was at the noisy table and we had a lot of laughs. The service was very quick and the starters were soon consumed. The main course was delicious too but unfortunately Stella's lamb was not cooked to perfection (a bit on the raw side). We informing the head-waiter who went to report to the chef whose reply was 'But it came from the same cut of lamb'. Well, Stella did not dispute that, just the fact that it was undercooked. A second piece of lamb was not available so she changed her order to the salmon dish.
The desserts were scrumptious and it was difficult to make a choice. Tea followed and we soon found out that some students needed to learn a lot on that front. Brian had stirred the tea as it was a bit weak and then passed the pot. Janet, still not satisfied with the strength, gave it another stir but on closer inspection discovered that there was no teabag in the pot to extract any more flavour. After the meal, when we were asked if we had enjoyed it and whether everything was to our satisfaction, we informed the head-waiter about the tea. We were thanked as the college was going to enter a competition and a mistake like that could cost them valuable points.
Over all it was very enjoyable and everybody expressed the wish to repeat a visit next year.
Thanks Henry, you passed the test.
"The Select Six on a Saturday" or Elke's Walk
Sat 5th February
I shall start with a moan - nothing new then to most of you! - but as requests had been made to vary the days for weekend walking, where were you all?
The Select Six, suitable booted up, set off from Alderton village admiring the thatched cottages and vergeside snowdrops before we tramped along a muddy path. The route led us across and around several fields, the sort where mud clings to boots so each step seems heavier than the last. At one point, Elke fancied she saw some strange paw prints in the mud - could these belong to the mysterious black panther we had heard tales of?.
We found a sheltered corner for our coffee break beside a wooded copse which served some of us well for a comfort stop, before making our way to Pury End, our lunchtime destination. It was here in the village that we paused to admire the llamas at a farm, who posed obligingly for us whilst the cameras came out, and then whilst seeking a suitable patch to eat lunch, we stopped to read a memorial stone dedicated to William Carey.* Plodding onwards, we were pleased to find a small grassed area bordering the lane whereupon our rucksacks came off, we sat down and our food came out. (No doubt we presented a slightly incongruous picture to the local lad who wandered past us with a rifle over one shoulder and swinging a dead wood pigeon in his other hand!).
The afternoon's walk proceeded without drama apart from Janet's near mishap whilst crossing a field that resembled a lunar landscape; she almost came a cropper without her walking poles as the field was full of deep, newly ploughed ruts and high ridges. (Moral : You can't afford to blow your nose and keep walking at the same time!). We also encountered a large field of dead maize which seemed to provide a good feeding ground for pheasants.
Upon returning to our cars in the village, Janet and Norman made a slight detour to visit the ruins of an ancient earthworks and moat, the subject in recent years of a Time Team investigation.
A good eight mile walk - thanks to Elke.
(*William Carey - British Baptist missionary, 1761-1834).
City Break In Chester
Friday 18th to Sunday 20th February 2005
While most people were looking around Chester on the Saturday, Julie, Karen and Roger were doing one of my six mile (nine really!) walks to the highest point in the area - up to 1818 feet at Moel Famau. We started from Loggerheads Country Park along quiet lanes/tracks by woodland before entering Clwyd Forest proper via a couple of very steep slopes which we were grateful were frozen hard. We had seen one of the main paths to the top covered in snow from the car - I think everybody thought I was winding them up when I said this was where we were going....
Luckily we missed the footpath and ended up on one of the gravel roads/tracks which weaved its way around the mountain very gradually. We had coffee overlooking the valley with fine views to Ellesmere Port in the distance. Then we started up a very steep footpath to the Jubilee Tower on the summit of Moel Famau which was built in 1810 to mark King George III's fifty years on the throne. We had fine views of the Wirral on one side and Snowdon on another.
We then made our way down (much faster) after looking at Offa's Dyke (a future walk) on a different footpath by the side of Ffrith Mountain and so down following a stream back to Loggerheads.
Sunday was a cold but clear day and the group met up at Whitchurch for a six and a half mile walk mainly along the Shropshire Union Canal. After yesterday's walk, some of us needed a flatter one and alongside a canal seemed pretty good to me. But first of all we had to find it which wasn't as straightforward as it appeared on the map. After going through a new park and Henry asking for directions in Esperanto (or whatever) we eventually succeeded. We then had a pleasant walk along the canal. Unfortunately, there were no barges running through the locks as they were being repaired. We were moved on by a nasty landlord who didn't want us sitting outside his pub (although it was closed) eating our lunch. We then did a loop up Bishop Bennet's Way, which luckily for us was frozen otherwise we would have been up to our ankles in mud, and then through Wirsall and back down to Whitchurch through the golf course via the 10th tee. We knew we'd find mud at the end after Steve commented about the lack of it!
Easter Weekend at Ilam Hall
24th-28th March
We arranged to meet Nigel at Ilam (no crumbs in the car this journey). We can report that Ilam hasn't changed during the nine years since we were last there - particularly the kitchen area! But it's a lovely area with a National Trust tea-room on site, which is where we found Nigel, Kevin, Stella and Janet. And so off we went for a walk with Kevin complaining to Stella that she had half a library in her map case and he was carrying it. Three maps between six people and we still couldn't decide which way to go. On a sign near a farm was a picture board on the life cycle of a sheep from birth to lamp chop. I hope the lambs in the field didn't understand. Talking of sheep - stop lagging behind Kevin!! It was then back to the N.T. tea room.
Ruth also brought a cake for her sixtieth birthday which set the scene for a healthy eating weekend, not!
Saturday started dull as we set off for about an eight mile walk. We now had four map readers and many ideas on the way to go. After many up hills and muddy fields we came across a path covered in slurry. Kevin tested it and decided it was best avoided and better to go up hill. Ruth didn't and got stuck, and it was well over her boots as well. A few brave helpers went to her rescue as the rest of us went up the hill. Elke shouted to Kevin for a plank of wood, which oddly enough he didn't have with him in his rucksack on this occasion. Nonetheless, Ruth was freed and you can imagine the comments for the rest of the weekend. Stella also took a photo so watch out for this at the next group slide show. That evening we all went out for a good meal and some of us couldn't even manage a pudding (I must be ill).
The clocks went forward and Kevin says nine o'clock leave Sunday morning for a fifteen mile walk. The reply was have a good walk and don't wake us up. Suddenly it became a ten o'clock start and a ten mile walk - that's better. Marion joined us for the day knowing there would be a chocolate feast and there were tea cakes. More fog, muddy fields and let's have lunch just before a walk up the biggest hill to the cave. Ruth managed to fall over again but only in mud this time. And Nigel was still remarkably clean, that is until I sabotaged a stile with mud! Then it was back to the hostel for a cake feast as it was also Nigel and Kevin's birthdays. We had more birthday cake and Nigel was given tarts and Kevin jelly babies from Stella, Janet and Ruth.
Easter Monday came and Nigel and Kevin could hardly carry all their chocolates, cakes, beer, whisky and sweets etc. Nigel didn't join Kevin, Stella, Janet, Richard and me for a walk as he was off home for a feeding frenzy via the tea shop. We did another good walk and as we headed off home the sun came out!
A good weekend with lots of laughs and chocolates and cakes. Thanks Kevin for organising the trip and to all those that brought the various goodies.
Mary
