CAMBRIDGE RAMBLING CLUB (Associated with HF Holidays)
AUTUMN NEWSLETTER 2009
Future Activities
22nd August 2009 Ceilidh An evening of fun, dancing to the Wide Glide Band at Hills Road 6th Form College, Cambridge from 7.30 p.m. to 11.00 p.m. Please bring own food and drink, utensils etc. Parking at College accessed from Purbeck Road. Tickets £5 still available from Gillian or Programme Secretaries, or at the door. Guests welcome.
7th - 14th September 2009 (Monday to Monday), Lake District Week, Longthwaite YH, Borrowdale. 16 members are booked to stay at the hostel, with others staying locally. We have now paid the final bill but it is likely that places will still be available at the hostel. Anyone wishing to take up one of these places should phone the Y.H. direct (0845 371 9624), quoting Cambridge Rambling Club, and making payment directly to the YHA.
6th - 8th November 2009 Coach Weekend, Cotswolds.
To date 35 are booked for this weekend. There are a few rooms available, so if you are thinking of coming please contact John a.s.a.p, as rooms will have to be released by the end of August. The coach will leave St John's Innovation Centre, Cowley Road, Cambridge at 10.00 a.m. with an earlier pick up in Ely. Please let John have car registration numbers by 1st November. Total cost for the weekend which includes 2 nights D, B&B at the Dumbleton Hotel near Evesham, return coach journey and wonderful walking on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, is £152. For those who have paid a deposit of £20 please send balance of £132 to John by 30th September.
Saturday 21st November 2009 Annual General Meeting This year's meeting will take place in the Wesley Church, junction of King Street and Short Street commencing at 2.00 p.m. The Friends Meeting House is unavailable. This year, after the formalities, we will be given a talk on the Great Fen Project, by Chris Gerrard of the Wildlife Trust.
At this meeting we will be electing officers and ordinary committee members, and this year we need to replace two officers. After 6 years excellent committee work Gillian is standing down as Membership Secretary, and after 9 years on the committee, the last three as President, I have also decided not to stand for re-election. In addition Angela Gardiner stands down as a committee member on rotation. We therefore seek enthusiastic members to step forward and help run the club. Anyone interested in joining us please contact me on 01480 380285.
26th - 28th March 2010, Coach Weekend, Brompton-by-Sawdon nr Scarborough. Half our places are already booked, in twin en-suite rooms, at the Wydale Hall retreat and conference centre on the edge of the North York Moors. The total cost, including the coach, for 2 nights dinner B&B plus packed lunches, is £123 for a shared room and £138 for a singly-occupied room [only two left]. We plan to depart from St John's Innovation Centre, Cowley Road, Cambridge at 11am on 26 March (with a prior Ely pick-up if required), returning to Cambridge late on Sunday evening. To guarantee your place please send a non-refundable deposit of £30 per head to David as soon as possible, with cheques payable to Cambridge Rambling Club (the final payment will be due by 1st November).
We are planning walks along the coastal footpath to Robin Hood's Bay and around the Hole of Horcum ['Heartbeat' country!]. David would be very happy to hear from anyone willing to lead a walk, at any level - suggested routes available if wished. Please contact him on 01223 811921. For further details on Wydale Hall, please visit www.wydale.org
Sunday B walkers' New Year lunch and walk, 17th January 2010. The lunch will take place at the George and Dragon, Elsworth. As before Miranda and Helen will lead a 5/6 mile walk beforehand. Further details to follow.
Autumn 2010 Weekend Trip - Organiser needed!
It is the time to start planning and booking accommodation for this event and we are now seeking a Volunteer who will be prepared to organise this very popular feature of the Club's annual calendar. Guidance and assistance will be readily available if desired. If you wish to consider this opportunity and find out more, then please contact John or David as soon as possible.
Hostel Weekends & Longer Trips
Hostel trips are relatively informal affairs, with weekend walks on Saturday and Sunday and overnight accommodation on Friday and Saturday. Trips a long way from Cambridge are often for 3 nights or more. 'A' walks are guaranteed, with around 6 hours walking; '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 well in advance as the full balance must be paid at least 8 weeks before the trip. If you can offer to drive or want a lift - please let Jill know. And you are very welcome to book your own B&B or hotel and join us on walks.
* Blackboys, East Sussex - 'The Glade' hostel (former YH): Friday 16th to Sunday 18th October 2009. The Club is renting the entire hostel for an autumn weekend, (2 nights), so there is plenty of space and we will be able to access the hostel during the day on Saturday. Blackboys is close to Ashdown Forest and excellent footpaths such as the 'Vanguard' Way. The hostel is self-catering. The cost is £20 a night (i.e. £40 for the weekend). Please send £40 to Jill. Offers to lead B walks please
* Wells next the Sea, Norfolk - 'rent-a-hostel': Friday 5th to Sunday 7th February 2010. (2 nights stay). Another return - this time to the very well-equipped, comfortable hostel near Holkham Hall on the Norfolk Coast. We have sole use of this self-catering hostel over the weekend. The cost of the hostel has increased since our last visit to £35 per person for the weekend.
* Stow on the Wold, Cotswolds - Friday 12th to Sunday 14th March 2010. (2 nights stay). It is some years since we visited Stow and it is particularly delightful in the spring. The hostel is well situated in the market square and can provide meals; there is also a self-catering kitchen area. Bed night prices for next year have yet to be fixed but are likely to be around £19 a night. Please let Jill have the full payment of £38.00. Offers to lead B walks please.
* Easter 2010 - Thursday 1st April to Monday 5th April (4 nights), Youlgreave, Peak District. We are returning to Youlgreave YH over Easter - a great centre for exploring Lathkildale, Millers Dale, Monsal Head, the Edges and the grounds of Chatsworth House. Meals available. Please send cheques for £21 a night to Jill,(£84 in total).
* Bryn Gwynant YH, Snowdonia: Early May 2010 Bank Holiday weekend: Thursday April 29th to Monday 3rd May (4 nights). It is some years since we visited this fantastically located hostel at the bottom of the 'Watkin Path' on Snowdon. The hostel is well placed to explore the Nantlle Ridge and Beddgelert areas. Meals available.There are 2 x two-bedded rooms available; other rooms have 4 beds. The cost is £20 per person/night - so £80 for the 4 nights. Please send cheques to Jill.
* Isle of Wight linear coast path walk, Friday 28th May to Wednesday 2nd June (Bank Holiday week) - (5 nights). As a change from our usual backpacking trip we will be based at Totland Bay YH for 5 nights, hiring a bus to get us to each leg of the 63 mile 'easy walking' circular route of the Isle (around 16 miles each day with a spare morning to walk up Tennyson Down). Train/bus travel to Totland is yet to be worked out but hopefully we can leave our cars at home. The bed cost is £20 a night; please send deposits of £20 if you want to reserve a place. There are two x two-bedded rooms for early bookers! Meals available at the hostel.
News and Notices
With sadness we report that Bernard Sommereux died at the end of April. Bernard was an A walker in the 90s and a B walker later. He was also a great gardener and bee keeper. Our condolences have been sent to his widow Monica
HF Holidays Don't forget that the Club is a lifetime member. For full details of benefits including 5% saving on the brochure price go to www.hfholidays.co.uk/specialoffers
For Sale
1. Vaude day sack (Country Walking Sack of the year twice running). Almost new, cost £50.
2. TOG 60 litre capacity travel bag with numerous zip on and off day sacks etc. Little used. Cost £60.
Pamela would be happy to receive offers for these two items. Contact Tel. 01223 327930
Club Subscriptions. The annual subscription of £4 is due 1st November and for those of you who have set up a standing order no further action is required, a programme will be sent to you in December. It is no longer viable to accept payment by cash which is time consuming for a number of people and leads to inaccurate record keeping. We therefore strongly urge those who have not already done so to set up a standing order, forms available from the Club's website, or Simon.
Committee Meeting. The next meeting is on Tuesday 10th November at the Wesley Church, King Street 7.30 p.m.
Next Newsletter. Any items of interest, including adverts, should be sent to John by 15th November.
John
President