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Walk Report Sept, Oct, Nov 08
Updated 21 Nov (See Sahara Trophy below)
11 years & 2 months of Rambling: Oct 1997 to Dec 2008
Ramblings
I was looking at a few old walk reports from long, long ago written
by Maggie Bawden. Twas way back and long before I took to penning my
ramblings. It was interesting to see back then that the reports were
heavily into statistics with a breakdown of the number of people,
children, dogs, pushchairs etc etc, on the walk. There was also a record
of the name of every field we crossed, plus a mention of what was
grazing on, or growing in it. I guess it was a bit like a very early
episode of The Archers. You know what I mean .... very educational about
things agricultural.
Although I make every effort not to listen to the Archers, I somehow
seem to know an unhealthy lot about it. I know the names of the
characters, who lives where, the beer they serve in The Bull,
the state of the Ambridge economy (yaaaaawn), ....…… It must be
down to passive absorption. Linda listens to it and talks to her friends
about it, and I absorb it passively. It’s a lot like passive smoking and
I want the government to do something about it. After all, at The Star
you have to go outside to the shelter for a smoke, so why can’t Archer’s
listeners go outside to listen?
(Note to self: email James Gray and Howard Greenman about this) |
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The Long Walk Group did a short 10 miler in October on the
Marlborough Downs. I was not around for it (I was away digging holes in
Castle Combe), but the others had a good walk on what was a fine day.
The November long walk was organised by Alan and was a 13 miler
in the Cotswolds. It was a figure of 8 based around Bisley and a fine
walk it was. The Cotswolds were really out to impress us with some
magnificent colour storms that saturated your senses.
Alan has given me a copy of the route description and
the map diagrams. It is very easy to follow and well worth doing. So
I'll publish the route details on here very soon.
The next long walk is in Dec with another
planned
for Jan.
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Walk & Event Reports:
The September walk around Castle Combe attracted 16 people
and about 70 horses, but more of that later. Any walk we organise in
Castle Combe is always well attended and this was no exception. We
have 3 regular routes we use in this area and they get repeated
year in year out without any fall off in numbers. But this time I’d
found a route variation we hadn’t done before, which took us more to the
west around Truckle Hill & North Wraxell.
From the heights of Truckle Hill there are some fine views down into the
side combe that leads to North Wraxell. Unfortunately this area is
private and we had to skirt around the edge of it to get to North
Wraxell. From here we joined the Old Coach Road, which, in parts, had
suffered a somewhat heavy dew. Anyway, Robert Maxwell aside, having
reached Ford, the next part of the walk back up the combe, was awash
with a huge flock of horses. They were completely blocking the stile and
we were all hanging back so as not to be first into the
horseflesh. Mark hadn’t noticed this and found himself up the front. He
didn’t seem to mind though and used his horse whispering skills to clear
the way. There were dozens of horses everywhere and they all decided to
follow us until we shook them off at the pass. It was like a horsey
version of The Pied Piper.
October saw us repeating another old favourite walk from Sherston
to Westonbirt. The route uses the footpaths that run through the
arboretum, which means you don’t have to pay to get in. This walk is
very popular with those from Scotland and Yorkshire (joke). Although it
was mid October, it all still seemed so green. The trees were just not
wearing their autumn colours for us and our cameras stayed in their
cases. I felt sorry for Roger who was weighed down with shed loads of
photographic stuff. At one point he was considering asking Westonbirt
for a refund.
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| Dates for the Diary: Sunday 23rd
Nov. Walk organised by Bob. For details and
important information click
(HERE).
Saturday 29th November. Coach Trip to London. This event
is totally sold out. Don’t forget
the coach leaves from the bus helter outside the old Queens Head at 8 am
Sunday 7th December. Walk organised by Keith & Bev. Details to
follow.
Saturday 13th Matinee Theatre Trip to see the Alan Ayckbourne
2absurd Person singular” at “The Theatre Royal” Bath. Event totally sold
out. But if you would like to go on the theatre list please contact Bob
Fenner
 Xmas
holiday Walk. Saturday 27th December. Meet outside The Star Inn for
an 11am start. Walk from Hullavington to the Neeld Arms at Grittleton
and return using some of our best footpaths . It’s about 6.5miles miles
there and back, but those wishing to do only the morning section can
pre-place a car at Grittleton. For more info contact Paul on 01666
837096
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This is a dry walk competition
taking place during Dec, January, February and March,
between Alan
Swampy Roberts & Paul Arid Hadley. Keith Kalahari
Collins has now thrown his hat in the ring by
entering his Dec walk for the Sahara Trophy and the organising
Committee have agreed.
if anyone else wants to have a go and challenge The
Masters, then March is available.
I'll send the rules of the event to all contestants as soon as I've
written them. But they are real simple, like the measure of dryness
being the number of puddles (or in Alan's case lakes) that we have to
cross on route and their depth. The depth will be gauged by how far the water comes up Tina's
dog Saffy. For an outright win, Saffy must have a bone dry belly at
walks end and it's instant disqualification if she drowns.
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Extremely
dry walk by Alan. Chippenham to Calne Details to follow
(click 