NORTH WEST KENT GROUP OF THE RAMBLERS
NEWSLETTER AND WALK PROGRAMME NO. 157
JUNE – SEPTEMBER 2015
Dear friends, With a wet, muddy winter behind us, let’s now look forward to sunnier, drier days. Be sure to
look through the whole programme and newsletter as some walks and other “events” take place on days other than
our regular days. Following last year’s success, there’s another picnic on 10th June; and for our Xmas lunch (see box
overpage) on 9th Dec we’re ringing the changes and moving to the “Plough” at Powder Mills to enable members to
enjoy a walk beforehand. Early booking is advised. We also invite leaders to a brainstorming session in The King’s
Head in Bexley village, to thank them for their good work and to discuss some important issues facing the group.
Light refreshments will be provided (the bar will be open too!) so, leaders, put the 29th September as a firm date in
your diaries. Also check out the Coniston holiday described at the bottom of this page. Please note the date and
contact Maureen Carroll as soon as possible if you are interested.
Altie Bacon, after doing a splendid job coordinating the ambles, wishes to stand down. Thank you very much indeed
Altie for all you have done to support the group in various capacities, over many years. If the ambles, which are an
important part of the group’s activities, are to continue, we now urgently need somebody to step into Altie’s shoes.
So, please put yourself forward and contact Altie or me, today.
Well, enjoy your rambles and don’t forget to put those dates in your diaries! Stuart (Chairman)
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
TOUR OF THE LAVENDER FIELDS, CASTLE FARM
PICNIC DAY. Wednesday 10th June at Cudham
Want to find about about the growing and processing of
lavender from the experts? Join us for a group tour
taking place on Wed 22nd July at 3pm, after the short
Shaws. Walk in the morning (see programme), maybe
pop to the pub, then a joint picnic – bring your own
food, drink and something to sit on! (A hut is
available if it rains). Tea served later (small charge).
This is an opportunity to meet other members: we
hope as many as possible will come – even if only for
the picnic or cuppa. (Note parking charge of £1/car).
CAN YOU SPARE A COUPLE OF HOURS?.. to help
with our promotional stall in the Cotswold Store in
Orpington, to promote Ramblers, our group and,
more generally, the benefits of walking. The date Saturday 15th August. from 10am onwards. Can you
help for a couple of hours? Please contact Carole
Flowerday (see committee contact details)
A WALK LEADERS MEETING is going to be held on
29th September at 7.30pm at the King’s Head in
Bexley. (Use car park attached to the pub or pay and
display car park in Thanet Road with cut through to
the pub). A great opportunity to discuss the future
development of the group with the committee!
walk. The tour will last about 1hr 15min and cost
about £5.50pp (based on 15 people). With more
people, the cost will be less. Please book by phoning
Maureen Carroll by 10th June.
THE ROMANS ON YOUR DOORSTEP! Join us for a visit
to the refurbished Roman villa exhibition at Lullingstone
on Friday 18th September. Learn how the Romans lived in
style, here, in Kent. Lullingstone is one of the most
exciting Roman villa survivals in Britain. The displays and
interpretation give a unique insight into Roman life over
three centuries. The visit lasts about one hour and is
followed by a short walk (just over a mile) to Eynsford to
enjoy a cream tea or a drink in the pub before returning to
the car park at the villa. Meet at 1.30 pm in the car park
at the villa. Post code DA14 0JA, EX 162 TQ530651.
AGM: Friday 30th October (details in next programme)
CHRISTMAS LUNCH on 9TH DECEMBER (See overpage)
HOLIDAYS
1. Some members head up to Castleton on 13th Oct for 3 days walking (about 12 - 14 miles/day), returning home on
the Friday. We’ll use B&B accommodation and travel up in cars. Contact Mike Hickie for more details.
2. 2016 – we are planning a group HF holiday in Coniston commencing Friday 6 May, 2016.
Accommodation is provisionally booked but needs to be firmed up with deposits from members interested
in going. Maureen Carroll has made the initial contact and can provide more information. If you are
interested, please contact Maureen by 20th June
ALSO don’t forget, if you book a holiday through Ramblers Holidays, mention our group – we receive a grant for
every holiday booked this way. £150 has just been added to the NWK account from Ramblers Holidays as a result of
holidays booked by members.
VEGETATION CLEARANCE (TQ628240)
The footpath was badly overgrown with brambles…a
job for the Clearance team. 6 members, armed with
secateurs, loppers and shears set out to clear the
path. Two hours later, job done and some well earned
refreshment at The Green Man in Hodsoll Street.
Want to be involved. Contact Bob Tolson and get your
name on the list. It’s good fun and performs a useful
service to keep footpaths clear for walkers!
Ed: recently there has been another venture – this
time into woods near Whitley Row. More brambles
tamed. Well done to everyone involved!
GROUP CHRISTMAS LUNCH Our group Christmas
lunch will be held on Wednesday 9 December at
The Plough in Powder Mills, Leigh. Walks will be
arranged before lunch for those that want them!
The cost will be £25. Details inc. payment and
menu will be in the next programme (no 158). To
reserve a place contact Carole
JOTTINGS
White Cliffs Walking Festival. This popular walking
festival takes place on 27 August to 2 September. It is well
organised and offers a range of walks of varying lengths.
The festival website is:
http://www.whitecliffswalkingfestival.org.uk/
and a promotional video can be seen at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SslRbGQ6Lg
Pub Closures: One of our leaders did a recce two weeks
Members news
I would like to welcome the following new members
to the group: Alida Burdett, Rosalyn Shorten, Dudley
Davies, Brian Shorten and Alison Chubb. I hope you
enjoy the walking programme.
On a sad note, we were greatly saddened to learn of
the death of Rhiannon Beaney. Both Rhiannon and her
husband, Frank, have a special memory for me: they
led the very first walk I went on with NWK. They were
so warm and welcoming that I knew this was the
group for me; and here I am ten years later! Rhiannon
and Frank led many walks for NWK. They also found
time to walk with an associate group, the
“Downstream Ramblers” and are reputed to have
walked most, if not all, the long distance footpaths in
England. Our condolences go to Frank.
We are also very sorry to have lost, Mary Dawson,
who joined the group in the seventies while living in
Eltham. She met her husband, Dick, through the
group, and together they led many walks, weekends
away and holidays. They retired to Dorset and
continued to ramble with local groups but also met up
with their old rambling friends for walks and holidays.
Mary remained a member of NWK until her death.
Our condolences also go to Alf Roberts for the sad loss
of his wife Jean. The thoughts of his many friends in
North West Kent are with him. We hope Alf will
continue to walk with the group and enjoy the very
real sense of friendship and companionship that it has
to offer
Stuart Booth (Chairman)
ahead of the date for her walk, only to find that the pub
lunch stop was no more. OK – plan B…another pub nearby
but this turned out to be undergoing refurbishment of the
kitchen – they could sell drinks, but no food. Plan C (do we
think of a plan C) was to suggest we each bring a picnic –
but how to get the news to everybody? …..Answer: a
message on www.nwkramblers.btck.co.uk
It is recommended to check with the website before going
on a walk, get included on the email contact list – or
contact the leader.
The Big Pathwatch. Ramblers have launched a
nationwide project to survey every right of way in England
and Wales. They want thousands of people to take part, to
get a view on the condition of footpaths so that they can
help to improve them. You can select the paths to survey,
and enter your findings on the Pathwatch website. For
smart phone users, there is an App that can be used to
upload your findings, or there is a paper survey. The
survey runs from June to October. For more information
go to http://www.ramblers.org.uk/pathwatch or look on
our own website
Map and Compass Course Six people attended and all
had a good time and now feel more confident about
reading a map. Well done, Chris
Governance Want to know the outcome of that
consultation about changes to the governance of
Ramblers. There is a readable document available on the
Ramblers website for you to peruse which explains the
decisions made and the next steps.
…and finally, for up-to-date news:NWK website: www.nwkramblers.btck.co.uk
RAMBLERS’ website – www.ramblers.org.uk
Kent Area’s website – www.kentramblers.org.uk