HRC Newsletter July 2008
Dear Members,
Hope you are all enjoying the summer. I believe the barbecue was a great success and
there are many more activities to come, including the next event, the pie and pea supper
on Wednesday 6 August at Scholar Green, so you’ll need to get your booking in sharpish
for this event. There is the next stage of the Calderdale Way taking place at the end of
September and a YHA Weekend to Slaidburn 17-19 October. There is also a Senior
Members Evening on 3 October and a visit to the JCB Factory on 9 October.
We welcome the following new members:
Margaret Howells of Silverdale
Christine Hargreaves of Burslem
Iris Ward of Macclesfield
Jacqueline (Jacquie) Frangelli of Meir Park
Pam Bryan of Weston Coyney
Maggie Lockrane of Leek
Margaret Ward of Sneyd Green
Dawn Frost of Baldwins Gate (not Dawn French as shown in the last edition!)
We look forward to seeing you all on walks and other events.
WINTER PROGRAMME 2008/2009
Members are advised that the compilation of the next Winter Programme has now
commenced. Volunteers to lead walks are always welcome. If you wish to include a walk
in the new programme please contact the Walks Secretary (Bernard Heath) by:
a. Personal contact
b. Telephone
c. By e-mail
Those with internet access can view the new programme lay-out via the club web site
<www.hrcwalks.org.uk> and then e-mail any walk suggestions to the Walks Secretary.
Bernard thanks everyone for their previous efforts and asks for your continued support.
As many members are aware, the Club is collecting attendance data on each grade of
walk. Mike Everill is collating this data but obviously cannot attend all walks. He does
have some helpers but can leaders determine if anyone is collecting the names on their
walks and ask for a volunteer if not?
Marion Walshaw (Hon Sec)
ADDITIONAL THURSDAY WALKS:
A number of members have expressed an interest in attending A or B grade walks alternating
with the existing Thursday programme. These would be on an informal basis and would not be
official HRC walks. Allan Wells has volunteered to act as a co-ordinator for these walks and
those interested should contact Allan either by e-mail or by telephone for further information.
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EVENTS
PIE AND PEA SUPPER, WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST 2008
This year the Pie and Pea Supper will be held at the Rising Sun Public House, Scholar
Green. A walk has been organised to start at 7.15pm from the pub, returning at around
20.45 for supper. There will be two types of pie available, Steak and Ale or Chicken and
Vegetable both served with chips and peas.
The cost of the meal will be £5.50p. Please state your preference on the Booking Form.
There is accommodation for 50 people, so late bookers might not get in.
Directions to the pub : Travel along the A34 from the Red Bull crossroads
(A34/A50junc), towards Congleton, in approx 1.3 miles passing through Scholar Green,
take the road on the right signposted Mow Cop. Follow this and the pub is on the right in
half a mile just before reaching the canal.
Please complete the booking form and send with cheque to Hilary Walker.
*******
VISIT TO JCB FACTORY, ROCESTER
10:00 am THURSDAY 9 OCTOBER 2008
As the first visit to the JCB Factory was such a success, I have arranged a further visit,
which has been arranged for Thursday 9 October 2008 at 10.00 hr. Meet at the Visitor
Centre promptly. Here we shall meet up with our Guides who will take us in small
parties on the three mile tour of the Production and Office Facilities, after a Multimedia
Presentation. During this, we were served tea/coffee and biscuits on our previous visit.
Due to Health and Safety Requirements no one under the age of 15 years is allowed on
this tour. As the full tour is three miles, comfortable casual dress is recommended, also
stout footwear. Sandals and open toed shoes are not allowed.
Directions: Via Cheadle take the B5032 to Alton, carry on through Denstone to its
junction with the B5030, turn right along the lakeside to Hollington Road, turn right.
Visitor Centre is on your right with visitor parking on the other side of the road.
From the Potteries, A50 to Uttoxeter 1st roundabout take left onto B5030 to Ashbourne or
Rocester, turn left onto Hollington Road, Visitor Centre as above.
After lunch I will lead a short optional walk around the very picturesque and interesting
Lakes.
The cost of the visit is £15.75 inclusive. The lunch was thought to be very good on our
last visit. Please fill in the application form in the Newsletter and send with cheque by
Saturday 13 September to Peter Cartlidge.
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CALDERDALE WAY RAMBLE
SUNDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2008
This year is the penultimate section of the Calderdale Way. The C walk will start at
Norland Moor, where the previous walk finished, and proceed to Cragg Vale, a distance
of eight and a half miles. There is an ascent of 650ft up to Flints Moor but includes
approximately 1000ft descent, with starting at Norland Moor.
The A walk will resume on the Calderdale Way at Ripponden and proceed to Cragg Vale,
then climb onto Turley Holes and High House Moor before descending to Withersclough
Reservoir, joining the Pennine Way to Stoodley Pike Monument, then returning to Cragg
Vale. There is a restaurant and bar at Cragg Vale where it is hoped refreshments will be
available.
A shorter D walk may be available, but access for the coach to the Calderdale Way is
proving difficult, and anyone interested should check in late August, when arrangements
have been finalised.
Boots or stout footwear, food and drink will be required for the walks. You will also
need a change of clothing to leave on the coach in case of bad weather, and a picnic
evening meal. The coach fare will be £10 per person, and the coach will pick up at
Newcastle (Blackfriars Road) at 8.00 am. We expect to be back in the Potteries by 9 pm.
Please complete the Booking Form in the newsletter and send to Bernard Heath.
*******
YHA WEEKEND SLAIDBURN 17– 19 OCT 2008
King's House
Slaidburn
Clitheroe
Lancashire
BB7 3ER
Telephone no: 0870 770 6034 OS 103 Grid Reference 711523
In the middle of the Forest of Bowland there’s peace and solitude to be found in the
relatively undiscovered fells and valleys of the Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty. YHA Slaidburn is a comfortable retreat to return to - an 18th century village inn,
the listed building has recently been refurbished. This three star hostel is self catering but
there are a pub and a café very close; I am told one will even open for breakfasts if
advised in advance.
There will be planned walks at Grades A and B.
Costs: Bed £16.00 per night
Please complete the booking form at the end of the newsletter and return it with payment
and any dietary requirements to Anne Jepson by the 6th of August.
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SOCIAL EVENING/GET TOGETHER WITH OUR SENIOR MEMBERS
ST WULSTAN’S CHURCH HALL, WOLSTANTON
AT 7.30 PM, FRIDAY 3 OCTOBER 2008
The Committee have felt for sometime that we should arrange a social evening for our
senior members who are not able to walk with us any more. Many of these senior
members were the heart of the club for many years and we owe a huge debt of gratitude
for their hard work, hospitality and encouragement to new members, which has made the
club what it is to-day.
We hope that as many of our new and existing members as possible will attend, to make a
good party atmosphere and to meet our senior members. It is hoped that lifts can be
arranged for anyone who no longer drives or who finds driving at night a problem. If you
require a lift please contact one of the committee members who will make the
arrangements.
There will be a communal buffet table provided by the current active members who
attend. Entertainment will be provided by John Walley a George Formby tribute
entertainer and Dave Joynson who will play a few songs we can sing along to. Bring
your own drink.
Please complete the Booking Form, if you are interested in coming along, to give some
ideas of the numbers. This is sure to be a memorable and enjoyable evening, don’t miss
it!
*******
Would you make a good Magistrate?
Have you ever wondered why Courts pass the sentences they do?
Do you think Courts are too lenient or too harsh?
How would you deal with a defendant guilty of a serious offence?
In this interactive presentation, based on a real case, Magistrates and Probation Service
staff invite YOU to ask questions, discuss the issues and decide what You would do if
you were making the sentencing decisions when you have heard all the facts.
All Judges and Magistrates are bound by the law and have sentencing guidelines, but
there is no one single ‘right’ answer. At the end of the case learn what the real Court
adjudicating on the case actually did and why.
Put a note in your diary, 8pm Thurs 27th November 2008, Conservative Club, Merrial Street.
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ARTICLES
HOLIDAY AT THE PADDOCKS HOTEL,
SYMONDS YAT, 7 – 11 APRIL 2008
Some 50 members travelled to Symonds Yat in the Wye Valley, to enjoy 4 brilliant days
of good weather for walking and sight seeing. The walks took in the Forest of Dean and
the Wye Valley, one of the highlights being the ferry crossing. There were so many of us
that it took three crossings to the opposite bank from the pub. Each boat load sang their
own song, i.e. ‘We are Sailing’, ‘Row, Row the Boat’, but the best must have been ‘Rule
Britannia’ led from the bow by Brian Joynson, and sang like the valley had never heard
before. Many thanks go to Brian Joynson, Ken Elkin and Gordon Davenport for the
excellent walks they organised, and to Margaret Bailey, who not only organised the
booking of the hotel, but also the entertainment in the evenings, which everyone joined
in.
Barbara Spragg
FOREST OF DEAN CARAVAN HOLIDAY
With 50 members filling the Hotel at Symonds Yat, a further 10 members elected to stay
in their own caravans at the nearby Christchurch Caravan site in the heart of the Forest of
Dean. We were fortunate to have cool but bright weather for the duration of the holiday
and were able to enjoy the wonderful scenery in the area at its best. Each day we were
able to rendezvous with the hotel party to enjoy some splendid walks. As a bonus we
visited the hotel for an evening meal on 2 nights to socialise and to give the ladies a break
from the kitchen sink. All in all a lovely holiday and a welcome return to an area we tend
to overlook. Our thanks to all organisers and participants.
Ken Elkin
*********
MANCHESTER SHIP CANAL CRUISE
Saturday 3rd May 2008
When a day trip on the Manchester Ship Canal was first discussed several months ago it
was met with some scepticism as appealing only to a small minority. How wrong we
were and thanks to Hilary Walker’s persistence a coach was soon filled with others being
disappointed. On Saturday May 3rd the party of 50 Hanliensians were duly transported to
Seacombe pier head on the Mersey to board our cruise ship for the day, a 50 year old exMersey ferry. After a recent refit it appeared well suited to its new role and swallowed the
300 or so passengers with ease.
The weather was cool and cloudy but this did not deter the hardy Hanliensians who made
a beeline for the upper decks. There were, however, a few landlubbers who settled for the
warmth and luxury of the saloons down below, or was it the proximity to the bar.
Setting sail at 10 am we were soon alongside Liverpool’s waterfront dominated by the
famous Liver Buildings. By 11.30 am we were still in the Mersey circling and awaiting
our turn to enter the Eastham Lock which takes us into the Ship Canal proper. The lock,
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which we shared with a coaster several times our size, was the first of 5 which we would
have to navigate during the day in our 35 mile journey. The size of the locks was truly
awesome and a tribute to the engineers of the 1890’s when the canal was built. The first
few miles of the canal is obviously well used with plenty of industry in evidence
including a huge oil refinery. Thereafter we were the only craft using the waterway and
were greeted by enthusiastic waving from the canal side as we made our way towards
Salford Quay.
The scenery was varied with long rural stretches interspersed with brief industrialised
interludes. Waterfowl and birds were much in evidence including many sightings of
herons demonstrating the success in cleaning up the once heavily polluted watercourse.
It was strange to traverse under so many major roads and railways and to see them in a
different perspective. Looking up to traffic on the M6 going over the huge Thelwall
viaduct seemed particularly strange. A number of minor roads also cross the canal by
swing bridges, which miraculously opened as we approached to allow us to proceed
unhindered. There is even a bridge, which pivots and contains a section of the
Bridgewater canal, water and all!
It was almost 6pm and the sun was now shining when the final lock delivered us into the
old Salford Docks area, now renamed Salford quays and converted into an upmarket
commercial, shopping, leisure and residential area. A total of 8 hours had disappeared all
too quickly in what was generally considered a very relaxing and informative trip making
for a very unusual Hanliensian day out, which will remain in the memory for many years
to come.
The relatively short coach trip from Manchester was accomplished very quickly to end
safely another successful club venture. Many thanks go to Hilary Walker whose
inspiration it was, whilst her planning and organisation were faultless.
Ken Elkin
********
Wilderhope Manor YH
Double ‘A’ walks 17/18 May 2008
On a cool, cloudy and threatening Saturday morning 12 members assembled in a side
street in Church Stretton for the now annual double A weekend. Despite the threat of rain
the walk started with an immediate climb out of Church Stretton and over Ragleth hill.
From here the party went across to Wenlock Edge and part way along the Edge before
stopping to take lunch. In the afternoon as we continued the weather deteriorated and we
had to contend with showers of increasing frequency, and during the course of one we
stopped to explore a very isolated, small stone church. Finally, in late afternoon we
reached our accommodation for the night, the very impressive Wilderhope Manor, an
original Elizabethan manor house owned by the National Trust and used as a youth
hostel.
Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny with greatly improved weather from the
previous day. As a result of one of the party talking to the warden the previous evening,
we were treated to a guided tour of the house with a talk on exactly what life in the house
would have been like in the 16th century. As a result of this we were subjected to a late
start but this meant that when we passed through the village of Cardington, the village
pub was now open and the leader allowed us an unscheduled pub stop. Some 45 mins
later and suitably refreshed we continued the walk, which in the afternoon consisted of a
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traverse over the ridges of Little Caradoc and Caer Caradoc with wonderful views of
surrounding peaks like the Wrekin and Brown Clee to name but a few. Then in late
afternoon we descended back into Church Stretton for the journey home.
Our thanks go to Paul Heathcote for organising and leading a wonderful weekend.
Philip Burgess
*******
Many thanks to members who helped to make the recent joint HRC / La Randonnnée
Céretane holiday such a success. Mike and Anne Cartwright have forwarded this
appreciation.
Holiday in Keswick , 31May-7June2008
Un grand merci.
All our French friends, Anne and I were extremely happy with the week in the Lake
District. For me, we enjoyed the best that England has to offer. The Lake District is
outstandingly beautiful, the walks were well planned, and included several classics: Cat
Bells, Fairfield Horseshoe, Great Gable, Helvellyn, Haystacks and Castle Crag. Alfred
Wainwright would have been proud of the programme, since several of his routes were
included.
The accommodation in Bridge Cottage and apartments was excellent and enabled some
of the group to economize a little by preparing their own food. Paul Heathcote had
obviously invested a huge amount of time to prepare this trip, and the organization was
perfect. Thanks Paul – you did a great job. The French group was very moved by the
presentation of the china mugs bearing the logos of the two clubs. This was a wonderful
gesture, a symbol of Stoke and a very practical souvenir. Anne and I have already used
ours for coffee.
Even if in some cases language differences limited communication, the French people
really appreciated the friendship and warmth of the members of your club. Since
returning to France I have heard on several occasions the comment “Les anglais étaient
extrêmement gentils”.
On a personal note I really want to thank the drivers. If when I first suggested the
possibility of visiting England the reaction was enthusiastic, when I said that we may
have to drive hire cars most of the group were filled with apprehension. They had not
visited England before and the prospect of driving on the left was a real fear. As it turned
out, thanks to you, we enjoyed the luxury of chauffeur-driven transport.
To finish, I don’t know if the weather was included in Paul’s organization, but this turned
out better than I could have hoped for. The only “complaint” that I received was that I
had insisted on everyone bringing waterproof clothing, and in fact, they had never had to
wear it.
Thanks to all of you who participated to make this a wonderful week.
Mike and Anne Cartwright
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BOOKING FORM
PIE & PEA SUPPER
WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST 2008
To: Hilary Walker,
Please reserve ....... places for the meal at
The Rising Sun, Scholar Green for which I
enclose cheque for £............(£5.50 per person)
made payable to Mrs H. J. Walker.
NAME(S)
Steak & Ale Pie,
chips & peas
Chicken & Veg,
chips & peas
ADDRESS
TEL NO
BOOKING FORM
CALDERDALE WAY COACH RAMBLE
SUNDAY 28 SEPTEMBER 2008
To: Bernard Heath,
Please reserve ........ places on the above
Coach Ramble, for which I enclose
cheque for £..........(£ per person)
made payable to Bernard Heath.
NAME
ADDRESS
NAMES OF PARTY
TEL NO
Any vacant places will be offered to non members after 1st September 2008, book early!
BOOKING FORM
VISIT TO JCB HEADQUARTERS, ROCESTER
Thursday 9 October 2008 at 10.00 am.
To: Peter Cartlidge
ADDRESS
Please reserve ........ places for the above visit
and lunch for which I enclose cheque for £.............
(£15.75 per person) made payable J P Cartlidge
NAMES
LUNCH
TEL NO
9
VEGETARIAN
SLAIDBURN YOUTH HOSTEL WEEKEND
17TH-19TH October 2008
Friday Bed
£16.00
Saturday Bed
£16.00
TOTAL
£32.00
Total Amount: £………………….
Name
……………………………………………
Address: ……………………………………………
……………………………………………
……………………………………………
……………………………………………
Telephone: ……………………………………………
Interested in our exploring group meals?
Evening Meals YES/NO Breakfasts YES/NO
Please tick as appropriate and return by with cheques by 6th August to:
Anne Jepson
BOOKING FORM
SOCIAL EVENING
FRIDAY 3 OCTOBER 2008
To: Brian Joynson,
I/We shall be attending the above
Social Evening and will bring a
plate of food for the communal table.
NAME(S)
ADDRESS
TEL NO
NUMBER IN PARTY
TICK IF WILLING TO GIVE A LIFT
‫ڤ‬
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