Archived News Items 2009
These pages contain the text of previous items, which have been removed from the news page of the Friends of DalesRail website. Items are removed periodically either because they are out of date and/or to make the news page on the live site less cluttered. Please note that links are not active on these archived pages
20 December 2009
The walk report, leaders' walk descriptions and walks sketch map from the members' coach trip to High Bradfield, Derbyshire on Sunday 13 December can be seen in the Past Events (Coach Walks 2009) section.
14 December 2009 (updated item)
The new train walks programme leaflet covering our walks for the public up to June 2010 has now been published and is available from the usual outlets. Copies will be issued to members with the paper edition of the January 2010 newsletter. Full details of these events can also be found in the Train Walks section of this website.
7 December 2009 - Train Walks Update
The Laneshaw Bridge to Skipton walk on Saturday 12 December 2009 starts at approx 10.15 am after the arrival of the 09.40 bus from Keighley Bus Station: service 21 (final destination Burnley) leaving from Stand O. Please book a single fare to Laneshaw Bridge.
6 December 2009
A selection of photos and a report from the Grassington Circular Thursday walk on 3 December can be seen in the Past Events (Other Events 2009) section.
5 December 2009
The Friends of DalesRail Annual General Meeting took place on Sunday 29 November at the Steeton Hall Hotel and was attended by 65 people. The guest speaker this year was David Hall of SUSTRANS who gave a presentation entitled "Developing Sustainable Access to the Countryside". Lunch was followed by a presentation by Trevor Grimston of digital photos from our own events over the past year.
Joyce Broughton was granted honorary life membership of the society in recognition of her hard work over many years for the Friends.
A full report of the AGM will be included with the next members' newsletter, due out early in the New Year. The 2010 members' calendar is now available and was given out at the AGM to all who had paid their annual subscription of £5 per household for the forthcoming year. It will be sent by post to paid up members who were not at the AGM and to remaining members as soon as their annual subscription is received.
29 November 2009
The leaders' walk descriptions and walks sketch map for the forthcoming members' coach trip to High Bradfield, Derbyshire on Sunday 13 December can be seen in the Coach Walks 2009 section.
23 November 2009
The Friends of DalesRail Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held at Steeton Hall Hotel on Sunday 29 November and will be preceded by an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to discuss amendments to the Society's constitution. Further details can be found in the Autumn 2009 members' Newsletter.
Coffee will be available from 10.30 am, to be paid for on an individual basis. The EGM/ AGM will commence at 11.00 am, followed by our speaker, David Hall of SUSTRANS whose presentation - "Developing Sustainable Access to the Countryside" - is due to finish at approximately 12.15. You are asked to vacate the room at this point to enable the hotel staff to set the tables for lunch which is planned for 1.00 pm. At 2.00 pm, there will be a digital presentation of photographs contributed by members.
Please click here to view the Steeton Hall Hotel website (external link)
22 November 2009 (amended item)
The leaders' walk descriptions and walks sketch map from the members' coach trip to Worsthorne, Lancashire on Sunday 15 November can be seen in the Past Events (Coach Walks 2009) section.
Please click here to see photos of the A walk reccy (external website link)
8 November 2009 - Fame again!
Our Events Secretary Diane Taylor has been invited to be interviewed on Drystone Radio on Monday 16 November between 4.00 and 6.00 pm to talk about Friends of DalesRail. Drystone Radio can be heard on 106.9 FM and you can also listen live on the internet via their website at www.drystoneradio.com
2 November 2009 - Update for train walks on Saturday 7 November
BENTHAM CIRCULAR (MODERATE WALK)
Note from the leader:
If anyone wants a shorter walk it is possible to join the group at Ingleton by catching the 581 service bus from Settle market place at 11:30. The bus arrives at Ingleton at 11:55 and the walk is timed to arrive in Ingleton at approx 11:48 & leave at 12:33 (lunch & time to explore Ingleton). The lunch stop will be the Millennium Gardens in Ingleton.
The mileage remaining from Ingleton back to Bentham is approx 6.7 miles and will include a tea stop after about 4.4 miles. With walking time of approx 3 hours (assuming an average 2.23 mph) and a modest "uphill section" after leaving Burton in Lonsdale for approx 1 mile, arrival in Bentham is anticipated as being approx 15:43 (Fish & chip shop opens at 16:30). I know there are a few friends who are at the moment liking a shorter walk so this is an option for them to walk with friends.
Martyn Benton
31 October 2009 (updated item)
The leaders' walk descriptions, walks sketch map and walk reports from the members' coach trip to Tideswell, Derbyshire on 11 October 2009 can be seen in the Past Events (Coach Walks 2009) section.
27 October 2009
Note from Pat Wilson:
Could members who wish to book for both the Gilsland (Cumbria/Hadrian's Wall) weekend in March 2010 and the Loch Achray (Scotland) holiday in August 2010, please send two separate cheques for the deposits, as they will need to be banked separately. There is no problem sending them in the same envelope, but please also remember to enclose 2 SAEs. Thanking you in anticipation.
26 October 2009 (updated item)
WINTER TRAVEL OFFERS ON THE SETTLE/CARLISLE AND MORECAMBE LINES
Please read the information below carefully as both the days of the week you can travel and the dates the offer is valid do vary, depending on which type of card or pass you hold.
Dales Railcard holders
A great money-saving offer from Northern Rail Ltd for the winter months for Dales Railcard holders.
The £6.00 flat fare offer is available to Dales Railcard holders from Monday 19 October 2009 until Saturday 20 February 2010.
And you can save even more this year as the flat fare for accompanying children is less than that last year.
The offer is for a day return ticket valid on the Settle-Carlisle line including Brampton and Wetheral on the Tyne Valley line and on the Leeds-Morecambe line. The normal Dales Railcard area of travel will apply. Up to four children can accompany Dales Railcard holders for a flat fare of £2.00 each. A break of journey is permitted on outward and return journeys. There are no restrictions relating to time of travel and the offer is available during the Christmas-New Year period.
The flat fare ticket can be purchased from staffed stations on the day of travel or in advance. When booking offices are closed or if you are boarding the train at an unstaffed station, you should purchase your ticket from the conductor on the train.
No further discount for children, concessionaries or railcards is permitted with the offer and it cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion.
If you would like more details about the Dales Railcard Scheme, click here. If your Dales Railcard has expired, has lapsed or is due for renewal, you can get an application form here.
Source: Settle Carlisle Railway Development Co
MetroCard and Metro-issued English National Concessionary Pass holders
Take England's most scenic railway journey for just £8 this winter.
This flat fare offer is valid between Monday 2 November 2009 and Friday 12 February 2010 for a day-return journey on the Leeds/Bradford Forster Square - Settle/Carlisle, or Leeds/Bradford Forster Square - Lancaster/Morecambe lines.
MetroCard holders can travel any day of the week including weekends.
Metro-issued English National Concessionary Pass (Metro ENCP) holders can travel any time Monday to Friday. You may travel on the 0819 Morecambe train and the 0849 Carlisle train from Leeds. (Any travel before 0930 to connect with the offer will be charged at the full fare.)
You must purchase your tickets before you travel when boarding at a staffed station.
You can buy tickets in advance, but you cannot reserve seats.
Source: West Yorkshire Metro website
For further information, please click here to download the special winter offer leaflet (PDF file, 955KB)
25 October 2009
A selection of photos from the Settle Circular train walk via Langcliffe Scar & Stainforth Force on 20 September 2009 can be seen in the Past Events (Train Walks 2009) section.
A selection of photos from the Lake District walk to Dollywaggon Pike & Helm Crag on 13 October 2009 can be accessed via the Past Events (Other Events 2009) section.
21 October 2009
Reminder - sorry no dogs are allowed on either of our train walks on Saturday 24 October 2009 due to access land restrictions. Please click here for further information about these two walks
21 October 2009 - various updates (amended item)
TRAIN WALKS
The request for leaders and backups for train walks during the first half of 2010 has now gone out to members on the train leaders' list by post or email. If any member was expecting a list and has not received one, or if any other member is interested in volunteering to lead or back up, please contact Jenny Collins or any of the committee.
WEEKENDS
A report from the recent members' weekend in Dumfries, Scotland can be seen in the Past Events (Weekends and Holidays 2009) section.
Next year, an additional 2-night weekend will be held at Coniston Coppermines Youth Hostel in the Lake District from Friday 21 to Sunday 23 May 2010. Brief details can be found on the Members page. Full details and a booking form will be issued with the January 2010 members' newsletter.
NEWSLETTER
The Autumn 2009 members' newsletter is now available to view on line. Please click the Newsletter link at the top of this page to access this.
Please send any contributions for the next edition to Penny Smith as soon as possible, but no later than 31 December 2009.
12 October 2009
The Autumn newsletter has now been published and issued by post and email to members as per appropriate requests. The online version will be uploaded here shortly.
The website has been updated with the following information:
* Details of weekends and holidays for 2010 - please see the Members page for more information.
* An additional report from the members' holiday in the Black Mountains/Brecon Beacons - please see the Past Events (Weekends and Holidays 2009) section.
* A report from the Burton-in- Kendal train walk on 6 June 2009 - please see the Past Events (Train Walks 2009) section.
6 October 2009
The walk reports, leaders walk descriptions and walks sketch map from the members' coach trip to Grange-over-Sands on 13 September can be seen in the Past Events (Coach Walks 2009) section.
5 October 2009 - Train Walks Update for Saturday 24 October
GRASSINGTON CIRCULAR (MODERATE WALK)
No dogs are allowed on this walk due to access land restrictions.
Walkers may save money on the bus fare by purchasing a combined bus/rail Skipton Dalesbus ticket (details below).
Skipton DalesBus tickets allow a day return by train to Skipton, then unlimited travel on the Wharfedale area buses, as far north as Buckden. The tickets cost just £3.00 on top of the Off-Peak Return fare to Skipton. The tickets are available from Leeds, Bradford Forster Square and all stations on the Airedale and Wharfedale lines.
A Skipton DalesBus ticket from Leeds currently costs £10.70, but the price should be less from intermediate stations. Note that the DalesBus tickets can only be combined with Off-Peak Return fares, not any other type of ticket and they cannot be combined with concessionary fares for MetroPermit holders.
A similar Ilkley DalesBus ticket is also available for travellers on the Wharfedale line.
Please click here to see the full details of DalesBus tickets on the Yorkshire Dales Public Transport Users Group website (external link)
WENNINGTON CIRCULAR (STRENUOUS WALK)
No dogs are allowed on on this walk due to access land restrictions. Please also note that this walk will return to the late train.
Full and updated details for these events can be found in the Train Walks 2009 section.
28 September 2009
Details of the following members' events have been added to the website. Please click the links below to view these:
Coach Walks 2010
Thursday Walks 2010
Lake District Walks 2010
Full details of all 2010 events will be included in due course and can also be seen in the members' 2010 calendar when it issued later in the year.
17 September 2009
A selection of photos and a report from the recent members' holiday in the Black Mountains/Brecon Beacons can be seen in the Past Events (Weekends and Holidays 2009) section.
A selection of photos from the Lake District walk to Martindale Common & Place Fell on 19 August 2009 can be accessed via the Past Events (Other Events 2009) section.
16 September 2009 - Train Walks Update (corrected item)
Walkers joining our strenuous Bolton Abbey Circular train walk from the Wharfedale line on Saturday 19 September may save money on the bus fare by purchasing a combined bus/rail Ilkley Dalesbus ticket (details below).