NEWSLETTER – May 2017
Oadby Hillwalking Club
(www.oadbyhillwalkingclub.com)
OHWC COMMITTEE 2017-18
Chairman: Jenny Fox 0116-291 1491
Secretary/Newsletter: Fiona Clarkson 0116-2793372
Treasurer: Alison Beckett 07557 199247
Walks Co-ordinator: Geoff Mattock 0116-2395381
Social: Eileen Potts
Membership Secretary: Carol Hinks 0116-2592144
Sunday Monthly Walks by coach: 2016/2017
Returns at 5pm during GMT and 5.30pm during BST.
July 2nd Winchcombe 5:30pm
Aug 6th Marsden 5:30pm
Sept 3rd Pontesbury 5:30pm
Oct 1st Glossop 5:30pm
Nov 5th Biggin 5pm
Dec 3rd Upper Hulme 5pm
Jan 7th 2018 Bakewell 5pm
Feb 4th Fox House 5pm
Mar 4th Malvern 5pm
Apr 1st Chinnor 5:30pm
May 13th Chipping Campden 5:30pm
Mid Month Walk - May
Sunday 21st May 9am from The Crown Tur Langton 8 miles led by Colin New.
July mid-month walk
Walk starting in Great Glen on Sunday 16th July (Start time, distance and leader to be notified nearer the time) followed by lunchtime BBQ at Alison Beckett’s home cost £10 a head payable by 3rd July for food and beverage. If interested email
Next monthly walk – Sunday 4th June– Langsett
Coach departs: Oadby Central Car Park (adjacent to the Trinity Methodist Church) at 8.00am and will leave Langsett at 5:30pm.
Coach Route M1 Jcn 29, A617, A619, A623, A625, A6187, A6013, A57, Fairholme carpark, turn round, east A57, A6101, A6102, A616 Langsett
Boot stop: Tibshelf
Map : Landranger 110
Walk Leaders:
Long: Carol Birch
Medium: Geoff Mattock, Jenny Fox , John Bastow
Short: Mike Hinks
Routes: To Mike Hinks, asap before 28th May, please
Walk Route Map
Please go onto the News section of the Club website, www.oadbyhillwalkingclub.com a few days before the monthly walk, to see a map showing the walk routes. Hopefully this will speed up selecting your walk when signing up on the coach.
Prospective walkers – please contact Carol Hinks to book a seat on the bus: By e-mail to: . You will receive a reply confirming the availability or otherwise of a seat. Or by telephone on 0116-2592144 you are reminded that it is first come first served. If you delay booking you may not get a seat.
If you wish to be picked up, at other places than the Oadby Car Park, please mention where when booking and please be aware that very occasionally another Woods coach may go past before ours arrives. Members can book for the next month’s walk on the return journey back to Oadby. You don’t have to wait for the Club meeting or the Newsletter.
Bus Fares – preferably by cheque payable to “Oadby Hillwalking Club” or simply “O.H.W.C.”
Adult Members £12, Junior/Student Members £5, Guests/Visitors + £3.
Cancellations - members and guests - Cancellations up to Tuesday Midnight before the Sunday walk - no penalty. Cancellations thereafter - full cost of the bus fare due. (AGM 2011). Please send fare due to the Treasurer, Jenny Fox, 126 Braunstone Close, Leicester, LE3 2GT
Boot/Toilet Stop
Members are urged to keep the time taken at the boot stop to a minimum. At the end of the walk members should change their footwear and place dirty boots and rucksacks in the luggage locker before getting onto the coach, thus avoiding any congestion and mud in the coach.
Those getting off the coach at Fosse Park and the Ring Road, may alternatively, put your dirty kit into a “Bin Liner” and then take it onto the coach; thus negating having to search for your kit in the bus Luggage Locker.
Safety Form and Emergency Personal Details
Please make sure that you are carrying your completed Club Safety Form in the top of your rucksack - it could help you in a difficult situation. N.B. Don’t forget to keep the form up to date. The form is available on the Club Website (www.oadbyhillwalkingclub.com)
The club walk organisers are not qualified guides. You join them at your own risk and of your own free will. You are part of an autonomous group, responsible for your own safety and happy to accept the discretion and actions of any or all the participants on that organised walk or activity in the event of injury to you, the need to have you rescued or otherwise.
Essential Wear - N.B. Jeans and, or trainers/sandals are NOT suitable
Members and guests must be suitably equipped and as a minimum this must include:
❖ suitable walking boots
❖ waterproof coat and over-trousers
❖ warm clothing
❖ an appropriate rucksack.
❖ food and drink for the whole day
❖ a First Aid Kit is recommended
Please do not wear dirty boots on the bus even at the start of the day.
Only “Registered Assistance Dogs” are allowed on club walks except on midmonth walks at the discretion of the walk leader.
Almoner’s Report
If you know of any member that is poorly or unable to walk for any reason, please let one of the committee know.
Interested in being a Walk Leader?
Please speak to any Committee Member, who will gladly arrange this for you – or better still come along to our Club Meetings.
Monthly Club Meetings
Monthly club meetings are held on the Wednesday after the Sunday walk at the Wigston Conservative Club, 38 Long Street, Wigston, Leicester, LE18 2AH at 7.30pm. All club members are welcome and we would like to see you. (You won’t get given a job)
Christmas is coming!! Dinner booked at TASTE restaurant Wednesday 6 December 2017.
Forthcoming Events
Patterdale Week away
Sun 8th October to 13th October 2017
We are have enough interest in the trip to the Patterdale Hotel Ullswater, Near Penrith, Cumbria. CA11 0NN https://www.choicehotels.co.uk/
The cost is £216.20 per person based on 2 sharing. DBB.
£50 deposit required per person non-refundable.
If interested please book yourself on quoting OHWC.
Choice hotels central reservation 08448115585 phone to get correct price.
Make your own way, you can take a friend who is not a member of OHWC.
Lots of different walks.
Please let Geoff Mattock know if you are coming or have any queries.
We intend to do Via Ferrata Extreme on Wednesday at 3pm. http://honister.com/via-ferrata/
Please contact Geoff if you are interested and he will make a group booking for interested parties. The cost is £45 payable to Geoff ASAP.
Walk Report 7th May Edale – Andy McQuaid
What a Perfect Day for a Walk in the Peaks!
As we entered into Cressbook Dale at Wardlow our walk was at serious risk of becoming a nature ramble, rather than a 16 mile hike. On a glorious late spring morning, having walked only a short distance our small group of 5 were met by an impressive display of wild purple orchid! These healthy specimens graced either side of the valley begging to be photographed as we approached Peter's Stone perched high to our left. A little further on we turned right through Tansley Dale, where again we were in awe of thousands of cowslips clinging to the valley sides, basking in the warm morning sunlight.
Before we left Tansley Dale an unusual and spectacular bird flitted along the dry stone wall to our side. It's name was unknown to any of us, having a black beak and face, grey head and back, black wings and a white throat and underbelly. It's size was midway between a Robin and a Thrush. (Later research established that this was a Wheatear migrating from Africa to Scandinavia. According to the website, its name has nothing to do with wheat or ears, but is a 'folk etymology' of 'white' and 'arse' - honest!)
At the risk of missing out on drink time at the Edale pub, nature finally took a back seat and we picked up the pace and headed through Litton to Lane Head. After a coffee break in a sun-drenched field shared with sheep and lambs, we took a single track road a short distance to Tideslow Rake. Well, a little bit further than Tideslow Rake, as I missed the turn and we had to back track, my fellow walkers were very forgiving!
Tideslow Rake was a long undulating climb to about 400 metres, followed by a welcome downward walk across fields to pick up a short stretch of road at Bushy Heath Farm. Walking became a lot easier from here as we took a long, well maintained track across Old Moor, one of the highest points of the walk at 460 metres. From here was down hill all the way to Castleton via Cave Dale and Peveril Castle, clearly a popular Sunday outing for those more local to the area, as the population increased markedly.
Our entry into Castleton led to a quaint 'village' square, with welcome and ample seating around a shelter. Of particular interest to one or two of us was the open and bustling Fish & Chip shop. Unfortunately, not beyond temptation and seriously risking again the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of an Edale pub!
Fully refreshed - and chips in hand - we carried on to our ultimate destination - Edale. First cross country to Hope before starting a gradual and gruelling climb to the summit of Lose Hill (476m). Here the walk leader became to back marker. Not a hill to be missed but certainly one to test stamina, energy and fitness! But the team did well and we reached the summit, enjoyed some magnificent views and even took a few pictures.
Figure 3 Roy, Anne, Ken, Janet & Andy on Lose Hill
As often the case the descent was as challenging as the climb, clambering from stone to stone down a naturally created steep staircase, first to Black Tor - an impressive rocky outcrop - and then taking a right down valley past Blacktor Farm, over Blacktor Bridge and finding the road into Edale. A further mile of road walking and the welcome sight of the coach came into view - with plenty of time to sit down, look back and enjoy each other's company in the pub. Thank you to all my walk colleagues for your support.
Andy McQuaid
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