Although the content of this page includes everything that was in the published programme for Autumn 2004 the layout is different as the three column pages that were used for pages 1 and 2 in 2004 would be more difficult to read on screen than the single column format used here.
The club is approved by Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, Archbishop of Westminster,
Affiliated to the Ramblers Association Regstered Charity No. 306089
Dear Ramblers,
We have had another busy quarter with lots of good rambles and social events.
I have heard good reports about the walks and am pleased to say that we have had no casualties nor have any of our members got lost. In this letter there are a number of events coming up, especially our AGM, which is very soon, and for which you should consider what you could do for our club. We all want our club to stay alive and well but it it is dependent on members coming forward and not leaving it to others.
Walking in Castlebar Countryside
Future Events
The Club AGM will be held on Saturday 9th October at 3.30pm with tea and scones served at St Mary Moorfields Hall, 4-5 Eldon si London EC2M 7LS. Enclosed with this letter is a Nomination Form to nominate new committee members (or re nominate existing' members if less than two years on the committee). We feally need new members to come fdward and do a stint on the committee. So please give serious consideration to nominating someone or getting someone to nominate you. Thereafter there will be Mass at 5.00pm in the church at St Mary Moorfields, Mass for the Deceased Members Saturday 6th November 6.00pm at St Joseph's Church. Bunhill Row London, EC1Y,
Christmas Meal. Saturday 11th December. Please note this date in your diaries as we plan to have a Christmas meal. The details will be notified in the next programme.
Christmas Ramble and Social. 4.00pm Sunday 19 December Will be held in the Royal Oak 44 Tabard St, Borough, London SE 1 Please make sure that you get your ticket (£5.50 in advance) as we need to know how many to cater for.
New Year Party Saturday 8 Jan 2005
Mass at St Mary Moorfields at 6.00pm followed by a party in the Church Hall
where there will be a lively disco provided by Ken Aguiar. Admission £4. Please bring food to share and your own drink. Make sure that you get your tickets for this blistering ball.
The Chester Pilgrimage 14 - 24 August 2004.
By the time that this newsletter drops through your letterbox the Chester
Pilgrimage will be in progress. As I write, the pilgrimage has not yet taken
place but as in previous years it is likely to be very popular and a great
experience. It is an annual ecumenical pilgrimage, which is often completed by some of our members. I think it is great especially for those looking for an enjoyable spiritual experience coupled with a walking holiday. If you are interested in joining them for a couple of days you will find further information on: www.thepilgrims.org.uk
Raising money for the hungry
Hania Poniatowska welcomes support and ideas for a Winter Party where
there will be entertainment and home made fun to raise money. When the content and date of the event has been agreed it is expected that entry will be by tickets being purchased in advance. Contact Hania.
Corner of Special Interests.
The video, which we will watch, is Casablanca, which is a much-requested one. I will be showing this video in my home on 4 September at 2.30pm. There will be a buffet and I would also welcome your contributing some food and drink to share. Please call me beforehand so that I know how many to expect.
Bill
Past Events
4 Day Walk International Festival In Castlebar 4 July 04 The highlight for me of the last quarter was the 4 Day Walk in Castlebar, Ireland. From the club there was Maureen Furlong, Marie O'Connor and Kaye Gaffney whom I met up with in Castlebar. They were great company and they tell me that they had a wonderful time. I had been looking so forward to this walking event that I purchased my air tickets six months in advance. At the last minute BMI cancelled my flights and offered me a number of bizarre
alternative flights or to give a refund on the cost of my flighf. Finally after many phone calls I accepted the least onerous Heathrow to Manchester with a connecting flight to Knock. This meant that I had to leave home at 5.00am. When I arrived at Heathrow my hopes were again dashed when I discovered that my flight had been delayed. On arrival in M anchester we were told that our connecting flight to Knock had been cancelled because of engine failure. We were then told that we would fly to Belfast where we would complete the joumey by a five-hour coach journey to Knock. In total, my travelling time was twelve hours and after bitterly complaining to BMI they decided that a £50 credit note was fair compensation. Somehow I can't see myself ever flying with BMI again. However I soon forgot the harrowing journey on arrival in Castlebar as the following 4 days were exceedingly happy days. The walks, countryside, food, Guinness and company were fantastic. There was a terrific festive atmosphere in the town of Castlebar and for many of the ramblers the event is a rendevou point where year after year they all meet up after having travelled far and wide. There were walkers from the Dutch and German Army together with walkers from far away places like US, Australia, New Zealand,
Israel and Japan.
I made a number of contacts for the future and had a lovely and memorable time. The 4-Day Break is one that I can highly recommend as no matter how old or young you are it has something to offer everyone. You should watch out for it when it takes place next year but don't book your flight with BMI.
Bandstand at Queens Park
Those that attended enjoyed the social
event we had on the Bandstand at
Queens Park. The weather was good, the strawberries and cream were good, the music was good, the wine was better and the company was great. After the Bandstand gathering there was fourteen of us that ambled along to the Corrib Rest where we had a filling meal on a long dining table fit for a banquet where we also had the whole room to our selves. After the meal
some of us then went into the adjoining bar to dance to music played by a lively band. Sadly at about 10pm there were a number that had to depart because of the long journey home, but never the less the day was enjoyed by all.
Tony Flnnegan's 60th Birthday Party. 26th
June 2004.
A number of dub members attended Tony's celebration of his 60th Birthday.
There was a large number of Tony's family and friends at St Boniface's Hall
where there was a tasty buffet prepared. The display of food looked so great that I saw people taking photographs of the spread. Tony had the evening organised down to a tee as on entering the hall we were presented with a complimentary ticket to be presented at the bar for a drink, which made a good start to the evening. After the meal many people moved in to the adjoining room where there was dancing. Tony has asked me to include the
following note:
"Tony Finnegan would like to thank all those who attended his 60th birthday party or sent good wishes. At the end of the evening he found himself in possession of several bottles of whisky and wine with no names attached so he has not been able to personally thank those who left them but hopes this message will go some way to doing so."
Club's 75th Anniversary
To mark the event there is a holiday to Assisi/Palazzola 4 to 11 June 2005. The number of members that have booked is in excess of 20 at last count. The time for booking this holiday is now passed and Barbara Bridle will contact members with further details.
Park Place Pastoral Centre, Farnham August Bank Holiday Weekend 2005. Due to unforeseen difficulties the booking for the weekend has been replaced with a similar weekend break the details of which are and below in an
extract of Anne Dunne's letter:
"The booking for the Park Place Pastoral Centre has been cancelled and instead the following is being offered. Hawkstone Hall Redemptorist International Pastoral Centre in Shrewsbury has been booked for 19-22 August 2005. A few days in April has also been definitely booked from Tuesday, April 12 to Friday April 15 to enable those involved in planning the walks to do so for the following August. Recently, Tony Norton has also expressed an interest in helping out with the planning/organising of the trip for which Anne would like to record her thanks The approximate cost of a three night stay will be £90. Sr Laurice, my booking contact, now wishes to know the level of interest in the Club and therefore can all interested parties contact Anne Dunne by the end of September 2004.The weekend will consist of, realistically, two walks and a thanksgiving Mass on the Sunday with; hopefully, a piece of celebration cake washed down with suitable beverages at some point. Here are the details of the Centre should members wish to obtain the Centre's brochure or do some preliminary research: The Secretary, Hawkstone
Hall, Marchamley, Shrewsbury SY4 5LG. Tel: 01630 685 242; Website: www.hawkstone-hall.com
Celebratory Mass 6.0pm 8 Oct 2005
Bishop Bernard Longley has agreed to say Mass for us at St Mary Moorfields. This date is close to the anniversary of St Francis and also the
date of our AGM. It also seems fitting that the Club should celebrate its
patron saint's anniversary in this way.
Additional walks
If you fancy an occasional midweek walk then please contact Dorothy Hickman
Subscriptions
Please don't forget that your £5 subscription is due on in October As a means of reducing the work involved in the collection of subscriptions it
would be very helpful if the enclosed Standing Order Form could be
completed and returned to our Treasurer, Gillian McLauchlan.
Alternatively you should forward your cheque to Gillian.
New Members.
Welcome to Sally Redway from SE17 and Edwardo
Rodrigues from W14 , both of whom I had the pleasure of meeting on the
Hayes Walk. Also welcome to Krystyna Smith from EC1 and Regina Lam from South Ruislip
Please pray for John Lawrence's speedy return to health. At the time of
writing he is in St George's Hospital in Tooting and we hope they will have him back on the road very soon.
Items for the next Newsletter
should reach me by 11 th October 2004.
God Bless and Happy Rambling
Its heartening to have received a couple of thought provoking verses from Mary McHugh for inclusion on our Programme. Well done Mary and thank for your contribution.
A Cry for Help
While out walking one sunny afternoon by the canal near Ladbroke Grove, I noticed a rather steep, unusual-looking bridge.
Something was telling me to cross this bridge to see what lay beyond. I crossed the bridge. There was no one in sight. I still felt something urging me to carry on walking. I continued walking around the bend, but still not a creature in sight.
I turned to go back to the hospital where I had a temp job when something moved near my feet. Looking down I saw a pigeon, with one wing outstretched, which appeared to be dying. I picked it up to discover that the wing was caught by a thread. Having untangled the thread, I tried to get the bird to stand, and was wondering where I should leave it, when to my delight, it flew off.
It wasn't until I was leaving the area and looked back on the bridge that I realized that it was the pigeon who was calling for help.
One evening on my way to college in Holborn, I decided to take a short cut behind some buildings. There on a wall was a young blackbird screeching its head off. I thought it must see something that is frightening it. I looked all around but could not see any other creature. The screeching continued.
Then I noticed a movement in one of the closed dustbins. Believing there was a rat in the bin, I removed the lid and kept well back. Out flew a blackbird, and the screeching stopped. I continued on my way amid the most harmonious birdsong.
This strange and wonderful thing we call life is all around us in different forms.
MaryMcHugh
A letter received from Maureen Furlong describing the Holiday in Lindisfarne and Seahouses 13110 May to 24110 May 2004
The ten-day holiday in Northumbria organised by Dorothy Hickman was a great success. We arrived in Berwick, explored the town and walked along the old walls.
From Berwick we travelled to Lindisfarne by taxi, crossing the Causeway at" safe tide." We checked into our hotels and then set out to get our first view of this very special place.
There is something quite unique about Lindisfarne or Holy Island as it is called, with its present population of approximately one hundred and sixty, its spiritual atmosphere and its association with St. Aidan and St Cuthbert. We spent four wonderful days on the island visiting Lindisfarne Priory where St Cuthbert's body was discovered in 698AD, the castle, the museum and St Aidan's Vineny - a sample of Lindisfarne Mead is not to be missed.
Each morning we attended Celtic Prayers in the little Catholic Church of St Aidan next to the Lindisfarne Hotel where some of us stayed. Sadly in this Cradle of Christianity there are few Catholics and Mass is celebrated only when there is a visiting priest. In the evening we joined in the evening prayer in the beautiful St Mary's Church in the care of Anglican Franciscans.
On our last morning we walked over the stepping stones and clambered up to St Cuthbert's Island - a memorable experience.
At midday we left, by taxi, for Seahouses a good centre for reaching other places. We registered at our various B& B's before coming together for dinner.
The next morning we set out on a day's ramble visiting Dunstanburgh Castle en route, and followed a coastal path sometimes among the dunes and sometimes on the beach, arriving back near our accommodation and dinner.
Thursday was the feast of the Ascension. We attended Mass in St Aidan's Church, Seahouses. Afterwards we made our way to the harbour and boarded a ferry for an unforgettable visit to the Farne Islands. Here St. Aidan and St Cuthbert used to meditate. We landed on Linner Fame where St Cuthbert died in 687 AD. We saw the chapel of the former monastic building
and admired the stained glass window showing St Aidan and St Cuthbert.
The Farne Islands - what a place! Sixteen different species of seabirds nest on the island between May and July, and over 20,000 pairs of puffins breed each year on the Farnes. The grey seal colony here is one of the most important in Europe.
Friday was another day ramble day - again, beach dunes and path's with a visit to Baniburgh, originally built of wood by St Aidan and St Oswald in 635 AD. St Aidan died near the church in 651 AD.
Unfortunately for me, I had to leave on Saturday. I understand the last two days were also most enjoyable and everyone left feeling refreshed and with many memories.
This was a special trip and much credit is due to Dorothy for the excellent organisation, not only during the time that we were there, but also for the months of preparation beforehand. Dorothy we did appreciate all your hand works. Thank you.
Maureen Furlong
Club Committee Members 200312004
President:
Fr Peter Newby,
Parish Priest,
St Mary Moorfields,4-5 Eldon Street, London
EC2M 7LS Email:moorfieldsrc@btinternet.com
Vice President:
Helen Hunt,
Secretary:
Bill O'Neill,
Treasurer:
Gillian McLauchlan,
Ramble List Compiler: Tony Norton.
Membership Secretaries:
Tony Finnegan, 30 Avarn Road, Tooting,
London. SW17 9HA. Tel. 0208 767 5293
Email: tony@tfinnegan.me.uk
Margaret Moran,
Social Secretary
Hania Poniatowska,
Committee Members
Witold Sokolowski,
Catherine Scott,
Ramble List September to November 2004
Many thanks to all the leaders who so kindly came forward with walks for the Autumn Progranune. I would like walks for the Winter programme in by the 201h October please.
Thanks
Tony (Norton)
SEPTEMBER 2004
SUNDAY 5th SEPTEMBER (map Explorer 121) Leader Peter Macddonald
MEET : Victoria at 0835 for 0904 train to Bognor Regis (arr 10.49)
then short bu ride to : Pagham
LUNCH :Crab & Lobster Sidlesham possibility of a swim in the
afternoon
TEA : Pagham .
DISTANCE: 7 Miles returning from Pagham to Bognor Regis by bus
FARE : £11.55 cdr Bognor Regis with network card reduction plus local
bus fare each way
SUNDAY 12th SEPTEMBER (map Landranger 166) Leader: Philip Evans
MEET : Kings Cross at 0935 for 10.06 train to Welwyn Garden City
arr at 10 31.
: Go to the suburban part of the station on the left
LUNCH :Elephant & Castle Amwell
TEA : May Be.
DISTANCE : 16 Miles returning from Welwyn Garden City
FARE : £5.30 cdr Welwyn Garden City with network card discount
SUNDAY 19th SEPTEMBER (Map 160 and 176) Leader Bernadetle Cahill
MEET : Waterloo 0950 for 1011 train to Sunningdale (arr.11.00)
Bernadette will meet the ramblers at Sunningdale
LUNCH : The Sun or Savill Garden tea room. pub does good food.
TEA : Runnymede Tea bar
DISTANCE : 9 Miles returning from Staines
FARE : £5.60 cdr Sunningdale with network card reduction
SUNDAY 26th SEPTEMBER (map Explorer 146) Leader: Maurice Hickman
MEET : Victoria 0845 for 0906 train to Dorking arr 0957
LUNCH : Kings Head Holmbury
TEA : Leith Hill
DISTANCE : 15 Miles returning from Dorking
FARE : £5 cor Dorking with network reduction
OCTOBER 2004
SUNDAY 3rd OCTOBER (os map 166) Leader Tony Finnegan
MEET : Kings Cross Thameslink 0910 for 0931 train to Elstree arr 0953
LUNCH : London Colney Village three pubs do food; seats on riverside to
eat your own
TEA : Various possibilities in St Albans at end of walk
DISTANCE: 12 Miles returning from St Albans, easy terrain,no hills
FARE : Travel card to Zone 6 up to £4.70 with network card plus single fare from St Albans to Zone 6, £2.10
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October Annual General Meeting
NB This is the date of the Annual General Meeting at St Mary Moorfields at 3 30 pm.
Please see full details in the yellow pages and make a note of this important date in
your diary.
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SUNDAY 10th OCTOBER (map Explorer 145) Leader John & Marta Haworth
MEET : Waterloo 0915 for 0939 train to Farnham arr 1053
LUNCH : Good Intent, Puttenham
TEA : Compton
DISTANCE : 12 Miles returning from Guildford
Possible visit to the amazing mortuary chapel and/or the Watts Gallery at Compton-both free
FARE : £7.15 cdr Farnham with network card - may be plus £1.50
single Guildford-Woking
SUNDAY 17th OCTOBER (map Explorer 146) Leader Maurice Hickman
MEET : Victoria 0845 for 0904 train to Billingshurst (arr 1015)
LUNCH : The Countryman Inn Shipley
TEA : Liquid refreshment only
DISTANCE : 14 Miles returning from Billingshurst
FARE : £8.90 cdr Billingshurst with network card reduction
SUNDAY 24th OCTOBER (os map 197) Leader Phillip Groves
MEET : Victoria 0840 for 0904 train to Amberley(arr1 0.28)
LUNCH : Foresters Arms Graffham
TEA : May be
DISTANCE : 21 hilly miles returning from Amberley
FARE : £10.05 cdr Amberley with network card reduction
SUNDAY 31st OCTOBER (map Explorer 147) Leader: Paul Brunning
MEET : Charing Cross 0925 for 0942 train to Chelsfield
LUNCH : Three Horseshoes, Knockholt
TEA : Sevenoaks
DISTANCE : 11 Miles returning from Sevenoaks
FARE : £4.50 cdr Sevenoaks with network card
FARE
NOVEMBER 2004
SUNDAY 7th NOVEMBER (Explorer map 181) Leader Eugene Donnelly
MEET : Euston 0915 for 0941 train to Hemel Hempstead (arr 10.20)
LUNCH : The Crystal Palace Berkhamsted
TEA : Aldbury
DISTANCE : 9 Miles returning from Tring
FARE : £6.65 cdr with Network Care
SUNDAY 14th NOVEMBER (map Explorer 150) Leader Paul Brunning
MEET Charing Cross 0910 for 0925 train to Chilham
LUNCH The Artichoke, Chartham
DISTANCE 9 Miles returninq from Canterbury
TEA Ca~e~u~
FARE £9.50 cdr Canterbury with network card reduction
SUNDAY 21st NOVEMBER ( Explorer map 172) Leader Bill O'Neill
MEET : Baker Street at 0930 for metropolitan underground train to Amersham
LUNCH : Red Lyon Coleshill
TEA : May Be
DISTANCE : 12 Miles circular walk; undulating; expect mud; . returning from Amersham
FARE : All Zone travel card including Zone D £4.70 with Network card Discount
SUNDAY 28th NOVEMBER (Explorer map 181) Leader Tony Norton
MEET : Baker Street (Metropolitan line) 0940 then change at Chalfont & Latimer for train to Chesham LT arr 10.34 but check time table.
LUNCH : The Rose and Crown Hawbridge
TEA :
DISTANCE : 14 Miles circular walk returning from Chesham
FARE : All Zone travel card including Zone D £4.70 with Network
card Discount
Please ensure you bring your Network cards or Gold cards so that you can get the 1/3rd off full fares for yourself and up to three guests travelling with you. You can also get 5Op off all zone travel cards even if purchased at underground stations.
Unless otherwise indicated the fare shown is the fare from the London terminus to our destination. Most people can get a reduction by using a travel card for part of the journey.
Don''t forget-Sunday train service-s can be sttecten by engineering works. Information on these can be obtained by calling 08457 484950 or see National Rail Website at www.nationalrail.com
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