St Francis of Assisi Catholic Rambler's Club

                                        (affiliated to H.F. Holidays)

The Club is approved by the Archbishop of Westminster; affiliated to the Rambers Association. 

Website:  www.stfrancisramblers@ukwalkers.com

Programme of Rambles / Events for March to May 2013

(Items for the next programme by the end of April please)

Sunday 3rd March (OS map 198)                       Leader: John Burbage

Meet: Victoria 09.00 for the 09.15 train to Haywards Heath (arr. 10.22)

Trains are also available from London Bridge

Lunch: The Five Bells, Bolney or similar

Tea: Possibly

Distance: 13 Miles (there may be mud)

Fare: £12.10 with Network Cards returning from Haywards Heath

We will make a brief visit to Bolney Winery.   John may join train en route.

 

Sunday 10th March (Explorer Maps 146/147)  Leader: Maurice Hickman

Meet: Victoria at 10.10 for 10.36 train to Woldingham (arr. 11.12)

 

Lunch: Botley Hill Farmhouse, Titsey%u2028 

Tea: The Oxted Inn (Wetherspoon), Oxted Station

Distance: 9 miles, returning from Oxted

Fare: £6.60 to Oxted with Network Card

 

Sunday 17th March (Landranger Map 166)          Leader: Joe O’Reilly

Meet: Kings Cross (Mainline) 09.45 for the 10.12 train to Gordon Hill (arr.10.39) 

Lunch: The Plough, Cuffley 

Tea: Rose & Crown, Clayhill 

Distance: 11 miles 

Fare: Anytime Return from Gordon Hill £6.85 with Network Cards 

Note: Please wear a shamrock and bring some Irish poetry!

 

Sunday 24th March  (OS map 167)                         Leader: Paul Connolly

Meet : Liverpool Street 0940 for 1002 train to Ingatestone (arr 1036). You can pick up the train at Stratford at 1009.

Lunch : White Hart, Margaretting Tye%u2028

Tea : Writtle or Chelmsford

Distance : 11 mostly level miles returning from Chelmsford - 2 trains per hour back to London - may be muddy in parts

Fare : £9.70 cdr Chelmsford with Network Card discount

 

Paul Will meet the ramblers at Ingatestone 

 

Good Friday 29th March (Explorer Maps 134/135)   Leader: John Burbage

Good Friday Service at Worth Abbey

Meet: Victoria 09.25 for the 09.47 train to Three Bridges (arr. 10.29)

Trains are also available from London Bridge

Lunch: (for those not fasting) Cowdray Arms 10-15 minutes walk away

Distance: 10 Miles

Fare: Anytime Return £9.55 returning fromThree Bridges

 

Bank Holiday Monday 1st April (OS Map 146)  Leader: Dorothy Hickman

Meet: Victoria 1010 for 1032 train to Redhill (arr. 11.00)

Lunch: The Feathers, Merstham

Tea: Gatton Park

Distance:  6 miles   

Fare:  £7 with Network Card

In the afternoon a visit will be made to Gatton Park.  Entrance fee is £4 and this

includes a guided tour of the grounds, bird hide and large lake and ponds.

 

Dorothy will meet the walkers at Redhill station. 

 

Sunday 7th April (Explorer Map 147)          Leader: Paul Brunning

Meet: Victoria 09.10 for the 09.28 train to Otford (arr. 10.27) 

Lunch: The Crown at Shoreham 

Tea: Possibly       Distance: 9.5 miles returning from Otford 

Fare: Anytime Return from Otford £6.80 with Network Cards

 

Sunday 14h April  (Landranger Maps 153 and 166).  Leader: Robert Slater

Meet: King's Cross 1000 for 1023 to Arlesey(arr.1057)

Lunch: Gardeners Arms,Letchworth( western boundary of town).Reasonably priced carvery plus selection of vegetarian dishes.

Tea: Hitchin. Cafe Nero and/or The Sunrunner(variety of ales)

Distance: 11 miles(linear) 

Fare: £11.55 return ticket to Arlesey with Network Card.Returning from Hitchin.

Robert will meet walkers at Arlesey.

 

Sunday 21st April (Explorer Map 146)           Leader: Maurice Hickman

Meet:  Victoria at 0915 for 0940 train to Dorking (arr. 1039)

Lunch: Abinger Hatch, Abinger Common%u2028 

Tea: Dorking%u2028

Distance:  14 miles, returning from Dorking        

Fare: £5.55 with Network Card

 

Sunday 28th April  (OS map 165   )                     Leader: Paul Connolly

Meet :   Marylebone 0945 for 1012 train to Great Missenden (arr 1053).

Lunch :  Wendover - plenty of options including the White Swan where you can eat your own food.%u2028

Tea :  Maybe at Stoke Mandeville%u2028

Distance :  11 mostly level miles returning from Stoke Mandeville - hilly in the morning - muddy in parts%u2028

Fare : £11.00 cdr Stoke Mandeville with Network Card discount

 

Sunday 5th May (Landranger Map 166)       Leader: Henriette van Zaelen

Bluebell Walk

Meet: Kings Cross Mainline 09.40 for the 10.06 train to Knebworth (arr. 10.38)

Lunch: The Strathmore Arms, St. Pauls Walden

Tea: Possibly    Distance: 11 easy miles to Stevenage taking in the bluebell woods

Fare: £10.25 returning from Stevenage

 

May Day Holiday 6th May(Landranger Map 153)   Leader: Robert Slater Revisit Ickwell village green ,Bedfordshire,to participate in the ancient May Day celebration.Watch the crowning of the May Queen, the traditional dancing round the maypole and the Morris Men.Wander round the many stalls and have afternoon tea in the village hall.Lunch(a little pricey) will be at The Crown,Northill, either in the pub or in the garden if you prefer the barbecue.The May Day pageant will assemble there and will process after lunch to Ickwell village green. We shall follow them.

 

Meet : King's Cross at 09.15 for the 09.36 to Sandy (arr. 11.06).Buy a return ticket to Sandy although we shall return from Biggleswade after a stop at the Golden Pheasant in the town centre. Six beers and coffee but no food.Italian restaurant ASK opposite well worth a visit afterwards.

Fare: £12.55 with Network Railcard.Total walking

Distance about 8 miles.

Robert will meet everyone at Sandy.

 

Sunday 12h May                     Leaders: Maureen Cahalane & Bridie Barry

Meet:Waterloo Station 09.05 for the 09.28 train to Windsor & Eton (arr.10.21)

Lunch:  Early lunch with a choice of venues in Datchett

Tea: Runnymead

Distance: 9 gentle miles along the Thames riverside to Staines

Fare:   Anytime Return from Windsor & Eton £6.35 with Network Cards

 

Sunday 19st May  (Explorer Map 174: but better is the dedicated map of Epping Forest produced by OS for the Corporation of London).

Leaders Virginia & Roger Yelland.

MEET: with the leaders ON THE PLATFORM at Tottenham Hale (Victoria Line Z3) at 08.40 for 08.55 train to Waltham Cross (arr 09.07). For some it may be convenient to join this train at Stratford (BR & Central Line Z3)(08.45).

WALK: The Epping Yomp (21miles): A circuit of Epping Forest and the Lea Valley, via the Copped Hall Estate, High Beach and Chingford. We will need to maintain a brisk pace (but no need for heroics) to complete at a reasonable time. For those who are comfortable with a brisk paced walk but who would prefer a shorter distance there are easy drop out points at 9m (Epping Central Line Z6), 11m (Theydon Bois Central Line Z6), and 15m Chingford (BR Z5).

LUNCH & TEA: the locations, times, and duration will depend on our progress. We should have sufficient time for two adequate stops.

FARE: £7.20 SOPDR Stratford to Waltham Cross (NC & SR: £4.75).

If you need more information, e mail rogerofs@gmail.com

For a photographic preview follow this link, or ask and we can email the link to you.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.331012580265197.85794.100000693729661&type

 

SATURDAY 25th May                                               Leader: Ann Milner

Meet:  Chigwell Station on Central Line at 0945 for 10.00 start.  Allow 45 minutes from Oxford Circus.

Lunch: Havering-Atte-Bower

Tea: Not likely

Distance:  12 miles, returning Harold Wood to Liverpool Street on Network Rail

Fare:  All Zone Travel Card/ Oyster Card

We walk two sections of the London Loop- from Chigwell to Havering-Atte-Bower (Section 20) in the morning, then Havering-Atte-Bower to Harold Wood(Section 21) in the afternoon.

 

Details of Holidays and Other Events

 

            Ignatian Prayer Day: "Prodigal Love"-the Gopel Gift and Task   

Saturday March 9th

 

This year like last year the committee has agreed to publish details of an already organised retreat.  Thus I am advertising the retreats in Lent which will be taking

place at the Jesuit centre at 114 Mount Street, Mayfair.  The Jesuits here organise an Ignatian Day on the second Saturday of each month from 11 am to 4 pm.  The suggested donation for this day is £25.  It is not necessary to book up beforehand for these Ignatian Days.  Anyone who wishes to come to the March event should meet me (Maurice) outside the centre between 10.30 and 10.45am.  Bring a packed lunch.  Last time the Ignatian Day was followed by a Mass in the upstairs chapel in the centre.  If there is no Mass afterwards I propose going for a walk to the cafe in Hyde Park for refreshments before returning for the 6pm Mass at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Farm Street.  After Mass anyone who wants to can join me for a walk through Hyde Park to The Tyburn, Marble Arch (Wetherspoon) for a meal and a drink. There is a frequent bus from outside the pub to Victoria.  For more information and a map, Google 'Mount Street Jesuit Centre.'  Please let me, Maurice, know if you intend to come even if you do so at the last minute so that I can get an idea of the numbers I can expect.  The next Ignatian Day is on April 13th and is entitled 'As the Father sent me so I send you'.

 

Saturday 16th March  -  Mount Street Jesuit Centre Workshop

This will take place in the same place as the Ignatian Prayer Day from 11 am to

4 pm.  The day will be lead by Guy Consolmagno SJ of the Vatican Observatory.

The aim of the workshop is to bring to the participants attention an appreciation of

God in nature, especially astronomy.  The morning session will concentrate on a

description of the planets in our solar system as places where people or robots can "have adventures".  The afternoon will look more deeply into the cosmos, including the origin of the universe in a  "big bang" and its possible end in a "heat death".  Each session will be followed by questions and group discussions.  For a lot more information and to book go to the website, i.e. Google 'Mount Street Jesuit Centre'.

I have no idea of the cost of this but I think it is a suggested donation of £25.

 

Wednesday 27th of March to Wednesday 17h April - Camino trek.

Three intrepid members of the Club will be walking the final stretch of  the Camino from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela and will end their trek at the 12 noon pilgrim Mass in the Cathedral.  After this they will reserve their

accommodation and join the queue at the Pilgrim Office to get the coveted compostela(this is a certificate of completion of a pilgrimage to Santiago) and then they will have two more days to celebrate and look around before flying back.. I understand that  the award of a Compostela entitles you to a free meal afterwards with other pilgrims who have successfully completed their pilgrimage.  That is something else which is worth looking forward to.

 

St Patrick Day Celebrations in London - visit London

www.visitLondon.com - What's on in London Special Events Cached

Celebrate all things Irish with a parade, festival and of course, Guiness!

 

Good Friday 29th March - Easter Passion in Trafalgar Square.

Easter Passion in Trafalgar Square Wintershall Estate- www.viewlondon.co.uk

After the success of the Passion performed by the Wintershall Players, we have once again been given permission to perform this inspirational play on Good Friday 2013.  Trafalgar Square is hosting a special adaptation of a traditional Easter play on Good Friday with Passion in the Square; starting at 12 noon prompt and ending at 14.30.  www.wintershall-estate.com

 

10th - 25th August 2013    Arundel & Brighton Ecumenical Walking Pilgrimage

Each summer the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton organises an ecumenical walk to a place, shrine or area exploring a particular theme or aspect of our faith and Christian heritage. What we rediscover, year after year, is the amazing personal and community value of going on a pilgrimage as our medieval forebears did, where the journey, walking, laughing, sharing, praying, singing, etc. is as

important as the destination. We stop at a pub for lunch and sleep on

the floors of church, school or community halls. We try to walk on footpaths not roads.

 

Our 2013 Pilgrimage takes us to the East and England's foremost Marian shrine-Walsingham, reflecting on the theme “To be a Pilgrim”, from John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress

 

Each day we worship together as a Christian community, journeying together and growing together in Christ-centred friendships. We stop to pray in the churches we pass, many of which are of architectural and historical interest, and all of which bring us into contact with the

communities we are passing through.

 

Our luggage is carried by van. Pilgrims make their own way to the start in St Albans and home from King’s Lynn (subject to demand, transport will be arranged from Walsingham to King’s Lynn, cost £5 per head).

 

COST: The cost is only £175 for the whole way (£135 for under 21’s), 7+ nights at £16 per night, 1 to 6 nights at £17 per night. Breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and an evening meal are all included in the cost

of the pilgrimage, which is organised by past pilgrims on a voluntary basis.

 

For more information click here  or contact: Monica McLauchlan, 20 South Avenue, Brighton, BN2 0BP  Tel. No. :  01273 680025  or visit: www.thepilgrims.org.uk  The closing date for applications is 30th June 2013.

A deposit of £25 is required to secure a booking.

 

 

Club Committee 2012-2013

 

(Please note: Addresses and telephone numbers are not included in this internet version of the programme)

 

President: Fr Peter Newby,                     

Parish Priest,                                            

St Mary Moorfields, 4-5 Eldon Street,                    

London EC2M 7LS                                                   

 

Secretary                                                           Membership Secretaries    Maurice Hickman,                                             Antoinette Adkins, 

                                                                            Henrietta Van-Zaelen,                                

 

Treasurer: Gillian McLauchlan.                          Ramble List Compiler

                                                                                                John Burbage,

Publicity Co-ordinator                                       Other Duties      

Robert Slater,                                                     Tony Norton,

                                                                             (Please refer any social events to him)

 

Committee Member

Noelle de Freitas

 

Obituaries

 

John Harris R.I.P.

It is with great sadness that the death of John Harris has to be announced. Please pray for the repose of his soul. He was quite well known both to past and present members of the Club,  His wife Esther organised many Club holidays with the H.F. Our thoughts go out to her and the other members of his family.  His funeral took place at the Earlham Crematorium in Norwich on Tuesday 19th of February.

 

Sister-in-Law of Noelle de Freitas R.I.P.

Noelle de Freitas lost her sister-in-law Gabrielle Waddington de Freitas who sadly died recently.  Please pray for the repose of her soul