Recent EventsThis is where you'll find reports from members who've been on outdoor activities with the group this year. We also have reports from 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2004. If you'd like to contribute a report, please send it to the , perhaps with some photos. |
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| March 2010 - Horsenden Hike | Photos |
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We set off from Sudbury Hill on a crisp but very bright and sunny morning - Mark O, Martha, Simon, Sue, Michelle, Lorna, Jackie, Chonde, Zhang, Emma - all so very confident in their leader's map reading skills! We managed to negotiate the busy traffic on Whitten Avenue and then headed into rural Horsenden Hill, going through mud and forest, spotting the wildlife along the way, an amazing heron. We got to the summit with no injuries or altitude sickness, and in brilliant sunshine admired the promised view of the surrounding counties. We then got onto the canal path and headed towards Willow Tree Marina - so lucky to have decided to take the route this particular week as we discovered that in a couple of Saturdays the canal route was to be closed for repairs! We set a good pace and chatted loads along the way. One tech stop and onwards we went, everyone building up an appetite for lunch and perhaps a drink or two! We got to the marina, which is truly a hidden gem behind the busy roads of Yeading, where we had lunch and some of us definitely put the world to right. We stayed and chatted for a good hour or so before heading back. Just reverse the above and you will get the route! We arrived back at the station and finished off in a little cafe for a cuppa which rounded off the day perfectly. Just to say thanks to all of you for joining my walk. I had a fab day out, great company and a good laugh. See you soon. Report by Carla |
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| February 2010 - Herts Cycle Ride | |
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A small group met at Harrow on Sunday for the joint ride with Harrow Cycle group (the local LCC group). As the rain had not eased off we agreed to do a shortened route taking in various canal paths and hidden cycle ways. We discovered an excellent route through Brent and stopped at the Ace Cafe again (this time it was full of Aston Villa supporters down for the League cup final). The rain had almost stopped by now so we continued along the canal towards Brentford before heading North via Brent valley park. Our route was just over 20 miles. We finished at the Black Horse pub by tradition and planned some more joint rides, to be announced. Report by Brian G |
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| February 2010 - Late For Your Date Walk | Photos |
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Nine members met this morning at 10am outside a grey-skied Princes Risborough station for my Late For Your Date walk. The walking comprised three main stages. The first was the route from Princes Risborough towards Thame where we followed a disused railway line, now the Phoenix Trail for cyclists, to the lovely village of Towersey. This marked the start of stage two and our passing through a number of quaint villages. We stopped at about 11.30 for tea at St Nicolas church in Kingsey where the vicar asked if we wanted to see the church as he would leave it open for us. We declined as we had muddy boots, instead having tea outside. We then reached the lovely old village of Haddenham, full of houses with thatched roofs and far too many pubs, quite a few still doing business. Some of us (not me) managed to visit two pubs and eat lunch in the hour and a bit we stayed there for lunch. We started by sitting outside the duck pond and eating lunch in front of the 13th century church of St Mary's the Virgin which is in the oldest part of the village. Whilst others were in the pubs, the rest of us did a circular walk around the village. After lunch we headed out past St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital and on to the village of Ford where on route we were accosted by some very friendly sheep and a pony. From Ford we embarked on the third stage of our walk, mostly following the major Aylesbury Ring path to Smokey Row, pausing mid-afternoon for tea at Kimble Wick. Our legs certainly got a good working along this path as much of it was through muddy fields. In the distance ahead we could see some of the Chiltern Hills which we gradually approached over the next few hours. We reached Princes Risborough station at about 5:15pm. The sky remained cloudly virtually all day, a few glimpses of sun but only a few drops of rain too. As promised there was no ascent, the 15 mile ish route really was very flat. Thanks to (girls) Emma, Erika and (guys) David H, Paddy, Paul S, Simon H, Stephen C, Steve N for joining me. Report by Steve R |
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| February 2010 - Valentine's Day Walk | |
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Roses are red, Violets are blue, We had a walk, Which was successful too. Sunday morning was a little damp and grey and with some spots of rain, but it did not deter Arthur, Mary, Phil, Jan and Jane, a potential new member who only found out about HAWOG on the day before my walk. We left at about 10:45, waiting for Derek and Prem who were running late. Under instruction from Derek, we departed, and both of them would meet up with us in Sarratt. Being Valentine's Day, all my lady walkers received a red rose from me! It begs the question what the "late for your date" walk did? From Watford Met station we made our way to Cassiobury Park, through the woods and eventually came out by Chandlers Cross, followed the footpath out, which went parallel to the M25, then we crossed the M25 and headed towards Sarratt, being not far away. In the meantime Prem had reserved a table for us in the Boot pub, by the log fire. Jane, Prem, Derek and I ordered food and drink. We were joined shortly afterwards by Mary, Phil, Arthur, and Jan, after they had finished their sandwiches, sitting in the cold on the green. The pub (The Boot) was not very crowded, and those who brought sandwiches wished they had ordered hot food, as it was very good. Derek and Prem joined us on the return walk to Rickmansworth. We picked up the Chiltern Way out of Sarratt, which led us to the Chess river valley. Then we followed the river Chess path back to Rickmansworth, once again crossing the M25, walking through Loudwater, with Prem making alternative route suggestions! With a rest stop we re-evaluated the remaining route and all continued on the course which I had set. We all made it to Rickmansworth, some of us feeling a little tired - I was going to walk the last leg of the route back to Watford but in the end I decided to catch the train back with the others. I had to take Derek and Prem back to their car in Sarratt, where we revisited the Boot pub for a cup of tea. The day was a pleasant 9 mile leisurely walk with no major navigation issues, varied scenery, meeting many other people. I was greeted by a enthusiastic friendly dog, which was then told off by its' owner and put back on its' lead! I would like to thank all who attended making a thoroughly enjoyable day. Report by Dave T |
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| February 2010 - Talk Then Walk | Photos |
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Seventeen attended our first training event of the year, the Talk Then Walk: Top Tips For Organisers. We held the day at a different venue from those in recent years, the Memorial Hall in the lovely traditional village of Aldbury which came recommended from another group. The venue comprised a few quirky rooms each with fire places and a main hall with high ceiling and stage. The content for the day was revised from our previous training days to cover our group-specific event organising protocol rather than just how to lead a walk. So we started by discussing the Submit An Event information on our website (our event forms, two programmes each year, locations, activities, accommodation, promotion, monies etc). Then expert Rambler Andrew Z came in and led a discussion about considerations in planning a walk followed by how to read a map. At lunch we agreed four groups each of which planned a 5 mile ish walk from Aldbury, each roughly heading in one of the quarters around the village. All departed the hall by 2pm and returned just after 4.30pm. At the end of the day attendees chose a number between 1 and 14 to select a location from which they would submit and lead a walk for our group's summer programme. The locations are all good places to lead walks from in the Chilterns, Thames Valley and Surrey Hills. As some attendees would pair up with others to lead their first walk the following seven locations were chosen: Aldbury, Cookham, Bourne End (Herts), Ivinghoe, Marlow, Penn, Wendover. Thanks to (girls) Anna, Chonde, Daveena, Emma, Lisa, Neena, Ngaire, Renu, Zermeen and (guys) Ashok, Mark, Paul, Simon for attending and hopefully taking your first steps to being able to plan a route, navigate in the countryside and contribute to our group's outdoor activities programme. And best of luck to our four teenage attendees with your Duke of Edinburgh award - hope the day was of value and you pass. Finally, a big thanks also to Andrew Z for again giving his time and sharing his knowledge of walk planning and maps with everyone and to Bob S and Mark O for each taking a group out and more importantly, ensuring they got back! Report by Steve R |
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| February 2010 - West Herts Workout | |
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It looked a fairly low turnout as we arrived at Berkhamsted station and I wondered if the walk's title had put people off coming until I decided to check the other side of the station and was delighted to discover that we would be 15 altogether. A murky misty morning put paid to some of the views I had promised but as we began with a series of short climbs and descents most of us were looking downwards trying to avoid the deepest muddy parts of the path. We kept up a fairly brisk pace which resulted in me nearly losing two but only for a minute or so. Reunited we stopped in the tiny village of Great Gaddesden for a hot cuppa. We then crossed the shallow river Gade and headed up towards Jockey End passing two large houses, Gaddesden Place and Golden Parsonage. Not having pre-walked the route added to the interest for me although walking at the back, or getting too deeply distracted in conversation nearly caused a couple of detours. At one point the path across 2 small fields offered an 'easier' route. At first we thought it merely avoided a couple of stiles but the ferocious looking goats with big horns glaring at us may have been the reason. We reached our lunch stop in Studham just after 1pm where quite a few wanted to know how far we had walked and more importantly how much further it would be. I was a little unsure at the time but can reveal, having checked later, that we had covered 9 miles and therefore the second half would be only 6. Lunch proved to be a freezing affair for nearly all, especially Mark B whose soup had gone stone cold in the flask. Only Emma ate in the nearby Red Lion. Mark O held out for 45 minutes and then had to be restrained from entering with the promise of a tipple at the end of the walk. After lunch the sun came out (for all of 5 minutes) but we quickly warmed up on the way back to Berkhamsted via Little Gaddesden and the Ashridge Estate. We finished just after 4pm despite some uncertainty on my part while negotiating the woods. Rule number one while leading a walk - never admit you're lost, it only causes anxiety. Lots of laughs and good banter from all, some not suitable for publication! Thank you to Steve R, Steve N, Emma H, Phil, Mark B, Helen, Mark O, Marin, Claire A, Richard, Paddy, Keith, and Clare N for joining Erika and me. Report by David H |
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| January 2010 - Indoor Climbing - Brunel | Photos |
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As a result of the indoor climbing time being changed to suit Brunel Climbing Wall's new rule, unfortunately a few people could not make it. Four people turned up for my indoor climbing event: Lee, Lingjie, Lily and me. The climbing wall was almost empty. We had enough space and time to practice tying a figure-of-eight knot, putting on the harness properly and setting up the belay device. Lee and Linjie enjoyed climbing and completed a grade 4 climbing route. Lee really surprised me, he even tried and completed a grade 5 climbing route with his trainer. That's almost unbelievable for a beginner. Lily did very well with the belay. After climbing we had a nice drink and a Chinese meal in Uxbridge. We had a great time. Because of Brunel climbing wall's new procedure, beginners have to monitored on a one-to-one basis by experienced climbers, so I called my friend Lenka to support us. I would like to take this opportunity to thank her. Report by Zhang |
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| January 2010 - Lewknor Walk | Photos |
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Twenty one members turned up to join me on the new members walk. It was a chilly morning with the temperature recorded as low as -4. There was a bit of delay to the start of the walk, one carload decided to go sightseeing round Ibstone. Anyway, the troops were getting cold so we set of briskly heading into Cowleaze wood. We emerged shortly into the bright morning sunshine and the first photo opportunity of the morning. We then headed through woodland to Beacon hill where we skirted round the edge of it, at this point I decided to detour and add a bit extra onto the walk. Some people commented about being lost but I'm sticking to my story. When back on track again we picked up the Ridgeway and had a few minutes break at the village of Lewknor. Shortly afterwards we stopped for lunch with the sun being kind to us in the corner of a field next to a very nice private garden. After lunch the route took us onto the Oxfordshire Way toward Pyrton where a group photograph was taken in front of the church, much to the amusement of passing cars wondering who had invaded their village. The final part of the walk took us uphill where a few photographs were taken of a spread out field of walkers. I think it was a great day's walking and hope everyone enjoyed the easy pace I set, and I hope to see both the new members and existing members that came along on a walk in the near future. I would like to thank all who turned up: Clare N, Brian F, Phil, Steve R, Richard E, Renu, Paul S, Erika, Dave H, Chonde, Emma H, Paddy, Mayur, Mary, Simon, Jane, John, Arthur R, Mark S, Marin and last but not least Keith. Report by Ian |
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| January 2010 - West Wycombe, 1936 and back | Photos |
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Sixteen attended my West Wycombe, 1936 and Back walk today. Weather looked positive in the morning, quite mild, light cloud and a touch of sun. We started with a climb and into woods heading south west to Lane End, then Frieth where we stopped for tea before lunch at Fingest. Some went into the Chequers Inn for lunch, a bit too literally for Pete who sat on a dainty looking bench next to their entrance and went crashing through. Thankfully ample padding meant no damage to the foundations of the inn. Those of us with packed lunches ate in the village and some of us (John, Paul and me) walked up to the windmill overlooking Turville for its' views over some Chiltern hills. After lunch we started our northern push through Bolter End and Wheeler End and the heading east into the woods and criss crossing our path out. Renu and Paul headed back for a short cut back to West Wycombe while the rest of us contined on through Booker Common and the outskirts of High Wycombe. We flirted with the edge of the town, only teasing mind, before heading back onto countryside paths and our final climb up Towerage and then back to West Wycombe during dusk. We arrived back just before 5pm. Distance about 13 ish miles. The afternoon weather was absolutely superb for a winter countryside walk. We had blue skies, a dash of clouds, and a lovely sunset with stretches of red and yellow. Tea and cake followed for those who wanted at my place. We discussed all sorts of things - alternative names for our group, why men with squeaky voices don't walk very well, stalking and walking, and one of us being banned and on the run from another outdoor activities group... Must have been something Erika added to the cake she brought along. Thanks to Clare, Erika, Mary, Renu; Bob, David, Keith, Paul, Paddy, Pete, Phil, Richard, Simon E, Simon H and Steve N for joining me. I'm looking forward to the next one. Report by Steve R |
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| January 2010 - New Year Cycle Ride | Photos |
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A record 33 cyclists met on a very cold but bright Sunday morning at Ealing. We had riders from ECC, HAWOG, Spokes, and Twickenham Cyclists. Steve N kindly volunteered to act as back marker and did a fine job at keeping the peloton together. Our route was a mixture of quiet back roads, cycle paths, and riverside and canal paths. After viewing the site of the Guinness Brewery we found the hidden entrance to Twyford Abbey, a neglected 18th century neo-Gothic palace glimpsed through the fencing, incongruous amidst new housing developments. We took the canal through Park Royal before deciding to stop for a warming coffee break at the famous Ace Cafe. We took over one section of it (surrounded by bikers) and viewed the many photos inside from its glory days in the 1950s. We then continued through the Brent river parklands to find ourselves at the Neasden Mandir Hindu temple, a masterpiece of marble carvings and sculptures. We managed to get a free guided tour from a friendly guide who explained some of the symbolism of the art works. We then headed north to reach Wembley Stadium via its hidden riverside approach. We took in the famous arch before continuing the route North West before heading south to Greenford Green and the Black Horse pub. We enjoyed a late lunch in the pub and were joined by a few cyclists who had not made the start time. Report by Brian G |
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| January 2010 - Diet Another Day | |
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Ten of us struggled out of our cosy beds on a bitterly cold Sunday morning, wondering if it would be worth the effort. Well it certainly was, as it turned out to be a glorious sunny day. We started our 8 mile journey at Chesham with a nice big hill to warm us all up (and a nice big lie from me that it was the only one - sorry!) Strolling through the frosted fields across the Chiltern plateau - originally a complete quagmire on my previous recce but thankfully frozen over (mostly), we passed some wooly llamas, made our way down to the Chess valley, past Latimer House, and finally along the river towards our very welcome pub in Chorleywood. A few brave souls ate their sandwiches outside, while four of us pigged out at the pub with a leg of lamb each. Steve R popped in for a cuppa and then we wandered down to Chorleywood station to make our way home. Thanks to everyone who came - newbies and not-quite-so-newbies - for making my first venture so enjoyable. It was a really lovely start to the year! Report by Talia |
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