Chairman's Message - Welcome to the new walks programme and newsletter. A big thanks
goes to all our existing walks leaders, and a plea for new leaders please. We are
in desperate need of new leaders, especially for the popular Tuesday walks, any ideas
where we can get these from would be appreciated. Please contact me on 01256 479951,
or e-mail Atstoneybroke@aol.com, or you could come along to the Group's AGM on Monday
17th November (details below) and make yourself known. The group really needs you.
My thanks goes out to our existing leaders for their continuing support and commitment.
Join our Group - for regular news of social events and changes please leave us your
email at this link.
Diary Dates
The Festival of Winter Walks will be from 26th December 2008 to the 4th January 2009
inclusive.
Social Events - Monday 16th February 2009 at the Queens Arms, again near the station
from 7.00pm.
Group Christmas Dinner - Monday 19th January 2009 at 7.30pm, venue is Galleto's Italian
Restaurant, Winchester Road (top of town), Basingstoke, if you would like to come
along then please contact Margaret Payne on 01256 353229. Closing date for booking
is 5th January and a deposit of £5/£10 per person will be required. Please phone
Margaret for more details.
Saving the Planet - and Your Pocket Too - Travelling to Walks by Public Transport!
There are walks that you can get to by bus or train in this programme and you can
purchase cheap fares for these. Stagecoach buses do Dayriders tickets, which, if
you need to use a number of buses can be quite a saving. It's worth looking at this
method of getting to a walk start point and getting home again. South West Trains,
First Great Western Trains and Southern Trains all offer group savers where you require
three or four people to form a group. You save more for a group of four people.
If two weeks' notice could be given then South West Trains do offer a ten of more
person big discount, but this would require the leader to be contacted two weeks
prior to the date of the walk in order to take advantage of this offer.
Please note - if you are planning to go on one of the more distant walks in the programme
by car rather than by train, it would be a great help to know that you are planning
on coming, so could you please contact the walk leader listed on the programme for
that walk the night before at the latest to confirm that you are going.
Welcome to New Members - Lynda and Barry Huntbach, Douglas Sellwood, Mrs P Stow,
Anthony Danes, Anthony and Laura Goodyer, Stephanie and Clarke Wardle and Tanya Hayes.
Advance Notice for 2009 - The Hampshire Area AGM, hosted this year by the Andover
Group, on Saturday 14th February 2009 2.00pm to 5.00pm at Penton Village Hall, Foxcotte
Lane, Penton Mewsey, Andover, SP11 0RA. There is a five mile before the meeting
at 11.00am. Guest speaker is Keith Robert, RA Campaigns Director. This is a great
opportunity to meet members of other Hampshire Groups and to learn a little more
about the RA's activities and work.
A New Edition of a Popular Local Walks Book - Stephen and Pam Turner recently published
a revised and updated edition of "Family Walks Around Hook, Hartley Wintney and Rotherwick".
Just like the earlier books in this popular series, it includes twelve easy walks
suitable for families. the walks described are between three an dive miles long
with easy to follow maps. The "Family Walks Around" series was founded by Bob Rose
in 1990, and have sold extremely well. As Bob's editions go out of print they will
be replaced by further updated versions by Stephen and Pam. they are currently working
on the next book "Family Walks Around The Blackwater Valley".
The new edition is available at £3.00 from Trees Newsagents in Hook, and bookshops
in Fleet and Farnborough, or may be ordered from your local bookshop. Please contact
Stephen and Pam on 01252 810852, or see www.elvethampublications.co.uk for further
information.
Walking The Way To Health
This scheme is operated by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. The walks are
for people who need help to improve their health or maybe to recover after illness
or an operation, and to restore their fitness levels. It is not a race! Walks start
from Eastrop Park on Mondays (except Bank Holidays) at 11.00 am. One walk is 50
- 60 minutes long, the second is 75 minutes (or 3.5 miles). On Thursdays walks start
from Down Grange at 11.00 am, Fridays at Popley at 11.00 am, and also from Tadley
at the same time. There are also evening walks all year round between 7.00 and 8.00
pm on a Wednesday. All walks are by trained leaders and back markers. For more
details please contact Jane Wilding on 01256 845574.
Footpath Problems
Please report by email any problems to Stuart Sherlock Stushurlock@hotmail.com and
to Hampshire Online at this address: http://www.hants.gov.uk/rh/row/problem-report.html
Finally, check out our footpath problems page.
Web Site - if you have anything you would like to add to this web-site including
photo's, you welcome to do so by emailing edjuon@hotmail.co.uk Please note that
Hampshire County Council has migrated this web-site, and our new site address is
www.ramblersnhd.hampshire.org.uk
© North Hampshire Downs Group of The Ramblers' Association 2008
