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Recent National Events

Listed below are details of National events organised in the last 12 months.

KIRKBY STEPHEN, CUMBRIAN PENNINES 25 - 27 July

We are staying in the attractive market town of Kirkby Stephen for a summer weekend of walking the valleys and fells of the Pennines. As usual, two grades of walks will be provided on both Saturday and Sunday led by Club members and the weekend starts with a meal on Friday evening.

Kirkby Stephen is a small town in the Upper Eden valley and is an area of Cumbria much less well known than the Lake District, but equally appealing. A traditional market town of historic buildings, cobbled yards, quaint corners and interesting shops, it is surrounded by a landscape of fells and dales with far reaching views of the Pennines and the wild and beautiful Mallerstang Valley.

Walking: Possible walks include the Poetry Path, the Nine Standards Rigg, a magnificent fell walk with amazing views leading up to a line of nine mysterious tall cairns or a linear walk on the fells above the Settle to Carlisle Railway line.

TraveI Information: Access to Kirkby Stephen is straightforward - it is 12 miles from junction 38 on the M6 and has a railway station on the famous Settle to Carlisle Railway line, about 1.5 miles west of the town.

Cost: The cost shown covers the accommodation for the weekend. All meals and packed lunches will be at extra cost (to be paid on the weekend) and will be provided by a mixture of self catering (as we did at Slimbridge in November) and meals out in local pubs.

Organiser: Ian

TOTLAND BAY, ISLE OF WIGHT 22 - 25 August

We have booked a superb coastal location for this year's August Bank Holiday Weekend - Totland Bay on the Isle of Wight.

The group has reserved spaces at the Youth Hostel for this 3-day walking break. The weekend will start with dinner on Friday evening (access to the hostel is from 5pm), and there will be led walks offered on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with a choice of grades. All meals are included in the price which also covers the cost of arranging the break. Individual YHA membership is not required because the Club has Group Membership.

Lord Mountbatten opened this Youth Hostel in 1975, once a large private Victorian house. It is situated in West Wight, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty much of which is owned by the National Trust. You'll find a wealth of wildlife all around whether you choose to walk on the downs or along the impressive chalk cliffs. Search for sealife in rock pools, brave the chairlift to explore Alum Bay, take the obligatory snapshot of the Needles or head inland on foot to escape the summer crowds.

Public Transport: Train to Lymington Pier Railway Station, then Ferry to Yarmouth, Isle of Wight. Bus No. 7 from Yarmouth to Totland.

Walks:
Sat 23rd Tennyson Down and The Needles, West Coast
Meet 09.15 at the Youth Hostel. A choice of 12 and 8 mile circular walks via Tennyson Down, Alum Bay Chine and The Needles. Both walks then cross Headon Warren and follow the coast to Colwell Bay. The longer walk continues to Fort Victoria Country Park while the shorter walk continues via Golden Hill Country Park; both walks then return via the Freshwater Way to Freshwater Bay for afternoon tea.
Sun 24th Brightstone and Compton Bays, South Coast
Catch 09.13 Bus (No.7) from Totland to Brightstone and Shorewell. A choice of 13 and 9 mile linear walks via Isle of Wight Pearl, taking in Brightstone and Compton Bays. The longer walk starts at Shorewell; the shorter walk at Brightstone. Both walks continue to Freshwater Bay with an option to return via Tennyson Down and the Monument.
Mon 25th Yarmouth and Hamstead Point, North Coast
Meet 10.50 at Yarmouth Ferry Terminal (10.39 Bus from Totland). A 9 mile circular walk via Hamstead Point, returning via Wellow and Thorley. A longer, 12 mile walk, will be available by walking from the Youth Hostel (dep. 09.30) along the disused railway line to Yarmouth. Walk as one party from Yarmouth. Return by bus to the Youth Hostel if required to collect car / luggage.

Organiser: Greg Wilson

TENBY, SOUTH PEMBROKESHIRE 6 - 13 September

Footprints "late-Summer" week has become one of the Club's most popular annual events and this year is likely to prove no exception as we head to TENBY in South Wales.

Tenby's Welsh name - Dinbych y Pysgod - means "Little Fort of the Fishes" and its most photographed scene is that of the pretty harbour around which there are pastel coloured Georgian houses. The town itself is much older and still retains its charming medieval character together with the crooked lanes that are enclosed within Tenby's surprisingly well preserved 13th century town walls.

Tenby is also one of the major stopping-off points along the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path (186 miles from Amroth in the south to St Dogmael's near Cardigan its most northerly point), providing walkers with a welcome interlude of glitter and excitement amidst mile upon mile of undulating cliff scenery. The national park boundary skirts around the edge of the town, and further along the coast are the two picturesque sandy stop-offs of Amroth and Saundersfoot. A few miles offshore from Tenby, the monastic Caldey Island makes for a pleasant day trip.

Access to Tenby can be by train (the railway station is at the western end of the town centre), National Express bus or by car. There are good bus services which may be used during the week to get to and from walks.

Accommodation: I have reserved accommodation at two nearby hotels on a bed and breakfast basis for 7 nights commencing Saturday 6th September. I have also identified several other nearby hotels which may be booked once the places at the above hotels have been filled. Both hotels offer en-suite facilities and are within walking distance of the beach and the town centre. Accommodation is in twin-bedded or *family-type rooms. *Family rooms consist of 2 beds and bunk beds. The cost is £231 per person which includes 7 nights bed and breakfast accommodation. Evening meals and packed lunches are NOT included within this price, nor is the cost of your travel to and from Tenby, or travel costs e.g. bus fares incurred during the holiday. Travel Insurance, if required, should be arranged independently.

Meals: I plan to pre-book the group for evening meals for Saturday and Sunday evening and I will advise the location of these in advance of the trip. If you don't want to join the Group for these please let me know. Packed lunches are not provided but there are plenty of shops in Tenby where provisions can be bought on a daily basis.

The Plan: The plan is to offer 5 days led walking including sections of the Coastal Path, with 1 non walking day (provisionally Wednesday). I would hope to circulate a programme in advance of the trip.

Organiser: Martin

LUXEMBOURG 19 - 22 September

This event has been cancelled.

BORROWDALE (LAKE DISTRICT) WEEKEND 10 - 11 October

Now an established regular on the Footprints programme, this year's visit to BORROWDALE moves into October but is likely to prove no less popular with EARLY BOOKINGS ADVISED!

The Club has booked places at the Glaramara Outdoor Centre for this 2 day walking weekend with an abundance of high mountains and great walking on our doorstep.

Set in the small hamlet of Seatoller, Glaramara was purpose built as a walking centre. The current owners have made tasteful improvements to the property which still retains its feel as an outdoor centre whilst offering excellent food and comfortable accommodation with a good selection of single and twin-bedded rooms.

Arriving on Friday afternoon the weekend will start with dinner at 7.30pm and we will offer led walks on Saturday and Sunday - both from the centre although local buses may be used - with a choice of grades.

We have not been able to book quite as many places as we would have liked so early bookings are strongly advised to secure your place. In view of the anticipated level of demand we will obtain details of alternative nearby accommodation to be used once places at Glaramara have been filled - please advise if you are interested or only wish stay at Glaramara.

RHAEADR, MID-WALES 14 - 16 November

Our November trip is to the attractive market town of Rhaeadr (Rhayader in the foreign language !) It's the oldest town in mid-Wales and is set in the beautiful Upper Wye Valley, surrounded by fantastic hill walking (the hills rise to over 700 metres) and it is also the gateway to the spectacular beauties of the Elan Valley reservoirs. There is wildlife in abundance and we will probably see the Red Kite, a bird of prey, once very rare but now making a comeback.
We are staying at an independent hostel which is a grade 2 Listed Building, where building was started in around 1784, with an extension built in about 1834. It was built as the bishops residence and was also the Bank Manager's house for the Midland Bank.
Probably our Saturday walk will take in the scenic Elan Valley Dams, which were built by Birmingham City Council to supply water for the city and its environs. (The dams supply water to the city that is 100 miles away via a pipeline that is gravity powered, this journey takes three days.) So, together with the Wye Valley, there's plenty of scope for 2 days autumn walking in attractive scenery and meeting up with your Footprints friends again!

Meals :

Transport is no great problem :- Manchester 2hrs 50 mins, Birmingham 2:15 by car or railway to Newtown (via Shrewsbury for example) and the X75 bus.

Organiser: Ian

BEVERLEY, EAST YORKSHIRE - POST CHRISTMAS BREAK

For our traditional club post Christmas break this year, we are staying in the County town of the East Riding of Yorkshire. We have the whole Hostel to ourselves for 4 nights from 28th December, it's easy to get to, having its own railway station and is dual carriageway linked to the M62. So meet your Footprints for some:

Beverley town is also very well known for its rich variety of public houses, such as The Sun Inn, the town's oldest public house dating back to the early 12th century. There are over 40 public houses in Beverley - the vast majority have been there for over a century. Beverley is also home to one of the last pubs in the world to still use authentic gas lighting - the White Horse Inn (or "Nellie's" to the local population) - where Ian spent an amount of his University education!

It's a self-catering Hostel, but don't let that put you off since food for breakfast and packed lunches will be provided and evening meals will be a mixture of eating out in the plentiful local hostelries, perhaps a take-away brought back to the Hostel and meals provided by some group members (helpers welcome !). There will be a charge for any of this food bought on your behalf, payable during the trip and this is not included in the price. Lots to look forward to there, so please book soon for a relaxing celebration of the New Year!

Organiser: Ian

THE NATIONAL FOREST 6 - 8 March

It's a brand-new (in 2008) Youth Hostel for our club weekend away in March in the National Forest, situated in the vicinity of Burton on Trent. It provides a fantastic eco-friendly base from which to explore this exciting 'forest in the making'. Attractions in the area include: Ashby-de-la-Zouch castle, the National Trust's Calke Abbey, Donnington-le-Heath manor house, Moira Furnace (an early 19th century blast furnace) and Ashby canal.

Accommodation
The club has reserved spaces at the Youth Hostel for this weekend walking break. The Hostel is well-equipped with a comfortable lounge, bar and licensed restaurant featuring local ales, organic wines and local produce from the National Forest. It also has a cycle store, parking and self-catering kitchen. All rooms have 2-4 beds and are en-suite. There are also many eco-friendly features in the Hostel to reduce the human impact on the environment.

Meals
All meals are included in the price which also covers the cost of arranging the break. Individual YHA membership is not required because the club has group membership.

Walks
There will be led walks offered on Saturday and Sunday with a choice of grades.

Travel Information
The nearest railway station is Burton on Trent (6 miles) and Arriva run buses from there. Macpherson Coaches run from Ashby de la Zouch. The M42 and A38 are nearby for car travel.

Organiser: Colin

CONISTON, LAKE DISTRICT 7 - 8 April

To make the Easter weekend break longer we have booked the Tuesday and Wednesday nights prior to the weekend at Holly How Youth Hostel in Coniston. All levels of walking routes, including the Old Man of Coniston, lead from the hostel's door. You can sail, canoe or cruise on the lake made famous by Donald Campbell's Bluebird, climb a classic Lake District crag or try pony trekking. John Ruskin's home and museum and lots of Arthur Ransome connections are nearby

Travel Information: For Sat Nav users the Postcode is LA21 2DD. From the M6, J36, take the A591, then the A5095 then left onto the A593 into the village. The hostel is on the right hand side before you reach the village centre. Parking is available at the hostel. The nearest rail station is Oxenholme then bus/taxi.

Accomodation: The group has reserved spaces at the Youth Hostel for the two days walking break. The weekend will start with dinner on Tuesday evening (access to the hostel is from 5pm).

Meals: All meals are included in the price which also covers the cost of arranging the break. Individual YHA membership is not required because the Club has Group Membership.

Walks: There will be a led walks offered on both days. If the group number is only small it may be decided to walk as one group.

Organiser: Ian

ELTERWATER, LAKE DISTRICT 9 - 13 April

We have booked the Easter weekend at Elterwater Youth Hostel in the Lake District. Converted from Elterwater's oldest farm, this property is superbly located for the Langdale fells in a popular but peaceful village. Accommodation is comfortable, warm and friendly, the food is good and the pub and village shop are close to hand. There are outdoor activities for all levels, with easy access to the Cumbria Way, road and mountain biking trails and crags for rock climbing.

Accommodation
The group has reserved spaces at the Youth Hostel for this four day walking break. The weekend will start with dinner on the Thursday evening (access to the Hostel is from 5pm).

Meals
All meals are included in the price which also covers the cost of arranging the break. Individual YHA membership is not required as the club has group membership.

Walks
There will be led walks offered on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, with choice of grades.

Travel Information
The nearest rail station is Oxenholme then bus/taxi.

For sat-nav users the postcode is LA22 8HX.

From the M6 J36, take the A591 then the A5095, left onto the A593, right onto the B5343 and into the viallage. There is no parking at the hostel, parking in the village.

Organiser: Louise

PORT ST MARY, ISLE OF MAN 23 - 30 May

This year, the Club will be visiting the Isle of Man, giving a week of led walking with your Footprints friends along its dramatic coastline - the part nearest to our accommodation has been likened to the Cornish coast. There is also the island's highest mountain, Snaefell, at 621m (2,036ft) for a more energetic walk and trip down by its own mountain railway.

The Island: It has a lot to recommend it with, apart form the above attractions, starkly beautiful hills, 17 glens in both coastal and hill areas, the haunting waterfalls of the Dhoon and Glen Maye and remote sandy beaches and hidden coves. On a clear day, it is possible to see Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England from the top of Snaefell. Plenty of scope for many enjoyable walks.

Accomodation: We will be staying in the same guest house, the Mallmore in Port St Mary, where the Club stayed 10 years ago. We have booked, 5 single rooms, 5 x 4 bed family rooms (which have a double bed and a 2 bed bunk in each room) and 2 x 2 bed bunk rooms www.mallmore.org Please indicate your bed type preference on the booking form. If the chosen type of bed is not available, you will be allocated another type of bed, unless you have ruled out other bed types.

Travel Information: Please book your own transport - a car ferry, the Steam Packet company, runs all year from Heysham (near Lancaster) and Liverpool to Douglas, the capital of the Island www.steam-packet.com There are some excellent through rail/ship tickets to/from every station in the UK www.25a.me.uk/iom/travel/rail-shipiomspco-200705.pdf or from www.festtravel.co.uk The airport is situated in the South end of the island near to Castletown and there is a bus service to Port St Mary, where the guest house is situated www.iom-airport.com

Getting Around: There is public transport available for getting around the island, but if necessary, we may consider hiring cars on the island for a part of the holiday, to reach the less accessible parts of the island.

Meals: Accommodation is on a bed and breakfast basis, so we will be 'eating out' in the evening. The guest house does not permit consumption of alcohol, but this should only create a problem for breakfast.

Walks: There will be led walks offered on most days with optional free days.

Cost: The B&B cost per person depends on the type of room; single £273, twin bunk £175. In a family room the double bed (single occupancy!) is £282 and bunks £160 each. For a family en-suite room the prices are £296 and £202.

Organiser: Ian

HALTON GILL, YORKSHIRE DALES 26 - 28 June

Sorry - this event has been cancelled.