Newsletter
January 2001

Club News and Views

Congratulations
On New Year’s Eve Jane Wood climbed her final Wainwright (Lakeland
Fell which A.Wainwright wrote about in one of his 7 Pictorial guides).

Wedding Congratulations
Congratulations to Robert Kipling and Wei Hei Woon who were married on 18 November.

Do you want a lift?
When given a lift to a CRC event or to the start of a walk, please don’t forget to contribute towards the petrol costs and parking charge. It all adds up, both in cash and also wear and tear on the car itself. Some drivers find it difficult to ask passengers for money - but why should they be out of pocket as well as doing the driving. Most companies reimburse their drivers at a rate of at least 25p a mile, depending on engine size. However, as few CRC drivers are out to make a profit, they may feel more comfortable accepting 10p a mile (per car) which covers the cost of petrol and contributes to upkeep for all but the largest cars. If you are being given a lift to an event, you should not assume that the driver can divert from their route to collect you from home; be prepared to travel (by public transport) to meet them on their route.

Prayer Diary
Here are some more suggestions to help you to pray for the Club on a regular basis. If you have suggestions for prayer subjects, please email the CRC WebWeaver

Week 1 - Praise God for His presence with us.
Week 2 - Pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).
Week 3 - For fellowship for those who are lonely.
Week 4 - For our walk with God even though we stray.
Week 5 - Thanks to God for safe and enjoyable events.
Week 6 - For the Dorset Local Group.
Week 7 - For those who lead events.
Week 8 - Thanks for the spring and new life.
Week 9 - For those who have lost someone they love.
Week 10 - That members will feel called to stand for committee.

Anne Arnold

North West local rambling group
“Can’t you think of a better name?” we were asked recently - so we thought, but couldn’t. The trouble is, you see, that our members come from all over the place - Chester, Liverpool, Northwich, Bolton, Blackburn, Greater Manchester and so on. Also our walks cover a very wide area ranging from North Wales up to the southern Lakes taking in Cheshire, Lancashire and parts of Derbyshire and Yorkshire on the way. This is marvellous of course because it provides us with some of the finest walking areas in the country - but it does not help when you have to describe it geographically! So perhaps “North West” is the nearest you can get to it.
Anyway, what about the group itself? Well we are about 12 years old and have 40 people on the books, with 15-20 attending the walks regularly and an age range of 7 to nearly 70! As indicated above, our walks (8-10 miles of moderate difficulty) take place in some of the most beautiful and varied scenery in the country!
We also do other things occasionally such as cycle rides, slide shows, musical evenings, games evenings and are always looking for new ideas. So if you live in the area, why not join us?

Stuart Wetters

Why not Recycle it?
It is amazing what you can recycle these days. We are all familiar with bottle and paper banks and charity shops for recycling our unwanted items, but that is not the end of the story. There are many items which we would discard without thought which can be used in less developed countries; for example, many opticians collect unwanted spectacles. The club (and many Christian bookshops) collect Christian books for Book Aid, who send them abroad to needy Christians; you can find their collection point nearest to you by phoning 020 8857 7794. But how about your old computer? Computer Resale have 25 branches around the country who will take in your old machine (even the club’s Amstrad) clean it and erase the data and distribute it abroad through Computer Aid International; phone 01223 305 007 for your nearest branch.
But why do we bother to recycle anything? I believe that as Christians we have a responsibility to use our resources wisely, remembering that God has given them to us. If we no longer require something and someone less advantaged can use it without great cost to us, surely we should share it with them rather than unnecessarily hoarding it or burying it in the ground as rubbish. We may not be able to do much about world debt but we might be able to make life easier for one person or one school by giving away what we no longer need. If you know an organisation which will recycle less usual items, please share details of it with others through the Newsletter.

News of YHA
A new hostel opened at Alstonfield in the Peak District in September. It is constructed from two 300 year old barns, one of which was once used as a Quaker Meeting House. Blaxhall is one of the Youth Hostels which have been refurbished in recent months, and improvements on others will be undertaken over the winter. YHA are always needing volunteers to help with hostel decoration, maintenance and gardening and are building a database of those with more specialist skills whom they can call upon from time to time. If you feel you could assist them, you should get in touch with a hostel local to where you live or, for specialist skills, contact Edwina Edwards at YHA PO Box 11, Matlock, Derbyshire DE4 2XA.

Have you tried ....... Pure silk thermal underwear?
Most of us are familiar with the concept of wearing a wicking base layer, insulating mid-layer(s) and a waterproof, windproof, breathable shell. Popular base layers include quick-drying synthetic fabrics such as Coolmax and Dryflo. However, did you know that pure silk is a natural alternative? It is featherlight, highly wickable, an excellent insulator and ideal for sensitive skin. Silk thermals are worn by RAF aircrew and by many explorers. I tried a long sleeved silk vest and long johns on the Snowdonia week and was most impressed. They were extremely comfortable, keeping me warm in the biting mountain top winds, yet cool and dry on the long uphill climbs. At £45 for the set they were not cheap, but neither are some of the technical fabrics. I bought mine by mail order from Patra Selections Ltd, 1-5, Nant Road, Childs Hill, London, NW2 2PS (Tel. 020 8209 1112). They also have a web site at www.patra.com

Sue Edwards

Book Review
The Jesus I Never Knew by Philip Yancey
The ‘image’ of the person of Jesus we carry within us is a result of years of subconscious exposure to Christian art and teaching, linked with some knowledge of Jewish life in first century Palestine. This ‘image’ conveniently balances His ‘manhood and deity’, and it affects our understanding of those beliefs we hold central to our Christian faith. With it we feel safe and for so many of us that’s what we like! However, those of you who are familiar with Philip Yancey’s writing will know that safe Christianity is not something he can tolerate for long! In ‘The Jesus I Never Knew’, Yancey once again unsettles our ‘safety zones’. He forces us to take a fresh look at the person of Jesus and the world into which our God courageously entered. He compels us to be honest and admit that our ‘image’ of Jesus fits nicely with our theology which, dare I say it, is nicely ‘middle class’. The book is a good read, exploring the real flesh and blood of the person of Jesus. It unmasks the man behind the mask the church so often makes him wear. This unmasking is full of surprises, at times disturbing, but never does it compromise the ‘man who was God’, or his teachings.
‘The Jesus I Never Knew’ is a book I will regularly return to in the future. Every chapter is tilted towards the unexpected and was for me a breath of fresh air, I recommend it to you. It has certainly contributed significantly to my journey of faith this year.

Alison Edwards

Reflections of Life - Frost
Frost coats every twig and leaf, blade of grass and cobweb with a coat of white fur. It makes everything stand out clearly by highlighting it, and making it larger in size with this thick white coat on. It really is a winter wonderland in a hard frost with an air of magic, excitement and anticipation. We can see the world transformed from everyday dullness, so maybe other magical events might happen. One magical event is to see a cobweb frosted over. The beauty and delicacy of the pattern is seen clearly, as we also see it sometimes on a misty day when the threads are hung with tiny jewels of moisture. The frost has touched something ordinary and often unseen, and has raised it to a thing of exquisite beauty and preciousness. Then there is the tracery of bare branches, now looking like expensive white lace.

John 10:10 “I have come that you might have life - life in all its fullness.”

Our lives take on an added beauty when God shares our days, and our most insignificant personalities and actions are highlighted when they are committed to His will and purpose. As we go about our lives knowing God is with us, we also have a heightened sense of excitement and anticipation because we expect God to work in our lives, and we wait to see what He will do next, knowing that it will always be for our good and often for our pleasure.

Jeremiah 29:11 “I alone know the plans I have for you , plans to bring you
prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.”

Romans 8:28 We know that in all things God works for the good of those who
love Him, those whom He has called according to his purpose.

Maureen Davis

Maureen’s reflections have been published in a book titled ‘Reflections of Life’ which is obtainable from Butterfly Press, 17 Hayes Close, New Marston, Oxford OX3 0DZ price £6.65 (inc P&P)

Christian Outdoor Networker
If you would like to receive this twice-yearly magazine, which includes articles from a number of Christian outdoor organisations, you should send £2 (cheques payable to ODM Creative Communication) with your name and address to: M Bianchi, 8 Lindisfarne, Biddick, Washington, Tyne & Wear NE38 7JR.

Countryside & Wildlife Notes
For a number of years now I have used Youth Hostels to enable me to visit nature reserves and other wildlife sites. I continue to be amazed by the opportunities this affords in observing wildlife. After the CRC event at Medway last autumn, I spent a full day on the Isle of Sheppey, which is off the north Kentish coast . This is a vast area of English Nature and RSPB reserves which is very rich in waders and wildfowl with many hides to view the birds at close range. There are also small mammals there and marsh frogs, which were introduced into Britain. While I was there I watched a flock of 180 avocets feeding; 50 years ago this would have been unheard of as they were extinct in Britain. Much work has been done since then to make conditions on some reserves suitable for them and they now regularly breed on the east coast from Kent to the Humber and the majority winter in Cornwall. In this case the area was originally salt marsh but was turned into farmland by the erection of sea walls; some parts of this have now again been flooded for use by the birds and the whole area is managed for wildlife.

Even near the new hostel in Liverpool there is an outstanding nature reserve; this lies within the Liverpool Freeport near Crosby. It is within an area with a lot of shipping activity and housing etc., but because of its position on Liverpool bay and its large freshwater and salt lagoons, it is amazing for the number of species of birds which have been recorded. Included in these are a number of rarer gulls. Although the gate to the Freeport is policed, there is a public right of way to the visitor’s centre and three hides on the reserve. It is also legal to drive a car through the gate so long as the vehicle is parked at the visitor’s centre. Last spring, quite amazingly, a colony of bee orchids appeared on the reserve. Because their seeds are so fine, these orchids can appear some distance from their nearest site providing conditions are right; equally they can as quickly disappear for several years. The conditions necessary for them are disturbed soil or an area closely grazed by rabbits, as at Seaforth.

It is possible to see red squirrels near a number of the Lake District hostels. At Patterdale, they can sometimes even be seen from the dining room feeding on the food put out for the birds.

Copt Oak hostel is extremely well placed for visiting Bradgate Park, near Leicester, which has fine herds of red and fallow deer. These are very approachable even though they are in semi-wild conditions.

John Ashworth

Better Safe than Sorry
Walking is meant to be fun, and most of the time it is. But what about that time you nearly suffered heat exhaustion on a hot summer day or the time you slipped on wet rock and almost sprained your ankle?
Like every activity in life, walking poses risks; the fun comes not when we eliminate the risks (if we did, we’d never set foot outside the bungalow) but when we recognise and manage the risks. Over 2 articles I’ll point out some of the hazards we face when walking, so that we can be better prepared and enjoy our walking.

Terrain
On difficult terrain (whatever your definition of ‘difficult’), the important thing is to take your time and not allow yourself to be rushed. If the ground isn’t too steep you may find a trekking pole helpful. Rocky ground is an obvious hazard. We may find it difficult to balance, especially if rocks are loose and move under us. On a steep rocky slope we may have to scramble a bit, or loose rocks may be dislodged by someone above. Scree slopes can be unpleasant to ascend or descend – allow sufficient time. Wet rocks are often slippery and a slip could leave you with a nasty bruise or worse. Wet grass can also be slippery and can make a descent tricky; but a slip is more likely to be frustrating than painful, unless there’s a cliff or lake beyond! Boggy ground slows progress considerably and is tiring to traverse.

Water and Low Level Hazards
Crossing a stream where there isn’t a bridge can be tricky; stepping stones may be too far apart or irregularly spaced and, higher up the stream, it may be difficult to find a crossing place, particularly if it is fast-flowing. Wooden bridges and rocks may also be slippery. Here, as elsewhere, a trekking pole helps. Hopefully, if there’s a fence to cross, there will be a stile. In wet weather, beware (I speak from painful experience), it may be slippery! Be careful as you climb over (use both hands!), especially if the rungs are not firmly fixed or one is missing. Sometimes, unfortunately, a barbed wire or electric fence has to be crossed (with care!). A walk may include a section of roadwalking; walk to face the oncoming traffic and beware at bends. If you’re still out as the light is fading, make sure you’re visible, wearing reflective armbands helps.

Final Comment: This is not meant to put you off walking - far from it! Rather, it’s intended to raise awareness so that we can take sensible precautions and maximise the likelihood of completing our walk without an accident.

Phil Nalpanis

Chairmans Chatter January 2001		Reports January 2001
	Newsletter Index

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