Newsletter

June 2004

Reports

 

Ivinghoe                    5 - 10 March             Training Event

 

After attending basic navigation in Stow-on-the-Wold last year, I decided to venture onto the weekend for leadership training, under the excellent guidance of Julie and Valerie.  They shared their experiences and we had lots of time to ask our questions and raise issues.

 

I had hoped for a quiet weekend, but shortly after we arrived three bus loads of Dutch teenagers arrived; nevertheless, peace and quiet were found amidst the hustle and bustle of the younger generation.

 

We planned a walk for Saturday as a joint effort, listening to each other’s plans for walks. On Saturday we had sessions on ‘event leading’ and ‘leadership style and group management’.  We then set off on our walk, six of us taking it in turn to lead a section.  We finished the day with an enjoyable evening meal, and a session on ‘safety’.

 

On Sunday we attended Tring Baptist Church, with coffee and doughnuts before the service.  Afterwards we set off on a five mile walk from Aldbury, giving the rest of the group a chance to lead, and of course culminating in the CRC tradition of a teashop.

 

It was a very enjoyable and worthwhile weekend, with a few of us volunteering to lead a weekend in the future (with back up help of course).  Thanks to Julie and Valerie for their help and patience.

 

Leaders         Julie Excell and Valerie Breeze

Report           Liz Nichols

 

Steps Bridge           19 - 21 March           Moderate

 

Friday night started off with a downpour of rain. We arrived in pitch darkness climbing up a steep ascent to the youth hostel perched up on a hill. There 11 of us tucked into Steve and Charlotte’s celebration engagement cake.

 

On Saturday the sun came out and we walked through woodland with the grounds covered in lovely daffodils. Our coffee stop was at a country pub, the Fingle Bridge Inn, where Nicky’s sister and nephews joined us. We walked up the hill when we encountered a short sharp outburst of hail. Lunch was at Castle Drogo - a National Trust property..

 

One of our party, who has performed as Mozart’s Queen of the Night, gave us tasters of her repertoire; it echoed through the woods. We walked back to Fingle Bridge Inn alongside a bubbling stream.

 

Back at the hostel we began to prepare the evening meal. A number of us were preparing vegetables when a discussion arose as to whether carrots really need to be peeled or not. The meal (with peeled carrots) not only turned out to be delicious, but it was also very hot. The choice was either curry or chilli followed by Nicky’s special apple crumble.

 

On Sunday morning we set out to a picturesque country church in a village called Dunsford only to find out that there was no Sunday service, so we held our own. Everyone in true biblical fashion participated by either playing the piano, giving a reading or saying a prayer. After the service some went out for a short walk, while others embarked on their journeys home.

 

Thank you Nicky and Duncan for a lovely and well-led weekend

 

Leader           Nicky Easton

Report           Evi Gstottner

 

 

Bala                            19 - 21 March           Moderate/Hard

Bala Backpackers 

 

Bala is a busy little town at one end of Llyn Tegid, situated in the middle of a green valley surrounded by hills - excellent walking country!  The new backpackers hostel was a scene of activity when we arrived as its first guests on Friday night.  The electrician, plumber and painter were all there helping to get it ready for us.  When Stella arrived  (sadly, she had been attending her father’s funeral that day), she soon had us helping with some cleaning and moving things into their correct places.  The new beds  proved very comfortable.

 

Arenig Fawr was to be the object of Saturday’s walk; but we were defeated by the wind.  In gusts of gale strength, most of the group reached Llyn Arenig Fawr where vertical columns of spray spiralled spectacularly up from the mountain lake like a tornado.  However, three of us misunderstood where the walk was due to start, and having missed the others and struggled against the wind at low level, we opted for a walk to the dam at Trawsfynydd and later watched some white water rafting/canoeing at Canolfan Tryweryn.

 

Leisure activities that evening included hanging curtains and assembling beds, before we sat down to the meal which Sharon had prepared for us. 

 

After church on Sunday, when we divided between the Church in Wales and the Evangelical Church, we had lunch at the hostel.   Stella then led us on a local walk which included lovely views of the lake and surrounding area, some wild ponies, a visit to the old Bala Youth Hostel, and the cottage where she spent many summer holidays as a teenager.

 

Many thanks to Stella for a most enjoyable weekend, and to Sharon for our Saturday meal.  We look forward to visiting Bala Backpackers again when all the work  is complete.

 

Leader           Stella Shaw

Report           Jane Wood

 

Bakewell                   2 - 4 April                   Cycling

 

Six of us arrived on the Friday night, and one joined on Saturday morning to do his own trips.  There was one reconditioned bike and one brand new one, two or three punctures and numerous gear and chain problems.  Honestly it was a great adventure, very team building!

 

I can recommend going away even if the weather forecast is not good.  We managed to miss the big downpours, whilst comfortably noshing Bakewell Tarts etc.

 

One member of the group brought and used an ‘emergency’ poncho, resembling a blue bin liner.  It did the job, but after scaring a group of horse riders and their horses it was taken off.

 

The cycle rides were fabulous, rolling hills, fields and sheep a novelty for the Londoners amongst the group, disused railways complete with old station, Chatsworth House in view.  A pre-lunch visit to the display in the church at Eyam about the bubonic plague put the saddle sore complaints into perspective.

 

On Saturday evening we all ate the hostel food and played Scrabble - each of us had our own version of the rules!  After the Sunday service, the group divided into cyclists and tourists but both had fun.

 

Thanks to the organizers; I would recommend a cycling event- you cover lots of ground and get a bonus walk  . . .  up the hills

 

Leader           Bob Harris

Report           Paula Rudland

 

 

Conwy                       8 - 12 April                Hard and Easy

 

 

Primrose bank was where we had Sunday lunch.

Aber Falls cascading 170 feet down a rock cliff.

Showers of rain fell on Good Friday as the hard party walked up Foel Fras.

Sun shone on Sunday as we walked to Tal y Fan.

I thought Dave Scott spoke well when he gave the Good Friday meditation.

On Monday, 4 carloads of CRCers drove through 5 gates on a road to a remote start.

Number of 22 people thoroughly enjoyed the Easter weekend.

 

One thought Conwy was great with its castle, town walls and splendid old houses.

Fine weather on Sunday helped the easy party around the Great Orme.

 

Church (Methodist) was packed on Easter Sunday.

Hymns: 10 were sung!

Risen Jesus – the reason for Easter and for living.

I liked the empty cross on which the congregation placed flowers – symbolic!

Saturday was great climbing Conwy Mountain and eating carrot cake.

Thanks to Peter and Ann Arnold for their gentle effective leadership.

 

Leaders          Peter and Ann Arnold

Report:           Steven Graham

 

Buttermere               8 - 2 April                   Moderate/Hard

Impressions of Easter

 

Up Red Pike a scramble at the top,
Hands which grasp at rock and earth are coloured red as henna,
A walk along the ridge with a view of white mist

Down, down, down, down our feet pattering on stone.

 

Lambs in the fields with sticky out ears,

Fresh faced daffodils of a delicate yellow,

A walk around a lake with trees like living driftwood,

Catkins hanging from hazel trees like new lambs tails.

 

“The Hired Man” at a theatre by a lake,

Local cast, local theme, tears at the end,

“The Passion of the Christ” gruelling for some,

Good Friday made more poignant by the content of the film?

 

Catbells in the sunshine with new and old friends,

Easter service in a chapel with hard backed pews,

and a dedication to Mr Wainright by a window near the back,

Easter Monday some more sunshine and a trip to Watendlath.

 

Leader           Geoffrey Payne

Report           Sheena Lee

 

 

Lynton                       8 - 12 April                Moderate

 

Hills, hills and yet more hills, on the road, off the road, usually 1 in 4 with hairpin bends, will be one of the abiding memories of Easter in Exmoor country.

 

Other memories flood in – the vast wild expanse of Exmoor, dissected by deep wooded valleys leading down to the sea – the yellow blaze of flowering gorse against emerald green grass and deep blue sea – dramatic coastal paths perched high above cliffs with the sea far below. But especially the fun, fellowship and laughter as we walked this remote unspoilt corner of England, and on Easter Sunday morning, at Porlock Methodist Church with an earnest young minister movingly recounting the Easter story.

 

The memories will last a long time.

 

Leader           Marion Emberson

Report           Stuart Wethers

 

Kendoon                  12 - 17 April              Moderate/Hard

 

The Galloway Hills are often overlooked by the tourists heading to the Highlands, but the region has a flavour all its own.  So come to the cairn on Cairnsmore of Carsphairn and discover a new tongue-twister.  Come to Carlin’s cairn, have the wind blow you off your feet on the ascent, and then find it miraculously calm and still inside the bowl shaped cairn itself.  Come to Kendoon youth hostel, whose heating keeps the corridors nice and toasty but leaves the dormitories frigid.

 

Walking from the Green Well of Scotland, we had a delightfully silly discussion on whether this Green Well was intended to serve the whole of Scotland, given its remoteness and if not how many others are there?  A scattering of raindrops raised the question of how many raindrops are required to constitute an actual shower.  God soon answered this with a brief hailstorm.  Someone’s guide book stated that red squirrels were often spotted here, but no spotted red squirrels were seen despite our best efforts.

 

A rainy day was spent in Gatehouse of Fleet, a mill town built from scratch in the 18th century.  Having toured the kilt makers and the town museum, we had lunch en voiture rather than al fresco, then took a walk in a nearby forest.  We ended on a well marked trail, albeit backwards, so that when we got to the end we found an excellent display telling us where we’d been.

 

 

On the last day we were fortunate to meet a fellow Christian who walked with us and turned out to be staying at the hotel where we had booked our valedictory meal that evening.  The week was ended on a high note as we ate together.  Thanks to Jane for organising everything, and to Barbara the Kendoon warden for making our stay such a pleasant one.

 

Leader           Jane Wood

Report           Simon Hartley

Artwork         Stephen David

 

Otterhampton          23 - 25 April              All grades

The CRC AGM

 

Blessing poured on those of us who attended this year’s AGM and not in the form of rain!  The sun shone and shone, lighting Somerset like a jewel and those who hiked along the Quantocks and those who strolled along the coast enjoyed the views. Hill House, our venue, was a beautiful building steeped in history.  The staff were lovely and we had a superb meal on Saturday night, with the pavlova disappearing very quickly.  The meeting that followed ran like clockwork and I’d like to offer my thanks to all the past members of the Committee and my prayers to the new.

 

“But those who trust in the Lord for help

Will find their strength renewed.

They will rise on wings like eagles”

 

This was message most of us took away from our time at Otterhampton. Sunday’s talk, by Jenni, left us in no doubt that this is what we should all be striving for and while I am not eager to be pushed from my nest to learn to fly, the idea of soaring through the heavens with ease makes it worth the scares and hard work.

 

God poured his blessings of sunshine, vistas, good food, great company and excellent teaching, on us all; from the youngest (three months and hardly heard to cry) to those of us more mature and I just offer thanks to God for His goodness.

 

Leaders         The Committee

Report           Ruth Scotford

 

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