General News
White Horse Show, August 2010
The Area were present at this show on the bank holiday Monday and day before. Much interest was shown by the
public, particularly in the 'Guess the distance' competition for which ten routes had been prepared, with three
on display at any one time. Some people were so keen they asked for more than three goes. We were amazed how
well one nine-year-old girl was doing until we realised she was leaning over the table and looking at the
answers. Her quoting of the
exact distance was her undoing, but in the meantime she had gorged
on a couple of Mars bars. Another younger young lady burst in to tears when she only won a small chocolate bar
because her older brother had won a bigger bar. Who'd have thought that would be a problem? Lots of
complimentary copies of Walk were given out and there was interest throughout both days. See the gallery link
above for more photos. Many thanks to members of the Banbury & North
Oxfordshire, Vale and Weekend Walkers groups for their attendance.
Area AGM 2010 Update
Almost 50 members attended the recent AGM, successfully hosted by the Oxford group at Old Marston Oxford. The
walks prior to the AGM were ably led by Tony Dale and Keith Holly where members clambered over and through
many difficult stile like structures. The pub, nestling by the canal, provided a very efficient service, so
that members were soon back at Mortimer Hall to
meet Keith Roberts, Director of Campaigns at central office.
Keith gave a short explanation of current campaigns and had time to spare to answer members questions.
This was followed by the AGM meeting, where there was discussion relating to transport to walks, and the
organisation the county are using for
dealing with footpath problems. An explanation was
given over how
Oxford Area are planning to celebrate ramblers 75 years including ideas for the baton walk in November.
Keith Roberts has since said that he will be attending our event on June 26th on Shirburn Hill. The
committee were all re-elected
with the exception of
Jon Yeadon, Vice-chair, who had decided not to stand for re-election. There are
two vacancies on the committee, that of vice-chair and that of Publicity Officer
. The Area Chairman, Pat Lonergan, thanked Alan Bryden for chairing the meeting, and thanked also members
of the Oxford committee, who had helped make the day run so smoothly.
Area Annual Report 2009
The Area EC decided at its recent meeting not to print and distribute the annual report as previously. Copies
will be available at the AGM. If you wish to receive a copy beforehand please register your interest with the
Area Secretary, Susan Maguire, on 01491 575682 if you need a hard copy or at:
susan.maguire@tiscali.co.uk
for an email attachment.
The report will not be available until the New Year but this news item will contain a link to a pdf version and
be flagged in the news banner at the top of each of this site's pages. So, watch this space! Click
here to see a copy.
Get Walking Day, June 2009, Henley & Goring group
This was a glorious sunny day enjoyed by groups all over the country with record turnouts for their walks.
Unfortunately for Henley & Goring the Square was booked on that day and we had to have our Get Walking Day
event on 6 June. Glorious June it was not! I think it was the wettest day of the year so far! Nothing daunted
we pitched our smart new gazebo, festooned it with our smart new banners, blew up the balloons and set out our
posters and publicity material. Two led walks were laid on and people actually came and did the walks despite
the weather! It would be an exaggeration to say that we were overwhelmed by walkers or that people flocked
eagerly to the gazebo to find out more about Ramblers, but there was a steady trickle of interest and the
people who did the walks said they enjoyed them and would come again.
Get Walking Day, May 2009, Thame & Wheatley group
Thame & Wheatley Ramblers enjoyed fine weather on the weekend of 30th/31st May for their stall outside Thame
Town Hall on Saturday and their walk from Upper High Street on Sunday. These activities were all part of the
national Ramblers Get Walking Day campaign to encourage people to enjoy the benefits of walking. The stall
generated a lot of interest and consequently 30 members of the public joined about a dozen Ramblers on Sunday
morning for a 3½ mile walk to Moreton. The route used the Phoenix Trail (part of the Sustrans network of cycle
paths), minor roads through villages, footpaths across fields and paths through the Cuttle Brook Nature
Reserve in Thame. Everyone enjoyed the coffee and cakes provided at the end of the walk in Memorial hall,
Christchurch. Anyone interested in joining Ramblers or wanting more information on their activities and
organized walks should contact 01844 215624.
The Big Stride
Organised by Everyman, 'funding research to cross out male cancer'. The campaign is run by the Institute of
Cancer Research.
People are asked to organise their own walk for family and friends in aid of Everyman, the UK's leading male
cancer campaign. All money raised will go towards vital research into prostate and testicular cancer. The
walk can be anything from 1 mile in a local park to a ramble in the countryside.
Get everyone involved and in return people will be sent a free fundraising pack, full of ideas and advice, plus
a free T-shirt. For more information try the website -
www.everyman-campaign.org/thebigstride,
phone 0800 731 9468, or email:
thebigstride@icr.ac.uk.
Chairman's Thames Trek
The Area Chairman (and Mayor of Abingdon until 13 May 2009), Pat Lonergan, completed his Thames Trek on behalf
of the Mayor of Abingdon's charities on Saturday 2 May 2009. He walked up river from the centre of the Market
Place in Abingdon to Tadpole Bridge, just north north west of Buckland, a distance of 30 miles including a few
pub diversions. His mapping indicates a net height gain of 13 metres, so, as noted beforehand, he was climbing!
As promised to sponsors, he 'only' walked for ten hours, in fact 10 hours and 4 minutes. If you
wish to sponsor him retrospectively please do so
here, specifying a fixed amount or an amount per mile times,
obviously, 30 - same difference!
Lost Ways Project
This is now officially scrapped with the waste of many millions of pounds.
Not one lost way was found and claimed, and another downside is the 2026 deadline
for claiming paths on purely documentary evidence remains.
The RA is pushing for this to be either extended or abolished.
Highway Code Revisions
The RA is still advising walking groups to keep to
the right side of the road so that they are walking towards approaching traffic,
crossing over when you are about to approach the inside of a bend.
The Highway Code is referring to organised marches or sponsored walks,
with numbers much higher than those participating in RA led walks when suggesting
walking on the left with one’s back to the traffic.
Long awaited Marine Bill
This was published on 3 April and Part 9 is all about coastal access.
It requires the Secretary of State to establish (1) a long distance walking route around
the whole of the English coast and (2) a ‘margin’ of CRoW access land next to the route.
Natural England is in consultation with others and will establish the route and existing
legislation will be amended to enable this. Examples of proposed outcomes include:- (1)
Where the route does not use rights of way, the land that it crosses will be access land;
(2) The footpath will have a 4 metre wide margin of access land; (3) There will be fewer
reasons for excepted status and for temporary closures.
