South Manchester LDWA

Chair’s Report for 2023

We have had an active year with a record number of walks in our programme (since 2009).

However, the length of our walks has declined, which reflects the age profile of the members who are our most active walk leaders, although it is encouraging that this year we have had some new walk leaders leading longer walks.

In 2009 the total mileage of all walks was 384 miles on 23 walks with an average length of walk of 16.6 miles.

In 2023 the total mileage was 684 miles on 52 walks with an average of 13.1 miles.

The distribution of walk lengths shows that 34 out of 50 walks were 15 miles or under.

At last year’s AGM we suggested that week-end walks should be 16miles or over. In 2023, 13 of the 19 walks held at weekend were 16 miles or more.

Thanks to John Braide who has very successfully organised the walks programme this year.

In addition to our social walks programme we assisted at the Elephant, Bear and Bull Hundred in May. Seven members successfully ran the breakfast stop. Thanks to Gareth Phillips for organising the team. We applied, unsuccessfully, for some financial assistance for those travelling to Speyside for the Hundred in 2025. A small team will be making the long journey to Aberlour in May to provide breakfast on the Marshalls Walk.

Early in the year, Gareth gave a very interesting slide show about his travels to Antarctica and later in the year Duncan hosted his slide show of his trip to Orkney and Shetland. Our social events have been somewhat less than in previous years.

In September eight members of the group gathered in and around Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales. Thanks to Jerzy for organising the two walks one which took us up Buckden Pike and the other along the Wharfe Valley to Burnsall. We had a group meal at the Black Horse Hotel.

We assisted our friends in the High Peak Group at the Goyt Valley Challenge. It is pleasing to see that this event is now well-established in the calendar.

During 2023 considerable work was invested in the group’s new Challenge Event which will be called the Signpost Challenge and will be held on October 20^th 2024. Helen Gray has been coordinating the planning and we are very grateful to her for taking on this role. There will be two routes of 24 and 19 miles with four checkpoints, starting from, and finishing at, the Senior Citizens Hall in Marple. Participants will visit PNFS signposts - hence the name of the Event. All members are urged to contact Helen to offer their services to make the event a success.

Finally, I must thank Steve Osborne who has been our secretary for another year and Bridget who is our Treasurer. Thanks also to Duncan for looking after the website and John Braide, walks Secretary.