Newsletter - May 2022


Hi everyone,

I hope you're all well and enjoying this lovely spell of warm weather. Along with Bea, Ben, Jeanette, Lucy, Maggie and Richard, I took part in this year's fabulous Capital Challenge, organised by the London LDWA. Their latest route explored the green spaces to the south and east of the city. If you get the chance to do it, I can highly recommend it. Bea's footwear provided the most laughs. As you can see from the photo there was no losing sight of her ... however hard we tried! In case you're wondering, they are Chlorophyll Green and Monterey Blue. As if that combination wasn't bad enough, Bea chose to add the fluorescent orange laces. Being in London, there was no shortage of clothing combinations on view to complement her footwear!

 

Lucy, Jeanette, Bea, Maggie, Ben and Richard at Cutty Sark (CP1)

 

Despite taking part in the excellent Bath Beat the day before, the highlight of the year so far was undoubtedly our very own Pewsey Downsaround (PDA) which took place on Sunday. I thoroughly enjoyed registration, which thanks to Andy's app went very smoothly. As I wasn't needed on checkpoint duty, I walked the 10-mile route. As much as I loved the route, the gluten-free lemon drizzle cake at Checkpoint 4 was to die for! There will be a full report from the PDA in the next newsletter, but I thought I'd share a couple of items of feedback that have been posted on Facebook:

From Sara Fabien:

"What an absolute treat LDWA Wiltshire’s Pewsey Downsaround was … I did the entire course with my mouth agape it was so stunning and the volunteers out there were quite simply amazing. The day threw up a lot of firsts for me too. Not one but two visible white chalk horses from the ridge line. A new stile style to navigate.Getting up close and personal with the Avebury standing stones and Silbury Hill. A calmness on the ridges I’ve never quite felt before … a strange and overwhelming feeling that you are walking in the exact footsteps of hundreds of thousands before you (weird but really lovely all at once!) A whole load of bovine nope standing on the trail before me (yep, I detoured). And my first blister, stabby heel pain (this idiot decided to wear new shoes for 35 miles on new to me terrain) and my first sunburn (wind and sun - that’s just a rooky mistake) I really took my time out there, the surroundings demanded it - and I really could have gone round again to drink it all in again. When do entries to next year’s event open?!?!? Apologies… the pics are good but they just don’t do this route justice!"

From Steve Roberts:

"Thanks to the Wiltshire Group for last weekends Pewsey Downaround...beautiful route & great support from the team at start/finish & checkpoint. We only did the 10.4 mile route ... a little livener for me after recent hip surgery & a first time experience for my other half, who initially agreed to come along in case my hip gave up but then really loved it & is now fast becoming an LDWA convert! Will definitely enter again next year & go for one of the longer routes...possibly be able to run a little by then too! Thanks a lot!"

We also received the following e-mail from Chris Dalton:

"Just wanted to say a huge thank you to you and all involved for today’s Pewsey Downsaround. It was my first experience of one of these walks and I was very impressed with the whole organisation of it. The route notes were excellent and so clear to follow. Everyone was so helpful and friendly. Thanks as well to all who supplied the lovely refreshments. I hope to do more in the future."

 

In this month's newsletter:

  • A reminder of the arrangements for the Trans Pennine 100 checkpoint; and
  • The usual round-up of Forthcoming Walks

 


 

Trans Pennine 100

 

From Lesley Bellis:

"The Wiltshire LDWA checkpoint will be available from 1200hrs and opens to entrants at 1245hrs, closing to entrants at 1732hrs (yes, really!), with the barn needing to be emptied by 1830hrs. We are 18 miles from the start and it will be very busy as the entrants won’t have had time to spread out. I doubt if we will have any retirees at our checkpoint.

Our menu is:

  • Hot drinks: tea and coffee
  • Cold Drinks: blackcurrant and orange squash, and water;
  • Jaffa cakes and currant slices
  • Individual bags of crisps;
  • Fruit: portions of kiwi, melon and apple;
  • Scones: fruit and plain;
  • Raspberry jam; and
  • Long life and soya milk

All utensils, kitchen equipment and cleaning products will be provided.

The above will be delivered to the checkpoint and the surplus, if any, is to be returned to HQ with the rubbish bags. Squash bottles are to be in a separate bag.

There is mobile phone coverage but no wi-fi. Raynet will be present though they will be in a van and we will have to feed them,

The address of our barn is Tinker and Sons, Park Head Lane, Birds Edge HD8 8XW. There is parking available for volunteers only. No supporters to park or enter the checkpoint. We will have to keep the front of the barn clear for event vehicles and the portaloo will also be parked there. Our parking will be around the back of the barn. I will be driving down on Wednesday to check out the barn and if there is anything you need to know I will e-mail you. We need to bring up the Wiltshire LDWA's folding tables and if anyone can squeeze a folding table into your car could you please let Andy know, also if you have a garden chair(s) you could also bring that would be a great help.

As our checkpoint closes at a reasonable time, there is a pub nearby called The Sovereign on Penistone Rd, approx 3/4 mile away from our checkpoint on the A625 and I suggest we go there for an evening meal. Please let me know asap if you are interested so I can book a table. It is a holiday weekend so I need to book asap.

The jobs on the day will be:

  • Meeter and greeter;
  • Registration;
  • Water;
  • Cold Drinks;
  • Hot drinks;
  • Replenishing snacks;
  • Tidying the tables/ collecting rubbish; and
  • Cleaning

I hope to see some of you at the PDA, if anyone has any queries, please e mail me at the usual address."

 


 

Forthcoming Walks

 

Finally, here's the usual look ahead to all the group walks and challenge events that are taking place this month within a 50-mile radius of the geographical centre of Wiltshire.

 

Date Name Type Mileage Organiser
Sun 1st May 2022 Birdlip Group  15 miles Bristol & West
Sat 7th May 2022 A Visit to Bradley Ellisfield - Event Details Updated Group  c18 miles Wessex
Sun 8th May 2022 A few old favourites Group  c20 miles Thames Valley
Thu 12th May 2022 Bluebell Walk Group  15 miles Wiltshire
Fri 13th - Sun 15th May 2022 3 Day Round the Island in May (IoW) Group  23, 23 or 26 miles Wessex
Sat 14th May 2022 Walk and Wessex AGM - Event Details Updated Group  10 miles Wessex
Sun 15th May 2022 A hint of blue perhaps Group  18+ miles Dorset
Sun 15th May 2022 Bottoms & Tops - Event Details Updated Group  18 miles Wiltshire
Sat 21st May 2022 North Wessex Noodle Group  21 miles London
Sun 22nd May 2022 A Break at Swyncombe Group  c15 miles Thames Valley
Sun 22nd May 2022 Cheselbourne Giant Group  25 miles Dorset
Thu 26th May 2022 Cirencester Parkland and Beyond Group  14 miles Wiltshire
Sat 28th May 2022 More with the Monarch - New Date Group  12 miles Bristol & West
Sat 28th May 2022 Pits, Tramroads and Wild Boars Group  18 miles Heart of England

 

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That's it for another newsletter. All our newsletters are available via the Wiltshire LDWA website. If you have anything to contribute to future editions, please can you get it to me by the 20th of each month. I look forward to seeing you out on our group walks this month.

Warmest regards

Clive

Secretary of the Wiltshire LDWA
wiltshire.secretary@ldwa.org.uk