Henley & Goring Reports Archive
Chiltern Challenge Walk, 6 June 2010
Over 200 hundred walkers took part in the Sue Ryder Annual Chiltern Challenge Walk and more than £5000 was
raised for the Nettlebed hospice. Although the numbers walking were lower than last year, those who took part
were very positive in their feedback about the walk. The superbly signed 13 miles walk to Fingest and
Turville took in some of the most glorious Chilterns countryside. Checkpoints and water points were well
placed and welcoming. Even the weather was kind; fine all day but not too hot for comfortable walking. Many
people said that it was the best route they have ever had for the Chiltern Challenge. As a first time
Chiltern Challenge walker, I can’t compare, but I can say that it was an excellent walk and I thoroughly
enjoyed it. It is a must for next year’s diary!
Joan Clark
Cardigan, June 2010
Two spectacular cliff walks along the Pembroke and Ceridigion coastal paths and an exploration of the
Teifi estuary were the highlights of a recent trip by 20 Henley & Goring Ramblers to historic Cardigan
. The Ceridigion coastal path was only opened in 2008. We started with a tour of the town learning
something of its colourful history from the battles between the Normans and the Welsh to the bustling
19th century port that was the second busiest in Wales.
Now Cardigan is a small pretty market town
with a castle, a nature reserve and some great walking potential. Situated at the junction of the
Pembroke and Ceridigion coastal paths, Cardigan offers a choice of estuary, river and cliff walks. We
enjoyed all. We explored the Teifi estuary and wildlife reserve and the gorge like section leading to
Cilgerran where we visited the romantic ruins of Cilgerran castle before returning to Cardigan via the
paths and boardwalks across the estuary marshes of the wildlife reserve.
The cliff walks provided
dramatic scenery and the chance to spot seals and dolphins as well as a range of birds. We did not
entirely escape the rain, although one heavy shower kindly confined itself to the time we were having
lunch in the pub, another did not and a bedraggled group were very glad to see a cafe that was open
after a wet cliff top walk. Still the sun came out in the afternoon and we all dried out. Some of the
ladies spotted a charity knit-in notice, appealing for people to knit squares to make a giant cardigan
depicting the land, river and townscapes of Cardigan. Knitting squares proved to be a popular way of
relaxing between the end of a walk and dinner time. The finished products were handed over at the
local Tourist office. This was a new area for our Group but everyone enjoyed the trip and we can
certainly recommend the quality and variety of the walking in this part of Wales.
Skittles Evening, 14 May 2010
A skittles evening and pot luck supper held recently at the Salisbury Club, Queen Street, Henley
proved to be a fun evening for members. We were divided into teams of four who competed to see who
could thread the ball through the narrowest gap without knocking down any skittles. I don’t think that
was what we were meant to be doing but it seemed that most people found it easier to miss than hit the
skittles! As always the contributions to the pot luck supper were splendid. We have some excellent
cooks in our Group! Raffle prizes were donated by members of the committee and the winning team was
presented with bottles of wine.
A walk and afternoon tea in memory of Mavis Richardson, 14 April 2010
Mavis, who died in November, was one of the Group’s longest serving walk leaders. A large group met
at Henley Town Hall at 10.30 for a 9 miles walk via Bix and Greys Court. Friends and fellow group
members were asked to bring a packed lunch, as Mavis’s walks always featured a picnic rather than a
pub lunch. At the end of the walk people went for tea in the Margaret Day Room with home made jam
tarts cakes provided by members who have enjoyed the many cakes, tarts and pies Mavis made for
Henley & Goring social occasions over the years. A small charge covered the cost of room hire and
a donation was made to Cancer Research in memory of Mavis.
Get Walking Weekend in Henley, May 2010
What a difference the weather makes! Last year we sheltered shivering in our display tent in a rain
swept empty Falaise Square. This year any sheltering was from the hot sun! Last year our most notable
visitors were a group of bedraggled Duke of Edinburgh award walkers who took advantage of our offer of
a few minutes shelter from the driving rain in our gazebo.
This year Falaise Square was buzzing with
activity and we had a steady stream of visitors with quite a few of these signing up to join.
We are likely to get about 25 new members as a result of the day. The Square was buzzing with activity as we
shared the space with the first Henley Festival of Flowers. Last year our intrepid walks leader and
two others braved the cold and the rain for the Get Walking Day walk.
This year 18 donned their sun hats for the guided walk.
The walkers, a mix of new and existing members were taken on a tour of
Henley’s historic buildings before heading into the
countryside to Rotherfield Greys to see the
impressive Knollys effigy tomb in the church there and learn something of stories of the families who
owned Greys Court over the centuries.
Cotswold Way October 2009 to March 2010
Doing long distance linear walks in winter inevitably involves risks of bad weather. Undaunted Henley & Goring
Ramblers completed the 100 miles plus of the Cotswold Way from Chipping Camden to Bath over five weekends between
October and March. Winter linear walks are getting to be a regular feature of the Group programme. The South Downs,
North Downs, Three Castles and Shakespeare Ways have all been walked and a 160 mile walk from Pewsey White Horse to
Lyme Regis taking in parts of the Wiltshire White Horse circuit and the Wessex Way is being planned for winter
2010/2011.
What were the highlights of the Cotswold Way? They were many: five inches of perfect untrodden powder snow on the
hills round Uley Bury and Wotton under Edge on the February stage; the glorious glowing colour of the Cotswold stone
in the many picture postcard villages; the views over the Bristol Channel and the Severn bridges; tea in Sally Lunn’s
in Bath at the end of the walk. One delightful group tradition reinforced each month on this trip, is pre-dinner
champagne provided by whoever in the group has a birthday that month. Fortunately for me as there were 22 walkers on
the February leg, two others also had birthdays that month!
Chantry House Lecture and social evening, January 2010
For the last six years, the end of January has brought an enjoyable and informative evening out for our
members and friends: the annual Chantry House lecture. This year was no exception. Alan Copeland took us on a
fast moving photographic tour of some of the curiosities of the Chilterns. His pictures of the odd, the rare
and the unusual, together with his lively commentary provided fascinating insights into the history, customs
and lifestyles of people in our area in times past. The delightful surroundings of Henley’s only grade 1
listed building, a glass of wine, light refreshments, the chance to chat to old friends and make new ones
added to the enjoyment.
No Carols this Year: Snow Stops Service!
One of the most popular events in our programme is the annual Carol Service, Ramble and Lunch held just before
Christmas. This year looked to be no exception with over 60 people booking a place for the carol service in
Fingest Church, a walk in this lovely area of the Chilterns and lunch at the lChequers Inn. Sadly we were all
disappointed! The snow came down in such quantities that there was no chance of getting up the hills to the church
by car. The pub, while it might not have been the pub with no beer, had been snowed in and food deliveries had
not got through. With great regret we had to cancel the whole event. This is the first time this has happened
since we started the event a few years ago. Our members hope we won't have to do it again!
Walk Leaders and Helpers Festive Dinner, December 2009
We have had a Christmas Dinner for walk leaders for a number or years, but this year we decided to extend the
invitation to the many people who help on a regular basis in a variety of ways. The invitation went out to
setters-up, washers-up and clearers-up; to all the talented cooks who make delicious contributions to our suppers
and picnics; to BBQ chefs and assistants and to all who help make our social events as well as our walking and
trips programme so successful. The outcome was an enjoyable evening together at a Henley restaurant for almost 40
members. The food was good with a rage of options for those who did not feel like Turkey and Christmas Pud.
Everyone enjoyed the evening; I think this is an innovation that we will continue in future years.
AGM and Supper, November 2009
Our AGMs have been well supported for a number of years, possibly because a good supper is provided afterwards!
The 2009 meeting was no exception with over 60 members attending. The Chair, Susan Maguire, thanked the committee
and the members for their contributions to the Group’s ongoing success. She gave a special thank you to three
committee members who were standing down after at least 5 years: Carolyn and Brian Maunder and Tony Brown. Gill
Heaven was unanimously approved as new Membership Secretary. The Treasurer, Alan Reeves, explained that groups had
been asked to reduce their funding allocation from central office. Budgets have been adjusted to comply with this
request. One consequence is that the Area Annual Report and our Group’s Update mailing, usually sent by post in
January, will be sent by email only in order to reduce costs.
The committee for 2010 is
Chair: Susan Maguire
Secretary: Eileen Burroughs
Vice Chair: Eileen Burroughs
Treasurer: Alan Reeves
Footpaths: Robin Hanson
Publicity: Joan Clark
Membership: Gillian Heaven
Trips: Peter Stone and Susan Maguire
A Powerpoint presentation, devised by Susan Maguire, showed highlights of the Group’s activities and trips in
2009, and those planned for 2010. The finale of the evening was a delicious supper organised by Tilley Smith with
many dishes supplied by the members.
Our AGM and Supper was an enjoyable evening demonstrating the co-operation and friendship within the group.
The Lake District, September 2009
On a bright and sunny day in September, 22 members of the Henley & Goring Ramblers met up in Keswick for a
5-day break. This was the third holiday organised by the group in 2009, the earlier ones being to the
French Alps and Devon.
The first day the whole group walked over nearby Latrigg Fell enjoying watching the paragliders. The
following day the weather was not set so fair, and torrential rain and the forecast of gale force winds
meant that the walks had to be curtailed. Some retail therapy in Keswick’s many equipment shops cheered up
several members.
Two levels of walks were offered each day and the return of fine weather meant that all were able to take
place, although the lower level walks close to the lakes were very muddy underfoot. The higher-level group
had wonderful views from Helvellyn, seeing as far as the Solway Firth and the Scottish mountains.
Blencathra proved an exhilarating climb too, particularly for those who ventured on Sharp Edge ridge.
A lower level circular walk from Keswick up to Walla Crag produced its own spectacular views, enhanced by the
Air Ambulance landing just off the path on a training exercise.
Accommodation was in two comfortable B&Bs, and the evenings were extremely well organised, with meals in
various restaurants and a visit to the Theatre on the Lake.
The holiday ended with a leisurely return via Coniston with a sail on the lake and a visit to John Ruskin’s
house. It had been a friendly, challenging and enjoyable few days.
June 18th-25th - Verchaix in the French Alps
There aren’t many days when you can get a clear view of the magnificent Mont Blanc massif with all its needles
and teeth, but the last day of Henley and Goring Ramblers’ recent trip to the French Alps was one of them.
The Group had taken a “green” route using Euro star, TGV and hired cars for the final stretch from Lyon to
Verchaix. Verchaix is a small village, between Chamonix and Geneva, some 60 m above the river Giffre in the
Haute-Savoie on a south-facing slope. The hotel, La Terrasse de Verchaix, a small family owned and run hotel
positioned well-above the valley floor, with clear views and a large terrace, was outstanding.
The accommodation was excellent, as was the hotel food (which was local).
The patient attention of our hosts
to personal needs and dietary idiosyncrasies could not be faulted. The picnics were tasty and sustaining,
although eating them was a challenge to those of the group with aging chewing apparatus!
Food and fellowship are important for a good holiday, and the group had those in abundance, but how about the
walking, the ostensible purpose of the trip? The walks were very varied: easy and seriously hard; along
streams and rivers; through woods and forests; across low and high pastures; steep ups and steep downs; but all
wonderful! There were unexpected challenges to test the group’s mettle, which wasn’t always up to the test!
For instance some were daunted by a very wobbly footbridge across a deep gorge, other by a bridge and part of
a footpath that had been washed away by storms. There were fixed wire ropes in some of the more scary spots
where there was severe exposure. At times people got very hot but at other times, above 2000 metres, they
were freezing (even with woolly hats and gloves and winter jackets on). The experiences were challenging
but hugely enjoyable.
Late June is clearly peak season for wildlife. Sheep and cattle, carrying bells, were on the high pastures,
together with marmots, chamois, red squirrels, foxes, ibex and many birds. The pastures themselves were a sea
of colour, with a great variety of wild flowers, some of them quite rare. On two days the group had an
excellent local guide, Patrick, who was very knowledgeable about plants and animals, and especially the
medicinal uses of plants. The trip proved to be a veritable feast for the senses and a really memorable experience.
Barn Dance, June 2009
On Saturday June 27th forty H&G members and friends met at Nettlebed Hall for a very succesful Barn Dance.
Dancing to a live band, The Old Mole, the dancers were ably led through each dance by caller Ben Lobley who
had flown back from New York that afternoon especially for the event. Everyone enjoyed a sumptious two course
meal prepared and served by June Cross ably assisted by members. All agreed they had enjoyed an excellent
evening out.
Hope Cove, South Devon, May 2009 - A Walk and a Devon Cream Tea Every Day
A picturesque fishing village on a secluded bay, a welcoming hotel with
stunning views of the craggy coastline, a riot of wild flowers, the song of skylarks, lambs and calves in
every field, dramatic coastal and inland walks - what more could the visiting 22 Henley & Goring Ramblers
ask for? Oh, yes, cream teas at the end of the walks, splendid dinners and Alan’s quizzes and games. Walks
started from the hotel and people could choose a short or a longer route.
Sunny skies and sparkling turquoise seas enhanced the coastal path towards Salcombe.
Hedgerows, fields and woods were ablaze with the pinks,
blues, mauves and yellows of the abundant wild flowers. A walk in the Bantham hills was enlivened by the
lovely views of the Devon countryside with fields of cows and sheep guarding their young and the heady smell
of the white wild garlic flowers. A final day’s coastal walk ended with a stroll along a sandy beach and a
paddle in the sea. Appetites honed by the exercise of the day, the group tucked
into five course dinners, then exercised their brains with Alan’s quizzes and
puzzles. The ingenuity of the answers provided great last night entertainment
and much good-humoured banter between the two teams. Amazingly the result was a
draw! This was a trip with the feel good factor. Many thanks to Tilley and Tony
for introducing us to one of their favorite hotels and for organizing the trip so wonderfully.
Yorkshire dales in April 2009
Amazing hot sunshine, superb home cooking, wonderful walking, and excellent company sums up the Henley &
Goring’s Easter trip to Yorkshire .Led by a true Yorkshire man, Bruce Gomersall, 14 group members were shown
all that was good in Yorkshire. Based at a farmhouse near Pately Bridge in Nidderdale we enjoyed true Yorkshire
hospitality and real home cooking from hosts Mark and
his Mum. Each day was spent walking up hills
onto deserted moors, down dales and through idyllic villages surrounded by daffodils.
Every walk culminated in either a cream tea or a beer sitting outside basking in the sunshine. Walks passed
through places of historical interest. At Scar House Reservoir, built to supply water to Bradford, an
historian told the fascinating story of the
village built there to house the workers during the fifteen
years it took to build thedam. At Middlesmore we visited a beautiful daffodil surrounded church with a dramatic view over the dale much
admired by Ramblers’ Vice President, Janet Street Porter. The trip culminated with a walk in the grounds
surrounding the imposing ruins of Fountains Abbey.
Get Walking Day, June 2009
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.
Day out around the Northmoor Trust Estate, March 2009
Henley and Goring Ramblers enjoyed a varied and interesting day at the Northmoor Trust Estate near Little
Wittenham in Oxfordshire in March this year. We met at the impressive Trust education and visitor centre, Hill
Farm, for a welcome coffee on a sunny but cold spring day. The Trust has been around for some time, but the Hill
Farm centre, partly funded as a millennium project, was only built recently. It’s a lovely building in which the
Trust can host a wide range of activities: conservation work; projects with schools; family days; walks and talks
and courses for adults. On the day we visited a group were learning how to weave baskets and families with
children were coming to see the lambing and visit Timescape, the interactive exhibition that explores our
landscape over geological and well as historical time.
But for us, all that came later. First came the walk itself: very varied and interesting. We climbed Wittenham
Clumps, a famous Oxfordshire landmark that can be seen for miles around. One of the chalk Clumps, Castle Hill,
was once a Bronze Age hill fort and still has curved ramparts and ditches from the later Iron Age. A highlight
of the walk was a visit to Saint Peter’s church at Little Wittenham, a Norman church based on an earlier
Anglo-Saxon building. Another highlight was Day’s Lock and the bridge across the Thames which is host to the
annual Pooh Stick competition, due to take place the following day. Volunteers were preparing the bridge for the
expected crowds of children keen to compete to see whose stick would pass under the bridge first. Apparently
last year’s winner was a two year old!
Well exercised, feeling hungry and glad to be out of the wind, we returned to Hill Farm for lunch - good food at
very reasonable prices. Our guide for the aftenoon was Jane, who took us back up the Clumps with their wonderful
360 degree views of the area, to show us more of the work of the Trust which focuses on environmental
sustainability and practical conservation research.
We ended the day with a visit to Timescape and the firm intention of doing something like this again.
Oxfordshire Area Ramblers’ AGM hosted by Henley & Goring Ramblers, 31 January 2009
Nettlebed Village Club and Henley & Goring Ramblers played host to the Oxfordshire Area Annual General Meeting last
Saturday. The nine Oxfordshire local Ramblers’ groups take it in turn to host the AGM and Henley & Goring organised a
day that was combined the business of the AGM with an enjoyable day’s activities. Ramblers from all over the
county were greeted with warm drinks before forty of them set out in glorious winter sunshine for a hilly walk that
showcased the wonderful countryside we enjoy in our area. Despite the many stiles and the large number in the
group, they all made it back for a splendid hot lunch prepared by Henley member, Alison Broadbent and her helpers.
Janet Davies from the National Ramblers’ Association gave a presentation about the work being done to ensure that ‘lost’
paths and rights of way are researched and recorded on the definitive map before the cut-off point in 2026. The scale
of the task can be seen by noting that Oxfordshire alone has a backlog of 100 applications to process and only manages
3 or 4 a year. The process of getting a right of way on to the definitive map is slow and cumbersome. Janet is a member
of a working group looking for ways to speed up the process.
The AGM followed the presentation. Ways of encouraging people to use public transport to get to the starting points for
walks and changes to the way the grades of walks are defined were discussed; the creation of a database of information
about good starting points for walks to help walk leaders with their planning was announced
and the representative from a new group, Oxon Weekend Walkers, welcomed. The existing committee were
re-elected. Tea with homemade cakes, provided once again by the ever-willing Henley members, brought a useful and
enjoyable event to an end.
Fifth Annual Chantry House Lecture, January 2009
Henley’s historic Chantry House was packed to capacity for Henley & Goring Ramblers’ fifth Chantry House lecture and social evening.
This year’s topic was History Night: the stories behind the stones, the latest in a series that has included Red Kite
Night; Rocks Night; River Night and Maps Night. The lecturer, Lynn Holmes, wove a fascinating tapestry of historical
facts, legends, features of art and architectural interest together with the stories of the families in our local area
who rose to power and often came to a sticky end. The focus of the lecture was local churches. These quiet walls hide
many dramatic stories and links with great events and famous people from the past. The audience were particularly
interested to hear about the de la Pole family of Ewelme, builders of God’s House with its school, church and chantry
houses. A beautiful marble effigy on the tomb of the redoubtable Lady Alice, daughter of Geoffrey Chaucer, married
three times to powerful men all of whom met violent ends, gives no hint of the turbulent life this feisty survivor of
political turmoil lived.
The idea behind the lecture series is to add to the interest of walks in our area by knowing a bit more about the
things we see. After History Night we will certainly look at churches with new eyes!
Carol Service and Ramble: Vicar of Dibley Leads the Service, 18 December 2008
A lovely carol service was held in St. Bartholomew’s Church at Fingest, the
location of the TV Series, The Vicar of Dibley. The real Vicar of Dibley, well,
she is actually vicar of six local churches, led almost sixty Henley & Goring
Ramblers in the service during which they sang their favourite carols and
listened to Christmas bible readings by members. Thus spiritually refreshed,
the Ramblers, led by their Chairman Susan Maguire, set off on a leisurely ramble
through the lovely countryside, undoubtedly some of the best in the county. They
walked through Turville, Skirmett and Frieth under mostly grey skies. Rain
threatened at times, some of the tracks were muddy but nothing deters determined
Henley & Goring Ramblers! Even the hilly bits were not too strenuous thanks to
careful planning by the leader! By the time of the return to Fingest the group
were hungry, thirsty and rather muddy of foot. The Chequers Inn was warm and
welcoming and the group were well looked after by ‘mine host’ and his team. A
delicious hot buffet was served followed by a particularly delicious trifle.
Everyone enjoyed the day enormously and departed reluctantly to cars and home.
This was the first annual carol service walk to be held at Fingest, but I suspect
that it won’t be the last.
AGM and Social at the Christchurch Centre, 29 November 2008
Once again this proved a popular event with almost 60 members attending. The new committee (pictured) were elected
and a lively discussion about the merits of kissing gages and the control of dogs on walks followed. A slide show
on trips past and future provided interesting and sometimes amusing pictures; our compiler cannot be bribed by members
to take out embarrassing photos! The sit-down supper, a joint effort by members and the Social Secretary was superb
as usual.
Walk Leaders’ Annual Christmas Dinner, 12 December 2008
The Old House at Warren Row is a delightful place to gather for a festivel occasion. The food wasn’t bad either!
Walk Leaders’ and committee members, with their partners, enjoyed a convivial evening that gave us a good preparation
for what is to come at Christmas; we all ate too much!
Rambling in Bavaria, September 2008
Twenty-four members from Henley and Goring Ramblers arrived in Bayerisch
Eisenstein in Bavaria for a weeks walking led by Malcolm Wade. On the first day
we walked through the forest and crossed over briefly into the Czech Republic.
This crossing of the`border` was remarkable, given that a few years ago this
would have been a heavily guarded area.
Now there was little evidence of any border. The train station was also
divided, with one half in Germany and the other in the Czech Republic. Malcolm
and Lore led the main walks up to tops of mountains with a welcome café at the
summit. They also suggested harder and easier walks to suit the range of
abilities and inclinations of a varied group.
One highlight was a trip to Cesky Krumlov, a delightful walled Czech ancient
town. The accommodation was excellent with a fine breakfast and the evening
meals taken at a local hotel, which served gargantuan helpings. The weather was
kind to us and everybody enjoyed a fine week.
