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NEWSLETTER November 2009 No 40 PENRITH GROUP OF THE RAMBLERS'. Editor: Bill Mossop (Tel. 01768 898204) |
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AGM VOTES TO CHANGE PENRITH'S "PECULIAR" WALKS GRADING SYSTEM. BY a large majority, the 2009 annual general meeting voted to adopt a new method of walks grading after secretary David Dixon emphasised the problems of Penrith's "peculiar" system. Gradings based on height and distance have been generally popular with members, but the well-attended meeting heard they were not clear to visitors and so much at odds with Ramblers' national system that Penrith walks were excluded from the "Walks Finder" facility on the national website. Approved by 37 votes to four, with four abstentions, the new system will not apply immediately because the December-March walks programme had already been drawn up. When the change takes place in April, existing walks groups C, B, B+ and A will be retained on Wednesdays, the main walks day, to indicate the pace of walks in addition to maintaining the social element that members like. The walk gradings will be defined as easy, moderately strenuous, strenuous or very strenuous, which are categories allied to standard descriptions of the terrain that can be expected and fitness requirements. If a walk takes place that is outside the usual scope of a group then consideration will be given to also providing a normal grade walk. Saturday walks will usually be moderate or strenuous. Contentious matter Proposing the change, secretary David Dixon said it was a contentious matter that had come up several times in recent years, but it was important that it was re-visited. Penrith had never complied with national guidelines for walks gradings and instead had its own peculiar system. Lake District Area Group altered the gradings when they put Penrith walks on their website, but Penrith was ignored on the national website "Walks Finder". "It would be fairer to walkers if they could fully understand the nature of the walk they were undertaking," he said. "Most of our regular walkers know what to expect, but new members and visitors risk finding a walk entirely different to what they anticipate. I know of four occasions when people joining an A walk have not understood what was involved. Making the change will help people come to reasoned conclusions." Seconding the proposal, Stewart Rainbow said the change would make Penrith's walks transparent to the outside world. Chairman Gaham Allan said the key would be the pace at which walks were conducted. Distance and height would no longer be the triggers although that information would still be provided because people wanted to know it. Giving an exaggerated example of how the system would work, David Dixon said that if the B group wanted to go up Everest, they would grade it very strenuous. Frances Bell said she did not think the
system would be safe to use in the mountains. It belonged in Surrey,
not Cumbria. Sue Marshall was concerned there might be confusion because the new gradings were not exactly the same as those used nationally. The chairman said it would be far better than the difficult situation that existed at the moment in trying to determine the nature of walks. David Dixon said the slight difference from the national standard was because Penrith has a slightly unique area. It was an attempt to get something reasonable. 100 on Wednesday walks Chairman Graham Allan reviewed what he described as a successful year. Many members walked regularly, regardless of weather or time of year. A recent Wednesday saw 100 walkers out, with the B group reaching a possible record of 42 and having to be split. The summer evening walks were revised to try and provide a "social feel", which boosted numbers. In June and July four linear walks were organised round the course of Isaac's Tea Trail in the North Pennines Walks, with an average 16 walkers each time and 10 completing the full trail, for which they were awarded a certificate. Three special Christmas-time walks that were part of the Ramblers' Winter Walks Festival were well subscribed, received considerable publicity and resulted in a number of new members. Next Easter an "away weekend" was being held in the Wooler and North Northumberland area. It was important to have these alternatives so the Group could look at and build on the walking opportunities offered. The embarrassment was that they were beginning to see people wanting to change their Ramblers group to Penrith, because they felt it had so much to offer. Secretary David Dixon said Ramblers nationally had been in financial difficulty over the past year, resulting in quite a lot of change. Central office no longer communicated by mail, all information being communicated via the website or by e-mail. Members would shortly be asked for e-mail addresses if they had them, which would keep cost down and make communication easier. Long-running dispute Footpaths secretary Alan Duval detailed his monitoring of proposed changes to rights of way and responses on behalf of the Group. The long-running dispute over a blocked path on Doddick Fell, on Blencathra, was destined to go to the Secretary of State for determination, the farmer involved having appealed against an order by the Lake District National Park Authority that the path be opened up again. Witnesses willing to give evidence in public of their former use of the path were being sought by the parish council. Expressions of surprise from the meeting greeted the information that while Cumbria County Council had cleared 137 problems on footpaths, another 104 had been reported to them. However, they were mostly minor problems and the picture was much better than 10 or 15 years ago. The County Council was doing a good deal of work quite quickly. A proposed development of holiday chalets in Low Borrowdale, near Tebay, was turned down by Eden District Council in April. The applicants were not appealing and it was thought that the site was up for sale. Membership secretary and website organiser John Walker said the Group had 366 members, an increase of seven. However, new members were having to wait rather a long time for confirmation of membership by headquarters. The Penrith website had nearly 21,000 visits, slightly up on last year. The most popular page was that concerning navigation, with 4,250 referrals, followed by the walks programme with 2,900. A sub-committee was set up to oversee development of the website, one suggestion being to have a blog which would allow exchange of views and ideas. However, it would require a volunteer to monitor all outside content placed on the site. Treasurer Philip Holland said the Area Group had agreed to fund the production of a new book of walks in the area that was due to appear in the next few months. Repayment would be from sale proceeds. A proposal by David Dixon, seconded by Stewart Rainbow, that the committee be asked to investigate the possibility of setting up an "Easy Access" programme of three or four part-day walks, over three or four miles, between September and April, was approved by the meeting. They could be comparable in style to the Thursday evening walks, but on any day of the week and possibly incorporating a social element. Programme secretary Les Allen, who was stepping down after several years in the post, said 289 walks were organised and led during the year, including 17 on Thursday evenings, four on Sundays and three special walks as part of the Festival of Winter Walks. A survey over eight months, for which Polly Allen and Marjorie Oakey collected data, showed that A group had a pool of 14 active walkers, B+ 43, B 30 and C 39. Responding to a member's reported dissatisfaction that there were no hard walks on a Saturday, the chairman said the number of walkers on that day was small and it was difficult to expand. The secretary added that when Roger Burgin put on some harder Saturday walks they had to be cancelled because of lack of support. The meeting heard that the Lake District Area Group had paid for two gates on access land on Wan Fell (Bowscar), but without the knowledge of Penrith Group or Great Salkeld Parish Council. Stewart Rainbow hoped that if the farmer of the land was happy with the help he derived from the gates he might be amenable to a closer access to the fell for Great Salkeld residents. Following the meeting, John Williams,
from Tirril, a long-service member of Patterdale Mountain Rescue Team
and retired police superintendent, gave a very informative and entertaining
talk entitled "Mountain Rescue - Will You Need Them?" Help for members hesitant about leading walks WITHOUT people willing to lead walks, Ramblers' groups could not operate. However, it is recognised that coming forward as a leader for the first time is a big step for many and that some help is often needed. With this in mind, Lake District Area of Ramblers is holding a free workshop and open day at Abbot Hall Social Centre, Kendal, on Saturday, 27tth February, to which anybody who is hesitant about leading walks is particularly invited. Led by Audrey Watson, Ramblers' training officer for the North West, the programme will include topics like designing and creating a walk, leading a walk, insurance and liability and special interest walks. Early application by e-mail for a place is essential, to perobin@gmail.com . Ernie Robin, Lake District Area Footpaths
Secretary, will issue e-tickets. Anybody without e-mail should seek
the help of a friend who has it. Five Lake District geology walks AS an innovation, the Area Group is staging Special Interest Walks in the Lake District during next year. Five walks devoted to geology will be led by geologist Colin Rowley, Kendal. They are intended to add a further dimension to Rambling and attract new members. If successful, walks devoted to other aspects of natural history could follow. The walks, which all start at 10am, are: Monday, 19th April, River Nent, Alston-Blagill. Approx 5 miles, 1,000ft of ascent. Meeting point and parking: Alston NY718465. Carboniferous sedimentary rocks of Yoredale facies, abandoned coal and mineral mines. Tuesday, 18th May, Torver Common. Approx 5 miles, 1,100ft ascent. Meet disused quarry SD289970. Igneous and sedimentary rocks of Ordovicia and Silurian age. Wednesday, 9th June, River Eden and Hoff Beck. Meet Appleby NY 682203. Approx. 8miles, 1,000ft ascent. Permian sandstones and breccias unconformably overlying reddened and dolomitised carboniferous strata. Thursday, 8th July, Glenderaterrra. Meet above Blencathra Centre NY302256. Approx 8 miles, 2,000ft ascent. Skiddaw granite and thermally metamorphosed Skiddaw slates. Monday, 20th September, Whitbarrow. Meet lane near Witherslack Hall School SD 437860. Approx 6miles, 1,300ft ascent. Lower carboniferous limestones unconformably overlying Silurian Kirkby Moor flags. For more details ring 01539 732995 or
01539 738428. A kissing gate too many PENRITH has lodged an objection to one of two kissing gates on a proposed diversion of a footpath at The Quiet Site, Matterdale, on the grounds that it "seems quite unnecessary". The diversion is round a reed bed. An objection has been lodged to a modification order affecting a footpath at Gin Case Barn, Calthwaite, on which the Secretary of State will rule following a public inquiry at Low Hesket Village Hall on 8th December. Proposals for modification of eroded
footpaths on Appleby golf course at Brackenber Common, in Murton parish,
have been welcomed. Sections of some paths are in danger of falling
into the beck. However the designation of a bridleway near Ellerholme
Farm is opposed. Penrith's Winter Festival walks FOUR Penrith walks to end 2009 and start
2010 are part of Ramblers' national Festival of Winter Walks. They
are to Hartley and Winton (4.5 miles leisurely) on Wednesday, 30th
December; High Cup Nick (10 miles moderate) also on 30th
December; to Measand, Haweswater, Thornthwaite Force and the Lowther
Valley on Thursday, 31st December (8.25 miles, moderate);
and to Red Tarn and Lanty's Tarn on New Year's Day, Friday, 1st
January (6.5 miles, moderate). * Following the success of the Isaac's
Tea Trail walk, another long-distance walk, staged over a number of
weeks with stages of no more than ten miles, is likely to appear in
the Penrith programme next year. Officers and committee for 2009-10 Chairman, Graham Allan (Tel. 01768 890390); secretary, David Dixon (01768 863155); membership secretary, John Walker (01768 895328); treasurer, Philip Holland (01768 840788); footpaths secretary, Alan Duval (017684 83727); walks programme secretary, Janet Arnison (01931 714305). Area Council representative, David Dixon; auditor and chalet committee representative, Roger Burgin. Committee members, Christine McNaughton, Sheila Watson, Bill Mossop (newsletter editor), John Upson, Polly Allen Walks co-ordinators: A, David Dixon (01768 890521); B+, Polly Allen (01768 840016); B, Keith Scott (01768 867112); C, Marjorie Oakey (Tel. 01768 890194); Saturday walks, John Upson (01768 863538); Thursday evening walks, Graham Allan (01768 890390). The Ramblers' Association
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