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CerddwyrAberystwyth Ramblers
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Word from the Chairman, Chris Hodgson
(ernail: [email protected])
Dear Fellow walkers/members.
I would like to thank you all for your support and encouragementin the five months that I was electedby you to
Cttuit the Aberystwyh Group. You will find enclosedwith this Newsletter the summer wallcing prog.u*-" for the
Aberystwyth Ramblers Group - thank you to Chris Belsey our ProgrammeEditor for all the work he has done to
bring this to fruition. It is not easyto compile a balancedhalf year programmeof walks - we are very reliant on our
tremendouswalks leaders,the datesthey are available to lead and the type/gradeof walks that they submit to Chris
- so another big thank you to all of them. If any of you feel that there is an imbalance of any particular
grade/typellocationof walk then pleasemake sure you submit walks for the next programme(s) with the type of
walks you think we are lacking.
The Group has a committed and enthusiasticcommittee who endeavourto do their best for our members.We also
have active enthusiasticmemberswho are not on the committee but work hard to make our Group successful.
There is a lot to look forward to during the rest of this year. We have some super walks to look forward to; about
40 of us are going on a walking trip to Edinburgh; 37 walkers are coming to walk and socialise with us between the
5th and 12th July from our twin town - Kronberg im Taunus (pleasecome and take part in the walks and join the
last evening meal and drinks on Friday 11th July); and we have a walking weekend away in Tenby,
Pembrokeshirebetween10thand 12th October.
(Chairman:continued)
I am very mindful that not all of you are able to walk
with us, but we are grateful for your supportof our
charitableobjectives,especiallykeepingour Rights of
Way network open and in good condition and
protecting the natural beauty of our varied landscape.
Pleasevisit our new improvedwebsitefor up to date
inforrnation about our activities We also have
http://aberysfrvythramblers-org.ukl/cmrs/.
Judith Johnston'sexcellentRamblerscolumn in the
CambrianNews, Nigel Kelly's publicity fliers/writeups, David Taylor hasuploadedour walks programme
on to The Ramblers National Walks Finder which
publicises our walks throughout Britain, we have an up
to date Noticeboard by the Co-op in Aberystwl'th with
photographs/forlhcomingwalks and other information.
We are very grateful to our award winning Rights of
Way working party. They do great work so that we can
enjoy walking olrr paths.Have you seenthe recent
publication: "Pathsfor People"producedby the
CeredigionFootpathsworking pariy? - well worlh
looking at.
Enjoy your summer walking and thank you to
everyone who makes Aberysytwy'th Ramblers such a
specialGroup to belongto.
The Fence
There was a fence with spacesyott
Could loolcthrough if you wantedto.
An architect wha saw this thing
Stoodthereone stutrmet'evening,
Too/tottt the spaceswith great care
And built a castlein the air.
Thefence was utterly dumbfounded:
Eaclt post stood there with nothing round it.
A sight most terrible to see.
(They charged it with indecency)
WEEKEND AWAY IN TENBY
ocToBER 10-122014
Our October Week-End away this year will be in the
delightful resort of Tenby. Situatedon the beautiful
Pembrokeshirecoast line with its castle,harbour and
lovely beaches,Tenby, is an ideal location'for our
annual week end getaway.We willbe staying at The
Park Hotel, a comfortable hotel on the Coast Path
with delightful views of the harbour and Caldey
Island. The hotel has attractive rooms, a delightful
gardenand plenty ofparking - a real bonusin
Tenby.
As usual we will start the week end on the Friday,
October1Othuntil the afternoonof SundayOctober
12'l'. With 2 nights dinner, bed and breakfastand a
choiceof walks on all three days.
Pricesare:f 113 per personfor 2 nights dinner,bed
and breakfast (NO packed lunch)
Or
f.T27 perpersonfor 2 nights, dinner,bed and
breakfast and2 packed lunches.
We have been offered 5 single rooms with no single
supplementon a first come first servedbasis.
Further single rooms may incur a suppiementand
are limited in numbers.
As the hotel is not in the town centre as it has been
for the previous two years, the option of a packed
lunch'maybe a good choice. The hotel is about a 15
minute walk, in each direction, away from any
supermarketor food shop and there is poor parking
in the town centre .
For further details and to book contact Dwynwen on
01970 820166 or [email protected]
Ilrne 22"d. Deposits are f25 per person.
The architect then ran away
To Afric- or Americ-a1t.
ChristianMorgenstern
(translatedby R FC Hull)
Taken from Penguin'sMore Comic and CuriousVerse
(1 e 5 6 )
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Fi..ll:;i:r aal Ciraril i'
Elusen Gofteetr.eii:r "i 0935;/7
Fark Hotel, Tenby / Dinbychy Pysgod
I
Oman - a walk in JabalAk1rdar(,theGreenMountains)
Most walks in Jabal Akhdar involve an overnight camp but Wadi Qurai is close enoughto make it
there and back in a day. We were defeatedthe last time we tried the route with Eddy - an ex Royal
the three of us are
Marine but
to crack it this time, leaving
determined
heading south through the
early and
until we reach the wadi
mountains
entrance.
vehicles near a small
begin the walk in,
unexpectedly meeting an
couple gathering herbs who
elderly
warmly. A watercourse
greet us
Welsh leat and known in
similar to a
'falaj' runs high along the
Arabic as a
wadi carrying water all year
side of the
village. As we head further
round to the
in past groves of trees it narrows perceptibly until finally we come to a network of pools that have
been dammedto provide a constant supply of water for the falaj.
Leaving the
village we
Here the track turns and begins to climb steeplyover rugged and wild terrain. A family of wild
donkeys watch impassively from the heights before disappearingamong the boulders. We passthe
point at which we had turned back the first time and carry on for severalhours until an increasing
wind revealswe are near the top. We seethe walls of housesand Eddy advisesthat this is as far as we
clipq lyigg about o-qthe
should go. We stop to eat andhe picks up.somq-disEarded-amnun-ition
ground. Theseplateau villages were the last bastion of resistancein an insurrection many years before
that was put down with the help of the British, so it as well not to reveal our presence.
Job done we descendand return along the wadi, en route stopping to admire a fine example of ancient
Arab technology - the Siphon. Built higher on one bank than the other it forces water from the falaj
under the wadi bed and up the other side. As we leave we ndtice alarge tank below sometrees across
the main road, once used to water camel herds en route to the interior - and supplied with water via
the Wadi Qurai Siphon. JJ
FootpathVolunteerWorking Party
The sood news from 2073:
project finishes later this year. There do
Nine active volunteers,out on 54 days,66
gatesbrought back into working order, 1
not appearto be any replacements
imminent for theseexternally-funded
stiIe,2 bridges,36 way-markerposts,4
projects and hence for the employment of
setsof stepsand 3 boardwalks constructed,
pioneer clearanceon 31 different paths, in
the rangersserving as project officers on
them. In addition, there are now only two
some 1200 hours of volunteer effort given
to Ceredigion County Council. This is
full- time rangerson the Coast and
Countryside staff for the whole county;
equivalent to a full-time worker for more
than 8 months.
where were four about five years ago.
Without Ceredigion CC rangers to direct
And the bad news for 2014:
the work, the activities of the Working
The Pathsfor Peopleproject has come to
Party in2014 are likely to be well done on
an end (get your free copy of the attractive
booklet describingthe walks openedup by
the magnificent achievementsof last year.
it from the Tourist Information Office) and
Len Kerslev. Coordinator
the Ceredigion on Horsebackbridle path
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Where have we been? MalcolmTunleylooks backon past weekendsaway
Recently,5ue Greaveslwrote an interestingpieceon "our first weekendsaway".This,and anotherhighly
s uc c es s f ul
w e e k e n di n P o rth m a d o g
i n O c to ber20L3set someof us specul ati ng
how manysuchtri psw e
haveenjoyedover the years.Havingmissedvery few and beinga hoarderof pastprogrammes,I set about
m ak inga lis t.l t i s l i m i te dto th e s h o rt b re a k sw e makeover a w eekendand excl udes
the l ongertri psto
B r it t anyCr
, et e ,l re l a n de tc . C o rre c ti o nasn d a d di ti onsare w el comebecauseI am uncertai non somepoi nts;I
t hink f or ex amp l eth e re w a s n o tri p i n 2 0 0 1b ecauseof foot and mouth and I am not sureof exactdatesi n 2
or 3 cases.We startedwith one trip a year but for severalyearshad two outingsbeforesettlingmore
re c e n tl yw i th o ne per year usual l yi n October.
Y H= Y out hHos te l
May 7/9l-993 BroadhavenYH;May 6/8 1994 Broadhaven
YH; May 4/81995 BroadhavenYH;Sept8/10 1995
Llanber is Y H;
M a y t7 /1 9 1 ,9 9 6P l a s T a n y b w l ch
S tudyC entre;
S ept27/291996Manorbi erY HMaV
;
23/26
1997St BriavelsYH;Sept5/7 1997PlasTanybwlch;May 1,/41998PlasTanybwlch;Oct 1-6/tB1998
BroadhavenYH;May 1"4/16tggg ConwyYH; May t2/!4 2OOO
Llangollen;
Oct 6/8 2000 DanywenalltCentre;
(2001Footand Mouth); lune 7/9 2002 DanywenalltCentre;May t6/L8 2003 BangorYH;Oct L0/!2 2003
DanywenalltCentre;Oct 1,5/172004 LlynPeninsulanearAberdaron;Oct t4/16 2005LongMynd; MaV5/7
2006 Beddgelert;Oct 27/29 2006 OxwichBayGower;OcLl9/2I2007 Chepstow;Oct * * 2008 Llangollen;
Oct
g/tt 2009 UskValley;Oct 8/10 2010 NefynLlyn;Oct ** 201-tFishguard;Oct5/7 2012 Ludlow;Oct 78/2O
2013P or t hm a d o g .
David Morgan runs the Welsh Ponyand Cobstud at Pen-y-parc,Betws Bledrws,which Aber
Ramblersvisitedon their walk 13 November2013.rmaces
courtesy
ofNiget
Kely.
Chris' presentation to David Morgan
"Where did the jockeys fall"?
"Tired? Could anyone do with a ride"?
"My bet is on this horse"
1-. Cerddwr
-2012p2
AberRambler
lssue35 Winter/Spri
n9201,1,