Seven Strollers left Moorhill House on Saturday and were joined by one more person at the YHA and two more at the White Buck. After a minor route finding problem on the outskirts of Burley we made good progress until we came to a boggy area where we spent some time choosing the place to cross which wouldn’t be too wet. Eventually we came to a path which ran alongside the A35 and Wilverley Inclosure. The rain which had been forecast finally arrived in the form of a heavy shower which fortunately did not last too long. By this time I was worried that we would miss our booking at the Old Station Cafe at Holmsley and in my distraction failed to read the map properly and got into a muddle. Fortunately they kept our table for us and we enjoyed our lunch, the Welsh Rarebit proving to be popular. Holmsley station was on the line from Brockenhurst to Ringwood and the line was closed in 1964. After lunch we followed the disused trackbed till we turned off to return to Burley by ascending Turf Hill. This was a gradual climb with one steep bit. On reaching the outskirts of Burley we said goodbye to the people from the YHA and the White Buck and returned to Moorhill House to get ready for dinner at the Carpenter’s Arms in Bransgore.
This was the second stage of the Norfolk coast path. We walked the first stage from Hunstanton to Wells next the Sea in April 2023. This stage took us eastwards from Wells to Sheringham. We based ourselves in the seaside town of Sheringham split between the Youth Hostel and an excellent B&B. Following uneventful train journeys on a Friday afternoon in late June we convened at the friendly Crown pub on East Cliff for our pre-ordered dinner. As it was a balmy mid summer evening we were able to watch the glorious sunset from the cliff top after our meal.
Jill Forgham writes: Bank holiday weekend would usually be Notting Hill carnival for me but this year I broke with tradition and left Neil to enjoy the parade so that I could explore Northumbria with the Polys. It was a decision well made!
The university accommodation bore little resemblance to my time in halls of residence – the size of the fridge! Two sofas! Very comfortable and not at all scary once we got used to crossing the double motorway to get into town. Gillian welcomed us to Newcastle with an excellent city tour and it was a lovely evening, the bridges and Victorian buildings looking so elegant in the northern light.
I chose the Middle walks for the first two days, to ease my body into the trip and then went for the Long walk on Bank Holiday Monday. Tuesday I allowed myself a free afternoon to sketch and paint on Lindisfarne and that regime worked perfectly for me, I managed it all without feeling too tired. It was such a nice balance of options, terrain and sights to see, I was extremely impressed with all the hard work that had gone into crafting our trip to the north. Continue reading AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND IN NORTHUMBRIA 2024→
Thursday May 23: Susan writes:
39 Poly Ramblers travelled to Milan Linate where we boarded our coach to Corniglio, unfortunately minus Melida’s suitcase, which had been left in London. We were somewhat disconcerted by the very heavy rain and the sight of the flooded fields for much of the journey. After two and a half hours we arrived at the family run Hotel le Mura in the little Apennine village of Corniglio where most of the group were staying. After unpacking and a quick aperitive at the hotel bar, we all gathered for our four course dinner at le Mura. Throughout our stay the staff couldn’t have done more to make us comfortable, nothing was too much trouble, including arranging for our guide to lend Melida her daughter’s walking boots. It was Jackie’s birthday, so we presented her with a delicious cake. However, we decided to eat it another day as the dinner had proved rather filling! Some of us then retired to the bar for a nightcap.
There were supposed to be 13 Poly Ramblers on the snow walking weekend to Germany but, unfortunately, Danny could not make it because of water supply problems in his brother’s flat. After arriving at Munich airport, we travelled on two trains and one bus to reach Reit im Winkl for the princely sum of €8.95 – a bargain! Two were staying in a guesthouse and the other 10 in two very comfortable apartments. After settling in, we went to the supermarket to buy supplies for breakfast and walked to Zum Eichhof restaurant where we had an excellent dinner. Continue reading SNOW-WALKING WEEKEND REIT IM WINKL – BAVARIAN ALPS – GERMANY 19-23 JANUARY 2024→
The Polytechnic Rambling Club – Walking with friends
