Editor: Keith Thompson Dateline: Sleaford Wednesday 13th November 2013

If you are receiving this Newsletter in hard copy it is because we think we do not have your email address. If you have an email address we can use please email it to the email address shown at the end of this Newsletter. You will receive the Newsletter each month delivered to your door and it will also save our funds.

Important: Please note that the telephone

number shown at the end of this Newsletter does not accept “withheld” or “number not available” numbers You can release your number on an individual call by dialling the number with the prefix 1470 providing you are a single-line customer connected to a digital exchange.

Happy Christmas: No doubt we are

one of the the first again but there is only 34 shopping days to Christmas and this is the last Newsletter before Christmas. Anyway the Committee wanted to take the opportunity of wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Hope you can make it to some of the Christmas social events we have included in the Newsletter. The evening ten pin bowling

on Friday 13th December, the Carol service is on Saturday 7th December, the Christmas walk and lunch at the Lord Nelson on 8th December and Pam's last walk of the year on 22nd December; something for everyone perhaps.

Carol Service: Please note that the Carol Service starts this year at 3pm on Saturday 7th December 2013

at Temple Bruer Church. If you could contribute some mince pies to have with the coffee or tea afterwards that would be very welcome. A decision was made at the AGM last year that we should try this new time for this year only as an experiment and extend it to future years if it was a success. It was felt that the isolated location of the church and the absence of lighting outside away from the church was not attractive. We

Photograph by kind permission of Chris Woods

understand Lincoln Group members will be attending again and the small church will therefore fill up very quickly so do not be late or you might find it difficult to find a seat.

Christmas Lunch: This year Ian and Jenny are leading a short 5 mile walk at Morton before lunch at

the Lord Nelson in Morton. We have booked to be there for 12.15 pm and be seated for the meal at 12.30pm. Please see the announcement in the panel below for details of the meal and in particular the requirement for non-walkers to advise Ian by telephone before hand. Details of the walk are shown under “Walks” below.

Coach Trip to Ripley on Sunday 1st September 2013: 31 people booked for this coach

trip and 28 travelled. This was a trip for walkers and steam train enthusiasts alike. David Mellor and Pam led separate walks through the Derbyshire/ Nottinghamshire countryside and the walks finished in sufficient time for everyone to be able to enjoy the large steam train museum site at Swanwick Junction before we returned to Butterley Station to get the coach back home. The weather was good and everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves.

Julia Pepper: At the AGM Julia stepped down from her job as Treasurer and from the committee for

health reasons which have also curtailed her enjoyment of walking in recent years. Nevertheless, in the three years I have been on the committee Julia has never missed a meeting which cannot have been easy for her at times and her forthright contributions to the meetings have always been useful. It is perhaps indicative of the success she brought to the job of Treasurer that in the process of vacating the seat she managed to secure £170 of funding for the coming year for the Group from head office. She joined the Ramblers at Sleaford just over five years ago and became treasurer two years later in succession to Peter Brown, a position she held for three years. We will miss Julia on the committee, thank her for her efforts as Treasurer and wish her all the luck in the world in the future and hope she will keep in touch with us now that she has retired from the committee andis no longer a member of Ramblers.

Joan Holland: A tribute by Jane Smith

Joan has been an active and dedicated member of The Sleaford Ramblers for more than 12 years. She has served on the Committee for 6 year and been Chairman for 3 years. In that time she has led from the front in Committee Matters and has along with David led many walks. We would like to express our sincere thanks to her for all the work that she has carried out on our behalf and look forward to walking many a mile with her in the future.

Accompanying this Newsletter is the Walk Lincolnshire 2014 programme and you

will see that once again Pam has managed to pull all the rabbits out of the hat and give us a complete programme of walks for next year. We have lost some of this year's walk leaders for next year but we have some new walk leaders and a couple of walks will be led by walk leaders from Boston Group. Pam and the committee would like to thank all the members and guests who lead walks for us as without them we would not have any walks to enjoy. The more walk leaders we have the more variety of walks we can introduce into our programme

The Walk Lincolnshire 2014 programme and, in some cases, the Newsletter is

lying on your door mat because of an army of volunteers who distribute for us throughout the area where are members are found. Out of 86 members only 6 copies have to go by Royal Mail. In many cases they come to Sleaford to collect their copies and in all cases they then walk the streets making their deliveries. As the editor I would like to take the opportunity of thanking them for their efforts.

Is there any interest in a week day walk? Particularly through the winter when there is no

evening walk on a Thursday. If there is some interest, what sort of distance would you like, which day would you like it to be, would you like it to be in the morning or the afternoon and would you be prepared to lead any of the walks? Answers please to Pam Timmerhues on email pamela.timmerhues@gmail.com or by telephone 01529 303921 or in a conversation on a walk.

The Committee, Keith Troughton and Mike Kennedy joined the committee at the AGM and we thank

them for joining the small band of volunteers who give up some of their time to help the Group. It is always good to see new faces on the committee because they bring with them new ideas and take some of the load off the existing committee members. Mike has taken over the Treasury role from Julia who has had to retire because of ill health. The most important person in the Group is the Treasurer because without them we cannot exist as a group at all. We are managing without a Chair person and we could manage with difficulty without a Secretary but a Treasurer is a must have.

Annual General Meeting on 27th October 2013 was attended by 22 members and 18

enjoyed a pre meeting walk with Joan and Dave even if Shirley did manage to disappear down a rabbit hole. As had previously been announced, Joan retired as Chair and Julia retired as Treasurer. Mike Kennedy and Keith Troughton have kindly volunteered to join the committee and Mike has agreed to take over from Julia as treasurer. We now have 6 members on the committee but we could do with more and it would be nice to have a chair person and a footpaths officer again. After a very nice lunch made up from contributions from members attending we had an interesting talk by Mark Schofield entitled “Life on the Verge” which was concerned with humans effects on the changing face of nature and how we could mend our ways to the benefit of the world around us with particular emphasis on wildlife in our roadside verges.

An Annual Walking Festival in South Lincolnshire: We have had no further

communications from the Project office concerning the proposed festival but we understand that the Project Co-ordinator, Nicki Jarvis, is spending some time in the area with businesses and local dignitaries with a view to getting a festival underway for the autumn of 2014

Coach Trips:

Market Bosworth: Walks, sight seeing and steam trains. The committee are looking into a possible coach trip to Market Bosworth on 8th June 2014. The actual walk may vary from that described here but this walk description does give you an idea of the flavour of the walk. This Leicestershire walk is centred on the Battle of Bosworth Field, the defining battle of the Wars of the Roses. Starting out from the quiet village of Sutton Cheyney where Yorkist King Richard II took his last mass the walk continues to the battlefield on Ambion Hill

before reverting to a towpath walk along the Ashby De La Zouch Canal. The walk leaves the towpath to track into Market Bosworth, a lovely place with lots of beautiful buildings. The finale is through resplendent Bosworth Park and past Spring Wood and then across and on the side of fields back to Sutton Cheyney. It's a delightful walk throughout.

Take a steam or diesel train ride through the countryside.

This heritage railway runs from Shakerstone to Market Bosworth and then on to Shenton. Shackerstone is the railway's main base, with a museum and tea room, and the Ashby Canal is just outside.Market Bosworth station still has the original signalbox and goods shed, and there are some other building rescued from other stations. Sheton Station is within walking distance of the Bosworth Battlefield Heritage Centre, so you can have a whole day out using the railway. The line closed in 1931, but special excursions were run until the final train in 1965, today the Shackerstone Railway Society runs steam and diesel trains on the track, with a round trip taking about an hour.

Ideas for September 14th Coach Trip: We are looking for ideas for a destination for the second coach trip of 2014. If members have any particular places they would want to suggest we should be pleased to hear about them whether or not you are prepared to lead the walk you recommend. An ideal location would have opportunities for sight seeing for non-walkers and the potential for a short walk of about 5 miles and a long walk of about 10 miles.

Sheila & Norman Pratt are organising a coach trip to Scotland in 2014 based on Lochs and Glens. The holiday is for 6 days and 5 nights at Loch Awe departing on Friday 19th September 2014 at £337 per person. Included in the itinerary is a trip to Isle of Mull and Iona and it looks to be a good walking area. They can be contacted at sheilaandnorman@ hotmail.co.uk . We understand there are 4 seats available at the time of going to press and a deposit of £30.00 will be required with any booking.

Pricing of coach trips seems to have become controversial of late so perhaps members would like to

let us have their view. The email address is at the end of this Newsletter.

First the facts. The buses cost £375.00 for 35 seats and we are not aloud to make a profit or subsidise the cost. If we could sell all the seats therefore the price would be £10.72 per seat but the numbers have been as low as 23 (which would be £16.31 per seat) and on the last trip we had 28 (£13.39 per seat). Up until now we have always repaid monies to people who have booked and paid but who, because of genuine reasons such as illness, have been unable to travel so long as we have covered the cost of the bus.

So what are the alternatives. On the present system if we assume 28 people will travel at £13.39 per seat and with a good chance of getting your money back if you are unable to travel, there would seem to be no advantage in not getting your booking in early. However nearly half the bookings arrive in the week before we go and the risk with this is that because of the low numbers the committee could have decided to play safe and cancel the trip two weeks before the due date in order to give proper notice to the bus company and avoid any costs in cancellation. Should we therefore give a £1 discount for booking made before 14 days before the coach trip date and add £2.00 to the price for booking made after that 14 day date.

What do you think or are you not bothered about coach trips at all?

WalksThe descriptions of the walks, if any, below are those given to us just before the Newsletter was published by the walk leaders and so are the most up to date details available to us. At the time of publication, errors and omissions excepted, the details contained in the Ramblers' Lincolnshire Area Walk Lincolnshire Programme are the most comprehensive details of the walk programme for the current year but the programme is prepared at the end of August in the previous year and things change for various reasons so please do not rely on this publication and check for any changes in this Newsletter, on Radio Lincolnshire on the morning of the walk and at http://Lincolnshire/group-walks/Sleaford or http://www.sleafordramblers.co.uk/2013-walk-programme.php

24th November 2013 – Tealby – Caroline is the walk leader – 10 am startA 7.5 mile walk in the Lincolnshire Wolds. Parking behind the village hall, we go out of Tealby village and through quiet, open and rolling landscape on mostly clear paths and tracks, and there are extensive views of the surrounding countryside

8th December 2013 – Lord Nelson at Morton – Ian and Jenny are the walk leaders – 10 am startThe walk will be about 5miles visiting the villages of Morton and Dyke before returning via Cawthorpe.

22nd December 2013 – Sapperton – Pam – 10 am startA choice of walks as we shall be doing a figure of 8 coming back to Sapperton for lunch. Each walk is about 5 miles. In the morning we go via Mill Hill Ropsley and Humby. In the afternoon we go via Pickworth and Hanby

5th January 2014 – Sleaford, Money's Mill Car Park – Harold – 10 am startA ten miles + walk going out along the River Slea to Haverholme Bridge and then on to Ruskington before returning to Sleaford through Leasingham Moor

19th January 2014 – Creeton – Keith Thompson – 10 am startMainly footpaths around Grimsthorpe Park. From Creeton we work our way round to Swinstead and then on to Bishopshall and Edenham where we stop for lunch. We get occasional views of Grimsthorpe Castle particularly at Maize Hill before we get to Edenham. After lunch we return to Creeton via Scottlethorpe and cross the Chestnut Avenue where we get another view of Grimsthorpe Castle. Nearly 11 miles.

2nd February 2014 – Potterhanworth – Pam – 10 am startPotterhanworth Great Wood along Car Dyke to Wasp Nest and then back via Nocton and Potterhanworth About 8 miles

16th February 2014 – Horncastle – Caroline – 10 am startWe'll meet at the Market Place and the walk is a 9 mile wide circuit of the Bain Valley around Horncastle, walking along the Viking Way in a couple of sections, with mainly flat walking at the base of the Wolds. We'll head North towards West Ashby, then South West towards Edington and down to Thimbleby, Langton and

Thornton. The walk finishes with a relaxing stroll along the Horncastle Canal back to the town centre. Depending on the weather, the walk may be muddy in places!

Part of the Ramblers' Association: Email address:web site:

sleafordramblers@gmail.comsleafordramblers.co.uk

A Company limited by guarantee Telephone Number:Fax:

01529 3001040870 7060224

Registration number 4458492 Address: 15 Clay Hill Road, Sleaford NG34 7TF

Charity Registration number 1093577 Walk-day Mobile: 07504 074925

Ramblers Traditional Carol ServiceOn

Saturday 7th December 2013

At

Temple Bruer Church

starting at

15.00 hours or 3 pm

This is a traditional Carol Service for the Ramblers and Tea or Coffee and mince pies are served afterwards Mince pies and help with the washing up would be appreciated.

Everyone is welcome

…......................................................................................................................................................................

CHRISTMAS LUNCH

Christmas Lunch and walk to be held on:

Sunday 8th December 2013 at 12.15 hours at:

the Lord Nelson, 2 Bourne Road, Morton, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 0RG

Lunch will be a carvery with a choice of 3 roasts plus hot and cold sweets( which the chef will decide on the day).Coffee and tea will be available and the cost is £4-95 for main course and £1-00 for sweets and £1-00 for coffee.

The pub will be open before the walk and the walkers can choose then to ensure it is ready on our return. People wishing to have a meal but who are not walking should arrive by 12-15 to choose their meal as I hope to have us sitting down for 12-30.

It would be helpful if non walkers could let me know beforehand if they are just coming to the meal so I can tell the landlord so he can set the tables. My phone number is 01778 570940

BOOKING FORM

Come and join Sleaford Ramblers for their Christmas Social

at

Ancaster Bowling, Woodlodge, Ancaster, NG32 3PY

for

2 games of TENPIN BOWLING and a BUFFET for £14 per person

orAnyone not wishing to Bowl may have a Buffet including a sweet

for £6 per person

7:30 until 10pm. On Friday 13 th December 2013

Fully Licensed Bar

Please book me................places for the bowling and the buffet and/or …...................places for buffet only

which I enclose herewith cheque to the value of £......................... (£14.00 x number of places booked) and/or

(£6.00 x number of buffet places booked)

Name:...........................................................................

email address:...................................................

Telephone Number: ….............................................................................................

Cheque payable to Sleaford & District Ramblers Group, should be sent before Sunday 1st December 2013 to Mike Kennedy, 7 Whitehouse Road, Ruskington, Sleaford NG34 7TP. Telephone 01526 832541 or mobile 07766 540764 or email mike_liz@btinternet.com