January 2005 Newsletter
Chairman's introduction
Welcome back everyone, I hope you all had a good Christmas, and that any exams you may have had went well and that you are looking forward to loads more great walks. If you are new to our club this term, then don’t worry there’s still loads more great walks to come before June.
Our first weekend away is to Shropshire with some great walking promised on the Long Mynd, and the opportunity to stay in an old school house. While the second weekend, sees us visiting a new area, the Rhinog Mountains in North Wales, which will provide us with some great climbs and fantastic views of the sea. Later on in the term there will also be trips to Exmoor, so you can enjoy some Lorna Doone country over Easter and after the summer exams we will visit Snowdonia, which will allow us to end the year in one of the best walking areas in Britain.
Each Sunday there will be great walks for you to enjoy, in many different areas of South Wales including the Brecon Beacons, the Gower and Pembrokeshire, including some real club favourites like the Pembrokeshire Coast and Ystradfellte Waterfall Walk. Check out the Walks programme further on in the newsletter for more details and dates.
There are also several socials planned for you to enjoy and to help you get to know everyone in the club better. These include pub crawls, a Celidh (Barn dancing) and also orientbeering (come along and you’ll find out what it is!). The Dates of all of these and more are shown later on in the newsletter.
Finally there is also the all important AGM on Tuesday 8th February where you can help us elect the new committee for the next year. If you are a student who will still be in Swansea next year you can stand for one of the position and maybe you will bewriting this section next year! The committee positions are explained further on the next page.
Happy Walking!
George
Christmas Dinner Report
On Monday 6th December everyone got out their smartest suits, dresses and ties (if they had any) for the Hiking Club annual Christmas Dinner. This was held as a joint event with the Choral Society and was very well organised by Sarah and Izzy. The event was held at Swansea’s premier Christmas Dinner venue, the Oxwich Bay Hotel, which is far better than any of its’ competitors (mentioning no names!).
The tickets included the Christmas meal, a glass of wine, a disco and transport there and back. This made the event well worth it. There were about 70 people there, which was a perfect size because it was quite big but not too impersonal.
Everyone had a great night. The food was good and the high prices at the bar didn’t stop us from enjoying ourselves. One of the highlights was George’s Chairman’s Speech, in which he told us what we had learned this year – don’t let your rucksack fall down the mountainside, to remember that cider and night hikes are a bad combination and all the wonderful, pointless facts that one of our coach drivers had taught us about Cher!
The committee members were going to take part in a charity auction, in which Chris would sell his infamous ‘T’ middle name, but unfortunately this was cancelled so Chris’ middle name is still a mystery! Both Chris and I had to borrow musical Christmas ties from George. Unfortunately mine stopped working as soon as I put it on, and just made lame bleeping sounds. Luckily it started working again the next day: it probably just didn’t like me! (hmm… I wonder?? – ed)
The event was a great success and we’re all looking forward to going again next year, as well as going to some of the other socials planned for the next term, including orientbeering, the A-Z of Wind Street and the Celidh.
Joey
Cheddar (Cider) Gorge weekend away - 24th-26th November 2004
This weekend away was where certain members of the club (under the influence of Somerset loopy juice), decided to go out night hike of there own, but more of that later
On Friday 26th November we set off from Swansea on our epic trip to Somerset, finally arriving some two hours later and driving past the place we were staying, and having to turn round in the road! That night we took a trip to the local pub which despite being a stones throw away from a massive transmitter didn’t like people using mobile phones on the premises – some crazy people running a crazy pub!
On the next day we headed off at some un-godly hour of a Saturday morning to the famous Cheddar Gorge, and enjoyed a scenic drive down the gorge itself before parking and setting off on our walk. The first part of the walk involved walking up to a tower on the hillside, which we climbed up for a great view of the surrounding area and an interesting experiment to see if the whole group could squash onto the top level. Our pleasant walk then took us along the top of the gorge and up to the Mendip hills, finally finishing back in Cheddar. Some of us made a quick beeline for the chippy, however, some people had their sights set on getting something slightly stronger from a local cider farm…
Two hours later we arrived back at our accommodation armed with several gallons of cider. As we now had plenty of our own booze to drink, most people didn’t bother going to the pub, but this cider was stronger stuff than we had expected and caused some members to go wandering off on their own night hike and loose a map in the process (though somehow they managed to light a fire going in the rain!)
On the Next day we were off again, this time walking from the camping barn to Wells via the muddiest fields Somerset could throw at us! We had a few hours in Wells before starting on a journey that took four and a half hours due to the weather so delightfully closing the Severn Bridge off to us. Altogether though it was a good weekend with some great laughs, and I can’t wait for the next one to Shropshire in February.
Chris Laidler
The Committee Positions
Chairman – The boss, the leader. Responsible for organising meetings and making sure everyone else does their job. This person needs to have some committee experience.
Vice-Chairman – Has to cover for the Chairman if they are absent for some reason. They are also responsible for looking after all the clubs kit (needs a big room) and booking the transport for us to go on our walks.
Treasurer – In charge of the club’s finances, making sure the committee doesn’t bankrupt the club with all our grand spending plans. Also responsible for the Chairman’s private retirement fund in Switzerland.
Secretary – This important person needs to take notes from all the committee meetings that we hold. They also book all the accommodation for our weekends away, and phone the pubs at the end of our walks to warn them we are coming!
Social Secretary – Organises all of our socials, and then needs to ensure that we all get drunk while we go on them.
Press and Publicity – Keeps you all informed of what we are doing, by writing the emails to you all, and updating the club noticeboard. Would suit someone with artistic flair.
Webmaster – Keeps our amazing website up to date, to help you know what we are doing, and ensures that we can all see silly photos of each other on our walks. Don’t worry if you aren’t very good at computers, as full training will be provided!
Chris Jones
Walks Programme Spring and Summer Term 2005
January 2005
Sunday 23rd - Caerphilly Castle (A)
A good opportunity to begin working all those mince pies off, with an attractive walk to begin the year, with great views of the castle
Sunday 30th – Pembrokeshire Coast (A)
Pembrokeshire has some of the finest coastal walking in Britain, and we make sure you get to see the best of it, with some spectacular features along this walk
February 2005
Friday 4th – Sunday 6th – Shropshire Weekend Away (B)
Our first weekend away of 2005 sees us hopping across the border to Shropshire and the Long Mynd
Sunday 13th – Three Cliffs Bay (A)
The First walk for the new committee, takes us along the delightful Gower coastline and onto a pub lunch
Tuesday 15th - Rhossili Downs Night Hike (A)
Enjoy the peacefulness of Rhossili Beach at night.
Sunday 20th – Black Mountains (C)
Reckon you’re tough enough to join the SAS? Come and see where they train…
Sunday 27th – Bannau Sir Gaer (B)
This walk offers some spectacular views across the beautiful Brecon Beacons
March 2005
Friday 4th –Sunday 6th – Rhinogs Weekend Away (C)
Come and see where the people who live in Snowdonia think is the best place to walk before everyone else does
Sunday 13th – Merthyr Ramble (A/B)
Enjoy the Neath Valley, with a walk that contains hills and forests, so something for everyone!
Sunday 20th – Wednesday 23rd Easter Exmoor Camping Trip (A/B)
At a loss for what to do this Easter? Then come with us on our trip to Exmoor to see one of the most unspoilt areas of England, and be able to join us all round the campfire!
April 2005
Sunday 24th – Glamorgan Heritage Coast (A)
The cliffs here are truly fantastic, and if you are lucky you too might meet the Frisbee playing nudist!
May 2005
Sunday 1st – Lord Hereford’s Knob (C)
Stop sniggering! This is the longest walk we do all year, but the views from the top and the great pub at the end make it worthwhile
Tuesday 3rd – Three Cliffs Bay Night Hike and BBQ (A)
Enjoy the sun slowly setting over the Gower coastline, before getting some food cooked for you by committee
Sunday 8th – Ystradfellte Waterfall Walk (A)
Our last Sunday walk of the term is always most people’s favourite walk, as we will see countless waterfalls, as well as actually walking under one!
June 2005
Monday 13th – Thursday 16th – Snowdon Summer Trip (C)
One of the best areas for walking in Britain, with countless iconic hills, and endless possibilities, will we climb Snowdon? Tryfan? The Glyderau? Come along for an unforgettable trip that will help us to end the year on a high.
Spring and Summer Term Social Calendar 2005
1st February 2005 – Shropshire Sign-up and A-Z of Wind Street
You can sign –up for our exciting weekend away to Shropshire in JCs, before going on to Wind Street for yet another pub crawl with a twist!
8th February 2005 – AGM
Come and stand for the committee, or just to vote for them. It’s important to come as these people will be running your club next year (or you could even stand yourself!)
1st March 2005 –Rhinogs Sign-up and Laserquest
Sign-up for our brilliant new weekend and then come with as and shoot the new committee (or the old one to put them out of their misery perhaps? – ed.)
18th March 2005 – End of Term drinks in JCs
Come and meet up with everyone before we all go home for Easter, or to help you prepare for our Easter camping trip to Exmoor.
3rd April 2005 – Barbecue on the Beach
After our Three Cliffs Bay night hike we have a barbecue, and watch the sun set on the Gower, a simply unmissable sight
27th April 2005 - Orientbeering
Remember Joey’s report on Orientbeering in the last newsletter? Yes? Well now’s your chance to experience this legendary club tradition. Who would think that beer and map reading could mix so well?
6th May 2005 - Ceilidh
A unique, British cultural experience for you all. We will provide a live band and caller, and all you need to do is to bring your dancing shoes. This type of dancing is really easy for anyone to learn, and you will really regret missing it!
General Club Information
Club Noticeboard
Holds up to date information on the next Sunday Walk, Social and Weekend away, as well as committee contact details.
Walk Equipment
Please refer to the Equipment and Safety Rules, or the equipment rules on our website for information on what you will need for hikes.
Jeans and Trainers are not allowed
If you are unsuitably equipped, you will not be allowed on a walk for your own safety as well as everyone else’s
T-Shirt Competition
The winning design for the back of the t-shirt was by Susan Brähler, while Chris Laidler won the front design. Details on the t-shirts will be available soon!
