Share the Vision
Tag Archives: Training
Adults & Individuals
1
Walking Programme for 2024
Wednesday Jan. 24th – Forest of Dean Sculpture Trail OL14 4.8miles
Park in the Speech House Road pay and display car park. Pick up a trail map, if you have not already printed from the link above, and follow the route round all 18 exhibits. Although this walk is only 4.8 miles, it is ideal for the shorter, colder days and gives us time to appreciate the art works, which will be more visible without foliage to hide them. There are plenty of opportunities to extend the walk if we so wish. Whatever we decide we will finish in the cafe for a hot drink.
Wednesday Feb. 21st – Saltway Loop OL45 8.81miles
Park in the Guiting Power Village Hall car park (honesty box). Walk through the village on to Castle Street and the Diamond and Warden’s Ways. Follow the trail through Guiting Wood, leaving the Diamond Way just before entering the woods. Now solely on the Warden’s Way. On leaving the wood ignore Campden Lane but take the Salt Path south. At Roel Gate pick up the Windrush Way and follow this to Hawling. Just before the village, on the site of a medieval village, turn sharp left. At the edge of a small woodland take a left hand path to a lane and then follow the stream to join the Diamond Way back to the village hall. Unfortunately, the Old Post Office Cafe in Guiting Power is not open on a Wednesday! We could adjourn to the Cotswold Farm Park cafe, which is 6 minutes away by car.
Wednesday Mar. 20th – St Briavels Castle Loop OL14 6.54miles
Park in the castle car park, if it is open. Otherwise find street parking as close to the castle as possible. Leave the village along Hewelsfield Lane on to path all the way to Hewelsfield. In Hewelsfield take Basnage Lane and drop steeply to join the Gloucestershire Way. Head north on the Gloucestershire Way up to Pillsbury Farm. Turn left and follow the path back to St Briavels with time to have a look at the castle and visit The Pantry for a cup of tea.
Wednesday Apr. 17th – Moreton In Marsh – Longborough – Bourton-on-the-Hill Loop OL45 8.72miles
Park in the Old Market Way, Moreton In Marsh GL56 0JY £2.70 for all day. Leave Moreton on the Monarch’s Way to Longborough. In Longborough pick up the Heart of England Way and head north to Bourton-on-the-Hill. Head west on A44 to pick up a path heading through Bourton Woods. This joins the B4479. Head north on road towards Blockley but turn right on to path that links up with the Heart of England Way/Monarch’s Way back to Moreton. Refresh in one of the many cafes.
Wednesday May 15th – Bromyard Herefordshire Way OS Explorer 202 8.94miles
Park in Tenbury Road car park in Bromyard (Grid Ref. 653547) £1.50 over 4 hours RingGo
Leave Bromyard by heading south, crossing the A44 and bypass the hospital to pick up the Herefordshire Trail south, passing several farms to Paunton Court. Take the lane to Acton Beauchamp. Find path leading north to Stanford Bishop, on to Scar Farm. Continue in a NNW direction until you meet up with the dismantled railway line. Follow the railway line into Bromyard and back to the car park.
Wednesday June 19th – Avening Loop to include a circuit of Chavenage House
OS Explorer 168 8.7miles
Street parking (unless I can arrange an alternative) in Avening close to the Queen Matilda Country Inn. Head west to Church Farm to pick up the MacMillan Way. Head south to Chavenage House. Continue on MacMillan Way to west of the house, then loop round to the south of the house. Pick up the lane and head back towards the house. Continue along lane to pick up a path on the right at Ledgemoor Road Cottages. Drop down to Ledgemoor Bottom, then continue up to Shipstons Grave Lane. Follow this north, then turn east all the way back into Avening and the Avening Community Cafe.
Wednesday July 17th – River Frome/Stroudwater Canal Loop OS Explorer 168
7.74miles
Probably street parking in Fromebridge close to the Fromebridge Mill. The route follows the River Frome passing under the A38 and then the M5. As we head further east the hum of the motorway will diminish but we will never be far from busy roads. We stick to the River Frome as far as the outskirts of King’s Stanley where we cross the A419 to pick up the Thames and Severn Way, which now runs along the towpath of the Stroudwater Canal. This takes us all the way back to Fromebridge where we hope to take some refreshment at the Fromebridge Mill.
Wednesday Aug. 21st – Between the Rivers OS Explorer 167 6.77miles
Park in the pay and display car park in The Park (Grid ref. 558994) just off the B4228
Cross the road and take the path across Beacon Ash and Poor’s Allotment. Join the lane and turn left to find the Gloucestershire Way and follow it to Broughspring. Head west along the lane to join Offa’s Dyke Path on the B4228. Head north, leaving the road shortly afterwards, to continue along Offa’s Dyke to Beeches Farm Camp Site. Take Miss Graces Lane south to find a path across the Park that will return us to our vehicles. If there is time, we can take the short drive into Chepstow for a cup of tea.
Wednesday 18th Sept. – Offa’s Dyke/Wye Valley Walk Loop OL14 7.32miles
Park in Lower Redbrook, either in the roadside layby or small car park close to the village shop. All the climbing is in the first half of this walk. Cross the A466 to pick up the Offa’s Dyke Path. This climbs steeply up Highbury Terrace. Most of the climbing is done by the time you reach Highbury Wood. Follow Offa’s Dyke to Bigsweir where the A466 crosses the river. Leave Offa’s Dyke Path, cross the river and immediately pick up the Wye Valley Walk Path. The route is now flat as it hugs the western riverbank back to Lower Redbrook. The footpath crosses the river via the old railway bridge and then back into the village.
Wednesday Oct. 16th – Wentwood Forest Trails OL14 7.98miles
Park in the car park in the centre of Wentwood Forest(Grid ref. 423948). Take the A48 heading west out of Chepstow to Caerwent. Take the Usk Road to Llanyair-Discoed and beyond into Wentwood.
The walk takes us on several forest tracks, around Wentwood Reservoir and eventually back to the car park.
Wednesday Nov. 20th – I will be in Nepal throughout the whole of November. If anybody wants to organise a walking my place, please feel free to do so,
Wednesday Dec. 18th – A local walk around Upton or the Malverns returning to Perrins Field for hot soup, mince pies and mulled wine.
*************************************
I shall also continue leading short local Upton walks at 10am , starting from the Hill Centre every other Thursday commencing from 4th January as part of the Worcester Walking Network and Worcestershire Health Walks.
Upton-Upon-Severn
Walking Group
Fortnightly on Thursdays from 4th January 2024 10am start
Meet outside The Hill Centre. It’s free, just turn up, no need to book.
All abilities welcome
* meet local people *keep active
Walks take no longer than one and a half hours and do stay for a cup of tea/coffee and biscuits before heading home!
The walking group is supported by the Worcester Walking Network
WorcestershireHealthWalks
Student KSW Himalayan Club
Saturday 24th Oct. (17 miles) Worcestershire Way (1) Meet at 9.30am at Dog Lane car park, Bewdley from where we will embark on walking the first half of the Worcestershire Way to The Admiral Rodney pub in Berrow Green. I anticipate that we will finish at approximately 5.00pm but parents will always find a warm welcome in the pub if they have to wait for us to finish.
Sunday 25th Oct. (15 miles) Worcestershire Way (2) Meet at the Admiral Rodney, Berrow Green, at 10.00am for the second leg of the walk, finishing at the Red Lion, just above the main street in the centre of Malvern. The finish time is likely to be nearer to 4.00pm. but not before. Parents can park on the main street and walk up to the Red Lion (signposted St Anne’s Well) and enjoy refreshment while they wait.
Monday 26th Oct. (12 miles) The Long Mynd Meet at school at 8.00am. Once gathered a minibus will take us to the Long Mynd on Shropshire for a circular walk, returning to school by 6.30pm.
The Skirrid and Sugarloaf with a hint of autumnal colours in the foreground
Tuesday 27th Oct. (19 miles) Three Castles Way (Skenfrith, White castle & Grosmont) This could be the most testing day with a 19 mile walk following the route of the Three Castles Way in Herefordshire. Meet at school at 8.00am for the minibus journey to Skenfrith. The challenge will not only be the distance and the terrain but also completing the distance in daylight. We will probably return to school at about 7.00pm
For all days you will need:
Full walking kit – base layers and Fleece type layer
Good boots
Spare socks
Waterproofs
Hat and gloves
Spare warm layer
A day sack
Packed lunch
Snacks
Water
Basic first aid kit (I will be carrying a more comprehensive one)
Mobile phone to give parents more accurate timings for the ending of each day.
By the end of 4 days you will have walked approx. 63 miles with lots of ups and downs.
I hope to be able to organise the Old Chapel four days during the February half term.
Sunday 3rd January 2016 – A Malvern Rambler
Admiring the view on the southern Malvern Hills
Meet at 10.00am at the British Camp car park, opposite the Malvern Hills Hotel for a New Year ramble over the southern third of the Malvern Hills. This will be as much a social occasion as a physical one as there will be no set route. If any parents would like to join us for this walk to work off the excesses of the festive season they are more than welcome. I anticipate that we would be finished by 3.00pm, possibly earlier if the weather is particularly bad, but you will need to bring with you a packed lunch, drink, warm clothing and waterproofs.
Friday 25th March (Good Friday)
Photography Course with Simon Watkinson
9.30am – 4.00pm
To be based in the Keyes Building
Please bring with you
- your camera(s) and any other photographic equipment
- a packed lunch, drinks and snacks
- suitable outdoor clothing (we will be working some of the time outdoors, irrespective of what the weather is doing)
This course is already paid for so we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible
Day Walks
Day walks can be treated as a training opportunity in the build-up to a trip or can be treated as stand alone events, opportunities to get out on to the hills or into the countryside with friends. The season for day walks tends to go from September through to March/April. Every attempt is made to provide variety in the programme, so that some walks are low level while others attain some of the highest points in the region. All upcoming day walks can be found using the link below:
If you need any further information or to discuss any of the above training days please just GET IN TOUCH
Lake District Training Weekend
Simon Davis and I travelled up to the Lakes early on Friday morning, ahead of the rest of the group, so that we could have a walk in the snow. Leaving the car at the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, we headed up the Langdale Valley, climbing up the steep Rossett Gill in ever deepening snow up to Angle Tarn. As we came over the lip between Hanging Knots and Rossett Pike the wind hit us hard. From the tarn, we struggled in 70mph gusts to Langdale Combe. The snow was soft and the ground underneath also soft and waterlogged. The streams were running pretty full and twice I took the plunge, the first time doing a face plant in the cool water. The pint(s) that evening were well deserved.
On Saturday the wind seemed to be blowing even harder as, now twenty of us, walked up Easedale in squally showers. As we climbed we met people coming down having abandoned their walk in preference for tea and cakes in the relative warmth of Grasmere. As height was gained, so the wind strengthened and we found ourselves preferring to crawl around on the rocks of Sergeant Man. As we crossed the relatively flat top of High Raise and Low White Stones, the wind now broadsided us, regularly knocking us off balance before we began our descent down Far Easdale. By the time we returned to Burtharlyp Howe Youth Hostel our faces glowed from the wind and pinprick needles of rain and snow. More well earned pints in the evening.
Sunday was a more sedate day with a walk up and around Loughrigg Fell. The weather, while still windy, was much pleasanter and we found a good sunny spot, out of the wind, for our lunch. By mid-afternoon it was time to head south and back home, after a thoroughly exhilarating weekend. K2 should be a breeze after this!
