Please send your group achievements to cerddwyr@ramblers.org.uk and you may be featured in future spotlights!
March 2010
Lower Wye Group (Greater Gwent Area)
Another group from the Greater Gwent Area has impressed us with their commitment to improving the footpaths in their local community.
Steve Cieslik provides us with a fascinating insight into the life of a Footpath Officer with the first snippets of his story 'Ramblings of a Rights of Way Volunteer'
Lower Wye Ramblers website
February 2010
Gelligaer Group (Greater Gwent Area)
Gareth Thomas, Secretary of Gelligaer Ramblers tells us about the history and successes of this thriving group:
'So where is Gelligaer anyway? It is a village halfway up the Rhymmey Valley with a 1st Century Roman camp, a 5th Centuary Celtic Cross on Gelligaer Common and a 13th Century church. We definitely do "open access" at Gelligaer.
More recently, in the last decade of the 20th Century six walkers in Gelligaer formed a Ramblers group. From these modest beginnings the group has grown and prospered each year, drawing its membership in the main from the Rhymney Valley, from Caerphilly in the south to Rhymney in the north. In 2009 membership increased by 13.6%, which in real money means it went up from 112 to 128.
The Saturday and Sunday walks progamme continues to be well supported, the average number of walkers being between 20 and 30. For the first time last year we introduced summer midweek pub walks which proved to be a great success and will be repeated this year!
Included in the walks programme have been walks with a more unusual element such as excursions to Flatholm Island, walking to England over the old Severn Bridge, walking into Bath on the Cotswold way and birdwatching walks on the Newport Wetlands.
The group is always ready to embark on weekends away. Last year we visited Bideford for the second time and Port Eynon for the 12th successive year. An August Bank holiday weekend walking in the Mendips was enjoyed by some 45 walkers and 53 walkers will attend the Isle of Wight walking festival on May 10th for the second time.
Finding walk leaders is never a problem with at least half a dozen new leaders having come forward in the last year. We have led walks for Cardiff and Bridgend Ramblers and in turn have had guest leaders from Taff Ely and Lower Wye. Such exchange of experience is always a good thing.
All other groups are welcome to venture into our homeland. We have leaders aplenty. Another good year for Gelligaer - Long may it continue'
Gareth Thomas
Secretary
For more information about the Gelligaer group please visit their website: http://www.ramblersgelligaergroup.co.uk/
January 2010
Powys Area Ramblers
Ramblers Cymru wishes to give a huge thank you to the groups in the Powys area of Ramblers: Welshpool, East Radnor and Four Wells. They have worked tirelessly to help improve local walking trails in Powys. Working alongside Powys Council’s Countryside Services team, volunteers have already been carrying out work in Crossgates, Llanbadarn Fawr and Abbeycwmhir.
More information about Powys Area Ramblers and their achievements is available at the Powys Ramblers website: http://powysramblers.org.uk
