The Members' Pages

Welcome from Graham Barker, your web site editor.

Please go to 'walk reports' for details of recent walks. Walk leaders are invited to e-mail me their reports and photos (please send as jpeg attachments).

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Thinking about our programme for next year, Glenna Briggs's husband Mick has kindly spent much time compiling an index of all the walks for which we have details of maps, routes etc which he has scanned. I have added this to the website to be downloaded under Leading a Walk. For copyright reasons, we cannot include links to the scanned copies so please contact Loretta and she will email them to you. The index also includes walks on PlotaRoute (see separate section) which you can link to.

WALK THE ROTHERHAM RING ROUTE IN 2020 (click for leaflet)

Two years ago, the Rotherham Metro Group of the Ramblers in conjunction with Rotherham MBC decided to revive this 50 mile circular walk round the boundary of the Borough. The aim was to check all ten sections of the route, and where possible, devise circular walks based on each section. These would all be incorporated in a new booklet.

In addition, volunteers would upgrade the waymarking of the linear route sections and revise the text of the original route description. The Ring Route is a walk of contrasts from the heart of the old steel industry in the west, rolling farmland in the south east, former mining areas in the north east, and  the Wentworth Estate in the north west.

During 2018, the Group has incorporated all ten sections into its walking programme also including the circular options on nine of them. 

You are invited to join us on any of the walks described in the leaflet and if you can, complete the whole 50 miles during the course of the year.

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ANNUAL XMAS LUNCH

Wed. 6 Nov. at the Sitwell Golf Club.

Once again we returned to the Sitwell Golf Club where we have always been welcomed and treated to an exceptional lunch. As usual we started off with a short walk of 5m. led by Philip Ryder and the weather was kind to us but had left its mark underfoot. We slipped and slided our way down through Whiston, then up by the church and followed the lane dodging between lake sized puddles to Pinch Mill pond, not without incident as I managed to get my foot grabbed by a waiting bramble, upending me face down. The best way up some might say! From Pinch Mill and it's cheerfull fishermen we followed a somewhat drier path to Wickersley, wandered through the estate and over the sports field to enter Wickersley Gorse. This is where the slipping and sliding recommenced until we arrived back at the clubhouse ready for lunch. With the tables all arranged and the raffle prizes sorted we shuffled about until we were settled and ready for serving. After lunch a few thankyou words and number calling left us with a pleasant feeling of contentment and thoughts of Christmas fast approaching. 

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CHRISTMAS RAMBLE 2019

Sat. 7 Dec.

Led by Philip Ryder.

We started out from the Sitwell Arms car park after a large gathering of members and all their sundrie kit for seasonal greetings and club notices, then set off at a gallop through a wet flood damaged countryside, following the river Rother course towards Catcliffe and Treeton. If you were in the middle of the group you could possibly have seen both the front and back of the line of walkers, but from either end the view was limited. It was a nice warm day for December, and before long anoraks and fleeces were being strpped off. A coffee stop in the childrens playground, with seating on various items of swings and platforms resembling farm animals in use. The local kids having vacated the area on our arrival. Next came Treeton hill which led to more clothing removal until we went over the summit where some went back on for the descent. The sun shone down on our chattering crowd who were perhaps anticipating the buffet back at the Sitwell Arms. Just a few muddy patches were encounted as we approached Whiston village, where much to our amazement a fairground had been erected on the car park of the Golden Ball which, together with our crowd of cars at the Sitwell Arms and all the regular customers, caused parking problems. Ah well, that's Christmas I suppose. The buffet was excellent, and the service good, which was a relief as since the booking was made the management at the Sitwell Arms had changed three times. We made a presentation to Tom and Rita Doncaster, who lead and have led the Thorpe Hesley walking group for over 15 years, of a commendation certificate from Ramblers head office in recognition of this. The whole day proved to be a resounding success. This just leaves me to thank every one involved in the organisation of the event and to wish a happy Christmas to all our group members.

GB. ( chair.)