Ramblers Group Co-ordinator — Martin Richards Contact Co-ordinator Jump to Next Walk Details Walk Leader Schedule When:  First Tuesday and third Wednesday of each month, most walks start at 10:00. Where:  Various locations as chosen by each walk leader. Cost:  Just £2 to join the group; no charge for each walk. This is a very active, popular and sociable group who enjoy each other’s company while tramping the local fields, highways and byways, marvelling at the wonderful Warwickshire scenery so close to us. We meet twice a month, on the 1st Tuesday and 3rd Wednesday at 10.00 am. Details of the next walk are given below. We have a number of walk leaders, from the membership, who take it in turn to select a walk of about 5 to 6 miles. They choose where to go and where we meet. Newer members are encouraged to offer to lead a walk either singly, as a couple or a small group, after they have settled in with us but there is no compunction to do so! We try to start within 10 miles of Balsall Common and most frequently find pub car parks very suitable for our starting/finishing points! Many members stay for a drink and/or a meal after the walk. The membership of the group is about 80 of whom most are active. A walk averages around 18–25 members with a high of 36! Walks take place in most kinds of weather with one major exception being snow! This is a rambling group and for safety and insurance reasons dogs are not allowed. The cost is very low — there is a joining fee of £2 and to date no other costs. However, members are asked to pay for their own drinks/meals after a walk! With the joining fee money raised so far we have bought and kept up to date three first aid kits for the leaders to take on their walks and future funds will be available to buy maps, written up walks, etc. If you would like to join or require any other information please contact Martin Richards (the co-ordinator) by email: ramblers@balsallcommonu3a.org. Prospective new members can also "try us out" by just turning up at a walk starting point and joining us for that particular walk. Please note, however, if you are not already a u3a member you will not be covered by the u3a insurance scheme. Following that if you wish to continue you will need to join the u3a and the Ramblers group. If anyone wants to lead a walk please contact the co-ordinator. Lots of help is at hand for anyone who has never led a walk before. If anyone wants to create a ramble route, either for the U3A or for personal reasons try out the following site:  http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm Millennium Way website   — lists of walks Contact Co-ordinator For Archived Photographs for the years 2011 to 2017 Please Click Here The archive is on the members Page so Username and password required If you have forgotten them please click here   For Photographs of Ramblers in 2018 Click Here For Photographs of Ramblers in 2019 Click Here For Photographs of Ramblers in 2020 / 2021 Click Here For Photographs of Ramblers in 2022  Click Here From 19th July 2021 all Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, however walkers must read the new Ramblers Risk assessment shown below. Click here to see Ramblers Risk Assessment Statement updated 21st July 2021   First February Walk 2023 When:  Tuesday 7th February 2023 Where:  Allesley, Coventry Meet:  10 am at The Elms Harvester, Birmingham Road, Allesley, Coventry, CV5 9TZ. Parking is free for patrons. Walk Description:  Around Allesley Park (including the grounds of Allesley Hall, an Arts and Crafts house completed in 1910), then around the pitch and putt Golf Course before returning to Allesley Village and surrounding countryside. On entering Allesley Park we go around the grounds of Allesley Hall (now a retirement home but the grounds are open to the public). We then look around the Walled Garden, initially laid out 200 years ago to supply fruit and veg to the hall. We then pass through the enchanting fairy village before completing our tour of the park. We then go around the perimeter of the adjacent pitch and putt golf course. On our return to Allesley Village we walk along a lane which passes over the river Sherborne. We return to the village along a field path, re-cross the Sherborne and go into All Saints churchyard. We return to the Harvester, passing through a small garden along the way. There is only one stile, the paths are well drained apart from a couple of short muddy stretches. The walk is approximately 4.5 miles Afterwards:  For those who would like to stay for lunch here is a link to the lunch menu which has details of deals for 2 or 3 courses: lunch-set-menu Their main menu is here: mainmenu Top tips: for those ordering a main course it may be better to order at the bar and pre-pay if we are given the opportunity to do so. The restaurant does not allow pre-booking of food but they would like to know how many will be staying. Please email Jim Henry by 8 p.m. on Sunday 5th February stating how many will be staying for lunch. Walk Leader:  Jim & Bernie Henry    jimh31@hotmail.com Second February Walk 2023 When:  Wednesday 15th February 2023 Where:  Catherine de Barnes. Meet:  10.00 am at the Boat Inn, 222 Hampton Lane, Catherine-de-Barnes, Solihull, B91 2TJ Travel Directions:  (5miles 12mins) Take the B4101 towards Knowle. Just after the speed derestriction sign TR into Barston Lane. Continue to road junction and TL, staying on Barston Lane. Continue to junction with Knowle Road/Eastcote Lane. Here TR and immediately TL, staying on Barston Lane. After ¼ m TR into Friday Lane. Continue to roundabout. Here TL, cross the canal bridge and the pub is immediately on the LHS. Walk Description:  Approx. 5.3m. We take the canal towing path (soft but ok) southwards towards Ravenshaw exiting onto Hayward Lane. On approaching the M42 we take the pathway alongside the noisy motorway and continue to the Solihull bypass (A41) where we cross the road (with caution) and proceed on a pathway to Old Warwick Road and head towards Brueton Park, admiring the fine houses en route. Then we cross the B4025 into Marsh Lane. We continue northwards through Solihull’s affluent side streets and pathways (Beechnut Lane in particular), passing, amongst other things, the Solihull cricket and tennis clubs, crossing the A41 again and Hampton Lane, past the Greville Arms to the canal. Here we take the refurbished canal towing path all the way back to the pub. Notes: There are a number of roads to cross, some busy, some gentle inclines, two short (25yds) but steep inclines and mainly hard surfaces all the way; no styles or gateways. On the last stretch of canal towing path there is an option to step off the towing path onto a pathway through open land and woodland. The distance is the same but adds variety to the walk. (I shall opt for the latter!) If there is little rain before the walk then good walking shoes/trainers are an alternative to boots. Afterwards:  at the pub. 15 places are booked for lunch (with a maximum of 20 if required). No need to pre-book meals but if possible please let me know if you intend to stay for lunch Walk Leader:  Martin Richards, email: ramblers@balsallcommonu3a.org Covid Precautions:      Please see latest Ramblers Risk Assessment Walk Leaders 2023 Date Walk Leader 3rd January Liz Cowley & Sheila Jones 18th January Angela Reid 7th February Jim/Bernie Henry 15th February Martin Richards 7th March Judy Hornigold 15th March Matthew Stephens 4th April Peter Calver 19th April Liz Cowley & Sheila Jones 2nd May Keith Simpson 17th May Merryl Muat and Christine Harris 6th June Alan Buckland 21st June 4th July Sandra Heard & Frances Critoph 19th July Keith Simpson 1st August Peter Calver 16th August Geoff Kennedy 5th September Richard Drake 20th September Richard Glynn 3rd October Leslie & Carolyn de Chernatony 18th October Geoff Kennedy 7th November Matthew Stephens 15th November Alan Buckland 5th December Richard Drake 20th December no walk — Xmas lunch?

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