May Weekend

The May Weekend is an integral part of the LWG activity It is an opportunity to escape London and its environs and explore the more remote parts of England Leaving Friday we arrive at our destination with enough time for a local walk and informal pus style dinner On the Saturday we have a long day walk with a more formal dinner in the evening On Sunday there is a chance to walk off the excess of the night before, setting off home after lunch

2024 Hay-on Wye
A great w/e under new managementof Martin and Judy Parsley assisited by Andy. Sadly i was not with them but judging by all the ecstatic photos a great success. high wlaks and low walks, cultural tours of castles, copious food and drink and sunshine all the way

2023 Bridport and West Bay
This was a weekend when the gods truly smiled on us. The weather was perfect, 90% sunshine, one rain storm on Friday evening that drove us into the pub where we were greeted with towels, much kindness and sustenance such that we we felt happy to stay all evening.The rest of the time was sunshine and barmy winds with clear blue skies and a sparkling sea.
Friday saw the arrival of over 30 walkers of mixed walking speeds which provided a challenge to the prganisers
Friday's walk showed off the delights of Bridport with a small group trying their own route providing another frisson of alarm for the organisers
Saturday was the most challenging walk, some steep ups and downs including the Golden Cap and the group broke into natural sub-groups to cope, some electing to explore the seashore and other accepting the climbs without a murmur. either way we all met for lunch in the sunshine at Seatown and swapped experiences so we all did everything in one way or another
Sunday took us into true Hardy country side- I was expecting Shepherd Gabriel to appear at any minute - then down to Barton Bragstock for the famed fish and chips cafe on the sea shore. Reputaion maintained.And a long but happy drive home with good memories

2022 The long awaited May weekend in Shaftesbury took place Friday May 20th to Sunday May 22.
Friday may 20th saw a lovely walk around the area south of the town missing the steep climb down and up the golden hill but with a sufficiently challenging walk up to the Abbey remains at the end. Jolly dinner in the local pub everyone including staff found it challenging recovering from covid restrictions - menu choice mismatches etc-but we got there in the end
Saturday was bright and the majority set off for the steep ups and downs towrads Donhead St Andrews hoping for all to meet in the pub for lunch.A slower group drove to Donhead and explored to castles old and new. We all did meet for lunch and started the afternoon together towatds Donhead St Marys. The brave walked back to shaftesbury and the senoirs took a more sedate car ride back
There was a wonderful dinner in the Shaftesbury Arms
Sunday's walk took us north of the town with splendid views towards Stourhead

2019 weekend May 10th -12th

Aldeburgh, Suffolk.

This really was the most stupendous weekend with a record number of members attending. The success was down to the wonderful planning, boosted by the local knowledge of Follett and Libby, of the team Deborah and Margaret who were able to lay on walks for everyone, long, short and intermediate.

The friday walk started with looming clouds and rain showers but these cleared to allow a stunning evening vista over the North Sea The walk took some of us to Thorpeness which we discovered was a unique model village initially designed for returning colonials and still retaining an old world charm. Others explored historic Aldeburgh
Saturday included a boat trip for everyone and walking through very varied countryside ending with lunch at Snape. The afternoon involved for most walking around the wetlands of the river Alde and exploring old churches. Some got lost but were reunited with cups of tea in due course and all was cheer at an excellent dinner in a local restaurant Most were able to enjoy the local fish that we had seen landed in the morning
Sunday was another lovely day walking around Minsmere bird sanctuary An area flooded as part of WW2 sea defense but sensibly allowed to remain. Sizewell power station was visible on the horizon which proved to be a good topic of conversation. A delicious lunch and then the group broke up to return to the reality of London

PAST WEEKENDS

Since 2009 they have been admirably organised by Margaret and Deoborah and various reports follow

The first weekend Deborah and I organised was in Southwold (2009). We planned to do one walk south and one north of the town: the south walk to Walberswick was delightful the walk north was a disaster. We started on a board walk through a marsh but it was inadequate and we both filled our boots with muddy water. We soldiered on across featureless industrial agricultural fields to the grimmest pub we have seen. So back to the drawing board. We decided to drive a little further south and we found a great walk including Minsmere bird reserve and Dunwich Forest. In the event poor Deborah had an operation and having done the recce missed the weekend. The weather was variable, I have a vivid memory of us all scurrying from Minsmere to the pub under the shelter of a high hedge in a sharp shower. Apart from that and a rather small base hotel so we were all scattered the weekend went well.

2010 found us in Llangollen. We originally planned to be based in Chirk, on the railway line but the hotel we selected was closed when Deborah arrived for the recce. We had to relocate to a fine hotel in Llangollen which accommodated most of the group. Walks were on Offa’s Dyke and the Llangollen canal - including going through a tunnel and the famous Pontcysyllte aqueduct, beautiful but high and scary, which we all managed to cross. This was the first time we introduced a Friday evening walk, along the canal past the Eisteddfod venue to the source of the canal.

We try to alternate inland and sea locations so 2011 we went to Hastings - genteel East Hastings - in a very good large B & B, where we able to have our annual dinner.
The weather and accommodation were good, the walks successful – from Winchelsea into Hastings and on the Sunday around Battle . This was the first time we managed to finish at a site of historical interest, leaving the group to explore the Abbey and the battle ground on Sunday afternoon. As far as I can remember this was the smoothest to organise, with no disasters.

2012 we went to Bruton, again in a large B & B which accommodated most of the group. The weather was good – we walked to Castle Cary on day one and went over to Stourhead and Castle Hill iron age fort on Sunday. Apart from poor Norma falling into a large bed of nettles all went smoothly .

So 2013, just back from Sheringham on the North Norfolk coast. A great weekend despite probably the worst, coldest weather we have had (Since Deborah and I took over – who remembers Dorset? and the Malvern Hills?) although it was dry apart from the Friday evening. A record turnout – 26 for the Saturday walk, 22 on Sunday and 34 for the dinner.

Deborah and I had more panics and headaches than usual. We first arrived for the recce having carefully selected a B&B as suitable for our base to see a “Sold” sign on the property. The only consolation was that it wouldn’t have been suitable anyway. All the locals directed us to the Burlington Hotel , and once we had braved its rather forbidding façade it was clearly the place for us. Just after we had circulated details and asked people to book the hotel closed for its annual holiday, which led to some confusion. We then could get no response from The Lobster where we had booked for the Saturday dinner, we rang the Burlington who said” Oh, that Graham . . . “ and offered to send someone round to sort it out. This was a good indication of the kindness and friendliness we found throughout the weekend.
On arrival Deborah found that 1 ½ miles of the coast path on our planned Saturday walk was closed for sea defence repairs, so again back to the drawing board. Deborah very cleverly found a delightful walk through the Bayford wood nature reserve, and we finished in the birdwatchers paradise of Blakeney Marshes.
It rained steadily through the Friday evening walk through Sheringham Park. Happily the wind was behind us as we walked back into Sheringham along the cliffs. Saturday was grey, Sunday was really quite good weather! We walked to Felbrigg Hall, NT property and back, only occasionally getting lost. All the walks were of variable length, on Saturday there was an optional coffee stop that cut 3 miles off the morning!

2014 Hebden Bridge

Once again the team of Margaret and Deborah have pulled off a star turn with a memorable three days of walking from Hebden Bridge. This was a truly splendid weekend. The sun shone and Yorkshire was able to show itself off at its best. There was a wonderful mix of ghosts, industrial history and natural phenomena.
20 of us met on Friday evening and we walked up to Heptonstall. This was a significant small town in the 16th Century and the centre had retained old houses, inns etc. It was occupied by Oliver Cromwell in the Civil War when attacking King Charles who was occupying nearby Halifax. More recent residents included Ted Hughes and he brought Sylvia Plath's body back for burial in the graveyard.
Saturday was the major walk with challenging ups and downs over astoundingly beautiful countryside with lunch at Gibson Mill. The area retained much evidence of its industrial past with old mills and their attached large chimneys. Many of the mils have been turned into dwelling places of great charm but it is a sobering thought when one reflects on the pollution and misery that was inflicted on the 19th century worker. Many of the rocks and older buildings were covered in black and we weren't sure if this was a reflection of pollution or the type of rock.
Sunday's walk involved another steep climb to Stoodley Pike which has a peace memorial built after the Napoleonic Wars.

2015 Lynton

Each year I write the weekend was so good that it would seem impossible to improve on it, but I am delighted to report that our revered leaders once again managed to pull it off and produced a weekend that out did all their previous efforts.
There was a spectacular drive over Exmoor that took us into Lynton village where a warm welcome awaited all of us at our various B&B's or hotels The afternoon walk took us up onto the cliffs through the remains of a burned out mansion (shades of Rebecca here) with views of a sparkling sea
The next day produced a challenging walk for the tough brigade and for us wimps an almost as challenging walk up the Lynton river valley to an excellent pub lunch The day was beautiful and the woods were showing off all their various shades of new greens The walk had it sober moments as we walked past memorials to those who lost their lives in the great flood of 1955 The afternoon saw the entire group (20 people ) make their way home in anticipation of putting on thier finery to dine at the Vanilla Pod And an excellent dinner it was
Sunday took us through the valley of the Rocks with spectacular rock formations

The magic of the whole weekend was captured by our fledgling poet and I have his permission to reproduce his words here

Magic Valley

White leeks spreading
Bluebells drooping
Thrushes singing
Slow descent

Water sparkling
Beech leaves trembling
Smooth stones wearing
Riverside

Oak trees gnarling
Bracken sprouting
Garlic smelling
Steep ascent

Violets nestling
Blackcaps warbling
Seaview gleaming
Hilltop trail

AAD
Devon
May 2015

2016 Presteigne
I think I wrote last year that Margaret and Deborah would have their work cut out to produce a better week end in 2016 but have no fear they succeeded beyond all dreams - maybe it was the superb support from Andy , the perfect weather, stunning countryside, great camaraderie within the group , an idiosyncratic but jolly hotel able, supplemmented by a local restaurant serving first class food for dinner - but it was a wondeful weekend
Friday evening produced a lovely local walk in England then Saturday a stunning walk from Kington up and over Welsh border hills to a fine Welsh pub for lunch and up over the hills home again through bluebells with the accompaniment of larks and cuckoos
Sunday -some feeling a little delicate - produced another glorious walk to help facilitate driving home safely

2017 Gower Coast Worms Head
This really was a cracker of a weekend
32 people rendezvoused at the Worms Head hotel, some for golf most for walking and were treated to a very special weekend The sun shone (mostly) the sky was full of scudding clouds over an ever changing sea scape, the walks were varied to cope with all levels of walking and brilliantly lead, the hotel coped with our presence with great care and a wonderful time was had by all
The Worms Head really did look like a dragon and two members even tried the crossing to visit the dragon Alas they didn't get there Perhaps that was a good thing Dylan Thomas once got trapped overnight on the Dragpn's Head and look what happened to him!!

2018 Widbrook and Bradford upon Avon
A lovely time was spent exploring the industrial sites of sunny Bradford upon Avon and its canals We even got a glimpse of the Royal wedding on the TV at lunchtime