A Great Day out in the Cairngorms  -  October 2009

Last October half-term 14 group members made a near perfect trip to Aviemore at the southern end of the Cairngorm plateau.   We travelled by train at an extremely advantageous fare courtesy of a special offer by National Express East Coast.

Our accommodation in the SHYA hostel in Aviemore village was comfortable and very convenient.    Local bus services took us to the start points of our walks on days one and three and returned us to the village from the end points of the walks.   The weather throughout was bright and dry if not always sunny.   We had three wonderful walking days but for brevity I will give an account only of the first.

The day was so gloriously sunny we decided to tackle the hardest of the three projected walks  -  an ascent of Cairn Gorm mountain via the northern corries.   We started from the car park of the ski lift and followed a beautiful route which took us almost immediately away from all the rather ugly paraphernalia of the ski resort.

The climb was fairly gentle at first but became steeper as made our way up and around the westernmost of the corries on the southern edge of the plateau.   We had lunch in bright sunshine at Cairn Lochan on the very rim of Corrie an Lochain looking down on Glenmore and Loch Morlich. So far so good.

We pressed on with some sizable ascents and descents along the edge of the northern corries towards the peak of Cairn Gorm.   At 1245 m. it isn’t the highest of the mountains in this area but especially by this route is one of the most pleasing.   The last short but steep climb to the summit taxed already aching muscles.

After taking our celebratory group photo we made our descent by the direct route down the ridges of the ski slopes to the day lodge.    Our rather tired but happy group of eleven members on the climb were relieved to be able to sit on the bus for the ride down Glenmore back to Aviemore and the comforts of the hostel.

Ken    27th December 2009

During a recent walk in the fens led by Inger, Sue S. produced a container of snack bars that she'd made. They went down very well, and some of us lusted after the recipe...

Supercalorific snack bars for peckish walkers, otherwise known as ---

Granola Bars

6oz unsalted butter

5oz clear honey

9oz demerara sugar

12oz porridge oats

1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

3oz shelled pecan nuts or walnuts, chopped

3oz raisins

3oz dried papaya or mango, chopped

3oz dried apricots, chopped

3oz pumpkin seeds

2oz ground almonds

2oz sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 5 / 190^OC

2. Line base of 23cm/9in square 5cm/2in deep cake tin with greaseproof paper. (Note: I used a tin 23cm x 30cm, and 3cm deep)

3. Grease the greaseproof paper

4. Melt butter and honey in saucepan, then stir in sugar

5. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes stirring until sugar has dissolved

6. Bring to boil then boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring all the time until thickened into a smooth caramel sauce

7. Mix together remaining ingredients and stir into sauce until well combined

8. Spoon into tin and press down well with the back of a warm wet spoon

9. Back for 15 minutes until beginning to brown around the edges

10. Cool

11. Run a sharp knife around edge of tin to loosen

12. Turn out and peel off greaseproof paper.

13. Cut into squares (if possible freeze for an hour first, then cut)

recipe courtesy of Sue S.    26th January 2010

Celebratory Birthday Walk  Sunday, 17th January 2010.

I was very glad to discover and join Epping Forest Outdoor Group (or 'Walthamstow and Chingford Outdoor Group ' as it was then known ) following my husband's passing, and the people there didn't disappoint; I was warmly welcomed and have been happy to call them my friends ever since.

I moved to Bucks from London 7 years ago, so club attendance is less frequent, but I did want to share a 'landmark birthday', along with another member who is also a Capricorn.  We thought a winter walk through Wanstead and Valentines' Parks would be an interesting event.

Thus on Sunday 17th January, Ralph and I arrived at 10am. outside the George to find Paul and a large group of about 20 people suitably attired for walking, bearing rucksacks, and ready to go! I was given some cards and birthday congratulations, and we set off. The weather was perfect -- cool, but not cold, with plenty of sunshine.

Paul led us down to the Redbridge Roundabout where we picked up the Roding Valley Way, alongside the river, which was in full spate due to snow-melt and rainfall on previous days. Then over the A406 footbridge and through a few Ilford streets, and onto the Cranbrook Road.  Paul pointed out that we had been walking steadily downhill into a shallow valley; the reason was the Cran Brook at the bottom, which we saw disappearing under the road, having emerged from Valentines' Park.

Jill's Birthday PartyAfter a short walk by the lake in the park, the Pavilion Cafe loomed, and we stopped off for hot drinks and a snack or two. The park is neatly laid out and has several rhododendron bushes which must be beautiful in the spring. We made our way to the grounds of the newly-restored Valentines Mansion and halted in one of the walled gardens, for my birthday celebration.

Sue had got a large fabric carrier bag which contained a delicious spiced apple cake that she had made. I was given a large lit candle to hold while the members sang "Happy Birthday" and Cliff did the honours by slicing the cake.  Thanks to everyone for 'marking the occasion' and for the group card containing good wishes and their signatures.

Time to return. We arrived back at the footbridge to cross the Roding into Wanstead Park, where took refreshment and had lunch by the tea kiosk. We then walked on past the Temple, and out of the park, making a small detour into St. Mary's churchyard.  Here Paul pointed out the hidden entrance into the crypt, and and the stone 'watchbox' where a guard kept an eye on things in the days of the bodysnatchers!

Then back to the George, where two more members joined us.  We gathered in the beergarden (we are an outdoor group!) and spent a pleasant hour over a drink. It was a great way to spend a January Sunday, especially among such good friends.

Jill Domeny   26th December 2010

A Very ‘In-Tents’ Experience! - the 53rd Rodings Rally

The 53^rd Rodings Rally - run entirely by the Epping Forest Outdoor Group - took place over the weekend of 14/15 November 2009.  For those of you who have never come across it before, the Rally is an orienteering/map reading competition, over a short course of roughly 5 miles or a longer course of about 12 miles, through Epping Forest, using both forest tracks and going across country.  It’s most unique feature, though, is that it is in the dark!

As new-ish members of EFOG, we had missed the Rally last year so this was to be our first time helping in any capacity.  After weeks of plotting points, diving through bushes (see, competitors, we have to do it as well!) and triangulating our positions, it was time for the big event.  EFOG is not a huge group, so it’s all hands to the pumps.  Setting up the hall, getting people fed, marshalling paperwork and contestants - it’s all done by the members, new and old.  By 6.30 on Saturday evening, with the starters already holding eager competitors at bay, we set off for the trees armed with stories of other marshals' previous nocturnal adventures.

Our tent, midway on the course, was in the lee of a large fallen tree, just below the brow of Staples Hill.  Since the competitors are supposed to find us, we made it a bit less easy by adding some twigs to break up the outline of the tent, then zipped ourselves into sleeping bags to await out first customer.  Owls hooted, animals scurried past.  At about 11.45 a heavier grade of rustling produced our first customer, check point board thrust to our tent flap keenly.  Then the rush hour began!

Between 12 and 1am the forest was alive with tramping feet, calling voices and rustling of bushes.  With our tent flap ajar slightly we watched the less experienced competitors blundering about, circling close to us but not close enough.  Soon we were able to sense those who had done this before – they all approached very quietly without the aid of torches, said very little then slipped away silently.  One team, who had been up and down the hill passed us several times, eventually found us and produced the best comment of the night – “Why does your tent have to be green?”.  Answer - it doesn’t, it just is, and it helps to make us harder to find!

In this group we also encountered our first incomplete board.  In fact it had been signed only by tent 6, the checkpoint after ours.  We pointed this out to the team who replied “oh, so you have to do them in the right order then?”  Unfortunately yes, it’s in the rules.  “Oh we’re from Down Under, we didn’t realise.”  They did set off and we are happy to report completed the course, one and a half times!

They were the lucky ones.  Shortly after 1am it began to rain fairly steadily.  As this was a few days after the terrible storms, there had been some doubt about the Rally even taking place, so it was with some sympathy that we welcomed those who dripped past.  Quite a number of people had by this time missed our predecessor checkpoint and feelings were quite strong about its position.  Most folk, it turned out, were looking at the top of Yardley Hill, an area of dense vegetation.  Had they but looked down the hill, the tent could be seen quite clearly in the open!   We were even accused of cutting down the vegetation around it just to fool people.  Now, we know EFOG does a lot of clearing projects for other groups, but really!  Offered the opportunity to go back and fill in the missing checkpoint, the general response of the poor sodden competitors was along the lines of “not ***** likely!”

Poor brave souls continued to trickle through until shortly before 6am, though we remained on station till almost 8am, just in case.  Packing the tent, we repaired to the pick-up point, then back to base for a hearty breakfast from the EFOG chefs.  Boxes were packed up, floors washed and everyone went home on a sunny morning to get some proper sleep!!  See you all next year, competitors!

Sue U.    26th January 2010