November and December 2010

In case you blinked, this a photo of some Christmas Lights during our Recent snowfall.
It was taken in Caddington.

Again another snowy picture. It always looks pretty, and rarely stops us walking. If necessary we sometimes change it from that advertised so that we don't have to risk driving too far and getting caught up anywhere. Provided you are wrapped up well and have decent footwear most people find they soon warm up once they get moving (and there is often a nice pub somewhere along the way to help thaw out if necessary).
Here are 17 of us enjoying a break on a recent Saturday December walk. This seems to be a fairly average number, sometimes it is in the 20s and other times (usually on the longer mid-week walks) it can be down to a handful.


These are the same weekend on the slightly longer Sunday Walk, again with 16 people, after our morning coffee stop in a convenient local childrens' recreational area near Kimpton, and then getting ready to go into a nice real ale pub in Gustard wood for lunch.

We have been pretty busy over the last few weeks, unfortunately we seem to have few photographs to show for it! As we now have nearly 90 members we are putting on more walks. We started putting on more 5 miles shortish walks as they were proving very popular (and they still are), but we also started putting on more longer walks by popular request which range up to about 15 miles. There also seems to be a good demand for something in between for those members who have discovered that 5 miles isn't as onerous as they anticipated and are graduating on to our longer ones. We hope to see some of you out in the summer doing a walk you would have never imagined possible! If in doubt consult with the walk leader and they should be able to tell you the difficulty of the walk and if there is the option of shortening it or jumping on a bus if necessary! We usually do at least one weekend away most months. There are some planned for Cumbria, Stow in the Wold, Sheen in Derbyshire and a week away in Bulgaria. If interested, look at the programme, and get your place booked and deposit paid as they need to be organised well in advance.

Back to the subject, we have done 2 walks every weekend, usually one longer than the other, some on Wednesdays and several longer ones on Thursdays, and this will continue in the new programme. This month we also had what is probably our shortest ever walk; a two mile guided walk round College Lake Nature Reserve near Tring, which we hope to repeat in the warmer weather when it is not quite so misty or icy. A view of the College Lake, which will be full of bird and insect life in the Spring.

We have also had a social evening to the Ruchi Indian restaurant in Woodside where 16 of us throroughly enjoyed their excellent fare at a reasonable price and then the following week 18 also partook of the Xmas Dinner in the Gary Cooper (Wetherspoons) in Dunstable. Once again it was a tasty meal, served hot and promptly, and included a free drink which was excellent value for money. There was also a very sucessful quiz evening where we raised money towards the Wildlife Trust Totternhoe Quarry appeal to extend their nature reserve. We do socials at the Gary Cooper (and other local pubs) on a regular basis as the value is hard to beat and anyone can just turn up to eat or just for a drink without the need to book. We also have a post Christmas Meal organised for January, but you will have to book for that. Look out for them and other activities on our programmes. If you have queries about social events email us on www.social@dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk.

BATH November 2010

At the beginning of November we had another of our weekends away at Bath YHA. We chose the right weekend as it was dry and included Bonfire night. For more pictures of this and other trips etc. visit our Gallery http://picasaweb.google.com/dunstablebogtrotters


15 of us went altogether, some together,others at different times and by various modes of transport and as usual many of decided to do different things on different days. On the Friday night we all stayed at the hostel (which is some way up Bathgatehill) and enjoyed a huge meal provided by various members who were kind enough to supply it. Of course there is always the choice of going to a pub, sometimes a meal can be provided by the hostel, but on the Friday evening we thought it nice for everyone to be together and if we do our own meal the food is provided at the cost of the ingredients only! Some of us went on the Skyline walk with amazing view of Bath, others did a guided tour round the City. One day many people went on a walk down the canal and river Avon whilst others visited the museums and sights in the City.

This is the famous Crescent.


One of Bath's old streets, you can't avoid noticing how many cars there are about though! There was lots to see and do, including finding the places where Jane Austin based her Books and where they were filmed.

A view looking down the River Avon of Polteney Bridge.

The beauty of walking in the British autumn


Taken on the canal walk, which strangely enough finished at a fine public house in a nearby village.


A taste of the fireworks put on by Bath University for their local charities.


A view taken on the Skyline walk.


This is Bath Abbey taken at twilight. We should have been able to take the bus from here up to see the fireworks but it was so popular there was no chance so most of us had the pleasure of walking up the very steep 2 mile hill from here past the hostel to the University! Well we are a walking group I suppose, and being a frosty night it soon got us warm!



Click on the Arrow to see a very short video of some us near the start of the Skyline walk to see what you missed!

Another small video showing around the Circus

We did two walks on 23rd and 24th October, both of about 9 miles and lasting about 5 hours including pub stops.

Saturday was a bit greyer than Sunday, but the circular the walk from Silsoe to Higham Gobian and Pulloxhill was still a good one, which included 2 pubs, one for ale and another for tea. We did manage to find some very sticky mud in some of the fields though!

Wrest Park House. We drove here and then parked in the park's carpark.


The nice thing about walking this time of the year is it doesn't get too hot and the leaves are beginning to change so there are some beautiful colours to be seen.

It wasn't all mud, really it wasn't, just a few of the fields weighted down our boots and changed the colour of the dog.

One of the aforesaid muddy fields. We felt we had deserved our drink by the time we arrived at Pulloxhill on the otherside of the hill!



Here we are outside Higham Gobian Church after stopping for a break on the benches in the Churchyard.

OK so the fields were a bit muddy, but the views were still worth the trouble, this one is near Sharpenhoe Clappers.


A beautiful bright autumnal Sunday, with 12 walkers enjoying the views between Dunstable and Totternhoe and also the joys of some of our local pubs!
We had 12 walkers on both our walks and you may notice that some of them are the same, however there were 18 different people involved over the 2 days.

Looking over Totternhoe

Posing on top of Totternoe Castle hill.The central defensive position within the castle, the motte, is a conical earthen mound about 5 metres tall, set on the highest point on the spur overlooking the Ouzel valley and crowned by a concrete Ordnance Survey triangulation point (BN S4552).

The view over Totternhoe Quarry

Who could resist admiring the view from the top of the Castle mound? The earthworks of Castle Hill are remains of a late 11th or early 12th century motte and bailey castle. It was probably only used for a short period and was once known as the castle of Eglemont (Eagle Mount).


The video is of the panoramic view from the Castle Hill Mound Totternhoe. Its surprising what you can find only a few miles from Dunstable. If you want to see more pictures check out our photo albums......

For those of you who missed it - A Sunday October Ramble

If you thought, "not another Woburn Walk" on Sunday you missed a real treat. 16 of us went, it was a bit grey to start off but the sun came out. The trees are just starting to turn and the rutting season was in full swing going through the grounds of Woburn. Here are a few photos for the benefit of those of you who missed this fantastic seasonal walk.

Woburn as seen from one of the many footpaths through the grounds

Only 2 of many lusty stags vieing for leadership of the herds.


Not the best specimen, but one of the best photos!

Another gentleman on the lookout for a spare hind or two!


Time for a quick cuppa

Our group walking by the side of the lake.

Just look at the number of wildfowl on Woburn's lake

Press the arrow to view. Just a small sample of the sights and sounds in Worburn at this time of the year!

YORK August 2010

Just a short blog about our trip to York over the August Bank holiday. 13 of us went for the weekend and a couple of us moved on to Naburn 5 miles south for a couple of days. For more photos look at the photos section of the Dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk website.


York YHA was originally the home of the Rowntrees. A nice hostel with one of the best breakfasts we have experienced whilst hostelling.



The Hostel reception area



Walking along the York Walls



The Shambles well known picturesque area of York.



Group photo


Some of us went to Evensong in York Minster. What a beautiful Cathedral



The crowd outside the Minster waiting for the Ghost Walk, which some us went on


Again some of us (not all) took advantage of the free entry to the National Railway museum



Admiring the bridge and garden near Rievaulx



Walking along the Ouse from the Hostel to York.



There was an amazing double rainbow after a shower


The Ouse just coming into York


The rear of York YHA


Naburn Station right on the Sustrans Track where you can camp and also get teas cake sand icecreams etc. at weekends. Just South of York on the cycle track this bit is called the Solar Way as there are all the planets at scale distance starting from the sun over 10 miles to Selby.

THE MOUTH

On Monday 9th August 19 us bowled up to the Mouth Chinese Restaurant in Dunstable for an excellent eat as much as you like meal. The starters and 2nd course were nearly a meal in themselves and then we could order as much as we liked from their full menu. It was well cooked, the staff were friendly and a good time was had by all. We are not all about walking, most of us do walk, some more than others, but some members do just come to the socials, be it the local pub, meals or a picnic on the Downs. We are always happy to see new (and not so new) faces on walks or socials.

Indeed if you would like to see something in one our our programmes we are always open to suggestions. Better still anyone can volunteer to organise an activity or walk they would like to do!

BARTON HILL FARM VISIT

At the End of June we were treated to a visit to Barton Hill Farm between Streatley and Lilley. The Shaw family, invite people to a conducted tour of their property, showing them what it means to be a conservation farm and giving an insight into modern farming and the flora, fauna, birds and beautiful wild flowers. They have been accepted into two significant environmental schemes: Natural England Entry and Higher Level Stewardship. They actively encourage and manage areas of chalk downland.

Here we are (23 of us) before starting the walk learning about the huge machines and what they can do.

This one of their amazing views, this is Sharpenhoe Clappers
This view is overlooking Barton le Clay
Here are Wizz and Brian explaining to us just what we are looking at.
This is what we were looking at, Barton Springs.

This is vipers bugloss. They have a large part of their land where it grows wild.


This is the sort of flora you get on the verges of your fields if you let nature take its course rather than swamp it in herbicides. These are pyramid orchids amongst other things.

The Shaws take round the visitors giving information and answering questions and then provide them with refreshments asking the participants to give a donation to charity at the end if they so wish. For those of you that missed it, perhaps we can do it again next year as everyone said they thoroughly enjoyed it. The sunset there was something to behold in 1999!