Due to the Coronavirus this years Annual Lunch planned for the RAF Club is cancelled
FRIDAY 25TH OCTOBER – 4 NIGHTS – GROVE HOTEL BOURNEMOUTH with the OARC
See their website: thegrovebournemouth.co.uk
Only 9 members travelled to support this event, the 10th year that we have carried it out. The Friday arrival was distinguished by torrential rain and busy roads, and by 3 members, Bob Nason, Ann and myself, being stuck in the hotel lift for about 2 and half hours, 15 mins after we arrived. We were well supported by Manager Brendan, and by his staff, and it became quite a social event, three of us stuck about 3 feet below floor 2, the doors open and conversation etc taking place. We were even asked whilst stuck to choose our evening meal from the menu handed down – not just room service but lift service then!
Saturday brought dreadful weather, and a bit of concern for our walk on the Sunday. But lo! We were treated to a lovely warm day with no rain and no wind. The numbers were boosted for the walk by three of Ann’s family. Two of our group were not walking, so the number setting off from The Grove was 10. Our destination was Hengistbury Head, walking along the seafront. Three dropped out at Boscombe Pier, and the magnificent seven made it to the target in good time. Ann was in charge of logistics, picking up from Boscombe Pier and twice from Hengistbury Head. Walkers were rewarded upon return with a complimentary cream tea.
The following morning Brendan came to our breakfast table to thank us individually, and we were presented with two framed certificates in appreciation of our efforts over the ten years, one for the OARC and a personal one for myself.
Ann’s family joined us for the evening meal on the last evening, the group photo in the lounge includes all us. The total raised was £770, contributed by those staying at the hotel, some contributions by both Ann and my family, and by one OARC member who did not attend at the hotel. I express my personal appreciation for the support of all those who took part in any way.
Grove Hotel Bournemouth – Sponsored Walk 25th Oct 2019 for four nights
Get it in your diary!!
This opportunity is open to all OAA members, not just the Rambling Club
Since my wife Margaret died of ovarian cancer in May 2009, I have organised some fundraising for the above hotel. We benefitted from the charity during her illness and found it an inspiring facility. A number of members have supported this event previously and I am flagging up the date well in advance.
This year it is Friday 25th October for four nights (although you can adjust the number of nights if you wish) The walk will be on the Sunday 27th, and will probably be our flat stroll from the hotel in central Bournemouth to Hengistbury Head, with the option of crossing the head to Muddeford Spit, either on foot or by the land train. Probably an 8 mile walk.
The hotel is sponsored by the charity Macmillan Caring Locally. It is unique, the only of its kind and is exclusively for those suffering from cancer (and now other life-threatening disease) and their carers. Normally the public cannot stay there but I put a case to the Trustees that by allowing our Group to stay (at an off-peak time) it would achieve two objectives a. to publicise the place and b. to raise some money for their “wish list”.
This was agreed and I undertook that we would raise support to the amount of a minimum £50 per room occupied. This donation can be gift aided too.
This will be the tenth such event. I gained some publicity in the Bournemouth Echo for the first walk, at that time the hotel was in Southbourne. Its possible we may get a newspaper mention this time, so I hope for reasonable numbers. The cost has been held at £55 pppn, dinner b&b and there is no single supplement. For those who have not been before, the hotel is of a reasonable standard, with ensuite rooms and it is situated within 3 or 400 yards of the pier in central Bournemouth. Bring your bus pass, there is a good service! I have provisionally booked 5 double/twins and 5 singles. You are welcome to be with us whether or not you undertake the walk, there is plenty to see in the area and the New Forest.
If you are likely to attend it would help if I could have names as soon as possible, to firm up the booking. No deposit is required, and of course you can cancel with reasonable notice. However, I can possibly leave it until say a month before. Dennis Johnson, senixa@hotmail.com
Rambling in Action 30 June 2019
The Rambling Club had a splendid if rather warm walk on Sunday 30 June. The attached photo shows the merry band enjoying a well earned rest.
Old Askean Annual Lunch, RAF Club, 2nd May 2019 –
The Old Askean Association Annual Lunch was held at the RAF club on Thursday 2nd May 2019. Some 50 members and guests enjoyed a splendid meal, an interesting talk from the Federation Principal Mr Alex Williamson about fostering closer liaison between the former pupils associations and the college.
This was an excellent occasion and hopefully next year there will be an even larger attendance.
Menu
Smoked Salmon with brown bread and butter
Roast Sirloin of Beef with Yorkshire pudding, traditional roast potatoes and a selection of vegetables
Apple and blackberry crumble with vanilla custard
Coffee and petits fours
Old Askean Golf Day – 4th June 2019 – Rochester & Cobham Golf Club CANCELLED
This years Golf Day will take place on Tuesday 4th June, Tee Off 11:am, cost approx £50.
Contact Roger Goodman for further information and to book in.
View from the Heights – May 2019
The Heights Hotel overlooks Chesil Beach and Weymouth Harbour. Since the rambling club was last here in 2006 the Olympic Rings had been constructed because, in 2012, some sailing competitions took place off the coast. Sunsets were spectacular from our dining area, and the views are outstanding.
The first ramble was on Portland itself and involved going part way up the west side and down the east, with a path linking the two. However it appears a housing estate had been built since the guide map was devised! It took some time to navigate our way out but there was, needless to say, a pub for us to ask locals how to find the route, over drinks. The footpath appeared to be especially steep and Dennis and Roger went to investigate. As a result the rest of us waited for three walkers coming in the opposite direction who remarked on Roger’s red tie, and were greatly impressed by his correct dress code for Old Askean ramblers. He was able to tell them that the club was founded in 1889 for cycling and camping, with rambling as a lesser activity. After easy terrain it was a shock to find a small rocky ‘ravine’ to cross. As four of us arrived a woman on a horse came and plunged down and up the other side! I was helped down but, not to be outdone by a mere animal, attempted the climb on my own and fell, causing cuts and grazes to my hand and arm. I was patched up by a passing walker and we continued to the Lobster Pot near the lighthouse to eat. There were pots along much of the coastline, their position indicated by floating markers.
Since Diana and I were staying for only a couple of rambles I looked back in my diary for memorable events in June 2006 before I was reporting for the magazine. Among them was my unsuccessful attempt to climb Pulpit Rock, on which two of my aunts were photographed near the top in 1928. The caption reads ‘Edie and Win with the wind up’! Unfortunately the quality of the picture was poor, so Uncle Harry is shown climbing instead.
We didn’t have much joy at pubs on the rambles back then. At The Sunray the distinctly unsunny landlord wanted to charge Roger £10 for parking his car for the afternoon, even though we had eaten there. On a hot day between Higher Brockhampton and West Shalford, I was asked to prevent the leading ramblers from passing a thatched pub. Imagine our dismay when we found it had burned down a month before. Fortunately we were able to cadge water at the village hall where an event was ending.
Having declined the five-mile walk by the River Frome, Diana and I suggested a short walk through quarries close to the hotel on our last day. Sculptors were working at one and beyond it was a sculpture park with completed figures of an elephant, octopus, lion-faced man and a grinning dog among others. On a rock face Antony Gormley had carved a human figure he called Still Falling– something I am resolved, if possible, not to do again! I will not do so in OA rambling company, anyway, since I regret that this is my last report for the magazine. Age has caught up with me.
Back in 2006 we had sung The Sandbin outside by the War Memorial but this year, for the benefit of Diana and I, it was sung the night before this ramble and we stayed in the restaurant to sing.
Sixteen of us assembled for ‘standing orders’ at our hotel along with Rocky a Border terrier, rescued by Hazel and Roger, previously owned by a friend who could no longer cope with him. Three more members joined us later in the week. Rocky accompanied every ramble and even appeared to lead some, but to claim that would be denigrating the skills of Dennis and Roger!
When Bill Bryson wrote A Walk in the Woods his understated title referred to trekking in the Appalachian Mountains. However the first Rambling Club walk, a stroll through the forest, was just that. The forest was the New Forest in Hampshire and we began at Lyndhurst Heath near the hotel at Cadnam where we stayed. It was only three fairly easy miles, starting on open heathland with a single cow (an escapee?) and several ponies which would came right up to you. Once among trees navigation was difficult, but modern technology saw through to Beechen Lane and back to Lyndhurst. Presumably ‘beechen’ is the local plural of beech, as in children and oxen, and there were beech trees on both sides of the lane.
The next day our fittest four accepted an invitation to join the New Forest Ramblers for a five–and–half mile ramble beginning at Millyford Bridge. Fearing I would merely stroll and hold up the others I was not one of the four. I understand there were some tricky paths with fallen trees to be negotiated, and the pace was brisk. I also didn’t take part in the slightly shorter ramble at Keyhaven by The Solent on a hot, sunny day. Those who were not taking part in any of the walks went to towns like Lymington where there are cobbled streets and the church has a huge gallery erected in 1798. There are attractive villages such as Minstead, gardens noted for azaleas and rhododendrons, Beaulieu Abbey and The National Motor Museum.
The final ramble began at Burley which seems to be a village obsessed by witches and things occult. I usually find something historical to write about when recording Old Askean rambles and this time it was a stone rather like a milestone but placed on the edge of the village in 1802. It reads ‘Peace restored 27th March 1802. Rest and be thankful’. This refers to the fourteen months of peace, agreed at the Treaty of Amiens, during the wars with Napoleonic France. The path took us along a disused railway track and through Holmsley Bog which fortunately lay below road level.
Blazers were worn for the last meal of the holiday and The Sandbin was sung more tunefully than in the recent past. Unfortunately there was no Welsh choir present to appreciate our efforts. Jenny set the quiz which was won by Ann Johnson (on her own she insisted).
Vic Harrup
Pilgrimage to Faversham
Funeral of Dave Kingston
Some 150 plus people crowded in to the North Chapel at Eltham Crematorium on Thursday 6th September 2018 for the funeral of Old Askean Dave Kingston. There were many Old Askean in the congregation who had come to say farewell to a good friend. The service was conducted by fellow Old Askean Deacon Barry Mellish and one of the two eulogies was given by another Old Askean Robert Noble.
After the service the assembly moved to the Royal Blackheath Golf Club where Dave had been a member. Memories and anecdotes were shared for several hours over a glass or two of beer and plates of food. It was a fitting farewell to a good man.
Thames River Cruise Sunday 22 July 2018
Forty-one landlubbers were aboard the Thames Barge “Lady Daphne”
on Sunday 22 July 2018 on a trip organised by Roger Pawley. It was a splendid day in all senses of the word. The weather was perfect. The on board Guide, Bill, was full of information about what we were passing as the Barge went through Tower Bridge
and past historic Greenwich and the Thames Barrier. We were treated to morning coffee, a two course lunch and tea and cake mid-afternoon, before our return about 5 pm, having left London Bridge Pier around 10.30. For some shipmates the act of boarding and disembarking on a choppy Thames tide was an adventure in itself.
By Dennis Johnson