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Chris & Di on the Cleveland Way
Caroline at Machu Pichu
NEWS AND EVENTS
News
PRIVACY POLICY
Our privacy policy can be viewed by clicking on the link at the bottom of each page
A word from Kevin
‘Thank you to all those members who have expressed an interest in joining the First Aid course. There has been a good response. The courses will be held in September to avoid any problems arising from holiday absence. Further details will be issued shortly’.
Parish Walk
Didn’t they do well! Well done Lee Hughes (Saturday group) for getting to Peel in his first Parish Walk in a very respectable 8h 51m. (hope our cheering at the bottom of the Sloc didn’t embarrass you too much Lee). All the way next year eh Lee? Well done too to Rob Wright who made it to Peel in 7h 12m. Good job guys!
A tip for members: We have found a couple of very useful free apps for your smart phone. Firstly, OS Locate will give you map co-ordinates which will help the emergency services to find you should you find yourself in trouble. It also has a compass. The second one is Maps.me which can help you find your way home in the event of you becoming lost (or maybe in thick mist). It shows you where you are on the map and has already proved itself useful to us a couple of times. Neither require mobile data to work away from home. Of course, there are many more apps. of this type on the market, I’m sure you’ll find one to suit you. Lesley
A reminder to dog walkers - dogs must be on leads on the Ayres National Nature Reserve (NNR) from the 1st April until the 31st July. This is to protect the high density of ground nesting birds on the reserve including terns, ringed plovers, oystercatchers, curlews, skylarks and meadow pipits. Byelaws are in place to protect the wildlife habitats at the Ayres NNR and failure to comply with these could result in a fine up to £2,500.
Can you help????
Walk the Isle of Man- Monday 1st to Friday 5th October 2018
Sally Helwich of Isle of Man Event Services and Andrew Foxon of Go-Mann Adventures are pleased to announce that they are preparing a walking event on the Isle of Man to run from Monday 1st – Friday 5th October 2018 (with a welcome evening on Sunday 30th September).
a few words from Sally and Andrew...
‘’The MFCG has been a great supporter of walking events and festivals on the Isle of Man in the past, and we are hoping that this event will also be of interest. It is intended that the week will attract walkers to visit the Island (and perhaps also stay on for Heritage Open Days) and our hope is that it will be of interest to people living on the Island, tie into 2018 Year of Our Island, help people to try walks they might not do on their own, encourage them to join the MFCG if they are not members already and consider developing their own walking and walk planning skills.
We are working on an outline programme at the moment which would give a minimum of 3 walks on each of the 5 days with the opportunity to increase that to 5 or 6 walks if the demand is there.
We hope that members of the MFCG will be interested in taking part either helping as walk leaders or joining in the walks. Information will be put onto a dedicated Facebook page and Group as confirmations come through. Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/WalktheIsleofMan/
Here’s where we hope you’ll be able to help:
If you’d like to register interest in receiving further information about the event, or to help as a walk leader, please send your contact details to us at the e-mail addresses below. If you don’t have e-mail, please leave a message for Andrew on 480129 or 833154. We will then be able to keep in touch and hope that you will tell your friends and contacts about the event after the first details are launched.
Those who would like to take part as walk leaders will receive some additional support and training in the run up to the event, but hopefully will already have some experience of planning walking routes, and managing groups on guided walks.
We do hope you’ll join us, help others enjoy this glorious Island and enjoy taking part yourselves’’.
Contact details – please contact both Sally and Andrew:
Sally - sally.helwich@iomevents.com www.iomevents.com
Andrew – afoxon@iom.com www.go-mannadventures.com 480129 / 833154
Di and Chris Turner walked the Cleveland Way
In May we started from Helmsley to Filey and walked 109 miles in 9 days. It is a National Trail of wonderful variety. With much of the route lying within the North York Moors National Park, there are some fascinating landscapes to savour. Roughly half of the National Trail between Helmsley and Saltburn-by-the-Sea crosses attractive farmland, woods and the beautiful heather moorland of the North York Moors. From Saltburn to Filey the path provides an outstanding coastal experience, with dramatic cliff tops and attractive former fishing villages and towns to enjoy, The Way is very well signposted and is an exceptional, well maintained Trail. A credit to Yorkshire. We had fantastic weather which is a big, big bonus in the U.K. We found the local people very friendly and helpful. There is ample and varied accommodation on route. This is a walk we would highly recommend’.
Caroline & Rob walking in Peru in February
The highest point of the trip, with the Volcano Ampato in the background at over 6,000 metres. Very bleak, windy, cold and barren up here!
The photograph shows part of the Machu Pichu, taken from a section higher up. What the photograph doesn't show are the 1,000+ other people around me, all taking photos and selfies. Wasn't expecting that!
Ramblers Association Holidays
Did you know?...That the MFCG is affiliated to the Ramblers Association. When you book a walking holiday through the Ramblers Association and you say that you belong to an affiliated walking club they will pass on a small sum of money to the club. It costs you nothing extra and it benefits YOUR club.
DISTURBANCES AT FALCON AND OWL NEST SITES
Already this season, Manx BirdLife has received a number of reports of irresponsible and illegal behaviour around the nesting sites of some of our most special and rare birds. It has come to their attention that people have been:
1) Climbing down cliff faces to Peregrine Falcon nests
2) Approaching Hen Harrier nest sites
3) At night-time, illuminating locations in which Owls potentially are nesting
All of the above involve Schedule 1 species, which are specially protected by the law. IF YOU WITNESS anyone approaching or disturbing the nest, young or nesting site of a bird of prey (owls, falcons, harriers etc.), please take photographs and send these to Manx BirdLife. We shall be pleased to pass these on to the Island's Wildlife Crime Officers (anonymously if you wish). You can also send these yourself directly to the Wildlife Crime Officers: PC Mark KERRUISH and John HILLS Ramsey Police Station 812234. Some disturbance is of course inadvertant and can be resolved by calmly advising those at fault of their error. But some disturbance is clearly deliberate. The motivation might be simply wanting a closer look, a better photograph, or worse - for example, stealing eggs or nestlings. You are our wildlife's guardians, so please keep an eye out. Thank you.
The following MAJOR footpaths have been temporarily closed
RoW 329 Majestic Coastal path(Onchan) from King Edward Road to Majestic Apts will be closed DAILY from 07.30am to 5.30pm from 25th April to 24th October.
Temporary closures are currently in place for each of the following three tracks/paths. However, a more prolonged 6 month closure has been applied for on each of them. This is due to the extensive amount of damage that they have suffered. There is currently no date set for when works will be carried out. The closures will be published on Roadwatch.
The byway known as 'The Dowse' (map ref: 304828 to 285824)
PRoW405 - Lynague, German
PRoW632 - Riverbank Road, Ramsey
Manx Utilities is refurbishing the sewage works at Ballagarey in Marown. Because of this the Heritage Trail will be closed between Glen Darragh Road towards Union Mills up to the private access way to Glenlough Campsite until approx. June-July 2018. The main road from Douglas to Peel is the only option to bypass the site.
n.b. The Heritage Trail at Ballagarey will now be opened at weekends (Sat 2pm to Mon 7am). DoI thanks everyone for their patience whilst they continue to work on upgrading this essential sewerage infrastructure - due for completion in July 2018
The ‘Tony Wright’ bridge on the Spaldrick footpath, used by walkers to get along the coastal path to Bradda Glen and tourist attraction Milner’s Tower in Port Erin has been closed for safety reasons.
For further details the contact number for DoI is 850000.
Subscriptions
Subscriptions are due 1st January each year payable to the Manx Footpaths Conservation Group and will remain at £6 for this year. Please post cheques to Maree Harper at 14, Derby Square, Douglas IM1 3LS. You can click on the following bold links to download the Membership Application Form & Standing Order Form.
Isle of Man Hills Walks Book - Important Addendum
Walk No 9 - Pages 24 and 25
Please note that this walk crosses private land. If you would like to walk this route, please contact the landowner, Mr Corlett (Tel No: 812160 / Mobile: 480338) for permission beforehand.
Footpaths
Should any member/visitor to the Isle of Man encounter problems with any public footpath, ie overgrown, broken gate/stile etc, please could you e-mail David Leiserach, Foothpaths Officer at David@manxfootpaths.org. It would be most helpful if you could also include a photograph and any details that will help identify the public footpath and/or position of the gate/stile etc.
Photographs
We would like to update the website photographs on a regular basis and would be pleased to receive photographs from members. If you are happy for your photograph to be used by MFCG on our website, please email it to Lesley@manxfootpaths.org (Tel:437978), including the place and date of the photograph. Thanks go to members for providing photographs from our walks. They are always greatly appreciated.
MFCG Badge
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Newsletters are distributed in Spring and Autumn each year to all fully paid up members, together with the Walks Programmes for Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays with the addition of Wednesday evenings in the summer period. Subscriptions are £6 per annum, payable before 1st January each year. Membership Application forms can be downloaded by clicking the following: Membership Application form & Standing Order form or contact our membership secretary Maree@manxfootpaths.org or tel: 671740.
Walks Programmes
Hopefully all paid up members have now received their Summer Walks Programmes and are looking forward to some fabulous summer walks. Our sincere thanks go to Bob Garret, Gill Percival, Peter Gunn, Peter Hulley and Brian Beattie for all their hard work in compiling the walks lists and to all the walks leaders without whose knowledge and experience the walks could not happen. Thanks also to those who send in photographs, please keep them coming they are much appreciated.
All walks are open to all walkers but please choose walks that will suit you. Please bring Bus or Railway Passes, Travel Cards or Cash for walks which start with a train, tram or bus journey. Also please bring a packed lunch and a drink for all day walks. Leaders who are unavailable please arrange a replacement.
EVENTS
Manx National Week
We look forward to seeing lots of our members at Agneash on Wednesday 4th July at 7.30pm for an interesting walk around Agneash, led by Brian Beattie, followed by a short service in the Chapel and a bring and share supper. This will be a lovely sociable event and a chance to meet other members in a delightful location and you are all welcome.
7 Kingdoms Walks Series
The next walk in the 7 Kingdoms Series will be from Ramsey bus station at 10am on Saturday 11th August. Please bring pass or cash for bus and tram to Snaefell Summit.
Triskelion Way
14 walkers braved the heat on a fantastic day to walk the second stage of the Triskelion Way. Starting at Glen Maye we walked down through the Glen (so lush it could have been a rain forest) and along the coastal path to Peel, stunning views in every direction with a short stop at the Happy Hikers for photos. Lunch on Peel Hill then along the prom to the coastal path to Lhergydhoo. Up through Lhergydhoo farm and onto the greenway to the Staarvey. From there a short stretch to the cars. A very, very hot day but the views were worth it. July…Ballakaighan to Sulby Reservoir (see walks programme for details).
HERITAGE OPEN DAYS... make a date in your diary for Sunday 7th & Sunday 14th October. Following the success of previous years, we are once again taking part in the Hertitage Open Days in conjunction with Manx National Heritage. Full details to follow later in the year.
TREK ETHIOPIA 2018
The Ethiopian ‘Treckers’ would like to give sincere thanks to all their very generous MFCG sponsors who helped them raise in excess of £2600! After the success of 2017’s fundraising Trek MFCG member Kevin Christian is organising a repeat of the adventure in November this year. If anyone is interested in taking up the challenge they should contact Kevin on 442118 or email mrkevciom@yahoo.co.uk
DISCLAIMER AND USEFUL INFORMATION:
Walkers are reminded that they participate at their own risk and should keep behind the leader. This disclaimer is found under the logo on all walks lists and we ask that leaders remind all participants of this before starting each walk.
Walkers should keep to the right on all public roads (unless common sense dictates otherwise) and not deviate from the way-marked footpaths.
Please refer to notes column for information.
Walking boots or stout shoes and wet weather gear are advised.
Please bring a Travel Pass or Money for walks which start with a train, bus or tram journey.
Dogs are not permitted.
Difficulties such as broken stiles or blocked Rights of Way should be reported to the Footpaths Officer, David Leiserach at David@manxfootpaths.org or tel: 491976. If you have a camera or phone please take a photo and note the location.
| Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday walks will include rugged, unsurfaced rural and coastal paths and possibly rough/hilly terrain. Walking boots/shoes are essential and wet gear if necessary for ALL walks. |
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| Sunday Walks | Up to 6 miles, about 3 hours, finishing approx. 4.30pm. A drink is advised. |
| Tuesday Walks | Up to 8 miles at a leisurely pace, about 5 hours, finishing approx. 3.30pm. Please bring snacks and a packed lunch and drink. |
| Wednesday Walks | Up to 5 miles at a leisurely pace, about 2 hours, finishing approx. 9.30pm. A drink is advised. |
| Thursday Walks | Usually 2.5 – 3.5 miles, about 2 hours, finishing approx. 12.30pm. Followed by optional lunch. |
| Saturday Walks | These walks are a little more strenuous and require a certain amount of fitness. First of the month walks are between 8-10 miles, 5 hours, finishing approx. 4pm. The 3-4 remaining Saturdays are between 10-13 miles, about 6 hours finishing approx. 4.30pm. There could be sustained ascents/descents in remote areas. Participants need to be able to climb hills and keep up with the pace of the party. Please bring snacks and a packed lunch and drink. |
VISITOR INFORMATION
This month’s walking programme:-
NB: Please check all start times