Chelmsford YHA Group

CYHA News

The Monthly Newsletter of Chelmsford YHA Local Group

November 2001

Misty Peaks

The Roaches summit Question: How do you avoid the whole of October's rainfall falling in 24 hours?

Answer: Don't stay in Essex!

Waking up in Meerbrook YH on Saturday morning to dense fog we thought our holiday timing might be a bit out, but after a bit of early rain the day brightened up considerably, ending in a beautiful sunset. Sunday also started out foggy, but unfortunately stayed grey and drizzly and forced us to seek the comfort of a cosy inn (a tough decision, but someone's got to drink all that beer).

Alton Towers: On the Ghost TrainEight of us spent the Saturday at Alton Towers trying out all the scary rides. I bravely sat between Lynn and Michelle in the Haunted House (whilst Tim A made spooky noises behind us), but my bruises are healing nicely. Gerry feared water borne pathogens after he was dangled upside down into a jet of water on Ripsaw and mistakenly kept his mouth open. Lynn and Gerry nearly made me sick by spinning so hard on the Teacups ride (a bit like a waltzer, but designed for ickle biddy children). But the pièce-de-résistance had to be Oblivion, a ride which drops you 1.4km into a tiny little hole in the pavement. The whole day was rounded off with an incredible firework and laser display. Brilliant.

Sunday involved a walk on the Roaches with spectacular 360 degree views of the inside of a cloud - so probably the least said about that the better.

Ali

Alton Towers

Nemisis: "Wow that was brilliant"

Haunted House: "Oooh, Alison I'm scared"

Ripsaw: "Did you get wet?"

Runaway Train: Giggle, giggle giggle - can we go on again? Can we?

Oblivion: "Helen this is your fault" - zac - "was that it?"

Hex: "That was wierd- so is the story of the chained tree true?"

Cork Screw: "Oww my ears hurt!"

Runaway train: "giggle,giggle,giggle can we go on again? can we? that was such fun"

Fireworks "Absolutely spectacular, brilliant and really good."

Dave, can we go to Alton Towers again can we? Can we go next year? Can we?

Lynn


Maldon to Chelmsford Canal WalkOn the Chelmer path at Ulting

The walk we usually do in February as the first good leg-stretch of the New Year had to be postponed this year, first due to flooding, then foot & mouth restrictions. But eventually we were able to fit it into the programme, and despite a grim weather forecast, 12 of us met at Heybridge Basin for the 13 mile walk from the sea to Chelmsford. Lorna had contingency plans in case we gave up at lunchtime, but we only lost a few after lunch at the pub. Trudi & Michèle met us at the pub but wouldn't be tempted out in the rain! But most of us were determined to finish the walk after all the setbacks earlier in the year. We finished, slightly damp and weary, with the usual tea and toast at Lorna's.


Python Evening

Thanks to Tom for arranging our side-splitting Monty Python sketch-reading evening.

Why is it that nobody remembers the name of Johann Gambolputty de von Ausfern-schplenden-schlitter-crasscrenbon-fried-digger-dingle-dangle- dongle-dungle-burstein-von-knacker-thrasher-apple-banger-horowitz- ticolensic-grander-knotty-spelltinkle-grandlich-grumblemeyer-spelterwasser-kurstlich-himbleeisen-bahnwagen-gutenabend-bitte-ein-nurnburger-bratwustle-gernspurten-mitz-weimache-luber-hundsfut-gumberaber-shonedanker-kalbsfleisch-mittler-aucher von Hautkopft of Ulm?


Congratulations

to Gerry and Anna Engwell on the birth of their son, Elliot on 14th October.


US Slide Show

Oh no! More irresistible locations to go on my list of places to visit. I shall have to have myself cloned to get to them all. Thanks to Jim & Dave for their superb slides of San Francisco and Yosemite, I'm really jealous!


Postcards from Australia

Thanks CYHA for the good luck card. Have had a fantastic time in Singapore. I'm now in South Australia about to go to Kangaroo Island and then to Ayers Rock and the Great Barrier Reef. Really looking forward to exploring Oz!

Love Sally
sallyjonescrete@hotmail.com

Hi friends! Currently 2 weeks into my trip "down under". Started off in Perth and am travelling round the coast to Darwin. Currently in the Kimberley region, went exploring Windjana Gorge and Tunnel Creek today. Tomorrow will see Geike Gorge then on to the Bungle Bunglers. Having a lot of fun. Nice people, good guides. But it's extremely hot and I'm wilting. Thankfully we have an air-conditioned bus. See you in October - if I manage to get a flight! My Ansett ticket is worthless now!

Marion


33rd Annual General Meeting, 10th October 2001

What a year!! Floods, Foot & Mouth, and September 11. F&M led to footpath and hostel closures but WE KEPT GOING! Sunday walks became bike rides. Easter was rapidly relocated.

November - Telscombe and Lewes; The most explosive Guy Fawkes celebrations in England.

New Year - Littondale, an excellent bunk house, and real snow.

February - Streatley on Thames, more like Streatley-in-Thames.

April - Isle of Wight (supposed to be Lake District), and thanks to Jane for that one.

May - Golant and the Eden Project; how a dome should be done.

- Rhum and Loch Ossian - Tom's last Munro.

June - Corris - more Welsh weather.

July - Sheringham; and the kids came too.

August - Epping Forest bike ride; Bicycle Repair Man ends up doing major emergency surgery to his own bike!

-Clun Mill; a rare sunny August bank holiday, even the barbeque didn't get rained on.

September - Lake District at last.

Other highlights include a record-breaking Christmas dinner, the London Eye in perfect conditions, and winning the YHA group trophy in the Rodings Rally.

We're happy to see ten new members joining us on trips and walks this year and look forward to more people joining us, through word-of-mouth and our website.

Individual members have been up to all sorts of adventures including taking up courses, emigrating, going round the world, job upheavals, taking holy orders, and gallivanting in Indonesia, Australia, Venezuala, and California.

The accounts balance (although Dave's portable brain nearly died at its 10,000th YHA transaction). The uncommitted fund is stable as the year's surplus was just £76 in total. Subs are unchanged although the mailing list charge will go up to £5 due to increased photocopying costs.

The Treasurer noted last year that we're having less people-per-car and this is reflected in the average daily cost of trips.

The Statistics:

A person who has been on all 12 trips would have been away for 38 nights, staying in 14 different hostels, spent £692, and travelled 4,548 miles by car.

That's £18.23 per day for travel, bed, and 3 meals a day.

Biggest trips; 39 people including children at Sheringham and 35 at Golant for Eden, smallest trips; 12 at Epping Forest, Corris, and Isle of Wight (the Foot & Mouth effect).

The total number of bednights was 735 (including non-YHA nights. It was 867 last year).

In the 11 years Dave P has been Treasurer we have, between us, travelled a total distance equivalent to going to the moon, and back, twice.

Jim, Tom, and Nige have left the committee due to other commitments. Thanks and good wishes to them. Dave J has jumped into the ring as Chairman and Lynn and Bob volunteered to rejoin the committee. So the committee now is:

Chairperson

Dave J

 

without portfolio

Lynn

Treasurer

Dave P

 

Trudi

Secretary

Lorna

 

Bob

Newsletter

Alison

 

 

Lorna

Chelmsford YHA Group Membership


Crisis in the YHA

Some of you may have already received a request from the YHA Chairman to write to your MP regarding the current crisis in the organisation.

Foot and Mouth has hit the YHA hard with an estimated £5million loss in income that the charity cannot afford. On top of this the recent events in the States have discouraged many overseas visitors from visiting the UK, so putting more pressure on YHA income. Without substantial help from the Government YHA will be forced to close and sell many hostels in the near future in order to secure the rest of the network. The hostels they close may well turn out to be your favorites.

YHA are asking us to support them by writing to our MPs, emphasising the following points:

  • YHA is a charity established in 1930 "to help all, especially young people of limited means, to a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside".
  • Of the 230 hostels in England and Wales many are located in remote rural areas, providing employment in rural communities.
  • Hostels are used by 2 million people every year, providing safe, affordable accommodation for all including school children and young people from all over the world.
  • So far YHA have received almost no direct financial aid from the Government to overcome the Foot and Mouth crisis.

You can contact your MP by writing to:

[insert name of MP] MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.

or via his/hers constituency surgery and most are also contactable via email (www.parliament.uk).

Please send any comments on these pages to Dave Plummer