Programme

Wednesday 6^th August

Pub Night – The Hoop, Stock

Jim

Join us for a drink at this old favourite of ours. Beers (hopefully in the garden!) from 8:30pm. The Hoop is on the main road through Stock, CM4 8BD.

Sunday 10^th August

Walk: Thaxted and Great Easton

Dave P

A walk of about 9 miles in the upper Chelmer valley, taking in the picturesque village of Great Easton, the site of the ancient abbey at Tilty and Thaxted's restored windmill. Bring sandwiches for lunch, and hopefully we'll be able to get afternoon tea in Thaxted at the end of the walk.

Meet in the car park in Margaret Street, Thaxted (see map), at 10:30am (coming from Dunmow on B184, go up the hill past the church, turn right following Car Park & WC signs behind the Swan Hotel).

Wednesday 13^th August

Committee Meeting

We’ll be sorting through events for November & December and looking at trips for next year. Everybody welcome.

Sunday 17^th August

Jim’s Barbeque

Jim

It’s August, so the weather is bound to be perfect for a barbecue at Jim’s house from 2pm. Please bring things to barbecue and drink, and possibly something to sit on. Jim’s doing bread, salads and burning hot coals.

Wednesday 20^th August

Writtle History Trail

Dave P

Meet in the Writtle village car park by the Green (close to the duck pond, grid ref TL678062, see map) at 7:30pm for a short stroll taking in some highlights of the Writtle Local History Trail. Chances are we’ll finish up in the Wheatsheaf for a night cap about 9ish.

Friday 22^nd  to Sunday 31^st  August

Cragside in Northumberland

Trudi

Bank Holiday Weekend at the National Trust basecamp in the grounds of this extraordinary Victorian house in Northumberland.

Cragside was the home of the inventor Lord Amstrong and was the first house in the world to be lit by hydroelectricity. He also landscaped incredible gardens. And it will be a great base for us to explore Northumberland: Two woodland workers' cottages have been converted to provide bunkhouse accommodation in a beautiful location overlooking Tumbleton Lake.

Cragside is booked for four nights, and for those who want to see more of the Northumberland coast and the Cheviot hills, we’ve booked Chatton Park Farm bunkhouse, near Wooler in North Northumberland, for five nights from 26^th August. (You’ll need to bring a sleeping bag for both bunkhouses).

Climb The Cheviot (Northumberland’s highest peak), visit castles at Alnwick, Bamburgh and Lindisfarne, walk along the coast to Dunstanburgh, and take a boat trip to the Farne Islands.

Cragside is on B6341 near Rothbury. Access by the main entrance at public opening times and by the access road 200 yards towards Rothbury at other times. Parking for 2 cars by the bunkhouse; others use the main car park.

Chatton Park Farm is on the north side of the B6348, east of Chatton village. The bunkhouse is beyond the cottage on the right (NE66 5RA).

Deposit £30 for the bank holiday weekend or £90 for the full week.

Note: Unless otherwise stated, Wednesday events start at 8.30pm at the YMCA in Victoria Road, Chelmsford

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