Programme

Wednesday 3^rd December

Wine Tasting

Graham

Bottoms up! Do you like wine? Do you fancy trying something different, but not sure what to choose? During the evening we'll sample some popular wines. We'll compare colours, bouquets and of course their tastes. Exact cost will depend on the number of attendees, but is likely to be about £5 each. Please bring six glasses.

Please let Graham know if you are coming by 26^th November, so he knows how much wine to buy.

Sunday 7^th December

Walk to Goldhanger

Dave J

An 8½ mile walk with views over the Blackwater Estuary, and lunch at the Chequers in Goldhanger. Meet at 10:30am in the free car park at Daisy Meadow, Heybridge Basin (Heybridge Basin is signposted from the B1026 between Heybridge and Goldhanger, grid ref TL870069, see map). Please let Dave J know if you’re planning to come.

Wednesday 10^th December

Committee Meeting

Join us to plan our trips for early summer and events for March & April. Everybody welcome.

Wednesday 17^th December

Photo Competition

Ali

Come join us for a mince pie and bring some photos from the last year to remind us what we’ve all been up to.

We traditionally operate 4 categories: Best Portrait, Best Landscape, Best Caption and Spirit of YHA. The only rule is that the picture must be of a CYHA event that has taken place since 1st Nov 2007. As usual we expect to plumb new depths with the caption comp and you will have to be there if you want to hear the versions we can’t publish!

See winning photos for 2006 and 2007.

Christmas Dinner

Helen L

Our traditional Christmas gathering at Chignal St. James village hall (3 miles from Chelmsford) with as much as you can eat for just £9 each.

We start with George's traditional Polish Christmas specialities of beetroot borsch and fish & sauerkraut, and follow this with delicious turkey with crisply roasted spuds and succulent veg, and of course Christmas pudding with lashings of custard, all rounded off with coffee and wafer-thin mints.

The dinner is prepared by volunteers, with Helen coordinating the arrival of turkeys, spuds, sprouts & gravy from all corners of the county. It’s all enormous fun and we are looking for volunteer veggie peelers, boilers, roasters, room decorators etc.

To find it (grid ref TL665108, see map), take the A1060 (Rainsford Rd./Roxwell Rd.) out of Chelmsford; turn right at lights into Chignall Rd., after 1 mile turn left (Mashbury Rd) signposted Chignall St. James. Hall is on the left after almost 2 miles.

Be there for 7.30pm. Bring your own drinks.

Please contact Helen to show willing and send £9 to Dave P to secure your dinner place (and say if you want a vegetarian option).

Saturday 27^th December 2008 to Thursday 1^st January 2009

New Year Trip to the Brecon Beacons

Jim

We'll be staying at the Dulwich College Field Centre, which is situated in the small hamlet of Heol Callwen, Glyntawe, on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The building is a conversion of the old primary school for the area which provides comfortable and spacious accommodation within easy reach of the Central Beacons and the waterfall area of Ystradfellte.

Directions: Follow the A40 west past Abergavenny, Crickhowell and Brecon. Follow the bypass around Brecon (signs to Llandovery, Dan yr Ogof Showcaves and A40). Continue along the A40 for approximately 8 miles to just before the town of Sennibridge. Turn Left on to the A4067, follow signs to Dan yr Ogof Showcaves. Follow the A4067 through the villages of Defynog and Crai. After Crai you will descend a steep hill, continue past the Tafarn y Garreg pub and the Centre is the first road on the left, opposite the phone box. The road is lit with street lamps, and has a bus shelter at the junction. The centre is the first building on the right, through the big black gates (see map).

Address: Dulwich College Field Centre, Heol Callwen, Glyntawe, Penycae, Swansea, SA9 1GR. Telephone: 01639 730892

Cost will be about £15 per night including meals, plus a petrol contribution of around £30 for those sharing lifts from Essex.

A deposit of £30 will reserve your bed.

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

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