OFS Walking Holidays Over the Years

Since the millennium there have been many walking holidays arranged by OFS members to wonderful areas of the country that have provided varied and different experiences from our home county of Oxfordshire.

Walking along coastal paths and cliffs were involved on many of the holidays. There were three holidays to the Isle of Wight, two based at Sandown and another based at Freshwater. Memorable would be the steady climb up Tennyson Down, twice in wind and rain and once in glorious weather with views to the Needles and Solent.

Other holidays have included walking the North Norfolk Coast Path along flatter salt marshes and glorious sandy beaches, with the opportunity to see some wonderful wildlife, like the seals off Blakeney Point and delicate avocets in the coastal lagoons.

There have been three holidays to the north Devon/Somerset coast – Croyde Bay, Holford and Selworthy, providing the chance to walk along sometimes dramatic, challenging cliff paths with waves crashing below, as well as walking in the wooded hills of Exmoor.

We have also been to Hope Cove in South Devon, Cooden Beach in East Sussex, Cardigan Bay in South Wales and St. Ives in Cornwall.

Areas that cover the hilly uplands of the country have been popular, some holidays being based in very scenic countryside within national parks. One group walked the very undulating Mortimer Trail on the Welsh borders and Shropshire. Other Shropshire holidays have involved stiff climbing up the Stiperstones, the Long Mynd and Wenlock Edge, two holidays being based at the rather old fashioned Long Mynd Hotel in Church Stretton. The Peak District, the Brecon Beacons and Lancashire Hills have provided groups with walks up and along hilly ridges with moorland, stone walls and rougher terrain all around, sometimes having only sheep for company. Pendle Hill (Burnley), the Roaches (Gradbach) and hills and dales of the White Peak (Alsop-en-leDale) have all been conquered by the hardy among us. During the Foot and Mouth epidemic we even managed a trip to Abergavenny with restricted walking, staying in an old school - and that was basic, to say the least!

Most of the earlier trips were arranged with our own leaders taking up the challenge to organise a programme of varied and challenging walks. These would cater for two at least, if not three levels of ability, with walks ranging from 5 miles, to 7-8 miles and the more difficult 10-12 miles. John Eyre did a splendid job here coordinating the whole programme. Many thanks are due to Gretchen Seiffert, Gwyneth Tyson, Liz Adams, Michael Payton and Tilley Smith for masterminding these very enjoyable holidays.

In more recent years OFS walking holidays have been booked with HF Holidays who provide full board accommodation in their lovely country houses and experienced leaders who do all the background work to organise the walks. It is a walking experience for everybody so no OFS member is left carrying the burden of responsibility. Alison Broadbridge and I have been the organisers recently and hopefully there will be more residential trips to come.

But we do need more members to come forward, to take the plunge, and offer a trip of their own.

Sue Crisp