If you had asked me a few years back about the pleasure of walking I would have stared at you with an open mouth and a very puzzled expression. Sheep farming after all is just walking or shouting at the collies who always know better how to work sheep than the farmer does. We are doing a job. It’s not always a pleasure, we can’t cancel if the weather’s inclement. Never once did I count the steps that were done every day to see the mileage. Oh no. We had to count the sheep and if any had disappeared, doing things that only sheep can do, we had to walk the boundaries again! Never once did I see a cafe with coffee and cakes or better still a pub for a meal. Continue reading
Author: Diana Lincoln
PVR Social coffee morning/lunch – Friday 18th March 2022
Back in the autumn, Lee had an idea to organise a coffee morning at the British Legion in Tilehurst to enable PVR members who no longer walk to meet up, socialise and have a catch up. It was thought that it would be good to do this in the winter months. Eventually, one was organised for mid February. Unfortunately, due to storm Eunice, this had to be cancelled, as it was deemed too dangerous for people to venture out in such a severe storm. It was therefore rearranged for Friday 18th March. It was a great success. 20 people attended, most of whom had lunch, and it was good to see some members who don’t walk now but still welcomed the opportunity to see people they hadn’t seen for a while. It’s hoped that we can arrange another one in the autumn, possibly November, date to be confirmed.
PVR Social coffee morning/lunch Friday 18th February 2022
Lee Waite has organised a social coffee morning on Friday 18th February 2022 at the British Legion Hall, Downing Road Tilehurst RG31 5BB. The bar will be open from 11am for tea, coffee and drinks. Food will be available from 12 noon if you want to have lunch – bar type meals at reasonable cost. Do come along and meet up with your fellow PVR members. All members are welcome, of course, but this event may be especially suitable for those members who are unable to join our organised walks, and wish to keep in touch. Downing Road is off Park Lane, Tilehurst, between Chapel Hill and Westwood Road. The hall is at the end of the road, where there is plenty of parking space if you do not wish to walk to the venue. Please support this new event.
Colchester Autumn Break 2021
A jolly group of Pang Valley Ramblers gathered near Colchester for our Autumn break in early October as organised by Sue and Gordon Spires. Sue and Gordon had found us a well sited Hotel in Marks Tey on the outskirts of Colchester. There was quite a confluence of alarmingly busy roads round the station but pedestrians were well catered for with footbridges and pelican crossings.
For our first walk on Sunday afternoon we took the bus to the centre of Colchester. I must have bypassed Colchester many times but never visited. I was pleasantly surprised by our tour. It’s an historic town dating back at least to Roman times when it was a capital city. There is Wide variety of architecture ranging from Roman city gates in brick, stone and tile to the modern art gallery, an interestingly shaped building covered in what seemed to be rusty steel. The side streets contained many different styles of building with impressive public buildings in the centre. Sue and Gordon’s tour guided us around the local highlights including “Jumbo” – a monster monument to Victorian bricklaying, actually a water tower, and easily visible from wide around. We returned independently and met later In the bar for a convivial evening including dinner in the hotel restaurant.
Pang Valley Afternoon Tea – Saturday 23rd April 2022
An afternoon tea, with a short optional walk beforehand from nearby Mattingley, has been booked from 2pm on Saturday 23rd April 2022 at Riseley Tea Room, Odiham Road Riseley, RG7 1SD. The cost is £16 per head to include homemade finger sandwiches, cakes, scones, preserves and clotted cream, served with tea of your choice. A booking form was issued with the Friday email on 28th January. Numbers are limited, so please book by 31st March at the latest. This is a social event, so do come along to meet up with your fellow members.
Members’ Walk Lunch and AGM Sunday 17 October 2021
On Sunday October 17th 2021, we will be holding our Members’ day consisting of a walk, members’ lunch and the AGM. We will be holding this event at Shiplake Memorial Hall. Continue reading
Christmas Lunch Wednesday 8th December 2021
The 2021 Pang Valley Christmas lunch is on Wednesday 8th December at the Pack Horse Pub, Woodcote Road, Mapledurham, RG4 7UG. Continue reading
Fish and Chip Supper and Quiz Friday 5th November 2021
Our annual flagship event of a quiz and Fish and Chips will be on Friday 5th November 2021 It will be held at Pangbourne Village Hall, RG8 7AN (where there is ample free parking). Doors will be open at 7.00pm; the quiz will start at 7.30pm and a fish and chip supper (or chips only £3 reduction) will be served during the interval, together with tea and coffee and squash. Continue reading
Whitby 2021 report Steve
This was our first HF Holiday with PVR and possibly not our last!! Our journey was uneventful until nearing York when we encountered a traffic holdup.
We thought tune in to a local station for an update, after a couple of seconds we heard….Ayup here t’traffic report ..we knew we were in Yorkshire. Continue reading
Whitby 2021 report Richard
Whether it was by uncanny foresight on the part of the organisers, Pauline and Diana, or mere serendipity, our group holiday began on the very day that Covid restrictions were eased for hospitality venues. The arrival of our group of twenty walkers marked the first welcome that the Whitby HF house staff had for guests after a long closure. The weather omens weren’t good as severe storms had been forecast for the north of the country; happily, they mostly blew themselves out in the north-west, leaving us with – generally, though there is one exception – enjoyable weather for the walks. Continue reading