Newsletter of the Dorset Area of the Ramblers Association

ISSUE NO. 77 Summer 2017

DORSET

FOOTNOTESWhy walk alone when you can walk with the Dorset Ramblers?

Why people walk is a hard question that looks easy to answer. Over time, though, the things we do for a purpose become the

things we do for pleasure, particularly when we no longer have to do them. As we move to doing things for the pleasure they can become a personal philosophy.We might walk to enjoy a purity of solitude; Kant argued that when walking, the body “stops being in the landscape: it becomes the landscape.” Most of us will recognise that feeling.As Dorset Ramblers, we choose to enjoy regular, or occasional walking in groups. BUT there is a joy in walking alone and there are also many prosaic and pragmatic reasons for walking alone:1. Pace: It’s difficult to really go at your own pace when walking with somebody else.2. Getting together: It can be hard to find a partner who is ready to walk when you are.3. Early, late, or never: You make a date to walk with a partner and ‘the other’ shows up late or doesn’t show

up.4. The need for speed: You want to build up walking speed, but your walking partners don’t want to race-walk.5. Tough enough (or Not): You want to do some hills but your walking partner whines the whole way up or

down, dreads the next hill, sprains an ankle – Home time!6. Going the distance: You want to build up the distance to prepare for a long event, but your partners never

want to do more than 5 or 6 miles.7. Chatter: Maybe you don’t feel like talking, or like listening.8. Misery: doesn’t always love company.9. Eat, drink, and the journey home: deciding when and where to drink, eat a snack or stop for a meal on the

way home becomes a matter of negotiation AND10. As a Dorset Walking Groupie, you have your regular walking group ‘fix’ and we all know that nothing can

compare with their company, conversation or candour. Doug Pigg

What’s in a name?On a group walk recently one of our members questioned what the “toller” meant in the various place names that have that prefix (Toller Whelm, Toller Porcorum, Toller Fratrum).Years ago, when researching the history of Abbotsbury, I learned that back around 1000AD King Canute handed over a vast tract of land to one of his henchmen – a house-carl called Orc. It was he who built the Abbotsbury Abbey in 1042 and when he died all his land passed to his wife Tola. Around 1060 she gave all the land to the Abbey and Tolpuddle, which was part of it, means “Tola’s river Piddle farm”. I had assumed therefore that all the other “Tollers” came from the same root. I was wrong. It seems that the river Hooke, which has its source at Toller Whelm and merges with the river Frome at Maiden Newton, was originally called the river Toller. So places along the way were named after the river - Porcorum meaning “of the pigs” (it was well known for its herd of pigs) and Fratrum meaning “of the brothers” since it was held by the knights Hospitaller. I cannot find a meaning for Toller Whelm but since the word “whelm” means to engulf or submerge maybe the source of the river Toller was prone to flooding.Does anybody have any other ideas? Peter Evans, Sec SDG

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Dorset Area - Inter-Group Walks Sunday 16th July 2017Choose a walk (or make your own way to the venue) and meet for a picnic between 12.30pm and 1 pm

at Eggardon Hill GR – SY 543 945 (Map Explorer 117) Meeting Place: Roman Road, Car Park GR SY 577 936 Start time: 10 am prompt. Distance: 9 miles. Moderate - hilly Eggardon Farms and West ComptonOnly 2 stiles but surface uneven in places. Please car share - limited space. Leader – Jan 01963 362162 mob: 07713 328723 North Dorset Group

Meeting Place: Toller Porcorum. Park in Village Hall Car Park, School Lane, DT2 ODT.GR SY 561 979 £1 donation per car. Start time: 10 am. Distance: 8 miles. Moderate - hilly Ferndown Farm and West Compton. Leaders – Margaret and Morven 01202 522467 mob: 07889 246685 (day of walk only)East Dorset Group

Meeting Place: Beaminster, Yarn Barton Car Park. GR ST 481 014Start time: 9 am. Distance: 19 miles. Strenuous (good agility and balance required)North Poorton, Powerstock, Hincknowle and NetherburyEssential to bring ample food and drink. Please note the early start time.Leader – Jason. 07954 590120 East Dorset Group

Meeting Place: Litton Cheney Village Hall Car Park. East of school, School Lane.GR SY 550 901 £1 donation per car. Start time: 10 am. Distance: 11 miles. Moderate - hilly. West Compton, Askerswell and ChilcombeLeader – Kate 01305 772126 mob: 07733 171499South Dorset Group

Meeting Place: Powerstock Common, Car Park. GR SY 546 974Start time: 10.30 am. Distance: 8 miles. ModeratePowerstock and NettlecombePossible lift available from FramptonLeader - Cynthia Whyte 01300 320346 mob: 07498 604486 (day of walk only)West Dorset Group

Meeting Place: Loders, Smishops Lane (near the school) DT6 3SB. GR 495 942 Start time: 10.30 am. Distance: 11 miles. ModerateOld railway line, Askerswell and Knowle HillShare cars if possible. Leader – David mob: 07765 497887Dorset Young Walkers

Meeting Place: Askerswell Village Hall Car Park, DT2 9EW. GR 531 929 Start time: 10.30 am. Distance: 12 miles. Moderate Nettlecombe and areas close to Toller Porcorum and Wynford Eagle Leader – Andy mob: 07786 377101Dorset 4050s

Don’t forget to bring a packed lunch and plenty of drink if the weather is hot.No dogs unless otherwise stated.

Kate Gocher

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Ramblers General Council 1-2 April 2017Southampton University, Highfield Campus

General Council’s venue this year made it an easy journey for the two Dorset Area Council delegates - Steve Ryder, Chairman of the South Dorset Group, and Jan Wardell, Area Footpath Secretary. All

first-time attendees were given yellow voting cards (Steve), whereas the ‘old-timers’ had red voting cards (Jan) – giving rise to various football analogies over the week-end.Highfield Campus and the Halls of Residence were set in very pleasant green areas of Southampton, and after an initial period of finding our bearings, we soon became used to scurrying back and forth between the main council ‘chamber’ and the dining area. The accommodation was basic but comfortable: dining arrangements were somewhat haphazard, but the food was reasonable.Des Garrahan, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, opened General Council and chaired it adeptly throughout. After a brief introduction and welcome from David Nichols (Hampshire Area Chair) there was a presentation from Des, and our new Chief Executive Officer, Vanessa (Van) Griffiths, which included highlights from 2016 and future strategic direction. Des encouraged people to participate in parallel, virtual conferences on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram - a temptation resisted by the Dorset delegates! There were also brief introductions from Simon Bartlett, Director of Delivery and Development, Brendan Paddy, interim Director, Ramblers Scotland, Angela Charlton, Director Ramblers Cymru, and a new ‘sounding board’ team of Kate Ashbrook, Teri Moore and Christine Grant.The highlight of this session was the presentation by Van, who outlined her previous posts, the most recent being that of Assistant Director, National Trust Wales. As Chief Executive, she sees her priorities for the future of the Ramblers being a shift in focus from the introspection of recent years to working together in the wider context, which included the impact of Brexit. She also explained the Tapestry Project to improve communications across the organisation. This would be facilitated by improvements in the IT infrastructure, which had been the subject of a recent consultation with members. Governance was not mentioned and indeed had a low profile throughout General Council.After a tea break came the First session of General Council, which commenced with a Standing Silence, whilst names of prominent volunteers who had died in the past year were displayed on a rolling screen. There followed apologies for absence, approval of 2016 General Council minutes, bulk elections of vice-presidents, and the election of President. Stuart Maconie was the only nomination and was elected enthusiastically and unanimously (For a profile of Stuart Maconie please see page 8). After appointing tellers and scrutineers, and receiving the Agenda Committee report, the main business of the session was under way – that of the ‘Candidate Hustings’ for the election to fill seven vacancies on the Board of Trustees. Although fifteen candidates had been nominated, one subsequently withdrew, and one was absent. Paddy Tipping (vice-president) guided the thirteen candidates through the process, prior to the first round of elections on Sunday morning.After dinner, Steve took the opportunity to attend a demonstration of the new Ramblers Forum, which is ‘for volunteers to communicate, discuss, and share best practice amongst themselves’. However, this is currently restricted to Trustees, Area Chairs and Secretaries, and General Council members (which as delegates, is a post we hold until General Council 2018.) This restriction was considered, not unreasonably, likely to generate resentment and ill-feeling. However, these are early days.The Second session opened bright and early on Sunday with the financial review – which shows Ramblers finances to be in a better position than they have been for some years. But with falling membership, our future will depend on maintaining current and future collaboration with partners. The Third Session of Council began with a summary of actions taken to implement 2016 resolutions and outstanding resolutions from previous years. This then proceeded to the Motions for 2017 – eight in all, including two Special Resolutions. The debates on the following took us to lunchtime – albeit with a brief but welcome coffee break.1: Board of trustees: Special Resolution to amend Article 33.1 of the Articles of Association: President

and vice president terms of office. (Minor amendment to timing to make these more logical.) Carried.

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2: Board of trustees: Special Resolutions to amend Article 15 of the Articles of Association: Temporary suspension of membership. (To allow this whilst investigations take place, needed to comply with conditions of grant awarding bodies, a full and good discussion of the issues, and the (unfortunate) necessity, as our inability to temporarily suspend a member poses a risk to the Ramblers) Carried.

3: Essex Area: Staff support for areas and groups. (Seen as having been helpful in Scotland, Wales, and where available in England, to improve communications and awareness of potential resources, and assistance to apply them. Current posts in England only funded to September 2017.) Carried.

4: South Yorkshire and North East Derbyshire (SYNED) Area, and Derbyshire Area: Ploughing and cropping. (Standard policy to address increasing and perennial problem.) Carried

5: Somerset Area and Cornwall Area: Protection of Rights of Way post-Brexit. (Landowners/farmers would have similar financial incentives post-Brexit to meet their legal requirements to maintain RoW etc., as with current Rural Payments under CAP.) Carried

6: Norfolk Area: Funding for lost ways. Carried7: Board of trustees, East Yorkshire and Derwent Area, Hertfordshire and North Middlesex Area, and

Shropshire Area: Shared use of footpaths with cyclists (England) (The need to move forward with dialogue with other organisations) Carried

8: West Riding Area: Shared use of footpaths. (Should not automatically be granted to cyclists. Jerry Pearlman called this a ‘silent revolution’.) Carried (small majority – many abstentions)

The debates were unhurried and of high quality, and raised some important points which were thoroughly aired and allowed the decisions to be made on an informed basis.General Council concluded with an address by Lis Nielsen, Chair of the European Ramblers Association who assured us that Brexit would not affect our relationship with that forum, and invited us to look at their website www.era-ewv-ferp.com. Des thanked everyone – Trustees, staff and attendees – and presented a bouquet to Hazel Robinson.In conclusion, an enjoyable, and mostly non-confrontational General Council 2017.

Steve Ryder and Jan Wardell, Delegates

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable AdultsThe Ramblers helps everyone to enjoy walking. At the same time we are committed to

safeguarding the well-being of everyone who participates in Ramblers activities and will take every practical step to minimise the risk of harm, paying particular attention to the needs of those

who are most vulnerable, including children and vulnerable adults.

To assist in this, we have a comprehensive policy on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, with guidance notes for participants and volunteers involved with Ramblers activities.

Find out more at http://www.ramblers.org.uk/volunteer/safeguarding Safeguarding Officer, Rebekkah Abraham

(0207 339 8594 rebekkah.abraham@ramblers.org.uk)

“With the first step, the number of shapes the walk might take is infinite, but then the walk begins to define itself as it goes along, though freedom remains total with each step: any tempting side road can be turned into an impulse, or any wild patch of woods can be explored. The pattern of the walk

is to come true, is to be recognised, discovered.”A.R. Ammons, A Poem is a Walk

Footnotes is available by e-mail. Just send me an e-mail at footnotes@dorset-ramblers.org.uk and also tell me which Dorset Ramblers Group you belong to. Until the E-Footnotes numbers reach a level where separation from

the general mailing is worthwhile those electing for E-Footnotes will receive both versions

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All Aboard for the Wessex Wanderers

The Wessex Wanderer, public walks from stations on the Bristol-Weymouth railway line is continuing for another season. The first walk was on Saturday 20 May and the last will be on Wednesday, 4

October. The Programme Co-Ordinator is Joy Harrison on 0117 933 4998. The walks programme will be on www.wessexrailwaywalks.org.uk.In 2016 there were 22 walks, a decrease from 31 in 2015. The good news is that there are 28 in 2017. The average number of walkers per walk remained at 17. As might be expected the weather plays its part in the turnout for the walks. The highest number on a walk was 34 on a circular 7 mile walk from Bristol Temple Meads with good weather. The smallest number was the 10.5 mile walk from Chetnole to Maiden Newton when the weather was awful. The programme is financed by the four Ramblers Areas through which the line runs – Dorset, Wiltshire. Somerset and Avon plus a grant from the Heart of Wessex Community Rail Partnership. Thank you to Dorset Area for its continued support. Also Mike Heckford, Dorset Area Treasurer has agreed to return as Treasurer for the Wessex Wanderer.The WW walks are not just for Ramblers members and offer the opportunity for non-members to sample what we can offer. It also fulfils the charitable aspect of the Ramblers. If you have never tried a WW walk and live in the east, why not try some of the Dorchester, Upwey and Weymouth walks using the Waterloo – Weymouth train?The Wessex Wanderer has an excellent website www.wessexrailwaywalks.org.uk and you will not only find details of the walks and photographs but lots of other information.

Susan Blake, Wessex Wanderer Leader, 1997-2014

“My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She’s ninety-seven now, and we don’t know where the heck she is.”― Ellen DeGeneres

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Changes to Rights of Way in DorsetOrders affecting changes to the following rights of way have been confirmed since Issue 75 and effectively cover the period from January to April 2017. If you would like more details please send a DL (9”x4¼”) stamped, self-addressed envelope marked ROW to the Area Footpath Secretary (address Pg 7)Note: PINS is the abbreviation for the Planning Inspectorate – the Government agency that deals with opposed Orders which are seeking to either:-• create, divert or extinguish rights of way • modify the definitive map and statement for an area They also deal with unopposed orders which require modification in some way.Please be aware that the planning inspectorate website is now incorporated into the gov.uk website. The link for Rights of Way and Access is: https://www.gov.uk/topic/outdoor-access-recreation/rights-of-way-open-access

Confirmed Orders (# identifies any New Numbers)Frampton BR9 (part): Diversion. (Section 119, HA 1980)Marnhull FP24 (part): Diversion (HA 1980, S119)Poole Old Town DMMO 2016: Addition of 27 footpaths to DMSSixpenny Handley & Pentridge BR36: Modification to upgrade to RB36, and add RB59#. Sixpenny Handley & Pentridge BR40 (part): Modification to upgrade to RB61#.Sixpenny Handley & Pentridge BR43(part): Modification to upgrade to RB 60#.Stourpaine FP6 (part): Diversion. (Section 119, HA 1980)Weymouth BR11:Osmington BR24: Modification to upgrade to RBs (Parts of SWCP)Poxwell BR9:Poxwell BR5: Osmington BR26: (SWCP) Modification to upgrade to RB.Wootton Fitzpaine (Mill Lane) BR12 & FP13 (part): Modification to upgrade to RBs (to be renumbered RB12

and RB49#)Creation:Marshwood BR76#: By agreement (Highways Act 1980, Section 25) - (# denotes a new number.)Unless otherwise stated, the above Orders are confirmed under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981(Section 53A (2)

Long Term Temporary Closures/Diversions under Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984: Section 14(1)(Note that unless otherwise stated, the following Orders are Under Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984: Section 14(1))Swanage FP26: From SZ 0368 7862 to SZ 0388 7863 (200 metres) from

03.04.17 for another period of 26 weeks Wool FP15: (Rail crossing 20m) From 10.04.17 to 08.10.17 Alternative

via new stepped Footbridge.Wyke Regis - Public linked footpath, Bohays Drive – High Street: From 14.02.17 for 6 months. Relaying utilities. Completion

expected 26.02.17Please Note: All the above closures are for Health and Safety reasons. Any person who uses or permits the use of the footpaths in contravention of any of the above orders will be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000.)

Jan Wardell

Ramblers – East Dorset GroupPurbeck Plod – Sunday 25 June 2017

Start at Swanage Pier at 08 30 walkers (09 30 runners)(Entry on the day – Please arrive at least 15 minutes earlier)

25 miles via SWCP, Kimmeridge, Ridgeway Hill, Corfe Castle, Nine Barrow Down, Ballard DownFinish by 20 00 at All Saints Church Hall, SwanageA shorter 16 mile route is available for walkers only

Entries and Information – please contact Event Secretary, 76 Bloxworth Road, Poole BH12 4BW Either email PurbeckPlod@eastdorsetramblers.org.uk OR click on the Purbeck Plod page on line

www.eastdorsetramblers.org.ukCan you help on the day please?

We need marshals to help out at the Start and Finish and at Checkpoints.

The South Dorest Group have been walking with Secret Hills

The South Dorse t Group has used

Secret Hi l ls Walking a number of times but this was the first time overseas for our annual group holiday in Majorca – all 38 of us! We were not disappointed, especially with Jill and her Secret Hills Team in Majorca. Several members asked if we could use them again. We will certainly consider them for a future group holiday. So here is an introduction to Secret Hills as a thank you for a great holiday. John Pennington

Secret Hills Walking Holidays are designed by WALKERS and delivered by WALKERS. They pride themselves on offering a very “personal” approach, paying attention to individual needs with every holiday

tailored to meet the group requirements.Secret Hills Walking have been designing and delivering guided walking holidays within the UK and Europe for 15 years. Each holiday takes on a different form, taking into consideration the skill and experience of each walker; their speed,

stamina and ability, and, of course, the great British weather plays a part in determining how we run the holiday. Will there be one walk or two, how long, how fast, how high? Flexibility is the key. This flexibility extends to the number of nights/days you join them for - if you need an extra night to avoid travel on the day of a walk, then just ask them to organise it. Their European Holidays have ATOL bonding insurance.In Majorca, we had a choice of walks covering between 8 and 11 miles a day, at a steady pace, with plenty of breaks. Each walk is surveyed many times prior to you walking them which provides the confidence for the walk leaders to promote a social atmosphere of ‘Walking and Talking’, ‘Strolling and Exploring’ and also specialised ‘Short Breaks for Singles’.Check them out and their Testimonials at www.secrethillswalking.co.uk

The Ramblers’ Association Dorset area is a part of the Ramblers’ Association, a registered charity (England and Wales number 1093577, Scotland SC039799) and a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (number

4458492). Registered Office: 2nd Floor, Camelford House, 87-90 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TW

Stuart Maconie is our New PresidentBroadcaster, writer and journalist Stuart Maconie has been named as our new president.The keen walker and advocate of walkers’ rights is well known for his weekday BBC6 Music show Radcliffe and Maconie, his books, including The Pie At Night: In Search of the North at Play and Never Mind the Quantocks.Stuart hopes to use his presidency to encourage more people to enjoy the outdoors and get involved in protecting people’s rights to access the countryside.“I hope to add my voice to those who seek to ensure the birthright that is free access to our open hills, moors, downs and wherever we put one foot in front of another for recreation.”

Stuart has walked all 214 Wainwrights in the Lake District, completed the Hadrian’s Wall Path national trail and walked much of the South West Coast Path.