Unfortunately for the early part of the year we were in lockdown so we were not able to meet up as a group. However we did keep in touch with each other over ” zoom” having a quiz on a Tuesday evening and an online meeting on a Thursday evening. Not quite what we were used to but it was the best we could do in the circumstances.
However come April we started getting out and about again. Using our own cars, keeping it local and being aware of the ongoing covid restrictions, we started walking again.
April
Three local day walks took place in April. The first on the 3rd April 2021, when four of our members did an 8 mile walk around Market Bosworth. Paths were a bit muddy at times but the weather was kind to us. The second was on the 10th April 2021, a very interesting 8.1 mile walk around the Shakerstone area, followed on the 17th April by a 10 mile walk in the Birchley Heath area. After all the problems with covid restrictions it was good to be able to get out and about again even if we were staying local.
May
The walk on the 1st May took us back to the Market Bosworth area, for a 8.6 mile circular taking a different route to the one done in April. The second walk that month was on the 29th May, when we did a lovely 9 mile walk starting from Brinklow.
June
On 5th June we made an ascent of The Wrekin in Shropshire, as we had often seen the hill from the motorway but on speaking to other club members not many of them had actually climbed it. It was a warm sunny day and the views from the top were superb. We walked 7.7 miles with 560 meters of ascent, our first real hill of the year. A second walk took place on the 26th June, a 7.6 circular through the Sence Valley National Forest.
July
We started with a couple of local walks, one on the 10th July along the cloud trail in Leicestershire and the second a 7.7 mile circular in the Hartshill area, before again heading for the hills with a trip to Waterhouses in the Peak District on the 31st, an 11.5 mile circular with 580 meters of ascent.
August
The 7th of August found us on the Bredon Hill for a 10.7 mile circular with 520 meters of ascent. A bit of a showery day so we were all pleased to get a hot drink at the local church, which was holding a fete, on our return to Elmley Castle. From the 13th-17th August we had a camping weekend at Horton in Ribblesdale. A nice quiet camp site with good facilities and the weather stayed fine for us. Several walks were done and many of the the surrounding hills, Pen y Ghent, Ingleborough, Twisletone were climbed over the weekend. Following enquiries from some prospective new members a 9 mile walk on Cannock Chase was organised for the 28th August as an introduction to the club.
September
The Derbyshire Edges and Eyam were the venues for a day walk on 4th September, covering 12.7 miles with 517 meters of ascent. The 11th – 18th September was our annual holiday week. We had booked a flat in the Manor House and a couple of holiday cottages for our stay on the Alvie Estate, Cairngorms, Scotland. We had lovely weather and were able to get out and about on every day. Amongst the mountains climbed that week were Meall nan Eagan (658m) and Ben Mcdui (1309m) to name just two. There were also walks around lochs, through the Abernethy forests, bird watching trips and visits to local tourist attractions. Something to suit everyone. It is a lovely setting with plenty to do and see in the area. Not everyone could come to Scotland so a walk to the Malvern hills was arranged for 25th September, the walk which turned into 11.6 miles with 800 meters of ascent, catered for those who still wanted to get some hill walking in.
October
The 9th October 2021 was a Brown Clees day walk. Although the programme advertised the walk as the Brown Clee, the walk we did was Titterstone Clee. The 10.3 mile circular walk started at Doddington passed through Cleeton St Mary and up to Clee Hill summit where there are some great views and some very interesting and extensive ruins, evidence of its mining past. The weather was kind to us keeping fine all day.
November
Novemberfest, 12th – 14th November 2021 went ahead as planned. We stayed at the Sheen Bunkhouse in Derbyshire and enjoyed a variety of walks in the Derbyshire Dales, some along rivers others over the hills, the weather was kind to us with some welcome winter sunshine, although it was very wet underfoot in places. We had, as is our custom, a group meal (socially distanced) and celebratory drinks on the Saturday evening. It was a very safe, successful and enjoyable weekend.
December
To end the year on 30th December we had an 11.4 mile walk over the Burton Dassett hills. It had been a bit of a strange year for everyone but I think we made the best of it and got out and about as much as possible.