News, February 2008

New-look website and photo gallery

As part of our 10th anniversary celebrations for 2008, we've given our website a make-over. As well as a new look, there are new pages on leading walks and organising socials.

There's also a new photo gallery, so if you've got any photos of recent SURG walks and socials which you'd like to share with the group, now's your chance. You can upload photos yourself, or send them to the Web Officer and we'll upload them for you.

New local walks guidebook published

Godalming and Haslemere Group have published a new book of local walks, all personally chosen and researched by members of the group. "Another Twenty Five Favourite Walks in West Surrey and Sussex" is available to buy online through the group's website. The book costs just £5.95 (plus 75p postage), and all profits go towards the work of the RA.

Ramblers' General Council 2008

General Council is the RA's annual conference where delegates from across the country gather to discuss policy and campaign issues. This year it's taking place on Friday 4th - Sunday 6th April at Winchester University.

Any RA member can attend as a visitor and observe the formal policy sessions, join in the discussion forums, and meet the staff of RA Central Office. It's a great way to find out more about what the RA does, and there's usually a special forum for 20s & 30s members. And it's not all talk -- there are social events in the evenings, and even a chance to fit in a brief walk before breakfast on Sunday!

There's normally a charge for visitors to attend, but Hike magazine are offering 20s & 30s members the chance to attend the whole weekend for free. To find out more, contact Jo Smith (JoS@ramblers.org.uk or 020 7339 8539), or email the SURG Chair.

Walker Miles event, Saturday 19th & Sunday 20th April 2008

On this weekend, SURG will be joining other Surrey groups on a series of walks to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of Edmund Seyfang-Taylor, known as "Walker Miles". He published a considerable number of walks guides covering Surrey, South London (then part of Surrey), Kent and Sussex and we'll be covering some of his routes around Leith Hill on Saturday, and around Godstone on Sunday.

More details of the walks will be in our Spring programme, but if you'd like to know more about Walker Miles, there's an interesting article on him in the February issue of the South East Walker magazine.

SURG Tenth Anniversary walk, Sunday 11th May 2008

We'll only have one walk on this day, a 6 mile circular walk from Gomshall retracing the very first SURG walk! The walk will be led by Kevin Harding, one of SURG's founder members. Kevin also led the Fifth Anniversary walk, and served on the SURG committee for over 9 years, taking a well earned rest after the 2007 AGM. We hope you will join us for what will be a very special walk.

Committee news

Our Footpath Officer, Dan Jones, has stepped down from the role and Andrea Coates has kindly offered to take his place.

Our Countryside Officer position is still vacant. The Countryside Officer helps to coordinate campaigns on countryside issues, such as the Campaign to save the Western Weald. If you'd like to become more involved in SURG, this could be your chance!

Raise more money for the Ramblers with Gift Aid

Would you like to donate more money to the Ramblers' Association, without paying an extra penny? If you pay UK Income Tax, you can increase the value of your membership fees by 28% by signing a Gift Aid Declaration. This enables the RA to reclaim the tax paid on your membership fee, and for a single annual membership of £27 that means an extra £7.62 for the Ramblers!

Approximately 42% of SURG members have already signed up for Gift Aid but if we can raise this figure nearer 100%, that will mean hundreds of extra pounds for the Ramblers. You can sign up for Gift Aid online via the Ramblers' website. If you're not sure if you've already signed up, contact Anna, our Membership Secretary, and she'll be happy to tell you.

Join the campaign to save the western Weald

The western Weald stretches from Pulborough to Petersfield and north to the county boundary (map) and has long been considered part of the South Downs. Originally included in the territory of the proposed South Downs National Park, it is now under threat of being left out.

The South Downs Campaign is working to keep the special area of the western Weald in the National Park, and are asking walkers to tell them about how often they visit the area. We have completed the Campaign's questionaire on behalf of SURG, giving information on our recent walks in the area (thanks to Orson for helping with this). If you'd like to support the work of the campaign yourself, please visit their website or sign the online petition.

The 2007 Sunrise Walk, Saturday 22nd December 2007

Seven early-birds made an early start and drove down to the Jack and Jill windmills in Sussex. After walking two miles to our viewpoint, we were rewarded with a wonderful sunrise. With the bad weather forecast of the previous day it was a very pleasant surprise.

We had a breakfast snack and hot drink while watching the sunrise. Gary had even managed to make a bacon roll before venturing out, to the envy of the rest of us! We then walked another five miles and the only hitch was a muddy field that collected very thickly on our boots. Oh well, we got to see a lovely sunrise on the day after the shortest day of the year and not long now until some finer weather and less muddy paths...

SURG Christmas party weekend, 7th – 9th December 2007

Last year's SURG Christmas Party weekend took place at the 600-year-old Saffron Walden Youth Hostel, the oldest inhabited building in this attractive market town in Essex.

Wet weather on Saturday led to Glyn's walk being cut short and adapted to include a bus ride back to base! On Saturday evening we enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Katherine and her helpers, followed by Secret Santa amusingly played by Steve and Sarah. As always there was the fun SURG annual awards, with Glyn, Paul and Carol providing us with great entertainment. Then the music started and we partied until the early hours of Sunday morning.

A good time was had by all, and many thanks to Katherine for organising the weekend. And congratulations to the SURG award winners, who included:

SURG Contributors' evening, 25th January 2008

Around 30 SURG members enjoyed this special "by invitation" drinks evening in Redhill, held in recognition of members' contribution to SURG. We hope it has inspired all who attended to continue to lead walks, socials and serve on the Committee in the future. We hope that in the year ahead many other SURG members will come forward to lead events and keep our programme interesting and varied.

Paul's Pick of the Pubs: The Royal Oak, Friday Street

Situated down a quiet lane close to the border with Surrey is this gem of a pub. The owner is a real ale enthusiast and stocks at least five ales from small local(ish) breweries, including Surrey Hills, Dark Star, Kings, Weltons and Hepworths amongst others. Real cider is also sold from JB and Thatchers. The excellent home cooked food is very good value, and I can recommend the steak and kidney pudding! Open all day at weekends, it's set amidst some very scenic and rural countryside and well worth a visit.

The Royal Oak, Friday Street (near Rusper), West Sussex, RH12 4QA. Orson will be visiting both the Royal Oak and the Frog & Nightgown, another rare surviving pub, on his "Classic Sussex Pubs" walk on Saturday 9th February.