THE CLUB CELEBRATED ITS 90TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2012. THIS LETTER IS A POTTED HISTORY OF THE CLUB’S ACTIVITIES DURING THE PAST 10 YEARS AND SUPPLEMENTS THE NOTES CHRONICLED IN THE CLUB’S HISTORY BOOK.
The Foot & Mouth Disease outbreak of 2001 may have caused havoc with our walking programme but it didn’t deter our enthusiasm and commitment. Both our walking activities, mainly along beaches, proms and parks; and our social calendar maintained momentum over this period and we moved into 2002 undeterred and ready to celebrate our 80th anniversary.
The start of our 80th Anniversary was heralded at the 79th Annual General Meeting in March 2002 at Bolton Parish Church Hall. Over 60 members attended out of a current membership of 380 and it was somewhat fitting that the new president Mr. Roland Makin who celebrated his 80th birthday during 2002 began his term of office at the AGM. As the Club’s 80th year was to be a special year, the committee agreed that a number of additional events and memorabilia be arranged to mark the occasion. These included an up-dated and illustrated edition of the Club’s history book “The First 60 Years” originally written by Bill Jones; and a cloth rucksack badge.
On the first Wednesday after the AGM a bumper crowd of 39 members, including Roland, met at Turton Tower for a nine-miles walk to the Coke Ovens. Also, a Manchester Evening News reporter accompanied the Number Two Walkers for a Botony Bay ramble. This led to an article “Making Tracks” appearing in a later issue of the paper.
The first major event in the Anniversary Year was a five-day April break at Warners Nidd Hall Hotel in Harrogate, when 31 member and friends enjoyed a week’s walking interspersed with some first-class entertainment. The first day started with a bus ride into Ripon before the group “legged it” back to Ripley and nearby Nidd Hall. The following day included a local circular walk from the Hall, following a route via Rowal Way and Burton Leonard. The last day’s walk was around Cayton Gill finishing at Ripley Castle. Verdict: A good time was had by all!
Although 9/11was an ominous date in 2002, the Club had its first-ever holiday abroad between 11th and 18th September. A group of 20 members flew to Slovenia for the week, and a thoroughly enjoyable time it proved to be. The first day started with the flight from Manchester to the capital, Ljubljana with accommodation at the Hotel Kompas in Kransjska Gora. The following morning the group had a half-day walk led by “The Rep” to Lake Jasna, through the valley by Reka Pisnica. Later, a ‘happy hour’ for the group was arranged by two of the party in their hotel room prior to dinner.
The following day the group went to Slap Martulek and walked to the water falls. On return to the village some members sampled Charlie’s Cakes and, later in the evening after dinner, dancing followed in a local bar.