Loughborough and District Ramblers: http://www.loughboroughramblers.org.uk 1

Newsletter of the Loughborough and District Ramblers.

Well, this is the third edition of Soar Feet I find myself preparing in circumstances where there are some restrictions to our Ramblers activities. Unlike the previous two, when our activities were on complete hold, most of us will now have had both of our covid vaccinations and things are now opening up. By the time you read this, most aspects of life in the UK may be approaching normality. Some of us may find that also takes some getting used to! Ramblers group walks were allowed to resume from 29th March and the group is now offering two walks each week; a mid-week walk of 6-7 miles and a longer walk of 10-15 miles on Saturdays. These walks are published as a rolling programme on the website and Dave Twigg is eager to receive proposals from members to lead walks. Current covid precautions are listed along with the walk details on the website. It is necessary to preregister by contacting the walk leader who may, at the moment, limit numbers. Walks are fairly local at the moment and may remain so until members are more comfortable sharing lifts. Dave’s plan to complete the Limestone Way as a series of circular walks remains on hold for the time being. More recently though, some of the closer stretches of the Leicestershire Round are being walked, also incorporating them into circular walks. Sections of the Round that are further afield will also wait until lift-sharing again becomes the acceptable norm. It may then become a logistical option to run some sections as linear walks. The lack of Social Events (other than the group walks) has made it increasingly challenging to fill the pages of the Soar Feet. You may notice that this is somewhat shorter than the previous few issues. I was probably almost as excited by the prospect of being able to include a review of the long weekend away at Larpool Hall, the HF house at Whitby, in this issue of Soar Feet as I was about actually staying there and walking in the area. However, the trip fell 10 days on the wrong side of 17th May, the reopening day for

such establishments, and, therefore, had to be cancelled. However, Sue Mears, who has put in an enormous amount of time planning and rescheduling this trip twice, has been able to rebook for August. Thanks, Sue. Which brings me on to the editorship of Soar Feet. This is the seventh issue that I have produced, and I feel that, with activities about to resume, it might be a good time to hand this over to someone else and bring some fresh ideas and perhaps a change of perspective to the newsletter. If you are at all tempted and want to talk about what it involves, please get in touch. Traditionally, such changes occur at the AGM, which is pencilled in for early November but, as it is does not have to be a committee post, it can probably be agreed outside of this meeting. I would be happy to advise or help out with the end of year issue. You may remember that the group is currently running without the Secretary role being filled, the responsibilities being shared by other members of the committee. This will certainly come up again at the AGM. If you feel you might be able to make an important contribution to the running of the group and would like to find out what is involved, please talk to a member of the committee.

Date for the Calendar Loughborough Ramblers AGM

Provisional Date 3 November 2021 Further details will be posted on the website

Your Soar Feet I hope that you find something of interest in this newsletter. It would be great to receive suggestions of what you might like to see included, but also possible contributions; an interesting find or a quirky/amusing photo taken on a local walk? Please send to ted.wells12@gmail.com. Unattributed articles are by the editor

SOAR FEET Summer 2021

Loughborough and District Ramblers: http://www.loughboroughramblers.org.uk 2

John Harper When John died in January of this year the committee decided to plant some trees in his memory. He loved all things to do with nature and was especially keen on bird watching. John loved leading walks in the National Forest, so we dedicated six trees in his name. The trees we chose were oak, lime, hazel, silver birch, rowan and wild cherry.

The wise old oak tree is a symbol of strength and survival, providing rich habitats for wildlife and the acorns are a valuable food source. The lime has wonderful red buds, beautiful bark spine and large heart-shaped green leaves, it is perfect for birds and insects and a particular favourite of the endangered honeybee. The leaves of the hazel tree turn yellow in the autumn and when they fall, they create a pathway for dormice and caterpillars to thrive. The silver birch trees have a light open canopy which provide the perfect conditions for bluebells, violets and moss to thrive on the forest floor and nesting birds can often be found in its trunk. A rowan tree can live up to 200 years. Its cream and white flowers turn into red fruits after

pollination and are a rich source of food for wildlife. The leaves of the wild cherry tree change colour throughout the year, creating a beautiful year - round display. They begin with deep green fading into orange and then into a deep crimson in autumn. In dedicating these trees in John’s memory, we will be contributing to the National Forest, leaving a lasting mark on the area. John was always keen to lead walks in the National Forest Walking Festival, which is held in May each year. In 2014 John was at the launch of the National Forest Way and encouraged many of our members to attend the festivities at Conkers. The walking was expertly led and the reward at the end was a huge celebration cake. John was famous for his tea and cake after walks and this beautifully decorated cake was certainly worth walking several miles for.

Sue Mears

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Nature Note: Romantic Gateways.

John Harper wrote Nature Note articles for the Old Dalby Parish Magazine. Last year he sent me a number of these to keep in reserve to publish in the newsletter. Here he reflects on a sight common on footpaths in Leicestershire but still less common elsewhere. I publish this now with Yvonne’s permission.

On a visit to Norfolk recently I asked a local for directions. ‘Across that field and through the lover’s gate,’ was the reply. Now the gate he referred to was, as I suspected, a gate I had always called a kissing gate. However, in

Yorkshire I have also heard them called batchelor gates. The origin of kissing gates is to keep out farm animals whilst allowing people to pass. They consist of a semi-circular, square or V-shaped enclosure on one side and a hinged gate that

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swings between two shutting posts so that only one person can pass at a time. Traditionally made of wood they have become more familiar in galvanised steel in recent years as county councils encourage landowners to make footpaths more accessible to a wider range of users. This desire continues but financial pressures have slowed their introduction. There are a number of explanations as to why they are called kissing gates. Of course, the romantic explanation is that the first person to pass through would have to close the gate to the next person, providing the opportune moment to demand a kiss in return for entry. These gates

were often placed at the entrance to churchyards since they are easier to negotiate than a stile, particularly when dressed in your Sunday best. It is also said they were placed there so that unmarried couples could not pass through hand in hand. Another explanation is that the term kissing gate is a corruption of Kisting Gate, a place where a coffin (Kist, a form of chest) was put down for the bearers to rest while being carried to the church for the funeral. More practically it was necessary to prevent cattle from getting into churchyards and eating poisonous yew trees. The prosaic answer is that it derives

from the fact that the hinged gate touches, or kisses, the two posts at the two extremes of its travel. On a walk with Loughborough Ramblers alongside the Trent between Hoveringham and Gunthorpe there were a number of Clapper gates. These were self-closing gates, and the name comes from the sharp sound or ‘clap’ as they shut. I wonder what tales, amorous or otherwise, members can tell around events at kissing and clapper gates?

John Harper ______________________________________

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Meet the Member: Paul Wilcock Paul joined the Ramblers in late 2015. He walks regularly with the group and leads walks for us. He writes.

If you’ve heard me speak, you’ll know I‘m from Lancashire, born in Bury moving to Bolton when aged ten. I often return home to see family, friends and to enjoy/endure/despair supporting Bolton Wanderers! There are some great walks

over the moors, and I plan to return in September to take part in the 125th anniversary of the Mass Trespass on Winter Hill (36 years before Kinder Scout).

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After school I joined Courtaulds PLC on the graduate sponsorship scheme, combining technical training in cotton mills with a BSc course at UMIST. Upon graduating I became Technical Manager of a cotton mill in Oldham. Despite the drastic changes within the UK textile industry, with lots of reinventing of myself, flexibility and relocations, I have mostly been able to remain “a man of the cloth”. The Lake District was within a 90 minute drive from home so every year there would be several visits, with family and friends, often camping, and walking, including an annual ascent of Coniston Old Man. However, playing football was my main interest, until at 25 an injury curtailed my enthusiasm. When 21, I took my first ever flight and worked in an upstate New York summer camp as the soccer coach. After camp my highlights included hitch hiking from East to West Coast and camping at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. I met my wife, Heather, on holiday and always felt it was fate that she was from Leicester where I had some textile contacts. We married in 1985 and have moved house four times, all within Birstall. I became a Yarn Agent with an office in New Walk in the city; we sourced yarn from British and European manufacturers selling to UK knitwear and weaving companies and promoting to the fashion retailers. We were soon blessed with two sons, Ben & Dan, who are lovely and very capable young men (and now have a granddaughter, Ruby). Both sons enjoyed the scouts, and I was a volunteer helper with the local group for 15 years, particularly enjoying the camps. The boys and I competed against each other for over 10 years in the annual Charnwood Hike orienteering challenge. In 1997, a cousin in Manchester was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. This inspired me to get involved locally here and I continue to be a trained Association Visitor to people living with MND, am on the local committee and cover the evening telephone helpline on a rota basis. I’m always keen to increase awareness of MND and happy to have a chat with anyone if so wished. From 1999-2002 I was employed as Export Sales Director for two local textile companies and began my travelling beyond Europe. In 2005 I joined an American company in their Heathrow factory being responsible for global sales of

airline textiles and passenger comfort items, travelling the world to visit commercial airlines. I had begun walking more and in December 2015 joined the Ramblers, unfortunately my first outing with the Loughborough Ramblers didn’t go as planned! I had a free Saturday and saw a walk from Hathern advertised in the “Echo”, I rang and arranged to attend an all-day walk. Upon arrival I popped into a shop to buy water and met two guys in walking kit, so attached myself to them. It wasn’t till we returned to Hathern at lunch time

that I realised I had been walking with another group! Happily, I now walk with both groups. As I was working for an American company, with factories in China and a global client base my job was not 9-5, and I was given a bit of leeway that allowed me to join the group morning walks when I was working from home. Though out of respect to my colleagues, I did become camera shy! In 2012 I got an offer from a Hull company in the same role, still travelling extensively but mostly working from home when in the UK. I reduced my hours in 2016 and increased walking and retired in 2018 on my 59th birthday, becoming one of the few retirees who did not want to travel once work

At the summit of Scafell Pike

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stopped, instead looking forward to no airports and sleeping in my own bed! Being paid to travel the world was good and a major attraction of my job, but I also wanted to see more of the UK, so in 2014 we bought a VW campervan and have taken it on trips throughout England and Wales enjoying the freedom and flexibility it gives. Upon retiring I lost my posh company car so use the van all the time – it’s nice to have a fridge and kettle always available! Since retiring I have increased my walking with friends and both Loughborough and Leicester Ramblers. Each year I have walked more than the year before and am aiming to walk 1000 miles in 2021, I’m currently ahead of target! Earlier this month I returned to the Lake District

with five friends and we went up Hellvelyn, Scafell Pike and walked around Coniston, Grasmere and Ullswater. I can confirm that climbing mountains 40 years ago was a lot easier! I have also booked on my first Ramblers holiday and am looking forward to joining the group in Whitby in August. We all benefit from a well organised group, and I would like to thank all the committee members and helpers who do a fantastic job in an efficient, professional and friendly manner, allowing us all to enjoy our hobby. Thank you.

Paul Wilcock

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