Still walking on -
On the 1st April 1976, a public meeting was held at Belper High School to discuss the formation of a Ramblers Group. Following which there was a formal Committee meeting and the activities of the Group tentatively commenced - initially walking in and around the local Amber Valley area - afternoons only, before venturing further afield on longer distances. Social events were also introduced and, as a result, the past 35 years has seen the Group become a small part of the social fabric around the Amber Valley district, and Belper in particular.Records show that the volume of footpath work in the local area has been considerable over these years, involving footpath clearance, dealing with complaints from the public, attendance at meetings with local authorities to discuss footpath matters, obstructions to paths, diversions and footpath surveys. All done by members on a voluntary basis, of course.
The Group has also supported the National Children’s Home Charity ‘Wild Ways Walk’ for many years, and 1992 was the 11th year of marshalling and designing routes in various parts of the county. This support helped to raise in excess of £200,000 during this period for the work of the organisation (and more since that date).
Group membership has grown from 38 in 1977, to around 200 at the present time. Walks are in all parts of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, and it will be noted from our programme that we also go away for long week ends twice a year to places such as Devon, the Lake District, Wales, and Northumbria. Members have also tackled the Three Peaks of Yorkshire and walked the Pennine Way in the past. Holidays are usually spent in faraway places and reports of members lying on beaches are rare.
Social events introduced into our programme include talks and slide shows on Friday evenings, once a month in winter on some aspect of walking or wildlife, and these have proved very popular.
Originally, our Walks Programme was on a photocopied piece of paper handed around. Nowadays, we produce a handy programme twice a year, which is widely circulated, as well as this web site on the Internet, which has proved a useful innovation in attracting people from outside the area, sometimes on holiday in Derbyshire and seeking a walk.
