Open Country - Archives 1996

Total number of people involved in Walks - 154
Total number of people involved in Outings - 94
Total number of people involved in Walks & Outings - 248

Date		Location	Number of Participants
1997	23 March	Temple Newsam, Leeds	17
	16 February	Bolton Abbey	10
	19 January	Yorkshire Dales Falconry Centre, Settle	11
1996	14 December	Dickensian Fair, Grassington	9
	18 August	Dalby Forest	9
	21 July	Castle Howard	10
	23 June	Scarborough Sealife Centre	12
	6 May	North York Moors Tour	10
	1 April	Thorpe Perrow Arboretum	10
		Total	98

Date	Location	Number of Participants
1997	Grassington	16
	Lake District, Walking Weekend	19
	Pateley Bridge	11
1996	Swinsty Reservoir	15
	Bolton Abbey	10
	South Stainley	14
	Fewston and Swinsty	13
	Kettlewell - Starbottom	16
	Malham Tarn	14
	Nidderdale Challenge	11
	Ingleton	16
	TOTAL	155

Everyone had arrived at the meeting point and packed their kit into the minibuses by 6:00p.m. as planned. We then set off for the Lake District, filling up with petrol in Harrogate on the way. After a steady journey we arrived at the YMCA National Centre, Lakeside, at approximately 8:20p.m. We all settled into our rooms, unpacked our kit and then met up in the conference/social room.

A member of the YMCA staff gave a brief introduction on the Centre then showed the group around the site. We all then went back to our rooms to collect torches etc. To go on a short stroll through the grounds. The group then assembled back in the social room to chat, have tea/coffee and discuss the walks for Saturday.

	Group1	Group2
Leaders:	Roy Bousfield	Sally Dudley
	Paul Watson	Peter Dudley
Volunteers:	Ann Bousfield	Ken Jackson
	Jillian Lawson	Sue Anderson
	Kennie Glennie	Rick (Friend of Sue)
Clients:	Paul Meegan	Jonathan Evason
	Maxine McApline	Karl Jameson
	Michael Roe	John Shaw
	Michael Oxteby
Carer:	Nicola Stenberg	Garry Midson

Before commencing the walks we met Sue Anderson in Ambleside, who joined Sally and Peter Dudley on the slightly longer walk from Ambleside, around Loughrigg Fell and back to Ambleside. Roy Bousfield led the shorter walk around Grassmere and Rydal Water. It rained on and off for most of the day, but it didn't dampen anyone's spirits too much. The two groups met up in Ambleside at 2:30p.m. and went to a Tea Shop to shelter from the rain. There was then some time to have a look around the shops. We arranged to meet back at the buses at 4:00p.m. to travel back the Lakeside, arriving back at 4:45p.m.

The highlights of Saturday evening were the quiz and slide show, thanks to Jillian Lawson, Kenneth Glennie and Ken Jackson. During the evening we also made plans for the following days activities, which would depend heavily on the weather.

It was a very wet morning at first, but after breakfast the skies started to clear and we decided to go ahead with the walks as planned. Maxine McApline went to Roy Bousfield flat for the day because she did not want to go on a walk. We split into two groups again, Sally and Peter led a walk up to Moss Eccless Tarn while Ken led a walk up Holme Fell.

	Group1	Group2
Leader:	Sally Dudley	Ken Jackson
	Peter Dudley	Roy Bousfield
		Paul Watson
Volunteers:	Jillian Lawson	Kennie Glennie
Clients:	Michael Roe	Karl Evason
	Jonathan Evason	Paul Meegan
	Michael Oxteby	John Shaw
Carer:	Nicola Stenberg	Garry Midson

It turned out to be a beautiful day, with blue sky, some light clouds and beautiful views all round. After the walks the groups met back in Hawkshead at 2:00p.m. in a Tea Shop. There was a bit of time to have a quick look around the shop for last minute souvenirs and gifts.

Once back at the YMCA we packed up the minibuses and set off back to Harrogate at about 3:30p.m. We arrived back in Harrogate at 5:30p.m. and waited to be collected. I then gave a few people a lift home. I finished clearing out the bus and filling in the log book at about 7:00p.m.

The following evaluation is from the response to the questionnaire sent out to all the residential participants on the weekend. Eighty -five percent of the questionnaires were returned. (Eleven out of thirteen sent.)

Seventy percent of the participants had been on a Walking Weekend with Open Country Before, with four people having taken part for the last four years. Three people were on their first weekend.

Just over half of the group thought that the dormitories were good and just under half thought that they were only average. About 65% of the group thought the meals and packed lunches were good while the remainder thought that they were average. A few people complained that the coffee which was provided with the packed lunches was disgusting.

Everyone thought that there were enough choice of walks and that the length and difficulty of them was o.k. Two members of the group thought the walks were hard, but o.k.

Overall only one person thought that the evenings were boring and 2 people didn't enjoy the quiz, one of whom is deaf and therefore could not participate. Everyone said they enjoyed the slide show, some commenting that it was 'excellent'. Asked what else they might have liked to do, three people said they would have quite liked to go to the local pub for a drink and one person said they would have liked to have played snooker if possible.

No-one thought that the Lake District was too far to travel, in fact, three people said they wouldn't mind travelling further. Most people(80%) said that they had enough information about the weekend before they went and that they received it at about the right time. A couple of people did comment that they did not receive enough information about the weekend before they went and that the information they received came too late. When asked what they enjoyed most about the weekend, generally the group said that it was the social aspect in a countryside environment. Many said that it was good all round and they mostly enjoyed the walks. All of the group said that it was good all round and they mostly enjoyed the walks. All of the group said they would like to go again. One person said they would quite like to go to a different location.