Meet up and walk for Slow Way contributers and others
Not everyone likes walking alone and it would be nice for Slow Wayers to have an opportunity to meet up. So lets start a Slow Ways walking group. The aims would be to meet face to face to chat and socialise while exploring a Slow Way route and getting it added to the ticked snail list and perhaps even a survey.
Detail is needed but I suggest a Saturday when those still working can join in and public transport is still decent. Initially this needs a few folk who can approach a start point without excessive travel so I suggest a corridor Derby Birmingham but lets see what feedback there is.
It also needs to grab attention and I rather like the Manchester and District Walkers (MAD Walkers) so I start the ball rolling with:-
The Slow Way Swarm or Slow Ways Investigation Team Chat & Hike (SWITCH) which has a reference to changing the transport mode from the car to walking.
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Love it! Not just because I live in the Derby - Birmingham corridor. I'm glad you've suggested it and you can count me in. I think it would be worth seeing who would be interested and see where they live. I'm certainly quite willing to be quite flexible about where it is, if it moved about a bit.
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SWITCH is a superb name too!
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Well thanks David glad you like the idea and the name but ..................... So let's go for it and see if we can tempt others to join us. I suggested a Saturday and hope that suits you it means I can bus pass before 9.30, there giving away some personal detail. I've had a look at some routes in the corridor and hope we can agree on a start from Burton upon Trent. To give others time to consider joining can I also suggest Saturday 20th November.
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I’ll be up for it! (Now off to see public transport options to get there).
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Yes. I'm good for then and there. Looking forward to it!
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Good news we have three Slowwayers (is that the correct spelling) so we should be able to tick a snail. Thoughts on a route to walk and a meet up time? I've just done Derhea, great walk need to get it posted after a meal.
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I've already walked and approved the routes to Alrewas and Swadlincote so I'm open to any others. Depends on how far you think is reasonable and where's easiest for you to get back from. I might be worth a browse first in case anything stands out. I can be in Burton for 7am so I'm rather flexible in that regard!
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Depending on how we're all suited it might be worth meeting at the other end and walking to Burton. Just a thought, but let's see.
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Wow 7am I'm not that keen, sorry. I was thinking more like 10am start. I wondered about Uttbur which is 13 miles but I suspect it will need a bit of desktop investigation first. It's not well plotted and there is an improved approach to Burton. There is also a fair bit of road which needs checking if there is a pavement. I have walked Tutbury to Uttoxeter so can offer a revised route off road. I'll take a detailed look soon and would be happy to walk it Uttbur. There is or was a bus Burton to Uttoxeter. Or what about Burmel? Also 13 miles
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Might be a bit dark at that time too :-). I'd be happy with either of those. From a pub and bus perspective a finish in Burton or Melbourne would be preferable (I might be doing Uttoxeter a disservice pub wise, but the travel back is definitely not as good)
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Having walked around Ticknall and Calke Abbey on Friday, Burmel would be great if we could start as close to 9.30 as possible.
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9:30 suits me better too. I can meet you then
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Thanks for the feedback. I now feel able to make a firm suggestion and ask for comments.
Saturday 20th November 2021 a Slow Ways walk of Burmel from Burton upon Trent to Melbourne. Starts Burton meeting point at the railway station 9.30. Packed lunch, bus pass, train saver and whatever you use to pay for things.
Burmel has no reviews at present so lets hope we can offer it a ticked snail. If there is any change to reviews by the walk we can look if there is a better route and check that. At 13 miles with an average speed of 2mph we should be in Melbourne by 4pm so besides looking how you get to Burton you will need to make your own arragments to return home from Melbourne. There is a bus Derby to Swadlincote (Arriva 2) and Burton to East Midlands Airport (Midland Classic 9)
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Thanks to David for pinging me about this! If you'll have me, I'll plan on coming up from London for the day. Really looking forward to meeting y'all and walking with you!
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Everyone welcome so can someone please (ping is beyond me) advertise our walk using the other means of social chat etc. Thanks.
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OK, so I’ve completed a route card/risk assessment for this walk (because, you know..), and I’m not sure that Burmel is feasible. It’s too long too late into the year.
I think that putting this onto Twitter was a bit of a mistake. Running a 13 mile walk (4KPH/386m height gain/15 mins per 100m) for the 5 of us (my husband would be joining us) would be OK, I’ve calculated that we’d get into Melbourne as it gets dark (just gone 16.30 - Derby sunset is 16.04).
But having an unknown number of walkers with an unknown level of fitness and experience slows things down considerably (3KPH/386m height gain/20 mins per 100m). We would be getting into Melbourne at 18:40 - we’d only be getting to the Southern tip of Foremark Reservoir at 15:50.
I’m sorry to rain on this parade, and I now that this is just an Excel spreadsheet, but maybe we should pick a shorter route for the 20th?
Just a thought, I might a bit of a pessimist…
(PS. Happy to share my spreadsheet, btw.)
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On a positive note of course, maybe there won’t be many people joining us, it may just be us! And it isn’t an official walk, but I’d like everyone to have a good time, even if it’s raining.
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Off the top of my head, is there anything to be gained by doing it in reverse? I'm aware that more of the route is lit at the Burton end. Saying that, I'm aware of the undulating nature of it, and that the light is against us. I'd much rather you had said something now than tested new friendships in a pitch black South Derbyshire field!
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Looking at alternative Burton routes.... Uttoxeter and Abbots Bromley are as far, or nearly, so we can forget those. Yoxall and Alrewas are 14 and 12km respectively but I know that the bus services are hourly. Swadlincote is only 8km but personally I'd rather not do it as I've already reviewed it!. May I suggest Hilton One or Two (or both if there are enough of us!). 10 -11km with a half hourly bus to Burton or Derby at the other end.
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My original plan was to walk towards Burton with street walking for the last 2 miles so I'm happy to go along with that, start Melbourne 9.30?
I also took a look at Burhil one and two. Don't like the look of all that narrow road to cross the river and as a walk we hope to enjoy walking the same 1.5 miles twice appears a bit drab to me but I'll go with the flow. We still have three weeks to sort it out.
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PS I think the Hilton hub should be moved to Hatton / Tutbury rail station but perhaps I should start another thread for that.
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We can’t leave it too late. People may be making plans and buying travel tickets.
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Actually, we can tell people on Twitter that the Burton > Melbourne route is off and tell them that we’ll figure something else out soon. What do you think?
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Good point Lynn. My vote is for Burmel from Melbourne happy to start 9.30. I suggest we set a final decison date next Saturday 6th Nov. but I'm local so happy to go sooner if required. Walk is Saturday 20th November.
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I have no idea what is happening in Twittersphere. I'll leave that to those who do and can. I'm happy for anyone to join us on the understanding we are all individually walking Burmel meeting like minded folk along the way but there is no leader.
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I’ve well I’ve looked at the Melbourne > Burton and I reckon it’s better and doable as the last hour is on lit residential streets (I wish I’d asked you Ken for your direction - I realised I assumed W>E!).
what does everyone think?
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I am fine to start in Melbourne. I think the original thinking of starting in Burton was that it would be easier to meet up there. As it is, my bus gets in to Melbourne for 9:11. I'm looking forward to it.
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Buses to Melbourne from Derby https://bustimes.org/services/2-derby-bus-station-swadlincote-2?date=2021-11-20
and Burton https://bustimes.org/services/9-burton-swadlincote-ashby?date=2021-11-20
I hadn't appreciated that the half of the 9 route buses don't go further than Ashby so it's an hourly service too!0 -
I had already bought my train tickets based on the original walk (since I'll be coming in from London I wanted to be sure I could even make it!). In any event, I'm really grateful we're keeping to the same general geographic area, because it's looks like it'll be totally feasible for me to make it with the same(-ish) tickets. Really looking forward to meeting y'all for this!
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