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The Ulster Federation of Rambling Clubs
has at present 33 affiliated clubs with a total of about 1950 members
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Rescue
Emergency Aid Certificates issued.
The certificates for those who successfully attended the two day,
‘Emergency First Aid’ on 27th/28th September 2009 are now
with me and ready for forwarding or collection.
The volunteers, UFRC club members who spanned a wide range of age and
personalities sharing a love for the great outdoors, enthusiastically
participated in the course to enhance their personal safety and value
to others when walking or trekking in remote areas and wilderness
destinations.
Held at facilities in Mary Peters Area, Malone, the course followed
the REC [Rescue Emergency Care] handbook issued to participants on the
first day and aptly titled, ‘Lifeskills For Life’.
Under the expert tuition of Stephen Synott, experienced
Mountain Rescue Medic, and his assistants, (also experienced medics
and themselves undergoing teaching training), we were taught various
first aid techniques honed and adapted for appropriate responses to
wilderness environments.
It is this focusing on the unique problems posed by emergencies in the
difficult to access areas (that our members strive to spend their
spare time in) ‘that differentiates’ the REC courses from other
first aid courses.
On the Course days, the weather was stunning for the time of year, and
as photographs show, we undertook as much of our practical exercises
as possible outdoors in the grounds of Mary Peters, while the
athletes: young, old and disabled; honed their skills and fitness
oblivious to our bandaging and role acting antics.
A real life drama unfolded in the closing minutes of the last day of
the course when a member of the public reported a man in distress in
the trees. In true first aid spirit, the new recruits ‘mostly sat
tight’ and let the experts move to deal with the situation! However
curiosity took the better of us on seeing the look of concern on the
medics faces.
We were relieved to find that the person in need was in fact our own
Ronnie Carser who decided to put his own UFRC test in place
stealing the, ‘Casualty Role Actor Oscar of the Day’, award.
All told, a very enjoyable, informative and instructional event, put
across professionally and amicably by Stephen and his team. Thank you
to Mary Peters staff who allowed us to share their kettle and
facilities and many thanks to Stephen and his assistants-Philippa,
Felicity and Charlene and a particular thanks to the supporting clubs
represented by those who participated.
The successful
participants included:
Paul McCann,
Robert Alexander, Sheila O' Keefe, Sheila McSorley, Shelia Hammond,
Simon Redmond, Celine Barr
The worthy
recipients can contact me by phone or email to arrange receipt of
their certificates.
Alan McFarland
Tel: 07801 515232 Email:
alanmcfarland@btinternet.com
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CAAN Volunteer
Rangers~Winter Walk 2010
Location: Holywood –
Helens Bay. Guide: Reg Magowan
– amateur natural historian and walker
Details: Meet
in Holywood Railway Station car park. Short walk through Holywood. Proceed along the North Down Coastal Path
towards Bangor. Walk to Cultra (2 miles) and on to Helens Bay/ Grey
Point (3.5 miles). Leave the coast at Helens Bay to walk historic
Clandeboye Avenue looping round to Crawfordsburn. Short walk through Crawfordsburn Country Park to
the coastal path and Helens Bay station. Back to Holywood by train.Distance: 7 miles approx
Further info: Bring outdoor winter
walking gear,water and
energy snacks.
Details of Reg's walk

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Walking the Irish
County Tops
Former UFRC Executive member Harry Goodman contributed an
interesting piece to Mountainviews website on walking all the County
Tops in Ireland.
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1.Great
Value Guided Walking Holiday in the Stubai Alps, Austria.
7
nights in the Stubai Alps Austria 17th – 24th
July (other dates in July & August may also be available please ask).
Groups or individuals equally welcome.Price without flight is £400 per
person sharing a double room or £442 per person for single occupancy.
Included in this price is
half board accommodation (dinner & buffet breakfast), en suite rooms
in a homely hotel. Direct transfer from Munich airport to the hotel
and return by private coach. The services of 2 leaders who are very
familiar with leading walking groups in this area offering a choice of
easier and harder walks each day (1 free day). All for £57 per person
per night double room or £63 per person per night single room.
Not included in the above price.
Flights Dublin – Munich with Aer Lingus currently showing around £230
(timed to connect with the transfer coach).
Essential
travel insurance. Lunches. Bar bills and other extras in the
hotel.Transport to from walks app. €60 covering all buses & lifts
used.
Contact; - Libby and Neil Sutherland
Email
nls.stub@hotmail.co.uk
Tel.02891859329
2.Great
Value Holiday. 7 nights in the historic town of Ronda – Andalucia,
Spain.
Dates
available in April and May please e-mail or phone for further
information.Using our good contacts in Spain we have negotiated what
we believe to be a very attractive offer for this standard of holiday.
Price without flight is only £400 per person sharing a double room
£492 per person for single occupancy room (NB this price
is based on current Euro exchange rate and a group size of 15 persons
it may fluctuate slightly).
Included
in the price is, Seven nights half board
accommodation in an en suite room. Three course dinners with choice of
menu, wine, tea/coffee are also served. Breakfasts are self-service
buffet. Transfer from Malaga airport to hotel and return by private
coach. The services of 2 leaders very familiar with leading group
walking holidays in this area, offering a choice of easier and harder
walks.
All for £57 per person per night double room or £70 per person per
night single room.
Not included in the above price,
Flights Belfast to Malaga with Easy Jet currently showing as around
£120.Essential
travel insurance. Lunches.
Bar bills and any other
extras in the hotel. Transport to from walks and optional excursions.
We will be staying in the 3 star Hotel Don Miguel which is renowned
for it’s incredible location immediately adjacent to the famous gorge
and New Bridge (the symbol of Ronda completed in 1790). In addition to
walking Ronda has something to offer everyone e.g. historical
buildings, museums, painting, photography, walking, bird watching and
of course the chance to practice speaking Spanish. In addition visits
to Seville, Gibraltar, Malaga may be possible.For further information
contact the co-ordinators as soon as possible, more detail will be
supplied. Places are limited and the price is dependent on booking the
flights at the first opportunity.
Contact: Libby and Neil Sutherland
Email
nls.stub@hotmail.co.uk
Tel.02891859329
Take a look at these useful web sites.
Ronda town www.andalucia.com/ronda
Hotel Don Miguel
www.dmiguel.com |
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New Ulster Way web-site goes live
~ Wed 19 August
This excellent and
innovative new web-site
with full details of both link and quality sections officially goes
live today. Useful walking information on each of the sections,
details of the signage used and some photographs on each section are given .The outstanding feature however is the fully interactive maps
which allow walkers take grid references at points on the sections they
wish to walk. The maps themselves can be zoomed , are very clear
, all the better for lacking colour . The routes are marked in
red-run your mouse along the route and you see the grid references
appear in a box below.The maps are also downloadable.
CAAN and the web designer (who must be one of the most skillful in the
British Isles) have given us a product second to none and are to be
congratulated on the whole package, As far as I'm aware it sets a
standard unequalled by any other walking web-site. We are lucky to
have it.
We look forward to walking many sections of the route in the coming
months.
Have a look , you will be very impressed.
UFRC Chairman Reg Magowan comments in Belfast Telegraph
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Linda
McDowell of Belfast Telegraph
is planning to do a campaign
VERY soon (a few days!) on cleaning up the blots on our landscape
where litter gathers.
There's talk about setting up a hotline and email address where
readers can tell us about the worst eyesores - then we target the
landowners and tell them we want to support them in cleaning up the
mess.
I need to find a few bad places with pics before we launch this, then
we'll do a weekly update - we're hoping to work with tidy up groups,
beach clean-up groups etc. We'll show a clean up in action, list the
top ten grot spots, tell readers how to join in , get support from
councils and groups.
Anything you can suggest on the subject of grotty areas, pics,
potential for a clean-up would be much appreciated!
Please help!
Lstewart@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
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UFRC
Update
Development Officer (or
similar title). The Federation has been run entirely by volunteers
but the Executive is agreed that we now need someone to provide a
‘focus’ , to handle routine business and enquiries, to develop and
build links with other walking/health related bodies and to take us
forward.
Three new clubs have recently joined—Colin and
Derrynoose walking clubs and Bangor U 3 A walking group.-
and some others are ‘considering’, so the workload increases.
Now that the Federation has charitable status, we are working
with NICVA and others to seek the quite substantial funding which
would be required for a full or p/t appointment. I f you can point us
in the direction of possible sources, in these straightened times,
that would be so very helpful
Executive—New members. As ever, we seek volunteers to fill places
which may become vacant at agm. Having being around UFRC for nine
years, I will retire and others may also do so—hence new faces needed.
In this day and age it seems as if volunteering has become less
‘popular’ –all organisations struggle with the issue. I was walking
in the Mournes with the Down Danderers last Saturday. A beautiful day
with the hills absolutely full of walkers-of all ages-and I again had
the thought which started me off in UFRC—these people need a local
voice to protect what they enjoy. The Federation has grown to become
that voice, speaking to the media, local and central government,
landowners and all variety of other organisations.
The pity is that most fail to recognise the need and those who do,
fail to come forward to simply give a wee bit back as tiny ‘payment’
for their years of recreation and enjoyment. One way would be to serve
for a few years on Executive Committee.
AGM. Do please remember the date> Saturday 17th
October ’09, Castlewellan Forest Park. Hosted by the Mourne
Rambling Group. I know that much thought and effort has already been
expended by MRG to ensure the success of this meeting. A number of
walks will be organised, a meal provided, some beautiful ‘photos of
birds associated with Mourne will be shown and other aspects ,yet to
be revealed, will make a day designed to be one of friendship and
fellowship. Do, please, remember, attend and encourage.
Contrib. by Ronnie Carser (UFRC Executive)
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May 2009
Finance Minister, Nigel Dodds, has launched the latest edition of
‘The OSNI Mournes Activity Map’. with enhanced digitally derived
contours improving accuracy for walkers and climbers.
Launch photo:
with :Michael Montgomery(
L.P.S.), George Acheson( Mourne Rambling Gp.), Trevor Fisher (T.M.S.),
Seamus McKibben( L.P.S.)
The OSNI Mournes Activity Map provides an essential guide to the area
and is designed for those who enjoy the outdoors. It is full of
information on areas for climbing, rambling or simply relaxing,
Commenting on the launch of the map, the Minister said
“The
Mournes Activity Map provides tourists and those with an interest in
the outdoors with a fantastic guide to this Area of Outstanding
Natural Beauty. With summer approaching, this is an ideal time to get
outside and explore this beautiful countryside. As well as being
packed with popular walks and trails, the map is waterproof to protect
it from the rain”.
The two sided map includes Slieve Croob, Murlough Nature Reserve,
Tollymore and Castlewellan Forest Parks, and provides a detailed guide
for outdoor activities, highlighting amenities and services including
Mourne Rambler bus stops.
The Mournes Activity Map can be purchased now in major bookshops or
online at
www.lpsni.gov.uk
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Other maps in the series include the Glens of Antrim, The Sperrins,
Lough Erne and Strangford Lough.
Visit Land and Property Services

Jan '10 The OSI are creating a new revision of
the 1:50,000 maps for the Republic. Following WAI consultation and
others, OSI will show summit positions using coloured symbols on the
new maps. This is a great new feature for a number of reasons, main
peaks were mostly identified on maps however some were not - they are
now. Lower prominence tops were not previously highlighted even though
in many cases they were often as interesting to visit as the nearer
higher peak. Some of the uplands are somewhat featureless plateaux -
having whatever tops there are identified is an aid to understanding
the topography on the map and when out on the ground.
Lastly: Summit bagging (summiteering) is in its infancy in Ireland and
having the summits shown forms a great foundation for this activity.(
Info from Mountain Views Web-site)
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Blackwater Regional Partnership.
A
newly formed partnership,
made up of representatives
from
individual UFRC clubs within the Blackwater
Region are hosting
a series of walking events during 2009
.
The clubs are from Dungannon and South Tyrone,
Armagh City and District, and Monaghan.
The walks will be open to all ; those who are members of walking clubs
and those who are not. Each walk will be led by an experienced
guide, assisted by trained leaders. Details later.
If
you
are
interested in enjoying a relaxing day in the countryside,
please logon to
www.visitblackwaterregion.com
to
download
the series of walks available.
The Office may be contacted on 0044 (0) (283) 7569102. |
Official
opening of the Long Barn on National Trust’s Divis Property.
On Friday 27th
March, Councillor Tom Hartley, Lord Mayor of Belfast officially opened
this new facility. The original derelict building is beautifully
restored to provide a base for property wardens and a small
interpretive centre illustrating the local history. Toilet facilities
are available, and a specially adapted area suitable
for physically impaired. In his address to a wide spectrum of interested individuals and
organisations, including UFRC reps (Ronnie Carser and George
Acheson) , the Lord Mayor
recalled youthful adventures on the Belfast Hills, walking up a’ loanen’ from his Falls Road home and taking ‘gulps’ of marvellously
cool, clean water from springs on the route. The National Trust
is to be commended for time and effort put into ensuring that
these hills remain accessible to everyone for ever.
Belfast Telegraph article and photo
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CAAN are currently working on a project to develop trails for
walking & cycling at
Blessingbourne Estate, Fivemiletown.
See details:
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Lagan
Valley Recreational Forum

Lagan Valley Recreational
Forum met on 21st January ’09 This Group represents-amongst users of
the Lagan Valley Regional Park .UFRC clubs often walk in the Park, so
the Federation is represented in the Forum.
Interesting developments : A boathouse near Shaw’s Bridge, will
provide access to the Lagan for canoes and disabled users, with a
floating pontoon within the structure.The stonework is designed to
reflect that of the ancient adjacent bridge. Visitors should walk from
Shaw’s Bridge downstream to Mc Cleaves (3rd) Lock where the
Lock Keepers Inn provides teas/coffees and snacks and toilet
facilities. Situated beside the restored lock keepers cottage, the Inn
is recommended.
Later, it may be licensed and provide a resting place in peaceful
,historic surroundings.
There are plans to develop the first lock-situated upstream from the
Belfast Boat Club into a crossing place where walkers may cross to the
Annadale Embankment. Could this spot could be used to recreate Molly
Ward’s Tavern, originally situated at the
confluence of the Lagan Navigation and tidal river, at Stranmillis,
beside Cutter’s Wharf, where Molly and her husband dispensed ale in
the 1760’s. A long, low, whitewashed building with a turf fire,
despite the clean air act, would provide an ideal welcome for weary
walkers.
Further marked walking trails within the Park, in association with the
National Trust, are planned.
The Federation is
represented in the Lagan Valley Recreational Forum where updated
information comes from the Park Management Board and where members can
feed back items from users to the Board for consideration.
Meeting 25th November ’09 update.
User survey: Around 750,000 users per year, with
walking,cycling and running being the main activities—in that order.
72% are male and only 1% arrive using public transport. Complaints
centre on: inconsiderate cyclists refusing to give way, dogs off lead,
dog faeces on paths.
Map. 1:20000 map now available from a variety of sources at £4 per
copy-
LVRP headquarters(www.laganvalley.co.uk),
CAAN (www.countrysiderecreation.org)
Land &Property Services-the old OSNI (lpsni.gov.uk)
Giants Ring paths-urrent muddy ,will be surfaced with stone/quarry
dust by the National trust.
Public Toilet provision-While this has been provided at the
Lockkeepers Inn, it is limited because, there being no nearby main
sever, effluent has to be pumped under the canal and for some 200
yards thereafter to a sewer.Possible toilets at Shaw’s Bridge face a
similar problem.
Building within Park. Queens University has been granted planning
permission to erect dwellings at Dub Lane, despite much local
opposition. Some interesting old, original houses here will be
demolished, as part of this process.
Forward plans. To open the canal to navigation from Stranmillis to
Lisburn. Third lock (McCleave’s ) at Lockkeepers Inn, nearing
restoration and will be a working lock. Second lock (Mickey Taylor’s )
now being restored. More information at
www.lagancanaltrust.org
Possibility of an
eventual new path from Minnowburn, via old Belvoir Hospital
grounds and Hydebank to Carryduff.
UFRC
has been accepted as a member of the Northern Ireland Council
for Voluntary Action (NICVA) 'umbrella organisation'' for the
Voluntary and Community sector. UFRC will keep its members informed of
issues that may impact on them. The Federation will have access to
advice and funding possibilities, updates on Government proposals in
several areas and a close link to voluntary organisations where ideas
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The
Scout Shop have set up an easily navigated web site. Have a look, you
will find items at very competitive prices.
The Scout Shop

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One of
our clubs, fairly recently, had the experience of an injury to one of
its members after a slip. Most of us have been in this situation
at least once in a walking lifetime.
We have been provided with a
number of
salient points worth bringing to the attention of our members.
You just never know when something like this might happen.
1.
The time
from the emergency call to his hoist aboard the helicopter was
about one and a half hours--conditions
were good-- light wind, no rain and good
visibility.
Had they been bad this would have taken much longer and exposure could
have been a problem.
2.
There were 8 phone-calls
made during the rescue so a fully charged phone is essential.
3.
The fact that
it was possible
to give
them a grid reference of the location helped enormously.
It's not always the case that you know exactly where you are.
4.
There was
a good mobile signal
in that location.
5.
In spite of the good weather conditions the casualty was
beginning to feel cold--even with full walking gear and a survival
bag wrapped round his shoulders.
All in
all everything went well but even small changes to things could
have made the situation much more serious.
A very good idea
We all carry our mobile phones with names & number stored in its
memory. If we were to be involved in an accident or were
taken ill, the people attending us would have our mobile phone but
wouldn't know who to call. Yes, there are hundreds of numbers stored
but which one is the contact person in case of an emergency? Hence
this
'ICE' (In Case of Emergency) Campaign.
The concept of 'ICE' is catching on quickly. It is a method of contact
during emergency situations. As mobile phones are carried by the
majority of the population, all you need to do is store the number of
a contact person or persons who should be contacted during emergency
under the name 'ICE' ( In Case Of Emergency). The idea was thought up
by a paramedic who found that whenhe went to the scenes of accidents
there were always mobile phones with patients but they didn't know
which number to call. He therefore thought that it would be a good
idea if there was a nationally recognised name for this purpose.
In an emergency situation, Emergency Service personnel and hospital
Staff would be able to quickly contact the right person by simply
dialling the number you have stored as 'ICE'.
Please forward this.
It won't take too many 'forwards'> before everybody will know about
it. It really could save your life, or put a loved one's mind at rest.
For more than one contact name
simply enter ICE1, ICE2 and ICE3 etc.
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If you enjoy looking at things when walking have a look at this excellent local photography site
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The inspiring photographs are those of Andy McInroy, a local
photographer who spends considerable time photographing our north
coast .
Visit his site -well worth going to .
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To find out more about the programme can visit the USA site where the
principles were developed by clicking logo.
UFRC BELIEVES STRONGLY IN TREATING OUR ENVIRONMENT WITH RESPECT,
ALL WALKERS SHOULD FAMILIARISE THEMSELVES WITH THE CODE FOR OUTDOOR
BEHAVIOUR.
Leave no trace principles -see 'Principles of
Outdoor Ethics'
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walk to top of page.
Photographs on this web
site should not be reproduced without permission of UFRC.
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