Reunion 2022
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The 2022 Reunion was organised by Tom Wall, Gisèle Wall and Kathy Herbert and took place as follows:
WEDNESDAY 8 and THURSDAY 9 JUNE 2022
Wednesday 8 June: The Stiperstones National Nature Reserve Directions to Snailbeach Village Hall which is close to the NNR at SJ 373823; post code SY5 0NX By road: From Shrewsbury take A488 south-west towards Bishop’s Castle and turn left 1 mile after Minsterley. The Hall is on your right after 1 mile. Total distance 12.5 miles. From Bishop’s Castle take the A488 north towards Shrewsbury. After 12 miles, having gone through the small scattered settlements of Hope and Wagbeach, take first right to Snailbeach. The Hall is on your right after 1 mile. Total distance 13.5 miles From Church Stretton: head west over The Long Mynd (excitingly/frighteningly steep and narrow) to Ratlinghope, then over The Stiperstones and down to The Bog (old School, now Visitor Centre) where you sweep to the right and follow the road for 3 miles. The Hall is on your left. Total distance 11.5 slow miles. By public transport: The nearest train station is Shrewsbury. There is a regular bus service to and from Shrewsbury and Bishop’s Castle with a drop off about a mile from the Hall. Please contact one of us to discuss bus stops and timings. 10.00 Members arrive at Snailbeach Village Hall. Refreshments will include Stiperstones Quartzite Rock Buns 10.30 Welcome by our chair, David Goode Introduction to the talks and speakers by Tom Wall Simon Cooter (Natural England) introduces the SSSI/NNR John Hughes (Shropshire Wildlife Trust) outlines the Trust’s involvement Peter Carty and Andrew Hearle (National Trust) describe ‘Stepping Stones’, the project which is seeking to make links between The Stiperstones and The Long Mynd There will be time for questions and discussion. 12.00 Confirmation of the arrangement for the three walks which are of differing lengths, difficulty and points of interest. Picnic at Village Hall. Tea and coffee will be available but there is nowhere at hand to purchase sandwiches or other provender. 13.30 Departure on walks Longest walk – led by Simon Cooter, Senior Site Manager (3 miles, 2.5 hours) By coach to the NNR car park then up to the ridge to see the quartzite tors and stone stripes and visit the Devil’s Chair, with fine views into Wales. The paths will be flanked by the heathland vegetation, which along with the geology, was a key feature in the acquisition of the NNR, and will lead to areas of heathland restoration following conifer removal. Red Grouse may be crowing and Stonechats feeding their first broods. Nothing very steep but some awkward stony ground. Shortest walk – led by locally-based experts including Peter Carty of the National Trust (1.5 miles, 1 - 1.5hrs) By coach to the NNR car park for a there-and-back walk, all on the flat, on a surface suitable for wheel-chairs. Benches are available part-way, so you can sit and enjoy the view if you prefer. A particular feature of the walk will be heathland restoration and grazing management (Hebridean sheep and Exmoor ponies may possibly show their faces). Given the fine views across to The Long Mynd, a main talking point will be ‘Stepping Stones’. Given time, the coach will then take participants down to the Bog Visitor Centre where there are displays about the geology, mining and literature of the area along with crafts, books, art and cards (and, there may even be time to buy tea and cake). Middle-distance walk – led by John Hughes (Development Manager, Shropshire Wildlife Trust) and Andrew Hearle (‘Stepping Stones’ Project Officer, National Trust) (2.5 miles, 2.5 hours) By cars to Lordshill Chapel to explore on foot the north end of the hill. The walk starts at The Hollies, a celebrated area of holly parkland, now a Shropshire Wildlife Trust reserve, then visit two cottages at 1400 ft, occupied into the 1950s, the last remnants of an upland community. A brief walk through grassland (with a few Mountain Pansies in flower) and heathland, will take us to a view across Brook Vessons (a SWT reserve) towards The Long Mynd, with the chance to learn more about the ‘Stepping Stones’ project. 16.30 Everyone returns to Snailbeach Village Hall and disperses to their accommodation. Reconvene at the Albright Hussey Manor Hotel, SY4 3AF, 3 miles N of Shrewsbury, SJ 503176, venue for the annual dinner. 18.00 For those who would like to learn more about Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses, Dr Joan Daniels MBE, Natural England’s Marches Mosses BogLIFE Project Officer, will give a presentation explaining the background to the visit to the NNR on the following day. Joan has worked at Fenn’s since the NNR was acquired in 1991. Bar open on request for pre-dinner drinks As usual, there will be no seating plan for dinner. Please collect your place card and choose your seat. Those not attending the presentation will have a chance to meet in the bar. 19.15 Annual business meeting at tables. 20.00 Annual dinner; a three-course meal, chosen in advance from the enclosed menu. Drinks may be purchased from the bar. Card payments only. Thursday 9 June: Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR Directions to our meeting place at the NNR Base, SY13 2PD; SJ 375 366 NB you will see brown signs to the NNR, but you need to look for WHITE SIGNS TO NNR BASE By road: The NNR Base is 18 miles N of Shrewsbury; 7 miles SW of Whitchurch Directions are complicated, so we will email a map to all attendees. By public transport: There are options for getting most of the way there by rail or bus, but for the last leg a lift or taxi would be needed. Please contact one of us to discuss. 10.00 Members assemble at NNR Base for the three walks on offer. Coffee and Shrewsbury Biscuits will be available – toilets too. Booting-up and getting into groups for the three walks. 10.30 Depart on one of the three walks led by NE staff, on all of which sightings of Raft Spider, White-faced Darter, Large Heath butterfly, Curlew, Hobby and sundews are possible. General walk led by Robert Duff, BogLIFE Project Manager: a 3-mile walk, all on the flat, covering all the main topics of the NNR’s history, acquisition and management, and opportunities to see some of the flagship wildlife species. Botany walk led by Joan Daniels, formerly Senior Site Manager, now BogLIFE Project Officer. Not as demanding as the General walk; but it does include some rough ground. Whilst concentrating on the botanical aspects of the site, there will be opportunities to observe its other treasures too. There will be a short drive to the starting point for this walk. Mini-bus tour led by Pete Bowyer, Senior Site Manager. This will cater for the less energetic, but there will be opportunities to get off the bus for short walks at a series of stopping points, and there will be the chance to see all the main habitat management activities on the NNR and some of the flagship species. 13.00 Return to NNR Base for picnic lunches (nothing available on site) 14.00 Farewells and disperse, but there will be the opportunity for further self-guided exploration if so wished. |
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Our final gathering on Thursday 9 June at Fenn’s, Whixall & Bettisfield Mosses NNR gave a great opportunity to photograph two groupings of our club members.
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