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| Next Committe Meeting: Monday 23rd August at 7.30 pm in the Boardroom at the Huntington Community Centre.
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| The good news is that after 7 months Yorkshire Water appear to have stopped all sewage leaks close to Huntington Pumpimg Station. If you recall large amounts of sewage were poured into the River Foss last December (2009). The area of farmland adjacent to the Foss is still showing sediment damage and, after the recent drought, some standing fluid (water?)!
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| Latest update: | Local coucillor support! |
| The following picture is taken from FOCUS, the Liberal Democrats news sheet for the Huntington and New Earwick areas of York for Summer 2010. |
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| 'A SECOND World War bomb has been destroyed in a controlled explosion in the River Foss near Strensall.
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| The bomb was spotted on Friday at about 7.45pm by a member of the public who was walking along Towthorpe Road between Strensall and Haxby.
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| Police were called to the scene who then brought in army bomb disposal experts to deal with the device. Inspector Vicky Taylor, of North Yorkshire Police, said: “A member of the public reported what they believed to be a mortar bomb in the river.
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| "Due to the river levels being relatively low at the moment the fins were sticking out."
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| The device, which was described as an “unexploded aircraft-deployed bomb” was destroyed in a controlled explosion by experts from Catterick Garrison at about 9.30pm.
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| “No properties were evacuated due to the location being rural,” said Insp Taylor.
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| However Towthorpe Road was closed and ambulances were put on standby throughout the disposal operation.'
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| Wed Jul 14 | Visit to the Barge 'Syntan'. |
| See two page letter immediately below |
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| Wed Jul 22 | Second visit to the Barge 'Syntan'. |
| See two page letter immediately below |
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| Thu Aug 12 | The Foss Walk 4. |
| | Marton Abbey to Oulston |
| 10.15 am |
| There will be a stop for lunch at the Dutch House, Mill Green Farm Shop, near Crayke, on the Crayke to Brandsby Road. Non-walkers will be welcome to join the walkers for lunch at about 12 noon and those not wishing to walk the whole distance will be able to do either the morning or afternoon section. All-day and morning-only walkers meet at 0945 where the road from Brandsby to Ampleforth crosses the road from Coulton to Yearsley, just east of Yearsley Village (GR 586745). Park on the verge opposite the telephone box. Please phone Bob Jowett in advance on 01904 764702 if you are coming so that he can arrange transport to the Dutch House and the starting point. |
| | This is the fourth of six walks along the River Foss, each one being about 6 miles long. A convenient number of cars will be driven from the starting point and parked at the finishing point, the drivers being ferried back to the start. Special arrangements may have to be made for walkers not wishing to both sections. |
| | The walks will finish in the early afternoon allowing time for a packed picnic lunch en route. |
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| Previous activities of 2010:
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| FOSS WALK 2 | FOSS WALK 2 FOSS WALK 2 | FOSS WALK 2 |
| Wed Jun 23 | Oulston to Newburgh |
| and visit to |
| Newburgh Priory. |
| Walkers only: Meet at Newburgh Priory (GR540767) at 9.00am. |
| Note that this is different from the Newsletter |
| Please notify Bob Jowett (tel 01904 764702) in adavance. |
| Non-walkers only: Meet at Newburgh Priory at 12.45pm |
| Special permission has been given for us to enter the grounds of the Priory (entrance fee £3.00) at 1pm for our picnic. An optional tour (fee £2.50) of the House has been arranged for 2.15pm. | Walkers should arrange a change of footwear to avoid tramping round the house in boots! |
| Parking is available near the Priory in the layby next to the lake on the Oulston to Coxwold Road or, if full, on the verge of the farm track just beyond the lake. |
| Weather forecast is good for that day, 22C and sunny intervals!! |
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| It is essential for all walkers to notify Bob Jowett so that we can organise the cars. Transport to Oulston will be arranged at the meeting point. The walk is full of contrasts. Views of the DRAX power station, Crayke and the White Horse are most notable. The Source of the River Foss is close to the walk. It is quite hilly but the worst are all downhill! A very nice walk with very few negative aspects.
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| Report: The weather was very good. 15 intrepid explorers (and a dog)
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| set out from Sumnerfield House, Oulston and walked to the River Foss source
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| (not on the advertised schedule) where refreshments were taken close by.
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| The rest of the walk was literally all downhill and we reached the Priory in ample time to meet up with those who preferred just the picnic in the Priory grounds
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| and a fascinating tour of the house which allegedly contains the skull of William the Conqueror! This must rank very highly (even top spot) in our walks program.
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| WALK | WALK | WALK |
| Bird Walk |
| Strensall Common |
| Tuesday May 25, 2010 |
| The walk starts at 6.30pm |
| Meet at the car park immediately on the right after crossing the first cattle grid on the Strensall-Flaxton Road coming from the York direction (GR648613). The walk will be followed by a fish and chip supper at Thompson's Restaurant on the Malton Road (A64). |
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| Report:
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| After the sweltering heat this was a really cold evening. Even the birds seemed reluctant to sing although a willow warbler did its utmost to keep us interested. Nevertheless the fish and chip supper was really welcome and the restaurant deserved top marks for quality and service.
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| The second walk of the Summer Program was:
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| WALK | WALK | WALK |
| Foss Walk 1 |
| Sheriff Hutton Bridge to Stillington |
| Saturday May 15, 2010 |
| Meet in the lay-by on the side of the road signposted Stillington just off the Strensall-Sheriff Hutton Road near the Cricket Club GR 631646 at 10am |
| for an easy walk of about 5 miles |
| Please phone Bob Jowett in advance if you are coming so that he can arrange transport back to the starting point. |
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| Report:
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| Seventeen walkers, possibly a record number which may have been due to the dry weather or the fact it was a Saturday, assembled at the lay-by.
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| A satellite map (using Microsoft Bing) of the walk starting at the bootom right corner and finishing top left following the superimposed yellow line is below. To view any picture move coursor to picture (an infromative title will appear) and click to view an enlarged picture.
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| The following photos give some idea of the walk, in particular, what to look for at many path intersections.
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| Start | Starting along the River Foss | Next walk region with Location marks A-F | Walkers crossing first bridge (A) | Turn left at B. Waymarker just showing on right. | Bend in the path at C. | Turn right at D (close to C). |
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| Stile is diagonally right in corner of field (E). | Landmark F! Turn right in front of barn. | Satellite map of locations F-I | Go Through gateway (G) and turn left. | Turn right at H after going round hedge. | Do NOT go over this stile. Turn round and go towards house (I). | Satellite map through Farlington (I-P) |
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| Path (J) from field heading for person on stile (K) | Preparing to enter wooded area (L) | After crossing bridge renter wooded area (M) via another bridge. | Good place to relax (outside church). Path continues across road. | Visit St Leonards Church (O) | Up path to left house and go through back garden gate(P)!! | Satellite map of Locations P-X. |
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| Keep hedge to your right while turning left (Q). | Follow the overhead power lines as you approaching farmhouses, but turn right before them (R). | Path up to Location S where you turn left to Marton in the Forest. | At Marton in the Forest (T) there is an interesting church of St. Mary | It is worth taking abreak and visiting the church. | This is the inside of the church. | After half a mile on the road we turn right (U)down Harryfield Lane. |
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| This is a pleasant walk at Location V | Vandalised signmpost at Location W! | Go through hedge over stile (at W) and just keep going to Stillington. | Cross over the River Foss (X), almost there! | | |
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| The next items in the summer program are:
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| FREE TRIPS | FREE TRIPS | FREE TRIPS |
| Sat May 1 | Free Trips on the Foss. |
| | 10.00am |
| | The North Riding Branch of the Inland Waterways Association and the River Foss Society will hold an OPEN DAY. Free trips will be provided up and down the navigable section of the River Foss. Phone 07588236597 for further information. |
| WALK | WALK | WALK |
| Sat May 15 | The Foss Walk 1. |
| | 10.00am Sheriff Hutton Bridge to Stillington. |
| | This is the first of six walks along the River Foss, each one being about 6 miles long. Where public transport in non-existent or difficult a convenient number of cars will be driven from the starting point and parked at the finishing point, the drivers being ferried back to the start. |
| | All walks (except Walk 3) will finish in the early afternoon allowing time for a packed picnic lunch en route. |
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| The fourth item in the summer program was:
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| NATURE | NATURE | NATURE |
| Wed Apr 28 | Visit to the Sessions Nature Reserve | |
| with Will Durrant | |
| Meet in Folk Hall car park, New Earswick | |
| 10am | |
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| Report:
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| 16 Members and friends joined Will Durrant on the fascinating tour of the Sessions Nature Reserve. It is opposite the New Earswick Nature Reserve across Haxby Road.
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| Among the many interesting items discussed were:
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| The third item in the Summer Program was: |
| OPEN MEETING | OPEN MEETING | OPEN MEETING |
| Tue Apr 13 | Open Meeting and AGM |
| 7.00pm at the Strensall and Towthorpe Village Hall |
| followed by |
| "The Big Buzz" |
| a show in celebration of the insects that live near rivers |
| presented by |
| Anneliese Emmans Dean |
| Admission to the talk is £2 including coffee and biscuits |
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| The second item in the Summer Program was: |
| Litter Pick | Litter Pick | Litter Pick |
| Sat Mar 27 | "Litter Pick". |
| 10.00 start. |
| in response to letters from Yearsley Grove Primary School. |
| Volunteers needed please |
| Meet at 10am opposite the |
| "Yearsley Grove" pub on the Huntington Road |
| to clean up the footpath between Yearsley Bridge and the Link Road. It would be helpful if you could let June (01904 766196 or junecard@waitrose.com) know in advance if you are joining in. |
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| Report:
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| Seventeen volunteers (including four from the "Surfers against Sewage" Society in Scarborough) were fortunate to have a warm sunny day to clean up the banks of the River Foss between Yearsley Bridge and the Link Road. We collected over 20 large bags of litter.
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| The first walk of the Summer Program was:
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| Pat's WALK | Pat's Memorial Walk | Pat's WALK |
| Pat's Memorial Walk |
| Tuesday March 16, 2010 |
| In remembrance of Pat Rattenbury |
| A Walk for Pat |
| Meet at 10am at "The Highwayman" in Sheriff Hutton |
| for an easy circular walk of about 5 miles |
| followed by a pub lunch at about 1pm. |
| There will be a collection for a cause close to Pat's heart. Food orders are required in advance so please phone or e-mail June(01904 766196 or junecard@waitrose.com) |
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| Report:
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| Fifteen walkers were blessed with a calm sunny and (relative to recent temperatures) warm day. We met at "The Highwayman" as planned where the BBC interviewed members of the committee to learn about the life of Pat Rattenbury and his invaluable contribution to the Society. Even the ground was firm which was surprising considering the recent wet weather so everyone enjoyed this circular walk which may be remembered as Pat's Memorial Walk. The choice of this walk was a compromise. Pat had investigated and constructed many walks more remote from York but it was thought to be appropriate since it was close by for most members, it was circular and therefore transport problems were minimised, the River Foss was followed for about twenty minutes during the walk and the landscape was largely flat.
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| Unfortunately technical problems with the cooking facilities meant we had to have lunch at the Malt Shovel in Hovingham at very short notice (strongly recommended). At the lunch a collection was made towards the projected stile in the Strensall area of the Foss as a visible permanent reminder of the work Pat Rattenbury had done for the Society.
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| A satellite map (using Google Earth) of the walk with places labelled A to P should be referred to with the following pictures. You might find it convenient to print this picture so that the locations can be readily identified with each photograph. Click on each picture to reveal more information.
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| The photos taken at each location (sometimes in between locations as indicated by the + signs) follows.
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| Start | Location A | Location B | Location C | Location D | Location E | Location F |
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| Location G | Location H | Location I | Location J | Location K | Location L | Location M |
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| Location N | Location N+ | Locn. N++ | Locn. N+++ | Location O | Locn. O+ | Location P |
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