The Monthly Newsletter of Chelmsford YHA Local Group - December 1997
The recent weekend in Hindhead was reminiscent of Tanners Hatch, both for its remoteness and its deprivations. It was equally enjoyable.
We arrived at dead of night (9pm) to a cottage in the middle of the Devil's Punchbowl, with open fire which we never really managed to get real flames from, despite the efforts of the boys. The tea was made and large amounts of chocolate appeared, so the weekend got off to a good start.
On Saturday morning we were joined by newlyweds Martyn and Myfanwy and set off for a walk from the hostel through and around the Punchbowl itself. The walk was not long and was punctuated by a play reading, a seminar on the turnpike road which was well attended, chestnut gathering and information points! Much of the walk was wooded and the autumn colours were really beautiful We passed the tombstone of the unknown sailor and hangman's gibbet, and a handy little cafe, just half an hour from the hostel, but one which we felt we had to take advantage of.
The evening was particularly relaxing, and got more relaxing as the mulled wine was consumed, resulting in Trudi snoring on the floor. We also managed to get through more chocolate, an engagement cake courtesy of Caroline's mum, an enormous dinner and finally sweet chestnuts, gathered that afternoon and roasted on the now successfully roaring log fire. Splendid.
By the following morning the water supply had dried up. Unfortunately there was just enough to wash up and for the remainder we used buckets from the local river. It all added to the experience. Another successful walk took place across Frensham Common, or so I'm told but my view was limited by the windscreen of the car in which I spent my day, having put my back out eating my cornflakes that morning!
CYHA had two teams in this years Rodings Rally and came a very creditable 11th and 27th out of 83 teams in this all-night orienteering event. Checkpoint 8 was in a place familiar to past competitors (e.g. Dave & Charmian) - in the middle of a holly bush. The event gave Tom a "terrible feeling of deja vu" as all went swimmingly until the last two checkpoints.
........ Meanwhile, brain-dead at 3am Karen and Lorna were, with several other teams, looking for no.5 in the wrong place.... At 5am at the tea-stop, to their surprise, they met Tom & Gareth!.... When they heard about no. 8 they were glad there wasn't time to even try for it! Both lassies and lads took nearly the whole 8 hours allowed to find, respectively, 8 and all 10 checkpoints. We'll be back!...
It was a good night for it - no rain, frost, or gales, and the crescent moon was beautiful. Karen & I had excuses - me, worries over Pa, and Karen was suffering nausea in reaction to anti-malarials! Yuk. Jokes of the night: " I ate a carrot for tea" me, and Tom: "there's been a significant contribution to global warming this evening" (can't think what he was talking about!).
South Middx YHA took the YHA trophy, and Suffolk Orienteering the overall (no surprises there).
Zimbabwe was fantastic. It was also very hot! I had a great time and really enjoyed myself out there.
Did lots of game viewing and saw loads of wildlife, elephants, zebras etc. Went to Victoria Falls - they are amazing, and yes I did bungy jump at Victoria Falls. Also went over to the Eastern Highlands and did a bit of hiking but not a lot at all really. Stayed one night at a luxury resort on Lake Kariba for free as a friend of my friend's sister worked there.
I recommend Zimbabwe - it's a really beautiful country.
A Cautionary Tail
Unwary walkers need to know
A cautionary tale of woe
About a bug which burrows in
Under delicate bits of skin.
The tick that got attached to me
Was first of all, too small to see,
Until the day it over-ate
and swelled at an alarming rate.
Enough's enough, it had to go,
We all agreed it should be so,
But despite squeals and cries of pain
The planned removal never came.
The hospital seemed the place to call
When the tick was driving me up the wall.
But the dusky doctor that I saw
Had never seen a tick before.
So the moral of this story is
To cover up your fleshy bits
'Cos if your garments are too slight
A greedy guest may take a bite.
Trudi