Weekends Away
The group organises weekends away to various parts of the country, with Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons, the Lake District, the Yorkshire Moors and Northumberland all visited this year. We normally travel up on the Friday night, and typically stay in self-catered bunkhouse or hostel accommodation (often with a pub nearby). You can expect dormitory accommodation of varying quality and numbers of beds per room and we usually occupy mixed sex rooms to ease our planning. Any members having concern with this arrangement should contact the organiser at the time of booking.
Two or three walk options will be offered each day, but be aware in some areas such as Snowdonia and the Lakes, it is difficult to offer shorter/easier type walks. If you have any concerns about the walks that may be offered, please contact the weekend organiser in advance.
In addition to bringing your usual walking equipment with you please use your common sense about what else to bring, but here are some additional suggestions: Sleeping bag; pillow; towel; torch; food for the weekend.
Also please ensure that you've read the details of the weekend away thoroughly, since specific requirements will be mentioned there (e.g. some YHA hostels provide bedding). Sometimes kitchen space is limited, so if you plan on doing any of your own cooking (as opposed to eating at the pub), please consider bringing food pre-cooked that just needs warming up.
Below is the booking policy that we adhere to:
Booking Information:
Please note that SWG do not have unlimited resources to fund weekends away. As a result of this we have the following policy to both help prevent financial loss to the Group and to ensure the safety of our members:
Booking:
- These weekends away are for full SWG members only. You will need your Ramblers’ Association membership number at the time of booking.
- Members can only sign up for a weekend away when bookings open from the time and date stated in the programme and on the website.
- PLEASE make sure that when booking a place, you speak directly to the organiser in question. Messages left do NOT mean your place is booked. You cannot expect the organiser to ring you back so if you don't get through first time, please keep trying.
- To book you need to provide the following information: Your full name; your Ramblers’ Association membership number; your telephone number and your email address. You will also be expected to raise any particular concerns about the weekend that you may have.
- You may book yourself and one other SWG member on the weekend away in one phone call, but please have all their details to hand (or they cannot be booked on).
- A number of places will be reserved on each weekend for walk leaders offering guaranteed walks, without whom there would be no walking and therefore no weekend away. The first leader to book will have first choice of walk grade to offer, the remainder will be allocated a grading. Booking these places may begin in advance of the booking date.
Payment:
- Once you have reserved your place, you are liable for the full cost of your place on the weekend away.
- All payments should be by cheque, and payable to "Sheffield 20s & 30s Walking Group"
- If your payment is not received 4 weeks before the weekend your place will automatically go to the first person on the reserve list. If there is no reserve list, or we are unable to reallocate your place to somebody else, then you are still liable for the full cost of the weekend away.
- If for any reason you cannot go, you must inform the organiser immediately. It is your responsibility to find a replacement. Please see our Refund Policy section on the General Info page for further details.
Thanks for your co-operation. It is vital to ensure the smooth running of all weekends away and the enjoyment of all.
Dates for your diary
As well as the weekends away which are coming up imminently, we have the following provisionally planned:
- August 2008: Deepdale Farm (Norfolk)
- September 2008: Joiners Shop (Northumberland)
- October 2008: Kirkby Stephen (Cumbrian Pennines)
- November 2008: Bryn Gwynant (Snowdonia)
- December 2008: Bishopdale (Yorkshire Dales)
- January 2009: Helmsley (North York Moors)
- February 2009: Hawse End (Lake District)
- March 2009: Alston (north pennines)