THE RAMBLERS
EAST DORSET GROUP

News

75th Anniversary

The Ramblers celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Dorset Area chose to mark the event on 11th July with a series of walks that met at the Dorsetshire Gap for a picnic. 2 of the walks were led by East Dorset Group members.

Social Events

Our programme usually has several events a year but we currently lack a Social Secretary to organise them. For further details of the vacancy, please see our Members’ page.

For instance, for the last few years we have had a winter walk in February followed by a meal, always thoroughly enjoyed by all who attend.

Wessex Wanderer Walks

South West Coast Path

Following significant cliff falls in four locations on the SWCP between Kimmeridge and Hounstout, the path was reopened in time for Easter 2009. Thanks are due to the coast path rangers and the landowners concerned in acting swiftly to overcome the problems and get the path reopened so quickly. However this section is still vulnerable to further cliff falls and care, as always, should be taken on this section. For further information, please see the South West Coast Path Association’s web site.

Poole Harbour Trails

The Poole Harbour Trails Community Group was formed to work on the creation of a new National Trail around Poole Harbour. Using public rights of way and access land, it is already possible to walk around most of the harbour and 5 linear walks have been developed by the group to cover all but a few miles of the entire circuit. 3 of these walks have already appeared in East Dorset programmes. Walks leaflets can now be found on the Group's web site on its walks page and copies are being distributed to tourist offices, B & Bs and libraries.

Walk from Bournemouth to Hurn

In December 2008, Sustrans, the sustainable transport organisation won a Big Lottery award to fund a number of sustainable transport projects throughout the country. One of these was £300,000 towards a new crossing of the River Stour somewhere near Throop.

The scheme is intended to bring a bridge suitable for bridleway use to the River Stour to link Bournemouth with Christchurch and in particular Hurn Airport and Hurn Forest, which will open up some additional and safe walking opportunities. Find out more at the Sustrans site.

Just as it was looking as if the project was going to fail, in July 2009 Dorset County Council’s cabinet agreed with Sustrans and Bournemouth Borough Council to search for a suitable route.

Later in the year, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Sustrans and its partners at Bournemouth Borough Council and Dorset County Council to reinstate the historical Pig Shoot crossing by the construction of a new bridge for walkers and cyclists over the River Stour at Throop.