Best-yet Festival draws to a close
Sadly ride2tride 2014
drew to a close on a fine bank holiday Monday, with the many people who
had travelled by train or packed local accommodation throughout the week
firmly agreed that it had been the best Festival yet.
The usual mix of exhilarating walks, fascinating talks, and of course
the brilliant music sessions that rounded off every single day, were
enjoyed by all. Some walks proved so popular, they had to be split
en-route.
Visitors came from all across the country and abroad. A delegation
from the Friends of Suburban Bristol Railways were here to see
how ride2stride worked. So impressed were they, that they presented
ride2stride with a special FOSBR Award for 2014. They
hope to include some of the ideas they’ve picked up in future plans for
the Bristol Walking Festival – the largest urban walking festival in the
UK.
Ride2stride could not happen without the hard work of the dozens of
volunteers involved in every part of the festival. That hard work is
very much appreciated. Typical of the messages we’ve received is this:
“To all the volunteers with ride2stride.
Hello there,
I read about the festival in Walk, the Ramblers Association
Magazine and have just come back from 3 days in Settle.
We'd like to thank everyone for all their hard work in giving us
such a great time. Everyone was so knowlegable and enthusiastic
about the railway and its history, and all things surrounding it.
We were especially grateful to Mark and Pat for letting us all traipse
through their home and to the three jolly blokes who led the walk/talk
to the viaduct on Wednesday morning...lovely!
Having worked many years in the voluntary sector, I was so
impressed at how organised you all were and how well you worked
together.
So once again a great big thank you and I look forward to coming
back another year.
Kind regards, Sue and Pat.”
Looks like ride2stride is here to stay…..
6 May 2014
Anniversary celebrations
The 25th anniversary of the saving of the Settle-Carlisle line from
closure was celebrated in style with two special trains; one on the 11th
April carried campaigners and other dignitaries, including former
government minister Michael Portillo; and the other two days later was
put on by the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line (FoSCL).
Author and campaigner Stan Abbott was on the first train. He will be
speaking about the historic campaign to save the line on Friday, May 2nd
at the Victoria Hall, Settle, as part of the
ride2stride walking festival.
See the BBC TV
report here; the
BBC account here,
and the
Telegraph & Argus report here.
18 April 2014
Walk the Line
To mark the 25th anniversary of the saving of the Settle-Carlisle
Line from closure, a series of free guided walks have been arranged
throughout the year to Walk the Line - all 92 miles from Settle
to Carlisle. Leaflets are now available from stations.
The first chance to walk the first section from Settle to Ribblehead
comes on the Saturday before
ride2stride. There will be three chances to walk each
section - two on different Saturdays and one on a Wednesday.
The other six sections will follow throughout the year: Ribblehead to
Garsdale, Garsdale to Kirkby Stephen, Kirkby Stephen to Appleby ,
Appleby to Langwathby, Langwathby to Armathwaite and Armathwaite to
Carlisle.
There are 21 dates available altogether, with the last on Saturday 11
October.
Just as the ride2stride walks, each starts and finishes at a station
along the line. Further details from the organisers' websites -
FoSCL and
FDR.
Image shows Lacy's Caves on the Langwathby to Armathwaite
section.
8 March 2014
Third ride2stride festival program
The program for the third ride2stride walking festival is now being
finalised and promises to be even better than last year, with a host of
free led-walks up and down the line, free music at a different venue
every night, and a number of fascinating talks on archaeology, Alfred
Wainwright, and the battle to save the Settle-Carlisle line!
Each day there will be a number of walks from stations along the
line, ranging from easy walks of just a few miles, through longer
moderate walks, to tough and challenging strenuous walks. This year
walks will be led by groups including the Friends of the Settle-Carlisle
Line (FoSCL), Friends of DalesRail (FDR), the Yorkshire Dales Society,
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, Wensleydale Railway,
Ingleborough Archaeology Group, the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust and
the Wainwright Society.
No need to book in advance - just turn up at the starting station.
The full draft programme will appear soon, but make note of the dates
now - Tuesday April 29th to Monday May 5th.
25 November 2013
See previous festival NEWS 2013 here.
