Ramblers mark 100 years

Dewsbury and District Rambling Club will celebrate the end of a two year campaign when it officially opens its new Centenary Walk.
CENTENARY CELEBRATION Dewsbury and District Rambling Club members add a waymarker to the Centenary Walk route.CENTENARY CELEBRATION Dewsbury and District Rambling Club members add a waymarker to the Centenary Walk route.
CENTENARY CELEBRATION Dewsbury and District Rambling Club members add a waymarker to the Centenary Walk route.

The 28 mile circular route explores the natural treasures and historical features of our district as it passes through Dewsbury, Mirfield, Spen Valley, Birstall and Batley.

And to make it easier for walkers of all ages and abilities, the route is split into six short sections, with starting and finishing points easily accessible by public transport.

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The Centenary Walk will be opened by Ramblers’ life vice president Bessie Goldthorpe on Monday at 10am at Dewsbury Minster – the start and finish for the full route.

Club president Malcolm Haigh said the ramblers had every right to be extremely proud of the achievement.

“It has been a testing two year programme which started with the creation of a circular route and then concentrated on getting each of the six sections absolutely right,” he said.

Scores of local ramblers took turns to explore and log each suggested section of the route, ironing out as many problems as possible.

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Once satisfied about the chosen routes, the members took advice from Kirklees Countryside Volunteers on how to erect guideposts and display specially designed walk discs to keep walkers on the right tracks.

The end result was that many fascinating features of towns, villages and the countryside were brought to the fore.

Mr Haigh said: “It has been a lengthy and tiring process for lots of ramblers, but throughout it all the group has received outstanding help from the footpaths section and graphics section of Kirklees Council, especially Justin Roche and Dean Meacham.

“They have helped produce a compendium of six attractively packaged walks and in doing so have ensured that our Centenary Walk will be a valuable aid to the community.”

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Thousands of copies of the walk guide, which contains detailed information on each section, will be available free of charge from council offices, libraries and sports centres throughout North Kirklees.

The printing of the guides has been made possible thanks to grants from the area committees serving Batley, Dewsbury and the Spen Valley, as well as fundraising activities by the Ramblers themselves to help mark the group’s centenary.

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