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Walking Holiday 2027 -Details to follow when available.
Walking Holiday to Derwent Bank, Keswick, Friday 27 March to Friday 3 April 2026
They say if you are good then you should be lucky!!! Well, I think the 54 members who went on the holiday this year must have been fairly good because we were very lucky with the weather. Although some walkers braved the weather every day, there were a few fair-weather walkers who baulked on the Monday!!
The accommodation at the HF property on Derwent Water was great, although carrying the suitcases up the stairs proved challenging for some. Maybe they should travel lighter? The food was great and plentiful, and the staff worked hard to meet the needs of some of our members.
We walked a variety of areas and lakes including Ullswater, Tarn Hows, Elterwater and Rydal Water, although Cat Bells did prove a hill too far for most of us as the wind was blowing folk over!
We were entertained every night, curling, quizzes, diminishing whist and, the grand finale, u3a has talent, and what talent!!! This year we had flute and clarinet duets, saxophone duets, solo piano music, folk songs and skits. Who knew you were all so brilliant?
Thanks to Val who arranged it all; Pamela and I arranged a few walks! Thanks mainly to all who were there; the photograph shows most of you. You made it a really enjoyable week away.
Shall we do it all again next year???
Carole Grew
Walking Holiday to Selworthy, Somerset, 21 to 28 March 2025
A group of 40 or so members went to Holnicote house in Somerset for a week of Exmoor and coastal walking. Thankfully the weather smiled on us all week, although the local rooks did something else on our cars all week, so I found myself in the unusual position of cleaning my car more times than my boots! Keswick next year and already counting the sleeps!
Richard Scott
Forty-five intrepid explorers set out for the HF property, Holnicote House, Selworthy on Friday 21st March, little knowing what was in store for them over the next 7 days!
Luckily the sun shone, the food and service were amazing, and the company was scintillating (at times).
We enjoyed five days of walking which ranged from a potter round the shops at Dunster to a trek up hills and down dales following the South West Coastal Path.
The evening entertainment did not fail us; from quizzes to bowling, whist and the ‘u3a has talent’ show on the last night left us all wanting more!
Thanks to everyone involved in the organisation; Val for everything, Irene for keeping the finances straight, Carole and her walk leaders - Andrew, Geoff, John, Cliff, Val, Mick, Sara - for not getting anyone lost, and Pamela for supplying the Strollers options.
Carole Grew
Walking Holiday Misfortunes
On Friday 21st March, 45 members had the misfortune to take part in the Chesterfield u3a’s Walking Holiday based at Holnicote House near Selworthy. Instead of being accommodated in a modern, featureless hotel we found ourselves in an historic 18th century mansion with Victorian chimney pieces, ornamental plaster work and a croquet lawn which served as the meeting point should the fire alarm go off. It did not, so there was no excitement there.
Even with a television in every room to broadcast the usual depressing news every evening, we entertained ourselves in the lounge by participating in quizzes, diminishing whist, skittles, and even provided our own concert entitled Chesterfield u3a has Talent. Compared to the professional standards of the singing, poetry, piano and saxophone playing, Italian lesson, choir and slide show, John and Pamela’s rendition of u3, u3a was greeted with roars of laughter and may have shown a certain lack of talent!
Food wise, all that was on offer was the varied choice of traditional, wholesome, home-cooked English Fare, with never the comforting smell of hot dogs and burgers with chips cooked in old, burnt animal fat. Even a nourishing picnic was provided for lunch so there was no chance of losing weight on this holiday.
We were most disappointed that throughout the week we hardly walked on a tarmacked pavement and, in fact, rarely had the opportunity to walk down the middle of a road in a town to disrupt the traffic. Where was all the traffic? We searched in vain for gridlock, caravans, juggernauts and vehicles belching out fumes and ignoring the Highway Code. We even had to settle for courteous drivers who waved and smiled as they slowed down to let us pass on the narrow lanes. Why were there so few cars on the roads? Were we missing some mass population event?
As for the scenery, no urban sprawl or high-rise flats to appreciate, no busy city centres with cars polluting the atmosphere, and no out of town DIY stores reminding us of all the jobs that we would prefer to be doing at home. Sometimes we could not even find a civilised loo and had to make do with a handy bush or tree. Our outlook was limited to mile after mile of panoramic views of the varied Exmoor countryside, of hills and valleys with streams, hedgerows full of white may blossom, daffodils, woods, and meadows full of sheep, pheasants, occasionally Exmoor ponies and pretty villages. The paths were a constant challenge as they meandered their way through the undulating countryside, some with bracken tearing at your ankles. There was even one hill that was so steep it took us at least three minutes to get to the top. At one place we had to take to a pack horse bridge/stones to get over the water, carefully avoiding the ducks swimming there. Even our satnav could not find this place and sent us miles round the countryside in the wrong direction.
The final thing to mention was that we were not even required to put on our waterproofs as the weather remained sunny and cloudy but dry, so we walked for several days with the weight of our wet-weather gear in our rucksacks, ‘just in case’.
Surely Val cannot produce another HF Walking Holiday which combines an historic hotel in beautiful surroundings with friendly members enjoying a week together. Will our impresario, Andrew, manage to arrange another concert and evenings of entertainment? Can Carole find three walks of varying distances again each day, and can Pamela and Dave come up with ‘Strollers’ walks for the less athletic members, including another Heritage Train ride and boat trip? I doubt it, but to prove me wrong we will definitely be going to this event again next year.
Disgusted of Ashgate
Walking Holiday to Nythfa House, Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons National Park) 15 to 22 March 2024
Forty-five intrepid explorers braved the mud and weather of South Wales in March on the annual walking holiday. We stayed at the lovely HF property, Nythfa House, in Brecon where we were very well looked after. We walked on five days, distances ranging from two to ten miles and
difficulty from easy to more challenging. Some of our walkers managed much more than they thought they could do.
Evening entertainment was varied, fun, entertaining, challenging, and informative. We had two quiz evenings. One run by HF nationally, and
one written by our very own Barry Jex who unfortunately was not with us to read it out. A representative from Mountain Rescue gave a brilliant talk on the type of calls they have to respond to. We were all left with nothing but admiration for the volunteers who put their lives at risk to save others. Diminishing whist and ten pin bowling were a little less mentally challenging.
Our final night was Chesterfield’s Got Talent- and what talent we had! Poetry, historical information, piano solos, and songs. The finale was a couple of songs, words written by Joyce and David Hart, and performed by a motley crew of very talented singers.
Whitby Walking Holiday 2023
