Weekends | MAD Walkers - Manchester 20s & 30s Rambling Group

You can find details of forthcoming weekends here, but please read our general information and booking policy before booking.

All those attending weekends away must do so through official group channels by either contacting the organiser for that particular weekend or, in their absence, the Committee Weekends Officer.

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See the Weekend Leaders Checklist for more information, we can help with the logistics and administrative side of the weekends if needed.

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// Weekends Archive

20th - 22nd June 2014	Keswick Weekend
Details:	We will be staying in a pleasant bunkhouse located at Hawse End - between Cat Bells and Derwent Water - which is a short lakeside walk (or launch ride!) from Keswick. There is the option of taking part in either or both of the "Birthday Bash" walks organised by Andy Buckley (see the Walks page for info) as well as joining in the post-hike socialising; and I will be leading one or two longer routes via some nearby summits. The cost includes an evening meal on arrival (with at least a couple of choices, one veggie) and basic foodstuffs (milk, butter, etc.) to avoid duplication… but you'll need to provide your own breakfasts, lunches and snacks. For the Saturday night, there is a pub serving good food 1/2 a mile away and plenty more in Keswick. Further details will follow on booking but please email me if you have any questions!
Organiser:	Colin Shaw
Booking:	Please email Colin using weekends@madwalkers.org.uk to book.
Places:	23
Cost:	£39. Transport by car - Please let Colin know if you need or can offer a lift.

25th - 27th July 2014	Cadair Idris Weekend
Details:	We will be staying in Aberllefenni, near to Corris. John Ireland and myself will be offering hikes to suit different levels of fitness, including at least one route up Cadair Idris (Penygadair) itself on the Saturday and a relaxing estuary walk on the Sunday. There are also forest and valley walks available right out of the bunkhouse door. The cost includes an evening meal on arrival (with at least a couple of choices, one veggie) and basic foodstuffs (milk, butter, etc.) to avoid duplication… but you'll need to provide your own breakfasts, lunches and snacks. For the Saturday night, there are several options for good food, including the Minffordd Hotel at the base of Cadair Idris and the Slaters Arms in Corris. Further details will follow on booking but please email me if you have any questions!
Organiser:	Colin Shaw
Booking:	Please email Colin using weekends@madwalkers.org.uk to book.
Places:	34
Cost:	£29. Transport by car - Please let Colin know if you need or can offer a lift.

22nd - 25th August 2014	Suffolk Coast Weekend
Details:	Bank holiday weekend staying in the old station building at Darsham in Suffolk. The weekend will include two coastal walks, a visit to Southwold (and Adnams Brewery tap), an ancient river crossing and a walk in East London. The train ticket for this is included in the price of the trip. Breakfasts and 1 evening meal are also included.
Organiser:	Owain Roberts
Booking:	Booking opens on Monday 9 June. Book your place by emailing Owain using owain_roberts5@hotmail.co.uk.
Cost:	£49

12th - 14th September 2014	High Wray Lakes Weekend
Details:	Stationed by Lake Windermere we have a great little National Trust bunkhouse to ourselves. All food excluding one pub dinner will be included in the price. As well as the bunkhouse we will have some camping spots situated outside the accommodation. Any member paying for a tent space will still be able to use the facilities in the bunkhouse and will still be entitled to the meals.
Organisers:	Alan Beeby and Steve Rawlin
Places:	16 in bunkhouse, 5 Tent outside hostel
Booking:	Please email alan.beeby@live.co.uk on Monday 30 June at 9pm. Please state in the email if you want a bunkhouse place or a tent space. Places are first come first served for both.
Cost:	£39 for Bunkhouse £25 for Tent (per person).

7th - 9th November 2014	Big Mose Basecamp Weekend
Details:	This beautiful Tudor building on the Dudmaston Estate. Dudmaston offers something unexpected in the Shropshire countryside with established gardens are a stunning backdrop to art sculptures. All food excluding one pub dinner will be included in the price.
Organiser:	Alan Beeby and Niall MacLennan
Places:	20
Booking:	Please email alan.beeby@live.co.uk on Monday 11th August 2014 at 9pm
Cost:	£29

Come for the weekend

3rd - 6th April 2015: Easter in Glencoe & The Scottish Western Highlands - FULLY BOOKED

1st - 4th May 2015: Gower Peninsula

28th - 31st August 2015: The Only Way Is Essex

28th - 31st August 2015: Snowdonia Hiking and Scrambling Weekend

30th October - 1st November 2015: Llangollen Weekend - FULLY BOOKED

27th - 29th November 2015: Kielder Forest weekend

30th December 2015 - 2nd January 2016: New Year weekend in Caernarfon

5th - 7th February 2016: Cromford Weekend

24th - 28th March 2016: Easter North West Scotland weekend

24th - 26th June 2016: YHA Dufton

23rd - 25th September 2016: YHA Dalby Forest – North Yorkshire Moors

14th - 16th October 2016: Mid Wales Weekend

29th December 2016 - 2nd January 2017: New Year Weekend

21st-23rd November	South Peak District Weekend
Details:	A weekend exploring the hills around Bakewell and Matlock. Located in the village of Tideswell the bunk barn accommodation is of a very good standard. Breakfast and an evening meal on the Saturday night is included in the price.
Organiser:	Owain Roberts
Places:	20
Booking:	Please email owain_roberts5@hotmail.co.uk on or after Monday 8th September 2014
Cost:	£55

29th December 2014 - 2nd January 2015	NYE2014: Kettlewell
Details:	This year we’re heading to the lovely village of Kettlewell in the Yorkshire Dales (less than 2 hours drive from Manchester), from which we’ll explore the beautiful countryside around us, as well as the village pubs, tea rooms and shops of course…. Kettlewell is a great base for walking, and the many options available to us include Great Whernside, Fountains Fell, Malham, Buckden Pike and Kilnsey Crags, as well as walks along the River Wharfe and Dales Way footpath, both of which pass through the village. The picturesque village of Grassington is also close by, and is especially lovely around the Christmas and New Year period. With plenty of walking and fresh air; proper recuperation and relaxation will be vital…. Evening entertainment this year will include a quiz and some karaoke, for those brave / drunk enough to participate! New Year’s eve features the main event itself, an 80s themed fancy dress party, including a visit to some of Kettlewell’s pubs to mingle with the locals, before partying the night away back at our base, to DJ John’s top tunes. The trip – including 4 nights accommodation, 3 evening meals, 3 lunches, and all of the above activities, costs just £99 per person – equivalent to what you could spend just for a new year night out in some Manchester venues! We’ve had some enquiries about whether people can attend for just 2 or 3 of the nights, due to other commitments. You’re more than welcome to do so (and in fact this is usually fairly common on the new year trips), but the full price still applies – most of the cost of the trip is for the accommodation, which we’re still liable to pay the YHA for, however full we are each night.
Organiser:	Becky Lea and Catherine Mellor
Booking:	To book please email beckysarahlea@hotmail.com
Cost:	£99

20th – 22nd February 2015	Hadrian’s Wall - FULLY BOOKED
Details:	We will be staying at Gibb Hill Farm which is located near Hexam in Northumberland and near one of the best parts of Hadrian’s wall. The price includes one evening meal, two lunches and two breakfasts. We will be eating at a nearby bar for the second night.
Organiser:	John Ireland
Booking:	Fully Booked. To get yourself onto the waiting list, please email johnaj.ireland@virgin.net
Places:	18
Cost:	£45

13th – 15th March 2015	Yorkshire Dales Weekend
Details:	A weekend with walks at Malham Cove and the hills around Settle. Located in Wharfedale the bunk barn accommodation is of a very good standard with twin rooms throughout. Breakfast and an evening meal on the Saturday night is included in the price.
Organiser:	Owain Roberts
Booking:	Booking opens on Monday 13th January by email: owain_roberts5@hotmail.co.uk
Places:	20
Cost:	£60

20th - 22nd March 2015	Introduction to Navigation for Walkers at Northern College, near Barnsley
Details:	Are you interested in learning how to use a map and compass and increase your skills in navigation? We have been allocated 8 places on an introductory course at Northern College, Wentworth Castle, Stainborough near Barnsley. The residential course commences on Friday afternoon and finishes around Sunday lunchtime. You will learn how to take bearings, use grid references and become familiar with Ordnance Survey maps. Hopefully this would encourage you to lead a walk/s for MAD Walkers in the future, and our existing walk leaders will always be willing to help with this.
Organiser:	John Ireland
Booking:	If you wish to apply for the course, you will need to be a member of MAD Walkers. Booking will open on Friday 5th December at 8pm. As places are limited, please only apply if you can definitely take your place. Contact walks@madwalkers.org.uk Once the 8 places have been allocated the attendees will be sent an application form to fill in and will be put in touch with each other by email so that car shares can be arranged. This is a joint course with Manchester Weekend Walkers.
Places:	8
Cost:	Free

Organiser:	Steve Rawlins, Steve Jones, Rick Connor
Details:	We’ll be staying at the Glencoe Independent Hostel, which is situated just off the A82 road (one of the most beautiful drives in the UK!) and just 30 minutes South of Fort William in the Scottish Highlands Within the cost is three nights’ accommodation including breakfast and lunch each day and 2 lovely evening meals. We will also be hoping to visit a local and highly recommended pub for dinner on one of the evenings. We’re blessed with some great walk leaders and we'll be offering 2 maybe even 3 walks per day ranging from walks that require winter equipment or quite strenuous to more moderate and easier walks - basically something for everyone. If you have winter equipment (and are experienced at using it) please let us know at time of booking so we can factor this into the walk schedule. Weather permitting we may also do a walk up the glorious Ben Nevis.
Booking:	Opens Sunday 1st Feb at 20:00. Please email awandering@googlemail.com to book
Places:	21
Cost:	£69 Includes 3 nights’ accommodation and food (3 x breakfasts, 3 x lunches and 2 x dinner)

Organiser:	Becky Lea
Details:	We will be staying in the beautiful YHA at Port Eynon. This hostel is a converted Lifeboat House, at a beach side location with fantastic sea views. We will be staying at the hostel on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights of the first May bank holiday weekend and will be going to the pub for a meal in the evening on the Friday. To extend the weekend, there is the optional extra to stay somewhere halfway on the Thursday night (probably Cheltenham), for which there would be an extra cost. More details on this will be provided nearer the time after booking.
Booking:	Opens on Monday 9th February 2015. Please email chair@madwalkers.org.uk to book.
Places:	30
Cost:	£55. Includes 3 nights accommodation and food (3 x breakfasts, 3 x lunches and 2 x dinner)

Organiser:	Rick Connor
Details:	A 3 night stay in Ogwen Valley, at the heart of the unique and beautiful landscape of the mountains of North Snowdonia - the Carneddau, Tryfan and the Glyders, and the Snowdon horseshoe. The weekend will focus on attaining these higher summits, which will likely include easier Grade 1 scrambling (North ridge of Tryfan) and optionally doing part or all of the Welsh 3000s (all 15 summits over 3000 feet) and harder scrambling (e.g. Crib Goch and Bristly Ridge) subject to walk leader availability. We are based at Idwal Cottage YHA, where 3 rooms are booked for our own use. The cost includes 2 evening meals (one on arrival), but you will need to provide your own breakfast and lunch materials (milk will be provided). We'll likely eat out one night at a local pub.
Booking:	Booking opens Sunday 21st June, 9pm by emailing snowdonia@madwalkers.org.uk
Places:	12
Cost:	£69

Organiser:	Jon Buckland & Kathy Macdermid
Details:	Back by popular demand, were heading to Llangollen (1 hour 20 mins drive from Manchester) to stay in Llangollen's only 5 star hostel! We will be arriving Friday night and having dinner in the hostel. Saturday's walk will involve getting the steam train out of Llangollen and then a linear walk back - price of the steam train ride is included in the cost of the weekend! Saturday night will involve a pub dinner. Sunday will have a more easy going walk potentially taking in some of the sites around Llangollen. Book early to avoid disappointment.
Booking:	This is now fully booked. Please email jwbuckland@hotmail.com to be put onto the waiting list.
Places:	20
Cost:	£60

Organiser:	Becky Lea & Myles Heywood
Details:	This year we will be staying at Totters Independent Hostel which is situated in the heart of the historic castle town of Caernarfon. Sheltered by the castle's town wall, we will be only 30 metres from the shores of the Menai Straits and hopefully will get to see some fantastic sunsets. Walks will be confirmed nearer the time but there is a wide range of options in the world-class areas of Anglesey and Snowdonia which are both close by. We will be staying for 3 nights this year rather than the 4 nights that has been the norm previously, and of course it goes without saying that along with evening activities on the other two nights, we will be holding the famous MAD New Year’s Eve fancy dress party extravaganza. This year the theme is a simple one – just come as a historical figure you admire and would most have liked to meet/ have dinner with/ share a taxi with etc. As previously, be as creative in your interpretation of that as you like!!.
Booking:	Booking opens on Friday 18th September at 9:00 by email: publicity@madwalkers.org.uk
Places:	28
Cost:	£80

Organiser:	Rebecca Lea
Details:	YHA Dufton is a great base for outdoor activity breaks exploring the wild moorland and green valleys. This accommodation in Cumbria is the perfect opportunity to stay in Europe’s first Geopark, an area of great geological interest. YHA Dufton faces the pretty village green near to the Pennine WayOn the Saturday we will climb Great Dun Fell, a walk of 11 miles and 725m of ascent (and weather permitting there is the additional option of Cross Fell which is 4 extra miles). On Sunday we will do the 8 mile walk to High Cup Nick before heading home.
Booking:	By email to beckysarahlea@hotmail.com from Monday 14th March to reserve your place.
Places:	32
Cost:	£40 (two breakfasts and food for two packed lunches included). No evening meal provided on the Friday. On Saturday evening we will eating at the Stag Inn, which will cost £10-£15 depending on your menu choice.

Organiser:	Anthony Helm & David Littlemore
Details:	Dalby Forest is situated in the North Yorkshire Moors national park, close to the market town of Pickering, and not far from the village of Goathland, or Aidensfield, as fans of Heartbeat will know it. There will also be the option of a Thursday night stay in a B&B in the seaside town of Whitby, for those wishing to extend the trip.
Booking:	This trip is now fully booked. To be added to the waiting list, email dalbyweekend@gmail.com
Places:	21
Cost:	£40 (Friday evening meal included, plus 2 breakfasts and 2 lunches Saturday and Sunday). Does not include the optional B&B for Thursday evening, or Saturday evening meal which will be in the pub.