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BEARSDEN & MILNGAVIE MEMBERS' CENTRE
NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2009
(This Newsletter is also available in pdf format for local printing. Follow this link to obtain a copy. The file is 2.7MB in size.)
From the Chairman
Fifty-four of our members have recently returned from a very successful trip to Northern Ireland organised by Pamela and Gordon Rutherford and we all had a very enjoyable time there. For many it was our first visit to Northern Ireland. Many thanks to Pamela and Gordon for making all the arrangements. I hope that the Highland Tour in 2010 will be equally successful!
Members cannot fail to be aware that there are rumours of the National Trust for Scotland being in financial difficulty and the Media have made much of those alleged difficulties. Since becoming Chairman I have attended meetings where the subject was discussed at length and I do believe that the management of the Trust do have plans in place to improve the financial position. Mistakes have been made in the past, and the current financial crisis has had its effect on the Trust’s investments, but the matter of future finance is being taken seriously. It is always regrettable, in organisations large and small, when redundancies take place, but it is a fact that staffing costs are normally the most significant feature in the accounts of any organisation and therefore the first target for cutting back, at all levels, on expenditure.
Our Outings and Walks programmes have continued to be popular this year, although we did cancel the New Lanark Outing as there was very little support for this event. Dumfries House was very popular, to the extent that we organised a second visit to cater for those on the waiting list. Last Winter’s programme also proved to be well supported and in this edition of the Newsletter we publish our programmes for the coming Winter season from among which we hope every member will find something of interest.
I look forward to meeting you at our lecture meetings, outings and walks and of course on our short holiday based in Nairn.
Arthur Priestly
Lecture Programme 2009/10
All lectures are in Milngavie Town Hall and start at 2:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. as indicated.
- Monday 21st September 2009 at 7.30 p.m.
- Our President Lady Edmonstone will give an illustrated talk on Scottish Gardens.
- Monday 19th October 2009 at 2.30 p.m.
- Cairns Mason will talk on two Scottish Entrepreneurs of the 17th Century, John Reid and John Anderson who have been honoured here and in North America.
- Wednesday 18th November 2009 at 7.30 p.m.
- David Lawson will give an illustrated talk on Scottish Birds.
- Thursday 10th December 2009 at 7.30 p.m.
- Graeme Smith: The Life and Times of Glasgow’s Theatre Royal and its heritage.
- Monday 18th January 2010 at 7.30 p.m.
- Iain Mitchell: The Scottish Mountains before the Mountaineers.
- Monday 22nd February 2010 at 2.30 p.m.
- Simon Jones: Bringing back Beavers to Scotland.
- Wednesday 24th March 2010 at 7.30 p.m.
- Rosemary Watts: The new Riverside Museum which will house Glasgow’s internationally important transport collection.
- Thursday 22nd April 2010 at 7.30 p.m.
- Kate Mavor: CEO of the NTS will address us on how she sees the future of the Trust, after our brief AGM.
Non-members are welcome at all lectures. Just pay an entry fee of £3 at the door.
Social Events 2009/10
Sherbrooke St Gilbert’s And Pollokshields Churches of Scotland – Tuesday 15th September 2009 – £14.00
Leader: Catherine Scott 0141 956 2417 or on the day 07960 094 047
Following on the successful visit to view the beautiful stained glass at New Kilpatrick Church last season, we plan to have a tour of these two churches, which are very close to each other, guided by Mrs. Susan Bradbury, the stained glass artist who designed the windows in Sherbrooke St Gilbert’s. Afternoon tea will be provided courtesy of one of the churches.
The coach will leave Milngavie at 1:00 p.m. and Bearsden at 1:15 p.m., arriving home around 6:00 p.m.
The Pirates of Penzance – Thursday 12th November – £28.00
Leader: Pamela Rutherford 0141 956 2879 or on the day 07960 094047
The Carl Rosa Opera Company is returning to the Theatre Royal, Glasgow for a week’s performance of Gilbert & Sullivan and we have booked Dress Circle seats for this event.
The coach will leave Milngavie at 6.15 p.m. and Bearsden at 6.30 p.m., returning at approximately l0.30 p.m. in Bearsden and 10.45 p.m. in Milngavie.
Pollok House Christmas Lunch – Friday 18th December 2009 – £25.00
Leader: Wyn Jones 0141 586 5326 or on the day 07960 094047.
Pollok House will be decorated in Victorian Style at Christmas. A lunch has been arranged consisting of two courses. A coach will leave Milngavie at 11.45 a.m. and Bearsden at 12 noon. Lunch will be at approximately 1 p.m. followed by a tour of the house, and we will depart at 3.45 p.m. to return home not later than 4.30 p.m. We hope this will be a pleasant way to start the Christmas festivities.
Westerton Male Voice Choir at Kilmardinny – Thursday 25th February 2010 – £12.00
Leader:Catherine Scott 0141 956 2417 or on the day 07960 094 047.
Once again, Kilmardinny beckons us on a February evening. This time, we shall hear the popular WMVC (Conductor Bryan Marshall and accompanist Catherine Scott) in a concert of wellknown classical choral and musical theatre items. The concert will commence at 7.30 p.m. with a 20 minute interval in which to enjoy wine/soft drink and savouries. Carriages may be ordered for 9.45 p.m.
Coach Pick-up Points
Members should note that the pick-up point for the coach in Bearsden is the bus stop outside the Bearsden Burgh Hall in Drymen Road and in Milngavie is the bus stop in the Railway Station car park. Any different arrangements for specific events will be included in the Newsletter and shown on the relevant ticket.
Booking Arrangements
Bookings for Social Events, Outings and Walks will normally be made using the application forms which accompany the printed Newsletter and those should be sent with a cheque for the appropriate total amount and a reply paid envelope to the Membership Secretary, Catherine Scott. The Closing Date for all Outings, Social Events and Walks is one month prior to the event itself.
Late applications made within one month of the event (i.e. after the Closing Date shown) should be sent in the same way, but you may wish to telephone the Membership Secretary first (0141 956 2417) to check whether there are any places remaining. For all Outings and Social Events, a Waiting List will be maintained after sufficient applications have been received to fill the coach and those on the Waiting List will be contacted by telephone if places become available.
Cancellations
It is important that you let the Membership Secretary, Catherine Scott, know if you can no longer attend an Outing, Event or Walk. Last minute call-offs should be made by telephone to the Leader shown on the ticket. The following conditions apply to refunds:
- We will always give a refund if attendance at an Outing or Social Event is cancelled before the Closing Date mentioned above.
- If attendance at an Outing or Social Event is cancelled, for whatever reason, after the Closing Date, a refund may be given after the event has taken place, as there may be expenses which we cannot avoid as a result of the late call-off.
- Walks are charged at a nominal amount and no refunds will be given for Walks.
- Special arrangements will be made for extended trips or "holidays" and these will be intimated separately to those wishing to take part.
Walks Programme 2009/10
Would members please note the following points :
- There is a charge of £2.00 for each walk, which is not refundable.
- For all walks, waterproof clothing and stout footwear (preferably boots) are essential.
- Unless otherwise stated, we will now meet before the walk in the Community Centre car park in Milngavie at 9.30 a.m., where we will try to arrange for car sharing in order to reduce our carbon footprint. Would anyone wishing to go direct to the start of the walk please contact the leader before the day of the walk.
- It would be greatly appreciated if members would inform the leader beforehand if they are unable to take part. Leaders may be contacted at the phone numbers given or on the day at 07960 094 047.
- If cars are shared, we suggest that it is reasonable for those accepting a lift to offer
a contribution to the driver against the cost of fuel, especially on longer journeys.
We suggest that a rate of £1 per 10 miles return trip would be suitable.
Falls of Clyde – Thursday 10th September 2009
Leaders: Keith and Jo Moody 0141 942 6756 or on the day 07960 094 047.
The first part of the walk is kind on our feet as we travel by bus from Kirkintilloch to Kilsyth. We then walk to Auchinstarry on the Canal and then on to the Antonine Wall. After visiting the remains of the Roman Fort on Bar Hill, we descend to Twechar. The rest of the walk to Kirkintilloch is along the canal.
Distance: 11 kms.
Estimated walking time: 4 hours.
The walk starts from the car park at New Lanark and does a circuit of the Falls of Clyde from there. The walk is on good tracks with spectacular views of the Falls and there is a steady climb at the beginning.
Distance 11 kms
Estimated walking time 4 hours.
Antonine Wall – Thursday 22nd October 2009
Leader Willis Marker 0141 942 6756 or on the day 07960 094 047.
Now that the Antonine Wall has been given World Heritage status, it is timely for us to revisit it.
The walk starts from Twechar and climbs gradually up to Bar Hill, where there are the remains of one of the best preserved forts. From there we descend to Croy and
then follow the line of the Wall over Croy Hill before dropping down to the Forth and Clyde Canal. We then walk back along the Canal to Twechar.
Distance : 12 kms
Estimated walking time: 4 hours.
Christmas Social Walk: Craigallian Loch – Thursday 10th December 2009
Leader: Michael Boulton-Jones 0141 956 5353 or on the day 07960 094 047.
We meet in the car park of the Carbeth Inn at 10:30 a.m.. Walk around the Loch southwards on the West Highland Way, through Mugdock Country park and back along Cuilt
Road to Carbeth. Lunch at the Inn. Please let us know if you wish to have lunch.
Distance 8 kms
Estimated walking time 2 hours.
Highland Tour – Monday 10th to Friday 14th May 2010 – £440 (single occupancy supplement £60)
Leader: Arthur Priestly 01324 557142 or on the tour 07960 094 047.
We are proposing to hold a longer outing next May, based in the Newton Hotel, Nairn. The outline itinerary will be:
Monday: Coach from Milngavie (9:30 a.m.) to Nairn with lunch and tour of Blair Castle.
Tuesday: Nairn to Pitmedden Garden or Fyvie Castle with lunch, possibly at Monymusk.
Wednesday: Nairn to Cawdor Castle in the morning and Culloden in the afternoon.
Thursday: Nairn to Dunrobin Castle, stopping at Cromarty for a talk on Hugh Miller, then Dornoch for lunch, with the castle visit in the afternoon.
Friday: Coach returns to Milngavie via Fort Augustus (coffee) and Ballachulish (lunch).
Some of the detail is not yet confirmed but further information will be issued later in the year. The Newton is an excellent hotel within 5 minutes walk to the Moray Firth and easy walk to the town of Nairn. All rooms are double or twin, so single occupancy requires a supplement, but as usual we hope that many will share. Cost includes breakfast, lunch and dinner each day (except Friday, larger lunch, no dinner) and coffee where specified on the final itinerary, admission and tours where applicable, and all gratuities. Insurance is not included and you are recommended to ensure that you have travel insurance or that your house contents insurance will cover your property when on holiday.
Unlike previous years, we require you to make a firm booking at this early stage and to pay a £25 booking fee per person. If we have sufficient numbers by the end of October, the £25 will be paid to the hotel and the coach company and is then non-refundable. The balance payment is due by 31st March 2010.
Please fully complete the application form and return it with your deposit to Catherine Scott, Membership Secretary, by Saturday, 17th October 2009. We look forward to seeing you at Nairn!
Committee Members 2009/10
- President
- Lady Julie Edmonstone
- Chairman
- Arthur Priestly
- Vice-chairman
- Vacancy/dd>
- Past Chairman
- Pamela Rutherford
- Secretary
- Jean Forest
- Membership Secretary
- Catherine Scott
- Treasurer
- Michael Boulton-Jones
- Members
-
Wyn Jones
Mr Iain Stark
Alan Stuart