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TRIBUTE TO JAMES 'Mac' McARTHUR
2009 WYEFOREST 50 2008 MALVERN MIDSUMMER MARATHON with Results & Pictures
About us, the LDWAThe LDWA is an association of people with the common interest of walking long and ultra long distances in rural, mountainous and moorland areas. The LDWA promotes organised challenge walks, pioneers new walking routes and publishes information on all aspects of non-competitive walking. The association is recognised by the Sports Council as the governing body for the activity of long distance walking. People often ask us, "what is a long distance?" The Association's constitution now defines a long distance walk as an extended walk in rural areas, especially one that exceeds 20 miles in length. The LDWA was started by two walkers, Alan Blatchford and Chris Steer, whose paths happened to cross in the Surrey hills in the early seventies. They discussed their common love of walking and decided to organise a long walk in the countryside around Tanners Hatch Youth Hostel near Dorking in Surrey. They were encouraged by the response and organised further walking events. By 1972 they had become so popular that Alan and Chris decided to form the Long Distance Walkers Association. The initial idea was to collate information on all organised challenge walks and long distance walks in the country. This was published as a newsletter for a subscription of 35p. The membership by the end of 1972 was 355 and this has now grown to over 7000. In 1973 the first AGM was held in Edale and there has been an AGM/social weekend held in a different part of the country every year since. In the same year the first 100 mile challenge walk was organized. This is now an annual event held in a different venue each year. In the autumn of 1973 the first local group was formed in Derbyshire. The LDWA has become so popular that there are now some 40 groups throughout Britain. Members of the LDWA receive a copy of the Association journal, Strider, 3 times a year. This gives information relating to all aspects of Long Distance Walking. The Bristol & West GroupThe first Bristol & West Group walk took place in 1975 and we celebrated our 25th anniversary by duplicating that walk in 2000. The Bristol and West Group walk in the area roughly covered by Somerset, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire & Wiltshire. This includes the Mendips, Cotswolds, Forest of Dean & the Malverns with regular forays into South Wales to the Brecon Beacons.
The group organize three challenge walks in the area, the Malvern Midsummer Marathon which has a choice of 25 or 33 mile routes, the Cotswold Challenge which is 25 miles and The WyeForest 50, a 56 mile challenge walk in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. The next WyeForest 50 walk will be held again in 2009. It is the second of three walks which form the South West Triple Challenge. The other walks are organised by the Cornwall & Devon group and the Dorset group. Each of these walks will take place every three years and completion of all three walks in consecutive years will entitle the walker to a triple challenge certificate. We also have a comprehensive diary of social walks throughout the year. The members also organise Group Weekends usually at a Youth Hostel or Cottage to enjoy a program of walking in pastures new. Some members also organise holidays abroad to enjoy walking together in other lands. We publish a regular Group Newsletter to keep members informed and amused. Members with items for the newsletter can e-mail from here. Prospective members are welcome to join in our walks. If you are a keen walker and would like to find out more about us then please come along on one of our social walks. You will find that we are a friendly group of people with varied interests, ability and backgrounds. Check out our Diary Page for details of the walk programme. Offers of new walks or amendments should be notified to the walk coordinator. Alternatively you can e-mail the group Secretary or the Chairman for further information. If you require information regarding one of our challenge walks, please navigate to the relevant page and use the contact link for that event. We also like to see walkers from other groups who may be visiting our beautiful area.
You can join the LDWA online, please click on this link:-
You can print a form to subscribe to our group newsletter by clicking on:- Walk West subscription form.
You will find details of our challenge events on this site. Full details and entry form are available on the appropriate page. Happy Walking! LINK TO Comments, queries or contributions & pictures to this Web site can be made to Webmaster
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