Rob’s Ramble
Summer 2026
I’m starting off writing this “Ramble” during the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. It’s hard to believe that we’re still in Spring with the temperature approaching 30°C. If the summer is much hotter than this, we’ll be cancelling walks to reduce any risk of heat stroke! Do remember to bring plenty of liquid with you during the hot periods.
We had a very successful AGM in April with over 50 attendees. We were back at the All Saints Church Hall as we could not secure a place at The Mowlem. Those members present did not hold back in sharing a social drink! It was a very enjoyable evening and certainly not the sort of stuffy AGM that such occasions can be. Nikki and Sean were voted on to the committee and have started to take over responsibility for producing the Walks Programme from Brian Arnold, who has been putting programmes together since the early part of 2013. Thank you Brian! I ask members to assist Nikki and Sean in their new roles by volunteering to lead a walk.
I must also commend Steve Williams who has been on the committee for more than 13 years and continues leading many and varied walks.
Following the AGM our committee now consists of:
John Alldritt – Secretary; Brian Arnold – Walks Programme/Committee Member; Nikki B – Walks Programme; Jane Hamilton – Social Events; Sean Mclean – Walks Programme; Barbara Pietrusiewicz – Welfare; Eric Scargill – Treasurer; Steve Williams – Membership, and me (Rob Lobley) – Chair.
Lesley Watts continues to manage our excellent website but she is not a committee member. Jane Hamilton has continued with a great programme of social events. This year there has been a visit to the RNLI in Poole, and a visit to the gardens at Eastington. Coming up in early July there is a beach picnic at Studland and later this year we have our Christmas meal at the golf club, scheduled for Wednesday December 9th so
please make a note in your diaries. There will also be a 4-night trip to the Cotswolds with HF Holidays starting on Monday June 14th, organised by Chris Bungay.
Thanks to all those that have put forward walks for this summer programme, particularly anyone leading their first walk. Thanks to Nikki and Sean for bringing a programme together for the first time and for Brian’s assistance in ensuring a smooth transition.
I hope to see you on a walk shortly.
P.S. Since writing the above I have been in Scotland, and I was told that it can be quite hard to sleep there at this time of year as the daylight hours are so long. That may be so, but at present there is so much cloud cover and rain that it is very difficult to differentiate between day and night.
Keep walking and keep well.
Rob Lobley – chairman, Swanage Walking Group