SPRING 2026
Let’s talk about the weather ! It’s been pretty wet ! Several of our walks this Winter have had to be cancelled despite our Leaders’ best efforts to outwit the forecasts and try to predict which area is going to be affected. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes we don’t and sometimes we say, OK just turn up if you want to and if we get wet, we get wet! The snowfall in Eryri this Winter, however, has presented a fabulous opportunity for some of us to put on crampons and walk in a wonderful mountain Winter landscape. We’re hoping it will settle down now for our new series of walks this Spring although, as I type, hailstones are falling on my roof!
We had a well attended Annual AGM on 28 January where we elected Roy Milnes as our new Chairman, and Matt Nobles as our new Walks Coordinator. We are very grateful to them for taking on the roles. We also had guest speaker and Eryri Walk Leader, Anthony Smith, who gave us a fascinating talk about his journey to become a Mountain Leader (which was a very challenging and rigorous examination of leadership skills). Roy Milnes was also awarded Walk Leader of the Year for 2025. And as our new Chairman, he has these words to say to you:
Chairman’s message
We are fortunate to have the mountains of Eryri in our area with their lofty peaks which we shall be ascending but also some upcoming easy walks and interesting beach and cliff walks making good use of the Wales Coast Path - ideal for a good spring day and the summer.
We have a pro-active committee and an excellent group of expert leaders all keen to keep Eryri in the forefront of providing safely and expertly led walks for our members ranging from short strolls to exciting scrambles. All our leaders have qualified with the new Ramblers training scheme or already hold a mountain leadership certificate.
We welcome three new leaders: Sally Lloyd-Davies, Kevin Richardson and Nick Osborn who will strengthen our team of leaders (now up to 20) to lead grade B and C walks which are already proving very popular.
Matt has settled in well as Walks Secretary and has done wonders updating the website to make it more useful and user-friendly. We realise that many of our members volunteer in the outdoors giving something back to protect and improve our beautiful countryside. We have established links with the National Park, North Wales Wildlife Trust, the Snowdonia Society and Slate Trail to create a volunteering website page, https://eryriramblers.org/volunteering-1 , it’s easy to join in. Besides work, some offer guided walks and interesting talks with experts.
Top of the list is to consider becoming an Eryri Walk Leader, a rewarding activity giving members great pleasure (well when it’s not raining or blowing a hooley – we do watch the forecasts carefully beforehand). Please let Matt or myself know if you are interested.
I wish you all some great Spring walking and look forward to getting out and meeting as many of you as possible.
Roy Chairman
PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION for 2026
We thought it might be fun to have a photography competition to be judged at next year’s AGM. So many of you take great photos while out on our walks so we
thought that perhaps a month before our next AGM, you could submit up to 3 photos that you have taken on one of our walks which you think are your best and then we can do a short slide show and vote for the winning shot. Early thoughts but bear it in mind while you are out this year and I will put a reminder out later on with details and the submission date.
A LOCAL INTEREST GROUP:
Garndolbenmaen History Group
This enthusiastic local history group focuses mainly around the Garndolbenmaen area. They have a guided walk on the first Saturday of the month and an evening talk on the first Tuesday of the month, at the village hall. Subjects so far this year have included Penllysten roman fort at Bryncir and shops and businesses in old Garndolbenmaen.
Some of you may have met one of the leaders, Martin Davies. He was a good friend of the late Gareth Roberts, a fellow enthusiast.
Contact Di Doughty for more details
Appeal for email addresses – If you know of a member who is not receiving our newsletters and messages or have changed their email address or phone number please ask them to update their contact details with HQ it’s easy to do log into the Ramblers website using this link My details - Ramblers
ALSO:
If you have a walk related article or piece you would like to contribute to the next Newsletter please send it to me
Diane Jamal
Editor