AOAC Newsletter
 

A short one this week as quite frankly, it's the party season and I've got better things to do! 

Post-Party Afternoon Walk - Historic Parks of East Bristol - Sunday 22 December - 1pm
Recover from the excitement and excesses of the AOAC Christmas party with this walk of approximately 5 miles across parkland in east Bristol, with hopefully a stop for afternoon tea and cake at Snuff Mills.

A few things going on early next year that haven't been mentioned yet:

Sea Kayak Planning Meeting - Tuesday 7 January 2020 
Upstairs, The Inn on the Green 7.30pm
This is a "pre-meeting" to discuss only sea kayaking in advance of the main AOAC paddlesports planning meeting (in Feb). We now have more people available to lead  trips, but also need others to help organise. Additionally have a think about what other coaching or courses you might be interested in attending and helping to organise for your own development, including with external providers (the paddlesport coordinators can suggest some). For example, intro and improver levels, sea kayak leader training, rough water handling, introduction to tideraces/surfing for sea kayakers. 

It'll be an opportunity to talk about sea kayaking ALL NIGHT with others who are equally interested in salty paddling adventures. 

Pub Crawl - 25 January 2020 
Beat the January blues and join Tracy and Fiona on a pub crawl around Bristol for a drink or three.  

7.30pm - Meet in The Old Fish Market on Baldwin Street.
8.30pm - The Beer Emporium, King Street.
9.30pm - King William Ale House, King Street.

From here there are plenty of other pubs along King Street if people want to move on after the last pub listed.

Feel free to let Tracy or Fiona know you are coming or just turn up.

Outdoor First Aid Course (16 hour) - 1-2 February 2020
16 hour outdoor first aid course aimed at activity leaders but open to all club members.

Club leaders can get 100% subsidy upon completion of the course, 50% subsidy for non-leaders. This means the course costs £0 for leaders and a mere £70 for other members, you won't get a course cheaper anywhere!  Please apply for your subsidy before you attend the course.

The course will be run by the excellent M-Training, and is very practical with realistic role play to reinforce the theory. The agenda is designed to meet the needs of all the club's regular activities, as well as the requirements of national governing bodies such as BCU.

South Wales Mountain Biking and Kayaking trip - 7-9 February 2020
Come Mountain Biking/Kayaking in South Wales.. £34 for 2 nights in a bunk house, paddling for minimum 2* standard (you don't need to have the qualification) and mountain biking for all levels.

Staying at the Tyle Morgrug cottage and bunkhouse

Cynon Valley Cottage and Bunkhouse, Tyle Morgrug, Halt Road, Rhigos, Aberdare, CF44 9UW

http://www.cyat.org/

This is a great base for outdoor activities. Opening up to road biking and paddling but can open to more activities if we have leaders.

Mountain biking: Open to all levels, some great trails nearby. The cottage has met the Welsh Tourist Board 'Cyclists Welcome' requirements and has a large lock up bike store and bike wash facility. There are trail centres at Afan Forest,  Cwmcarn, Brechla and Bike Park Wales. Many routes through the Brecon Beacons.

Paddling: you must be minimum 2* standard and have completed some basic safety training eg the clubs MWSS course or WWSR etc. If you are unsure please contact the organiser.

There are many paddling options as the centre is close to the Rivers Tawe, Afan (grade 3), Mellte (grade 4/5), Palenna (grade 2/3) and Ogmore (grade 2/3)

And finally a shout out for the following trip in July which is now on the calendar:

Pyrenees hut to hut trek - 24-31 July 2020
This trek promises some amazing scenery with waterfalls, glaciers, mountain sunsets.... and marmots! Details are now on the website and bookings for six places opens on 4 January.

A high level 'hut-to-hut' route crossing five valleys and taking in some of the most dramatic scenery in the Pyrenees; mountain lakes, dramatic cirques, high plateaus and rocky passes. The route passes the famous Cirque de Gavarnie, a glacial horseshoe with 1.4km high cliffs and the highest European waterfall outside Norway. There will be opportunities to go to the top of two peaks: Petite Vignemale (3,032m) and Pimene (2,801ms). 

You will need to be able to walk for up to 7 hours per day in mountainous terrain and be comfortable staying in mountain huts.

If you have an event you particularly want me to advertise or you have any interesting news you'd like to share, a story to tell about an event you've participated in, or any more tips that may help club members, please let me know at [email protected] . Thank you.

So all this leaves me to do is to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! See you at the Christmas Party xx
 

See you soon
Cathy x

---------------------------------------------------------------

For activities that are weather dependent, there are often ad hoc events posted on the forum close to the day. It is worth subscribing to these as you will receive an email with the content of the message and a link to the page. Then you won't miss out on that last minute walk/climb/paddle/ride. Also, we have a Facebook page, a Twitter account (@aoacbristol) and an Instagram account (aoacbristol). If you haven't already, join the Facebook group where you will find postings of ad hoc events and photos of past events and follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

If you want to know more about how the club works and how the committee makes decisions then please do look at the minutes. 

If you have any issues with the website or email please report these using the direct link in the members section or here: https://tinyurl.com/AOAC- web-issues 

Events