RAILWAY RAMBLE

Sunday 12^th August 2007

REPORT

The Quiz Walk is an event we hold with the Isle of Wight Ramblers and it has been running in its present form for 5 years. August is usually a poor month for attendance, due to holidays and hot weather (well sometimes).

Our chosen area was centred on the old railway track at Newchurch and we made several planning visits in July. The rains had made at least one part of our planned route impassable and required a rethink to take in Alverstone village. Just as we had finalised things there was the foot and mouth outbreak. So we prepared a back up route that missed out any livestock fields. Luckily we didn't need it.

The weather had been very hot and sunny but on the day of the quiz it was cool and cloudy, ideal for the walk. Though it did spit with rain later but nobody seemed to mind and we didn't get any wet answer sheets !

Everybody was very happy with the area of the walk, which took in a newly created area of woodland behind Newchurch church and had good views of the far Downs over the Alverstone valley. Several groups spotted the profusion of blackberries and sloes and marked them down for a later visit. The school hall at Newchurch was an excellent venue and there was even a pub nearby for those who needed more than tea and biscuits at the end.

Once again the clues were a mix of cryptic and straight forward and as usual they caused some debate at the finish. One of our clues defeated every team, though we had not expected it to give a problem. On a post in a clearing were carved the letters NPNT. Our clue was " Keep fit! - Don't be negative ". Take away the negatives ( the N's ) and you are left with PT, which you do to keep fit !

Once again we continued the idea of having two maps and allowing teams to choose. One map had the approximate position of the clues marked on it. The other was blank and the team had to work out clue positions by using grid references. Out of a possible total of 62 points 5 were added for using the ≥hard≤ map and 5 deducted for choosing the ≥easy≤.

We had a good tunout with 19 teams taking part. All in all a good day out and we are encouraged to arrange another walk same time next year, possibly Northwood or Shorwell. We look forward to seeing more of you then. Finally, special thanks to Jessica Curran who, after completing the walk, served up drinks and biscuits to everyone

Lesley Curran and Frank Winter, Planners