2026 News
AREA AGM took place on 28th February 2026 in Hampton-in- Arden . Report,
Malcolm Leonard - It is with deep regret that we have to advise members of the death of Malcolm who passed away at the age of 95 at the Marie Curie Hospice on the 13th January after a short illness.
He was a very nice man, always polite and helpful. To the best of our knowledge he was present and helped out on the inaugural walk of the newly formed Solihull Group in 1987 and was a stalwart of the group for over 30 years. For virtually all this time he coordinated the walks programme which included checking to make sure that the information regarding meeting/parking places given by walks leaders were correct. In addition he led many walks for the group himself and would especially put walks forward to fill any gaps in the programmes. He took the filling of the walks programmes as his personal responsibility.
He carried on walking well into his 80’s and only gave up when it was necessary to look after his wife Gillian when she became ill. He will be fondly remembered and sorely missed by everyone who knew him.
Cynthia Dodson - We are also very sorry to report the recent death of Cynthia Dodson after a period of ill health. Cynthia along with her husband Mike were regular walkers with the group and also led walks for us until she was no longer able to do so following a hip replacement operation a few years ago.
2024
Fleur-de-Lys Christmas Lunch and Walk
41 ramblers did a seven mile walk from the pub to Henley-in-Arden followed by a good lunch back at the Fleur de Lys. Interesting use of sprouts!!
Blocked Footpaths - an interesting article from the BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-67937253. If you would like to help maintain footpaths in our area, our footpath maintenance team (Solihull Bramblers) welcome new members. Please contact Bob Thurtle at
Nov 2023 Solihull Group AGM
This was held on Thursday 9th November 7.30pm at Solihull Municipal Sports and Social Club, Brick Kiln Lane B91 3LE (free buffet provided).
Post Covid precuations, our Car Sharing was reintroduced Apr 2022, using local meeting points for some of our walks. For some walks there's limited parking. Car sharing is encouraged, but only if you are comfortable with doing so. Precautions can be taken such as mask-wearing and ventilation. Car sharing makes sense given the increase in cost of fuel and potential environmental impact. See latest Ramblers information on coronavirus.
Apr 2022 Sheila Woolley - On Tuesday 12th April 2022. more than sixty Solihull Ramblers joined friends and family at Sheila's funeral to say farewell. We all learnt more about Sheila's life including her judo and guiding of blind walkers. Listen to Radio 4 Ramblings episode here with Claire Balding and blind walker David with Sheila as his guide.
Message from the family
"Just a quick thank-you to all of mom's friends at the Solihull Ramblers for turning up at her funeral. The day could not have gone any better than we had planned. Seeing everyone standing in their walking gear waiting for us to arrive and then following us behind her coffin as we walked to the Chapel. Knowing that mom was leading the way for one last time with her boots on, map and compass in hand was a sight never to forget. During the service everyone put daffodils on her coffin while the song Fields of Gold played out.
"Mom's chosen charities were for the RNIB and 'Milton Mountaineers' for which we raised £637.00. You all did her proud, and I can't thank you enough for all turning out especially on a Tuesday as mom told me not to book a Tuesday as its walking day!! Big shout out to the group who walked from Knowle to the funeral.
"Love from Glenn and the family."
A long walk from Great Witley was planned for Tuesday 10th May following one of Sheila's routes with a shorter walk planned for later in the year.
Jan 2022 Area AGM
The Warwickshire Area Committee met on December 5th, being the final Quarter Annual meeting for 2021. Notice of Annual General Meeting was given as Saturday 5th February 2022 and was to be held at the Central Hall, Coventry. It was later announced that it would be an online event using Zoom. Members who wanted to attend were invited to contact Nick Hillier for a 'virtual' place using a Zoom link.
The Area Website gave AGM details.
Reports and Minutes from the 2022 meeting are published on the Area website.
Changes to Your Committee at AGM
At the AGM 2021 there were several changes to your committee:
Chair – Les Harrison is now the chair following on from Brian who has been in the role for the last three years. Amongst other achievements Brian with the help of the committee restarted walks very quickly after periods of lockdown which was very welcome.
Footpath Secretary – following the untimely death of Mike Fisher, Bob Thurtle will take on the role. Bob has been very involved in footpath maintenance in the last few years so not a newcomer to this area.
Secretary – Val Gibbons is now our secretary who has taken over from Sheila Woolley
A note from recent AGM minutes...
“Sheila led the 1st walk of the Solihull Ramblers & was also the group secretary from the outset of the group 34 years ago – a remarkable achievement. Sheila has always put her heart & soul into rambling & was always willing to share her knowledge & guidance with fellow walkers – thank you Sheila!”
Amongst many other things she has done for the group, our programme of evening walks developed from a few friends accompanying Sheila whilst taking her dog for a walk. We also have fond memories of her annual Sunday walk to the church at Temple Balsall where tea and cake were being sold to raise funds. Also, her walks in the Blakedown and Lichfield areas involving train travel when Sheila could be relied on to provide cake en route.
As well as everything else she did for our group, she even found the time to lead walks for City of Birmingham group from time to time.
Thank you Sheila.
...............................
PREVIOUSLY:
Message from the Chair 8 July 2020
We re-started our group walks and I have three messages: try to get out and enjoy walking with the group again, make it second nature to adopt basic safety measures on the walk and if you are a walk leader, contribute walks to the walk programme so that we have a good, varied programme.
We had decided that we would try to get going again as soon as we were allowed by Ramblers. I know that quite a number of people have been walking regularly with friends but there are others who have not had that opportunity. So the programme for the first month consists of fairly local short and medium walks and I am grateful to all the walk leaders who have contributed and to Malcolm who put the programme together at lightning speed.
We have to remember that the epidemic is not over and will not be for some time and certain practices should become routine such as appropriate social distancing, avoiding touching gates, stiles etc. as far as possible, regular use of hand sanitisers. There is further information on these on the website.
Make the most of the walks available, offer to lead a walk when you can and walk safely!
Brian
Message from our Secretary 10 July 2021
A big thank you to everyone for the excellent work done on the website and putting together a programme of walks at short notice. Also to our volunteer leaders who are so willing to offer suitable walks.
I regret that my name is not on the current programme for the first time since the group started. I hope to be able to remedy that in the not to distant future.
Keep up the good work. Happy walking.
Sheila
Lockdown Blog
We used our website to provide information, support and diversion during lockdown - see below.
Adam's Gardening News
To my surprise I got a lockdown letter in March. I’d been enjoying going out for walks with Helen with several small parks in our area; people and dogs, keeping our distance and saying ‘hello’.
Two answers: work in the house and gardening. I’d got some materials to redecorate our smallest bedroom, so have been working on that. However the gardening is my main task. I will let you know what I am up to on that front on a regular basis. Here is a start - news from 14th and 22nd April, 2 May and 12 May, 25 May
On 8th July Adam wrote
The seedlings and vegetables are ready or close: mostly Cosmos and nasturtiums (all grown from seed). We have started eating broad beans and runner beans too. Tomatoes to come.
After the May dry period in June & early July has had lots of rain, but most in serious downpours and not gentle showers. The grass has grown slowly but the weeds with deeper roots have prospered. Some exotics in the greenhouse are flowering too including a pineapple flower (Eucomis) and a 60 cm tall Amaryllis.
I can go out and walk now with Helen, and also go on short drives as well. We’ve worked out a way of my dropping Helen off in Solihull and then either waiting in the car or driving to a park for a walk. Better than nothing, and it means we don’t have to rely 100% on supermarket deliveries of food. At least the priority slots are far more available than regular ones.
I read with considerable envy on WhatsApp of the walks that other people have managed, even some with photos. With the Solihull Ramblers starting walks with limited numbers in early July there is at least a start of a return to what must become the new normal. It will take longer for those shielding like myself.
Keeping up one’s motivation can be difficult, but I’ve managed some major tasks both in the house and outdoors. The shielding lockdown for me ends on 1st August.
Adam feels this maybe his last contribution as lockdown has eased.The editor would like to thank him for his several contributions which have taken the pressure off her to add to this blog on a regular basis.
Colins workshop: or how to use lockdown for DIY to-do list
Lockdown (variously, from March 2020 to March 2021) offered us all the opportunities to address that List of To-Do activities which usually get put off indefinitely, quite often to the annoyance of our domestic co-habitants (and vice versa!).
As lockdown and warnings approached, the garden was in autumnal glory and approaching its winter suspension. I turned my attention to That List which, for me, was to 'sort out the mess in the Yard', and also 'my workshop'. That had been pretty-well unchanged since first occupation, except for previous effort to make it more energy efficient; adding an insulating wall of shelves, and a draft-sealing door. So, with that being the object, things got moving at last.
The 'Yard' has been so useful for current and former purposes like car engine removal and general maintenance, storage of less-used items, bins, spare furniture, wood store, plant overwintering, washing line (yes, still!), tumble dryer, footwear, coats, rucksacks... all materiel of the Outdoors. And, at one time, a scenic model railway fixed layout.
Having planned my projects; done the dimensions and major material needs (using MS Visio), and ordered them locally or on-line where possible, I began by building a framework of tanalised timbers (E H Smith, Shirley) to carry an entire length of kitchen worktop (B&Q), with plenty of space below for two tiers of large plastic storage boxes (Hobbycraft, Shirley) for collected junk (things that will or just might be be useful) arranged by type. Having electric outlets for this new work surface would also be useful, and an extension lead suited that requirement, plus some lighting for it (Anglepoise, recovered from attic storage). Various shelves, and racks above, were from timber and MDF board scraps.
Then, during xmas 2020: The problem with the workshop was that it had inherited, from a former life as a garage (and its 1936 construction), a cracked concrete base with a dip running down the centre. This had increased over some years of my use, making nothing level. It needed a level floor and would conceivably benefit from some insulation too. I couldn't be too ambitious with the height-rise necessary, due to the limited headroom from a part-insulated plywood ceiling fitted by some previous resident.
I first drilled holes along the cracked concrete, and injected expanding foam (Ebay) under the concrete to gap-fill; providing (hopefully) some support and some damp proofing, then, using a floor levelling cement product (Toolstation, Shirley) with a PVA primer, sealed the crack and levelled its deepest part up to about 30 - 35 mm. On top I laid a membrane (Ebay) over the entire surface, followed by 2 x 2 tanalised timbers as joists to take the floor surface, at about 12" spacing with noggins to set the distances. The timbers had to accomodate the uneven floor and I did this by chamfering the outermost ends to match the slope, and supported the raised parts with blocks and wedges screwed into place to support the lowest sections off the floor. Many joists had to be lap-jointed at the centre to accomodate the room width and having to work around my old workbench which would not fit out of the (newer) doorway, and had be jacked up and supported to allow for fitting the final floor surface.
Apart from that workbench, all other cupboards had been removed before starting, and I was thankful for the storage space and surfaces previously created in The Yard. Before fitting the floor itself I stuffed all the joist gaps with insulation made from recycled plastic wool (B&Q), always bearing in mind the possibility of rising damp from the concrete base, and air circulation not being permanently impeded. The flooring was 18mm damp-resistant chipboard panels (delivered), either whole or trimmed to fit (the room sides were not quite parallel!).
Finally, with a lovely smooth finish of carpet tiles (£1 each, Ebay) I had a warmer, level floor to work off, and could start building up new storage and work spaces, with a new Midi keyboard and stand, for starters. It's now always snug thanks to a radiator running off the house central heating system and remotely controlled from my desk.
Pictures to follow (...if necessary)
Article to be completed... but maybe never that list of to-dos!.
Colin
What did you do in lockdown, I wonder?
Birdspotting
How more aware we have become of birdsong. Is this because of less traffic noise or we have had more time? Walking in groups probably frightens them away but solitary walking gives more time to appreciate the surroundings. Our chairman has started his own bird spotting record see here (updated 27 April). The editor has a scribbled list on the kitchen noticeboard. Are you keeping any record? If so we can add that to this article and see how many different birds have been seen during lockdown.
30 June
Although lockdown is easing and group led walks are starting there are still some of our members who are not free to go about as before. Hopefully all our members will be able to join our walks before too long.
For everyone here is an A to Z quiz to test your brain cells a little. Answers here
17 June
Refreshments en route are now possible on some walks. Please consider supporting these businesses if you are able to and feel comfortable in doing so. Most of them have had a difficult time and can still not open normally. Some will not survive without our support.
Report from Tuesday 16 June
"We have just discovered Hatton Locks Cafe OPEN! Hours are 10 – 3ish (their words), alcohol served until 3 (strictly). Beer & Cider come from Church Farm Breweries at Budbrooke, so supporting two local businesses at once. They have put new “rustic” tables and chairs outside, so making a very pleasant end to the walk!
We found this having walked an old route (one of Bill's from Kenilworth to Hatton and back.) We started at Hatton, walking to Kenilworth where we lunched in the Leisure Centre carpark on a bench, huddled under brollies in the rain! It was good to end in the sunshine by the canal with a beer!"
16 June 2020
The Ramblers provided an update on what we can now do
The volunteer activities listed below (which usually take place individually or in pairs) can restart, subject to following the latest government guidelines in all nations - and noting in particular, that there are still significant restrictions you need to be aware of in Scotland and Wales.
- Path monitoring but not path maintenance
- Site visits
- Serving applications & notices
- Ramblers Route development
- Waymarking
- Walk recces
14 June
How much do you know about the long distance paths in our area? Try this challenge.
5 June
This week there is no challenge but hopefully a future physical challenge as the editor reports on a walk done this week which will be in a future programme. A great walk taking in Habberley Nature Reserve, Arley and Bewdley.
26 May
This week a wordsearch - good luck!!
20 May
Another quiz. Places we can look forward to walking again.
12 May
More gardening news from Adam - see above. Another quiz with answers on Page 2 - plants and places
5 May
A plant quiz - have a go. With answers. We could debate what is a weed, what is a wildflower and what is a garden plant. I have to say weeds end up in my garden as "unwanted" garden plants. I doubt if any of us with gardens can say they have no weeds, even though lockdown has given many of us more opportunity to look after our gardens. The lovely weather has given us some lovely spring plants and flowers but do we know what they all are? This is just a few and more will follow.
27 April
Have you been inspired to do something creative which you would not normally do? The editor was inspired on a walk to write a poem and thought she would share it here. Has anybody else put pen to paper?
21 April
Do you remember the Solihull Urban Geology trail back in October? If you missed it see below.
The committee have received some further information from the Warwickshire Geological Conservation Group. They have a series of leaflets on trails and geology which may be of interest ; www.wgcg.co.uk/leaflets. If you did not do the Solihull trail it is worth a look. Maybe do it now whilst the town centre is quiet although some geology may not be accessible such as in the library?
14 April
A new quiz for you on the theme of bridges. It is in three parts as large documents cannot be loaded. Answers will be posted by Thursday morning.
Part 1 Bridges on a local walk - where is the bridge and what route was taken for the walk.
Part 2 Other local bridges
Part 3 When we can travel again we may go and see these bridges
Bridges answers
Bonus question where was the photograph on Welcome page taken?
11 April
Do you remember Michael Fish?
Brian has produced an interesting report of his walk of 9 April with photos and facts. Click here.
The mystery plant is a Toothwort
Lathraea clandestina - the purple toothwort also known as clandestine in France, is a parasitic plant species in the flowering plant family Orobanchaceae.
6 April
Where is it? A photographic challenge to test your local knowledge
Do you know where all these photos were taken? Try to be as precise as possible. Photos on Page 1 and answers on Page 2. Click here
A new set of photos to follow. If you have some of your own photos which could be included, please send them to Viv (
Using Technology to Keep In Touch
If you need any help getting started contact Nick, who will be pleased to help.
It is remarkable how increasingly people are using the internet in various ingenious ways to keep in touch and share experiences. Not everyone is comfortable with the new media and may be unfamiliar with the opportunities it provides.
This is the largest social networking site in the world and one of the most widely used. Its main use is to network with friends and relatives. You join as an individual and once you have an account you can search to see if you have friends using it. If so, you can invite them to join your network. It’s entirely up to you who you invite. So, choose carefully!
The link to the Facebook website is: www.facebook.com
From here you can quickly sign up for an account. If you want to see a bit of a tutorial before you sign up, the following link is useful: www.digitaltrends.com/social-media/how-to-use-facebook
You must bear in mind that whilst the advice is still pretty relevant, it was produced in August 2018 so there will have been minor tweaks to the system.
Facebook can be accessed from:-
I.O.S devices – iPhones and iPad
Android devices – on phones and tablets
Web – Facebook recommend these browsers:-
- Google Chrome
- Firefox
- Safari
- Microsoft Edge
WhatsApp is used by millions of people across the world by giving them the ability to communicate and share instantly with individuals and groups.
Also what's good now is that if you have your phone running Whatsapp (i.e. the App is open) on the same network as another device (e.g. laptop) you can use Whatsapp Desktop on it. A fairly recent ferature is that you can use your pc's camera, microphone, keyboard etc. to improve the communication experience. Photos can easily be moved to your pc device by dragging them to the desktop or an open folder.
The web link to WhatsApp is: www.whatsapp.com. Although owned by Facebook (Meta group) the landing page is far superior in that there are links telling you all you need to know before you sign up.
Zoom
If a virtual meeting with family and friends is your thing, but in a more secure situation, then Zoom might be the app for you. It was set up for business use but can be used by anybody and is more secure than Houseparty in that the facilitator of the meeting issues invitations to those the wants to join the meeting. Whilst it is free, your meeting is limited to 40 minutes. With a paid version you can meet continuously for 24 hours! The 40 minutes is fine for most people I guess because after a short break you can restart your meeting.
The web link is: zoom.us/resources
This is the go-to app for business, the media etc. They will no doubt use the paid version but the free version works just fine, the only restriction is that you can only meet for 40 minutes. Not necessarily a problem in that you can log out and then start another meeting.
The weblink provides helpful videos to show you how it works. If you are interested, why not give these a try? If you need any help then send an email to Nick.
Houseparty
Houseparty was a social networking service that enabled group video chatting through mobile and desktop apps. Users received a notification when friends were online and available to group video chat. It was an open chat room so once you have connected with the group you want to meet with, you could lock the room. It was good for families in that it has built in games like quizzes. Unfortunately its holding company announced that it wouild be ending in October 2021, whilst possibly devoting development to a new product.