Clwb Cerddwyr Treffynnon

Holywell Rambling Club 1956 - 2006

The Beginning

On Easter Monday 1956 three Holywell Families - Attwoods, Howitts and Longs - met up for for a walk on Moel Fammau.

They then returned to Holywell on the bus. During this journey the idea of forming a Rambling Club based on Holywell was suggested. Fred Long agreed to call a public meeting of interested people in Holywell. This meeting was advertised in the local press and elsewhere and took place on 26th May at Holywell Town Hall.

Also present at this meeting was Ken Wallace of Liverpool and North Wales Ramblers’ Association. At the end of the meeting it was agreed that a club be formed in Holywell. The meeting also agreed on a programme for the month of June.

The first club walk took place on Saturday June 3rd to Plymouth Copse.

Notes

Mrs Attwood still lives in Holywell and was for many years Receptionist at Pendre Surgery.

The Howitts owned a local Electrical Wholesalers in the town.

Fred Long was Chief Finance Officer for Holywell Urban District Council in 1956.

Early Years

At the General Meeting to create the Club a programme for the month of June 1956 was formulated. This concentrated on walks in the local area. This was followed by a succession of programmes covering short periods. The first Snowdon walk was to be a Moonlight Ramble on September 22nd and 23rd that year. Arrangements were altered to make it a day walk on the 22nd. The Snowdon Summit photograph was taken on this walk.

When the club was formed only one member had a car. This meant that a mix of public transport and private coach hire was used. Many of the walks started or finished in Holywell.

The programme to begin with was weekly but this was reduced as time went one until a regular 3 weekly pattern of walks was followed. As more and more members purchased cars then car transport with shared costs became normal and the club ventured further afield. Snowdonia and the Dee Valley around Llangollen quickly became favourite places.

Car transport also enabled the club to develop weekend breaks. These commenced with several visits to the Ramblers’ Association Chalet at Maeshafn. In 1972 the club’s first Youth Hostel Weekend took place at Ty yn y Cornel Youth Hostel in Cardiganshire. These quickly became very popular with at least two per year. Youth hostel breaks are still popular with the club although Guest Houses and Hotels are also used.

Middle Years

From the beginning two members have been fully active in the Club’s activities. They are Vicente Llinares (who married Jean daughter of Fred Long) and Gwilym Morgan. Vicente served as Chairman for 23 years and is currently Club President. Gwilym was Club Secretary also for 32 years. He is now Vice President.

From the beginning of the 1970s the club programme developed in many ways. Walks further afield and weekends of various types began to feature. A fortnightly programme developed with walks in summer evenings. The idea of a “Tavern Talk” became a regular feature of the programme. At these events ideas for Club events were discussed.

It was also during these years that the Daly family became club members. They introduced all kinds of initiatives. The most popular being the 2 day walk with an overnight in a guest house, hostel, bunk house or youth hostel.

A visit to Normandy in 1984 led to the formation of a friendship between members of the Club and residents of the village of Ducey near St Hilaire de Harcourt. This has continued to the present day.

In 1992 the club became involved in the Delyn Twinning and this resulted in the first exchanges between walkers from Holywell and Menden in 1993.

The Club Today

As the Club approaches its 50th Birthday it is extremely active. At least one walk per week is organised. The Club Weekends still take place and we still use Youth Hostels. These are much different to those used in the early years.

We cater for all kinds of walkers. After many years of experimenting with providing two walks on the same day – a difficult walk and an easier alternative – we now only organise one per day. We try and cater for everyone’s needs at least once per month.

A relatively recent introduction has been the pub lunch walk. This usually takes place on the first Wednesday of the month. It is an all day walk with a stop for lunch. Members can join for all day, the morning or the afternoon or even just for the lunch. The club tries to arrange at least one holiday abroad each year.

Our current programme has already taken us all over North Wales and to the Peak District. To come are more walks in North Wales and Cheshire. A Weekend based on Barmouth is also planned as is a week’s walking in Devon and Cornwall in May.

Our 50th Celebrations will be centred around the period 3rd to 11th June. During this time we would like to see as many former members as possible. See Contacts to get in touch.

The Carneddau Challenge

The club introduced this walk to the programme in 1959. It was led by Vicente Llinares.

The route starts at Ogwen Cottage and finishes at Conwy Castle. It crosses a largely unhabitated area of about 200 square miles. The first challenge is to climb to the Carneddau Ridge via Pen yr Ole Wen. It is the final stage of the Cambrian Way Long Distance Trail. This involves an initial climb of about 2,200 feet. After this five Three Thousand Foot mountain tops are crossed before the descent to Bwlch y Ddeufan the Roman Road between Aber and Rowen

Tal y Fan is then climbed before the descent to the Sychnant Pass from where Conwy Mountain is crossed to the finish at the Castle.

The walk is 17 miles long and involves a total ascent of about 4,000 feet. Despite this as it starts at almost exactly 1,000 feet above sea level and finishes at sea level it is mainly downhill!.

As part of the 50th Celebrations this walk will be repeated on Saturday June 3rd 2006. A coach will be used to take the participants to the start and pick them up at the finish.

Easier alternative walks will also be provided.

2 of Fred Long's grandchildren (Maria Llinares and John Long) and son, Mike Long, try the commemorative seat

Highlights

 1956 Club founded

 1956 September 22nd First ascent of Snowdon

 1957 Long serving Secretary Gwilym Morgan led his first walk for the Club on January 20th

1959 First of several visits to the Ramblers’ Association Chalet at Maeshafn

1966 Gwilym Morgan became Secretary

1972 First Youth Hostel Weekend (at Ty yn y Cornel)

1984 First Foreign Holiday took place in Normandy.

1993 Visit from Menden Germany Rambling Club

1993 First Club Visit to Menden

1996 Celebrated 40th Anniversary

1997 Gwilym Morgan became Club President

1998 Supported the Snowdon Appeal and raised £1,600

2005 Vicente Llinares became Club President

2006 Club Celebrates 50th Birthday

Founder members at the lunch

President Vicente Llinares addresses the lunch meeting