ARS defies the gale

ARS, the Audlem Ramblers Society, set out on their first walk of 2015 in extremely strong winds yesterday, walking along the Sandstone Trail from Beeston Castle to the southern end of Bickerton Hill.

Eighteen walkers decided to brave the elements despite weather forecasts during the week of fierce winds, rain, maybe a touch of snow and temperatures dropping on Saturday from the positively balmy to pretty cold as a front passed over.

As it happened, much of the walk was in pleasant winter sunshine although the wind persisted, which was by good fortune always blowing the walkers safely away from the steep slopes on the western side of Rawhead and Bickerton Hill.

Fortunately, a convenient breeze block wall became a gale block for a brief break for lunch, as our photo shows.

The longer ARS walks are held every second Saturday of the month, normally heading off from Audlem car park at 8.30am, while Short-ARS walks, normally around 5 miles in length, head off at 9.30pm on the last Saturday of the month.

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