Thanks Tony....I'm still here. Just lurking in the shadows.
For those who don't know me (which is probably everybody) I'm the Reserve Manager for Merthyr Mawr Warren NNR. I'm not responsible for the campsite at MM but for the sand dunes, all 360ha of it. I'm lucky in that I'm paid not only to look after the reserve but I also to show people around.
I've been thinking about suggesting the arrangement of day meetups for a while. To me they offer great scope for those of us who have families and / or responsibilities and are not able to go to overnight or longer gatherings.
Such meetups could be used for a range of purposes;
1 - just to get together and meet other like minded people
2 - day walks are a useful way of exploring an area in the company of someone who already knows the area well
3 - to look at different items of kit. Everyone could be asked to bring along a certain item, be it a compass, possibles pouch etc. This would then give everyone present a chance to compare the different bits of kit.
4 - To have a day looking at a certain topic and comparing techniques with other people.
5- Slide shows / talks. If people have been somwhere interesting it would be great to hear about it.
Venues don't have to be a problem. Day walks obviously need no venue apart from possibly a place for liquid refreshment. If its just a social get together, looking at kit or chatting about a certain topic a pub can be used. Most landlords won't mind as long as drinks are being bought. Not forgetting peoples houses / gardens.
I guess I'm just old fashioned. Finding out things on the computer is great, but actually meeting people and seeing peoples enthusiam and knowledge of a subject face to face, for me anyway, is so much better.
So how about it! Anybody in S.Wales up for getting together sometime pre-Bushmoot.