Ramblers
'Toddle' marks the start of a big year for walking group
THE annual "Trencrom Tipsy Toddle" on New Year's Eve was chosen to launch the 75th anniversary celebrations of the UK's leading walking charity.
The Ramblers are planning to hold a series of "Baton Walks" around the country during 2010 and the privilege of holding the first was given to the Penwith and Kerrier branch of the association.
Setting off from the White Hart at Ludgvan, 40 or so ramblers trekked the four miles along St Michael's Way to the top of Trencrom.
There they released 75 red balloons to mark the anniversary before heading back to Ludgvan.
They stopped in the Trencrom car park for cups of mulled wine and mince pies distributed by Sylvia Ronan, secretary of the branch, who, with husband Graham, started the Tipsy Toddle eight years ago.
The baton will pass around the South West in January, before being handed over to the West Midlands region in February.
Following the Tipsy Toddle, Mr Ronan went to Trebarwith Strand a couple of days later to hand the baton over to the county's coastal footpath group for its monthly walk from Boscastle.
And it will be passed on to the leaders of all eight Cornish Ramblers' groups before the end of the month.
Organisers of the celebrations also hope the Baton Walk will highlight the Ramblers' ongoing campaign for improved footpaths.
The campaign has focussed on Cornwall Council's gold, silver and bronze path priority system.
Mr Ronan said: "The South West has Britain's best funded and best known coastal path.
"It also has some of the country's most neglected, damaged and under-funded paths that bring financial loss, accident and even injury to residents and visitors alike .
"The beautiful Cornish coastal region is the perfect place to showcase the benefits of really investing in paths, and the pitfalls of neglecting them."
View original at http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Toddle-marks-start-big-year-walking-group/article-1700125-detail/article.html
