Silwood might seem an unknown and exciting territory now, but it won't be long before you're itching to see the big, wide, world and feel the wind in your tent. Fear not, an escape route exists in the form of SPEC.
What do we do? We go away for a weekend every couple of months. We normally leave Silwood on the Friday afternoon and return Sunday night. Occasionally we stay for a third night.
Where do we do it? We tend to go to places where the scenery is nice and we can do stuff like walking around. We ve had trips to traditional mountain places like Snowdonia, the Lake District and the Peak District as well as to less vertically impressive destinations like Torquay, North Cornwall and the Bristol Festival.
Where do we stay? Usually in camping barns or the equivalent,but we have lots of camping stuff for use in the summer. We also have a group membership of the YHA so can stay in their hostels when it suits us.
What equipment do we have? We have a newly acquired GPS, compasses and buy the relevant maps for wherever we go. We also have safety essentials like whistles, torches and a first aid kit and there's a couple of regular members who have plenty of experience in the hills.
How much do the weekends cost? Very little. We use the Silwood minibus and the Union pays for fuel. The only costs are accommodation and food, which usually comprises breakfast and packed lunch. Typical cost of a trip is £15 -£20. We normally eat our evening meal in a pub so you ll need some extra cash for that. The next trip is anticipated be in November some time, hopefully to a camping barn next to Exmoor. Next year there are plans to go on trips to the Cotswolds, Pembrokeshire,the Lake District and possibly the Peaks. To find out about this trip and any other in the future get yourself on the SPEC e-mail list by letting me have your address. Also e-mail me if you have any questions or suggestions for future trips. Benedict benedict.gove@ic.ac.uk