Oxford SSiW - additional meetups?

Just to repeat my post just now to the main Oxford group (sorry, I’m a bit vague about how to link the two topics)

Seems either Sat 4th, Sun 5thg or Mon 6th April is best for most (Pippa, Mike, JP, Jenny and me). JP suggested a Sat as cafes more likely to be open, so shall we say Saturday 4the April if that’s still OK for people? JP’s idea of meeting at midday also seems a good idea and would allow more time for those not based in Oxford to get there.
Where to meet? There are several pubs/cafes in Charlbury (see: http://www.charlbury.info/eat-and-drink) - can anyone recommend one?

In case anyone’s missed it, on the main Oxford group page: Oxford Welsh learners group ramblingjohn is suggesting a Thames/Port Meadow ramble starting out from Oxford station on 9th or 10th May

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Should anyone have missed it under the main Oxford group topic, an update about the next Oxford group meetup and ramble.

We’ll be meeting at 12:00 by the bull statue opposite the station steps, next to the wall of the Said Business School and we’ll have a break at one of the pubs. If you want to see where we’re thinking of going, JP’s posted a map of the suggested route for the ramble under the main Oxford group topic http://forum.saysomethingin.com/uploads/default/_optimized/85f/603/b6b4ccd145_406x500.JPG
.

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Well, I’ll post some photos here (I hope!), and keep the main Oxford thread (relatively) free… :smile:

Our starting point, opposite Oxford gorsaf rheilfordd. We see the “ych” in “Rhydychen”
@johnwilliams_6 ar chwith, @ramblingjohn ar dde.

Ducklings, by the river Thames.

Get thee to a nunnery…Godstow, in this case. Scene of historical scandals, so John W tells me. Yn anfoddus, my Welsh wasn’t up to the salacious details! More study needed…

Interesting plaque, nearby.

Y dau Johns discuss the finer points of Wolvercote (canal) lock.

For some reason, John W is not convinced…

If you wan’t a pirate party…here’s your man!

Fairly hippy-ish area is Oxford canal side …

You’ve seen plenty of pictures from @ramblingjohn , well, here he is in action.

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Ah you caught me unawares there, and today has me searching for a mystery insect that looked like a wasp but is something else.


They sure liked the sunny spot and i caught one in flight, the closest match i have so far is a type of paper wasp (but not certain).

and the goslings sure get the cute vote of the day.

I wasn’t the only old ruin on the trail.

Great fun talking to a duck in the pub garden for a tea stop and the weather deserves a mention, no rain.

Cheers J.P.

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Probably a good idea to repeat here what I posted on the ‘Different day for Oxford Meetups?’ thread (http://forum.saysomethingin.com/t/different-day-for-oxford-meetups/2514 )

On last Saturday’s Oxford ramble we were discussing a possible change of
day for the regular Oxford monthly meetups. Tuesday nights are
difficult for some, and choosing another weekday might give more people
the opportunity to get along to the meetups. Another thought was
perhaps having a 2nd monthly meetup on a Saturday or Sunday, roughly 2
weeks after the weekday meeting (we’d still have rambles as well, of
course).
What do people think? Even if - and, indeed, especially if

  • you haven’t made it to one of the meetups yet, do let us know which
    day or days suit best.
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Hello! I’ve only managed to come along to one meet-up so far, but I’d definitely like to come to more, so count me in. I’m often busy at weekends but more regular meet-ups and also the rambles sound like a nice idea, so I’ll come to any I can! Weekday-wise, it doesn’t really make any difference to me which one it is as I don’t have any specific regular commitments.
So is the next meet up (as things stand) the first Tuesday in June in the Jericho Cafe? I don’t come on the forum very often, but I’ll try to check this thread again to find out!
See you soon, hopefully,
Carolyn

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Helo Carolyn! Yes, the June meet up will be Tuesday 2nd June. The change of day, if that suits people, won’t be until July. There might well also be more weekday meetups from June onwards as several of us would like more opportunities for sgwrs Cymraeg.

As for weekend meetups, unless anyone has any better suggestions, to get the ball rolling let’s say next Saturday, 30 May, and also Saturday 6 June at 11:30am, downstairs at the Jericho Cafe - I’ll go along and hope one or two more people turn up as well!

For the next ramble, so far we haven’t firmed up the date as several of us are out of town at the moment, but if we say Sat 30 May for the next one and Sat 13 June for the following one, hopefully that should allow most people to come along to at least one of the two. Hwyl fawr, John

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Whoops! My previous posting should have read next Saturday 23 May (NOT 30 May) for the first of the Jericho Cafe weekend meetups. Mae’n ddrwg gen i!

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Just a quick reminder about the meetup tomorrow (Sat 23 May), 11:30am downstairs at the Jericho Cafe

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For the ramble on Sat 30 May the suggestion is to start from Kingham station on the Cotswold line from Oxford. The 11:23 train from Oxford gets to Kingham at 11:49 (a few of us used this train for the Charlbury ramble a few weeks ago), and there’s a pub in Kingham village about a mile away where we could get a bite to eat.

For the ramble itself, assuming the weather’s good enough, there are a couple of circular walks starting from Kingham Station, one of 3.5 miles (see: http://www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk/userfiles/file/walks/north-cotswolds/kingham-station-circular.pdf). The other one is 9 miles (see: http://www.escapetothecotswolds.org.uk/userfiles/file/walks/north-cotswolds/new-kingham-station-circular.pdf). However it looks from the OS map (via Bing: http://binged.it/1Kc63Hm) as if we could shorten that and, at the same time, have the opportunity to see a bit more of Foxholes Nature Reserve which could be interesting.
As I said, that’s the suggestion, but any other ideas welcome. Hwyl, John

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Hi John, any update on Kingham for Saturday meeting, the weather looks good.

Cheers J.P.

Hi JP - Kingham it is, I think, as there’ve been no alternative suggestions. Mike should be back any day now, but I seem to remember he said he’d be happy with a ramble on the 30th starting from any convenient Cotswold line station, so let’s go ahead with the plan - we can settle on the final route when we get to the pub in Kingham. Hwyl am y tro, John

Really sorry that I can’t make this one, dw’n edrych ymlaen at y tro nesaf. Pippa

Hi John and John,

Sorry for the belated reply.

Just confirming that I will be there, all being well.

I need to check train details, but I probably will need to start heading back home no later than about 4pm.

Hwyl,
Mike

Thanks Mike - see you tomorrow then,
Hwyl am y tro,
John

Well, that was fun. and now for some words said and heard today.

Blodyn menyn - meadow buttercup.

I used perthi for hedge but this seems to also mean bush, gwrych maybe a better translation of hedge.

I use cae for a field that had a hedge this seems correct as it also means enclosure.

I heard dol for meadow which i will try to remember.

Ysgawen - Elder (the tree).

Iorwg - ivy.

Tafol - Dock (plant) one of many i couldn’t remember when asked.

Cheers J.P.

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And I particularly liked learning bysedd cwn (foxglove), meillion (clover) helygen (willow), llygaid y dydd (daisy) dant y llew (dandelion ) and iar fach yr haf (butterfly).

Diwrnod hyfryd, diolch i chi oll, cyfeillion.

Now keen for J.W. to confirm next date and place so hopefully i can attend.

Hopefully this format will prove useful to people and numbers will grow over time.

Cheers J.P.

Helo pawb - I think we can settle now on Sat 13 June for the next ramble and I think too we were all agreed during the spring Charlbury ramble that it would be nice to go back and see those woods and meadows again in summer, so let’s do that and aim to meet up at midday in the cafe in the centre of Charlbury (JP, do you remember the cafe’s name?) - for those of us coming from/via Oxford the 11:23 train arrives at Charlbury at 11:40.

PS A quick reminder about the meetup tomorrow, Tuesday, at 5.30pm and the meetup this Saturday 6 June at 11:30am, both downstairs at the Jericho Cafe, Walton Street