NEWS

Fourth valley Support Group is having a Christmas Fete

CHRISTMAS FETE
29TH NOVEMBER 2008
IN THE
HERITAGE ROOM, MILTON ROW, DUNIPACE
FROM
12 NOON TIL 4PM
THE STALLS INCLUDE
SANTA'S GROTTO
TAMBOLA
SOUP & STOVIES
CAKE & CANDY
CHRISTMAS HAMPER
ETC
IN SUPPORT OF FOURTH VALLEY HUNTINGTONS GROUP
EVERYONE WELCOME

Hi All,

Just wondering if anybody would be interested in joining us on a cycling event in aid of the Huntington's Disease Association. We decided on Hadrian's Wall ( http://www.cycle-routes.org/hadrians... ). The trip is 174 miles long and will be done over the course of 4 days. We plan to do the ride in the August bank holiday weekend (starting 29th Aug 2009)

There are over 20 people from all over the UK coming so far ranging from 19 years of age to 55 years of age. Anymore that want to join in would be great. Hoping to get a crowd of us so we can raise lots of money and awareness for HD. We will be wearing special HD T shirts on the ride which are in the planning process at the moment. Have sorted a couple of support vehicles too. You just need a bike and a few other bits I can let u know about if u wanna join us.

Still getting planned out but if you want to put your name down to join us then email me via bebo or reply to this topic. Also if you want anymore information, feel free to ask me.

Plenty of warning to get yourself training on a bike and for a very good cause. I haven't even got a bike yet but will be in the next couple of months!!! Eeekkkk!!

Should be a fab weekend and we will all be there to support one another.

Ashlee xx

I have volunteered to take part in The Great Wall of China Trek to raise money and awareness for Huntington's Disease. The trip offers a rare opportunity to trek and camp in a remote part of rural China and to experience local life in its most unspoilt state. Aside from the spectacular scenery of the Great Wall and the surrounding countryside, one of the most rewarding aspects of this trek is the ability to experience the warmth and enthusiasm of the Chinese people. In order to maximise the opportunities for interaction and learning about the local history and culture, a team of local translators supports the trek. The Great Wall attracts over a million visitors each year. However, the vast majority of tourists visit a small section of the wall near Beijing. We have planned a route that will take us beyond the regular tourist trail and onto sections of the wall that have only been seen by a handful of westerners over the last hundred years. The Great Wall of China is one of the world's most amazing feats of human endeavour. This colossal structure stretches more than 4,000 miles over the undulating terrain of northern China. The construction of the Wall involved tens of millions of people over a period of more than 2,000 years.

The following is an outline itinerary of my trip:

DAY 1 – SATURDAY 18 APRIL 2009 ­
UK ­
BEIJING

We board our international flight to Beijing.

DAY 2 – SUNDAY 19 APRIL 2009 ­
BEIJING – GUBEIKOU

We arrive in Beijing early in the morning (subject to flight confirmation) where we are met by our Expedition Leader. We board the buses for the transfer to Gubeikou and the starting point for our trek. Once we have settled into our rooms and had lunch, our Expedition Leader gives a full expedition briefing.

DAY 3 – MONDAY 20 APRIL 2009 ­
GUBEIKOU – TAO CHUN

After a short transfer we start our trek with a 30-minute climb that takes us to the Wall. The first section hasn’t been restored and compared to other sections is very overgrown with bushes and trees. We then take a path down to a small reservoir with fantastic views of the Wall. After lunch we walk through a number of small rural villages to reach the first campsite in a valley called Tao Chun.
Trek 16km

DAY 4 – TUESDAY 21 APRIL 2009 ­
TAO CHUN – SIMATAI

From the camp at Tao Chun we rejoin the Wall and continue along the Jinshanling section of it for the whole day until we reach the Simatai section. We then take a path off the wall and walk towards the Simatai camp over the hillside. This section of the Wall has been wonderfully restored in parts, but will still involve a bit of scrambling to get up some of the higher steps in certain sections, and there are plenty of ups and downs. This is a strenuous but very rewarding day with magnificent views of the Wall.
Trek 18km

DAY 5 – WEDNESDAY 22 APRIL 2009 ­
SIMATAI – GANFANG

We leave our campsite in Simatai and retrace our footsteps from the previous day back up to the wall. We reach a suspension bridge and cross over this before beginning a steep section of path which takes us up to the 12th Tower – this serves as our lunch spot. On a clear day, the views back across the mountains are spectacular. After lunch we drop down from the wall into the woods, eventually emerging into a valley where we follow the stepped crop system down into the village of Gangfang. This is the hardest day on the trek but we are rewarded with fantastic views. We set up camp in the grounds of the local school.
Trek 14km

DAY 6 – THURSDAY 23 APRIL 2009 ­
GANFANG – LINGXIU

After leaving the village we make our way along dirt tracks and through small villages until we reach the Wall at the Bailing Arch - a great viewpoint and an excellent place for lunch and a well deserved rest. Once through the Wall we descend into a valley, passing through a number of villages. The last part of the walk is on a road which takes us to a hotel nestling on the edge of a r