The University of Nottingham Hillwalking and Rambling Society

The University of Nottingham Rambling Society (abbreviated Ramsoc) is a long-established (1960s-) hillwalking club. Its range of walking and social activities make it a significant element of the university experience of many students, as evidenced by the range of "alumni" and "golden oldie" get-togethers of its past members.

Current activities

Taking over fifty students walking every Sunday in the Peak District, Ramsoc has become one of the largest outdoor societies in the University with an annual membership of over 350. The Sunday trips offer a choice of five or six walks of a range of difficulty and terrain. The club also run five weekends away every year, travelling further afield to places such as Snowdonia, the Lake District and Dartmoor for two full day walks. All walk leaders are internally trained. The club has been featured on the BBC Radio 4 "Ramblings" programme. [ [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/schedule/2006/06/16/day/ BBC - Radio 4 - Daily schedule for 16/06/2006] , retrieved 17 March 2008.] The club organises weekly trips for its members.

The club also holds weekly social meetings and other social events, notably a Cake and Ale Night, a Christmas meal, and a Progressive meal.

Ramsoc ensures that its activities are accessible to all, with no need for previous experience or specialist equipment beyond suitable walking shoes, waterproof outer clothing and a rucksack. A consistently high standard of safety, communication and organisation, has consistently won Ramsoc the prestigious 'Gold STARS Award' from the University of Nottingham Students Union, awarded "to recognise outstanding groups who have gone the extra mile and exceeded expectations". [ [http://www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/studentgroups/stars/awardedclubsandsocs/gold/ Nottingham Students Union Gold Clubs] , retrieved 17 March 2008.]

History

The oldest available record of Ramsoc in the university is a mention of a graduate who was in the society in 1936. The society first appears in Students' Union (SU) records in the SU yearbook in 1961-2, which records a well-established "Nottingham University Rambling Club" with a large committee and three Honorary Vice Presidents. The yearbooks up until 1957/8 make no mention of the society, whilst the three books for 1958-1961 are currently missing [University of Nottingham Students' Union, Admin Office, Archives, Yearbooks (available for public inspection).] . Little is known about the club before this, but it is likely that it had existed for some time to build up this member base and size of committee. The club had existed long enough for the 1973 edition of the Ramsoc Songbook to contain one hundred songs (the songs themselves already being an established Ramsoc tradition).

By the mid 1960s, the club organised about ten Sunday rambles, some with two or more transport coaches each. One weekend away (called the Annual Dinner Meet), the Marathon and socials such as the progressive meal. By the late 1960s the 'Nottingham University Rambling Club' had become the 'Nottingham University Rambling Society"] ' and so the name Ramsoc was adopted. In the late 1970s trips were organised on a fortnightly basis, bringing the number of annual Sunday rambles to twelve. There were also four weekends away during the year and the Ramsoc Marathon.

Over the New Year of 1986/7 the former Ramble Secretary Steve Williams (1984/85) was killed in an avalanche in the Scottish Highlands [ [http://www.ramsocalumni.org/19845.htm Ramsoc Alumni: 1984/5, retrieved 17 March 2008.] . Partly as a result of this Ramsoc was split into two, birthing a whole new society: the "Munro Pineapple Society", predominantly formed to organise winter trips to Scotland [ [http://su-web.nottingham.ac.uk/~pineappl/pmwiki2/pmwiki.php?n=Main.ClubHistory MPS club history] , retrieved 17 March 2008.] . Due to its already full calendar of rambles and other events Ramsoc could not fully support this type of trip.

At present Ramsoc organise sixteen Sunday rambles (usually with just one coach), five weekends away (including the Annual Dinner Meet), a 'Night Hike', the Ramsoc Marathon, seven days of leader training and nearly thirty social events (still including the progressive meal).

References

External links

* [http://www.ramsoc.co.uk/ Ramsoc Website]
* [http://www.ramsoc-alumni.org/ Ramsoc Alumni Website]
* [http://su-web.nottingham.ac.uk/~pineappl/pmwiki2/pmwiki.php Munro Pineapple Society]