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Varsity March 2010: Oxford to Aylesbury (or to Cambridge?!

Saturday 19th June (end 8th week)

This 23-mile walk from Oxford to Aylesbury, along paths and minor roads, is the first section of a mammoth 81-mile walk from Oxford to Cambridge called the "Varsity March", which a group of (crazy!) people from the Cambridge University Rambling Club do every year. This year the Varsity March - at least the 23-mile section from Oxford to Aylesbury - is being run as a sponsored walk to raise money for the Gatehouse charity in Oxford and Jimmy's Night Shelter in Cambridge.

OUWC members have joined this part of the walk for the last two years, and one has completed the entire walk to Cambridge. It would be great if again a number from OUWC can join in this first part of the walk, which should make for a longish but enjoyable day, and also be an encouragement to those who are aiming to do the whole 81-mile walk.

The start meeting time this year is 10.15 from St Mary's (the University Church), on the north side next to Brasenose College and Radcliffe Square. Please aim to gather by then to ensure a prompt start, and please bring food and drinks for the walk.

The group aims to get to the centre of Aylesbury at about 7-8pm. The plan is for everyone to stop there for a pub supper, which you may wish to join before catching the bus back to Oxford. The Aylesbury to Oxford buses run regularly during the day, and also make many intermediate stops within about two miles of the route, so there are also many options for a shorter walk.

If you are intending to walk no further than Aylesbury and then feel free to just turn up on the day. If you would like to do the entire walk to Cambridge, which is completed in a single walk without sleep, aiming to arrive in Cambridge late Sunday evening, you should contact Steven Smith (sgs30@cam.ac.uk) in advance for more details, rather than just turning up on the day. Further details can be found on the Cambridge University Rambling Club website. There will be floor space available in Cambridge on the Sunday night for Oxford walkers, and there may also be the possibility to have some overnight things transported to Cambridge in the week leading up to the march.

All walkers, whether from Oxford or Cambridge and whether walking to Aylesbury or all 81 miles to Cambridge, are invited to taking part in raising sponsorship money for the Gatehouse and Jimmy's Night Shelter if they wish to. If you're planning to take part and would like to be added to the list of walkers on the Varsity March JustGiving websites please contact Steven (sgs30@cam.ac.uk).

If you'd like to sponsor those taking part in the walk, you can make donations at the two Varsity March JustGiving websites
http://www.justgiving.com/varsity-march (for The Gatehouse) and http://www.justgiving.com/varsity-march-jimmys (for Jimmy's Night Shelter).

We encourage you to split your donation equally between the two charities. Thanks for your support!

N.B. The whole Varsity March is NOT an Oxford University Walking Club event. If you are interested in continuing beyond Aylesbury, you must contact Steven Smith (sgs30(a)cam.ac.uk) in advance for more details, rather than just turn up on the day. Further details can be found on the Cambridge University Rambling Club website.