John, that's a good idea.
Just create one called "Heart of Scotland 105 Car Share" under Events and repeat your message.
I can put an entry under Notices on the Heart of Scotland website to direct people there.

Helen and I did have an idea about hiring a train that would travel from Penzance to Dunkeld & Birnam, stopping at major towns - a bit like the Hogwart's Express! No idea how feasible that is, but Railway Societies seem to manage it. Having said that, they do charge a lot per ticket. (Garfield)

Now that Petrol is £6-00 plus a gallon, do people think that a a car share thread may be of use for folk that would like to share the cost of travel to event`s.

What a shame there is no Training thread i would love to read and Discuss with folk about how they are training mentally and physically for the 100 and other events, but there really does not seem to be an appropiate place to do so, certainly not the HOS thread, as training would detract from it`s current theme.

Yes, DOORBELL or similar is a great idea. Also how about a Health/injuries thread (with a more interesting title). For instance Over the last few weeks I've got chatting to three people who all turn out to be suffering the same back symptoms (I believe the official medical term is Pain In The Bum Syndrome). I would have liked to have been able to find out about possible remedies. (For what it's worth, the British School of Osteopathy solved the problem for me.)

Author: Merrian Lancaster
Posted: Mon 29th Mar 2010, 9:28
Joined: 1996
Local Group: Beds, Bucks and Northants
Under the Local Groups bit it says

“As a member, you are welcome to try any walk in the Group Walks Programme, whether or not you live local to that area, but it helps if you 'phone the walk leader to let them know to expect you.”

It's also covered in the FAQ under Local Groups.

Does this illustrate another point? Most of us don’t want, or haven’t got time, to find answers to our questions ourselves, it’s so much easier to ask those who are likely to know

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

Yes those of us that use the forum know that and or been members for a while, but what i am trying to get acroos is that it would be better if NEW LDWA members found the LDWA Forum to be Welcoming and approachable and in turn using it, rather than going elsewhere to seek the information.
That way I Feel, having got the info they wanted from the LDWA forum, then they would be more likely to stick around and contribute to the LDWA FORUM,

Then as more folk contribute the more interesting the Forum becomes and begins to grow.

So this leads to another possible new thread title, someting along the lines of:-

THE DOORBELL or MEET AND GREET with the description being something like :-
The place to introduce Yourself and to meet fellow members, maybe ask those burning questions that have been raised while flicking through the Handbook/Fixtures list.

AsI have said in an earlier post and Merriam also recognises, many people do not want or have the time to search for answers, therefore More Objective Thread titles would make it faster and simpler to find what a person is seeking, this in turn should bring about increased Forum Usage.

Under the Local Groups bit it says

“As a member, you are welcome to try any walk in the Group Walks Programme, whether or not you live local to that area, but it helps if you 'phone the walk leader to let them know to expect you.”

It's also covered in the FAQ under Local Groups.

Does this illustrate another point? Most of us don’t want, or haven’t got time, to find answers to our questions ourselves, it’s so much easier to ask those who are likely to know.

Below i have pasted a post which i copied from another forum, (i hope they don`t mind), it was made by a regular fellow contributor on a thread, who was encouraged by LDWA members that frequently post on the the other forum to Join the LDWA.

Yes great the person is now a member of the LDWA but take note of the LAST PARAGRAPH now why do you think that the question with regard to participation in LDWA events was raised elsewhere and not on the LDWA FORUM.?

The LDWA should be the first port of call for new members, shouldn`t it?

Posted: 24/03/10 20:57:29 29
Phew Daymion, sounds a bit risky buddy-snakes up your shorts...makes my daily conflict with local chavs very tame!! Are you enjoying it out there? Bet it is a brilliant experience.
DE-stayed on a caravan site in RHB for a couple of Christmas hols which was situated right next to bike trail. Fantastic running, either way you were guaranteed views but fave was up to Ravenscar and beyond then back, say 15/16 miles. Jump in shower then in to Whitby for fish and chips HEAVEN


Just consulting my new LDWA booklet for event, cor what a choice of places to visit. Does anyone know if you can just join up with any group for one of their social walks rather than challenge events? So, for example, if I fancied a weekend in Lakes and they had a walk going on there, can I just turn up??
Cheers
Brer

That is exactly my point the forum area is to cluttered and the current titles, as i said to all encompassing which means that anything of interest is lost as new topics are raised on top of it.
It is all very well posting glowing reports on an event you have done, but that is history and is quickly pushed onto the back burner.
Myself and many others, like to look and talk about the future, and what is happening now, including how to prepare for future events etc rather than dwelling on the past.

Hence my suggestion that a few more specific titles may well engender some momentum and ongoing thrust as members chat about future events,there preparations for said events, wildlife spotted on there regular outings etc etc.

Posting a miscellany of topics under a collective heading doe`s not allow for a free flow ongoing theme to form , modern folk are short of time and if they want to talk about Training for a future event, for example, they don`t want to trawl though a load of stuff looking for somewhere to post it, they prefer to be able to go straight to the relevant thread, the same if somebody is visiting an area that is new to them and want to find good routes then they want a dedicated thread.

As i say reports on past events are good and of short term interest, but that was YESTERDAY and Myself and many others, have a bigger enthusiasm for NOW and the FUTURE, rather than what has been and gone, hence that is what we like to chat about.

Good morning every one. I had intended to be on the early bus to Low Row and hence cut across to Geltsdale today but to put it mildly “its bad” outside.
In regard to Nic Arb’s remarks. I agree, I like the new look of the web site but could we have the area selection back?
John, most of what you say is right but the forum area is a bit cluttered and many parts of it are hardly used so maybe it could be cut down, so all the threads come under: Events, Event Reports or The Bothy . John how many years have both of us been saying that the site is under used? yet if any thing we have less posting than we used to have.
I would like to see those that enter an event on the events page to also do a follow up afterwards on the Events Report thread. If you can be bothered to put it in one You would think you could take a few minutes to write a few words on how your event went.

Or even RECENT ROUTES

Hi Matt/Jane sadly i am inclined to agree with you that getting the LDWA membership to respond on the forum is a tough call, however like yourselves i love a challenge, and like when pushing my physical boundaries, i am damned if i am going to give up.

It seems strange to me that the Gregarious outgoing folk that i meet on LDWA events, are so reticent when it comes to expressing themselves on there own forum, on which folk have worked hard to produce for them to use.

Hence my feeling that the current Main Menu Threads are not stimulating people enough and that it is time to add a few more far reaching threads that relate to a broader spectrum of some of the aspects of what the LDWA is all about, this in turn i would hope would add some impetus and hopefully inspire more people to become involved in the forum,there is a mine of information out there in the LDWA membership and it would be great to see it shared freely on the forum, which would in turn be good for the future of the LDWA as it would help to show potential new members that the LDWA is not a closed shop, but a friendly bunch of folk that have a common interest to share.

By the way Matt/Jane I loved your Tasmania write up in the Strider, just the sort of thing i could see going under the NEW ROUTES thread :-)

I certainly go with those ideas John, I think most relevant. But ultimately members need to participate in the forum - which means the vast majority of the membership that don't post anything! Maybe this would encourage a few more to do so, but I'm not convinced that anything will. Matt.

Given that the LDWA is a nationwide association, another thread title that IMO could Generate some momentum could be something like RECENT ROUTES, this i see as a place that people would post routes that they have recently covered often in there own local areas (but not exclusively), and using local knowledge to cover little known rights of way in there area.

This i see as athread that could contain topics such as regions, i.e. North west, South east, etc etc, this would,compliment the Long Distance Paths thread, and be a valuable resource to LDWA members visiting a region, that wish to getaway from the more commonly known and used paths,plus they would have the advantage of the local knowledge that they have gleaned from the forum post.

Of Course it would cover any route anywhere that has given pleasure and a person would like to share.

It should even be possible for links to GPX files etc to be posted should a contributor wish to do so.

Again just a thought, what do others think? after all dialogue is what the forum is lacking.

Just a suggestion but i keep wondering if a couple of more specific thread titles were to be added to the main menu, whether it would encourage more people to post and get involved on a regular basis.

For Example TRAINING under which folk can discuss what they do to attain the level of fitness they aspire to or even have and indeed need, in order to take part in the LDWA events, this thread i see as one that could grow and encourage more involvement from folk, Particulary newcomers seeking advice from more experienced folk as they approach and contemplate there taking part in an event.
We could even see things like sub headings ( topics within the thread) for say weekly Mileage, ascent, cycling, or dare i say it even running etc, after all we all have and are always looking dfferent ways of trying to stay fit in a bid to enjoy and make full use of our LDWA membership.

Another Title could be OUT THERE where folk could discuss and log things like wildlife sightings,Footpath blockages, inspirational moments, brought about by nature, in fact all things that make the whole experience of being out on the hill, in the country or wherever, the great experience it is.

I Know any of the above can be posted under headings such as the Bothy but to be honest the existing titles are to all encompassing and specific topics such as training get lost after a few new topics are raised and the same regular posters have made ther response, which means that somebody new has to trawl through a load of stuff that probably is, initially is of little interest to them,at least not until they have gotten to know a few folks either in the flesh or on events, or even, as daft as it sounds the vitual personna of people on a forum.

The above is just a thought, but it doe`s seem to me that a thread or two that provokes some on going momentum, through a specific common interest (allied to the ethos of the LDWA) would maybe help to raise interest and encourage participation, which the current batch of titles seem to have failed to do.

While i am here, is possible to see who made the last post on a thread, as well as the date and time please.

Also i think it is nice if a contributor to a forum is able to edit there last post, at least for a given time say an hour, after making a post, as so often mistakes are made that are not immediately obvious when making the post.

Damn i do seem to go on best shut up now.