Autumn 2007 Workshop (Part 2)

[SteveH]

Hi All,

I have completed arrangements for the workshop.

Location: South Cotswolds

Date: 27/28 October

Accomodation: Sodbury House Hotel http://www.sodburyhouse.co.uk. The hotel is 5 minutes north of M4 Junction 18, 20 minutes from Westonbirt Arboretum and 20 minutes from Bath.

Rate (B&B, per room per night, so long as we have 5 or more staying, if not add about 10%): Single £50 ; Twin (2 available) £80; Double £80

Dinner on 27th: Local pub within easy walking distance, or many others nearby (hotel does not do evening meals).


The hotel stands in its own grounds with plenty of off street parking. I took a look at a room and the one I saw looks good with en-suite, tea coffee etc. The hotel would make a good base for non-shooting partners to visit Bath and some of the surrounding towns and sites of interest.

We can use their large and very comfortanle conservatory to gather in and there is a separate conference room if we want it (there may be a small charge for this).

Can I now ask you to do the following:

1. Let me know whether you are going to attend, and for which days/nights.

2. Within 7 days if possible, book your accomodation with the Hotel on 01454 312 847 if you are going to stay there, quoting UK Large Format Photography Group Workshop.

3. PM me with your mobile phone details so that I can send by PM a list to all those attending. This will also contain a list of suggeted shooting sites.


All the best and look forward to hearing from you



Steve

[BarryWilkinson]

Hi Steve,

Many thanks for organising the Autumn Workshop. I would like to attend and I hope more members will hold up their hands very soon. I'll pm you my details.

Edit: Booked the hotel for the nights 26th & 27th. Looking forward to it!

Barry

[SteveH]

Cheers Barry,

Look forward to seeing you there.

Steve

[Dave Parkin]

Steve

I have booked in from Friday 26 to Monday 29 October. I will PM you with my mobile number

Thanks

Dave

[sandeha]

Well done, Steve.

I'll be there for just the Saturday.

[alangolding]

Hi all

Sorry to say that a last minute change of plans means that I am going to France on the 23rd October until the 2nd November so will miss the fun. I will still be in Scotland for the next two weeks and if anyone is able to join me I shall be very pleased to see them.

Alan Golding

[Steve Bell]

I shall drive down early on the Saturday morning, then Saturday night I'll be staying at my daughters on the outskirts of Bristol. I'll then be back for the Sunday, then home Sunday night.

As I won't be meeting up with everyone at the Hotel Friday night, It'll be useful to know where everyone is heading off to first on the Saturday morning.

[SteveH]

Hi All,

For the moment it looks like just the four of us (plus one guest with me). I don't see this as a problem as we do our own things during the day anyway so group size is largely unimportant.

I suggest that we all meet up at the hotel at about 9:00 on the Saturday and decide what we are going to do for the day, then meet at the hotel again in the evening before going out to dinner.

I'll send out more details closer to the date.

Hope this meets with your approval.


All the best

Steve


PS - Have contacted Westonbirt Arboretum and they have no problem with us setting up tripods and taking photos so long as it they are not for commercial use.

[Dave Parkin]

Thanks Steve

Arrangements seem fine.

Looking forward to the weekend.

All we need now is decent weather and a bit of luck

Dave

[BarryWilkinson]

Fine for me Steve, I look forward to the weekend.

Barry

[Steve Bell]

I'm looking forward to it, and hoping for some good weather.

[SteveH]

Hi All - Final details - I have PM'd all I know attending, but in case anyone else decides to turn up here are the details without personal information....

Hotel and meeting point: Sodbury House Hotel www.sodburyhouse.co.uk. The hotel is 5 minutes north of M4 Junction 18, 20 minutes from Westonbirt Arboretum and 20 minutes from Bath.

First meeting: 09:00 Saturday 27th

Dinner on 27th: To be agreed in morning – probably The Dog, in walking distance from hotel.

Attendees: PM'd out

Possible locations
Severn bridge at Aust (can get right below the bridge)

Westonbirt Arboretum – checked and they are fine with large format cameras so long as not for commercial use.

Tetbury (fine church and churchyard, good views of the village from different angles, interesting architecture, great tea shops)

Malmesbury Abbey (home of the 'naked gardeners', good outside, good inside and photographer friendly last time I was there, good tea shops)

Minchinhampton Common (good views across the five valleys around Stroud, good roadside tea hut)

Uley Log Barrow picnic site (wide views across to Wales, possible ice cream van).

Castle Combe (prettiest village in England, good tea shops)

Bath (Royal Crescent etc., more tea shops that you can shake a tripod at)

Painswick park (big views across Gloucester, no tea rooms)

Gloucester-Sharpness canal and Sharpness docks

Stroudwater canal http://www.stroudwater.co.uk/cpsn/guide.htm

Easton Grey, Bibury, the Slaughters etc.

Steve

[Apple]

Do I sense a certain 'je ne sais quoi' to the locations and facilities? I thought you were going to take pictures...

All the best and good light,

Andrew

[SteveH]

Well that's the plan, although given the ageing parent problems I've had over the past few weeks there are three possible outcomes:

1. I'll get out and take photos I can be proud of.

2. I will be found asleep under a dark cloth somewhere.

3. I will be found asleep in a tea room.

I will make sure I wear an 'if found please return to' label.

Thanks for the best wishes. Can I be a full member of the tea room appreciation society now, or is there some arcane and painful initiation rite?


Steve

[Steve Bell]

I'll see all attending at the hotel at 9am, hopefully the weather forcast will improve.