What is a weekend event?
Weekend trips take place about once a month, usually staying at a YHA youth hostel. Each weekend is organised by a member of the group and run to make a small profit which goes towards the funding of the group.
Most weekend trips start on Friday night. The organiser will group the people going according to when they can get away as well as where they live. Drivers will collect their passengers from their homes at the agreed time and take them to the hostel, everyone should be there by 11pm. The hostel warden will allocate you a place in a single-sex dormitory, usually sharing with fellow group-members.
On Saturday the organiser will have planned a walk or similar activity. On larger trips alternative walks may be laid on by other people in the group. You're always welcome to do your own thing if you want to, just make sure the organiser knows about it.
After the day's labours, we get back to the hostel for a shower and change of clothes. You can cook your own evening meal, buy one in the hostel or go down to the pub - you'll normally find other people doing the same thing.
After the cars have been loaded up on sunday morning, the organiser will have worked out a shorter walk so as not to be too tiring for the drivers. At the end of the weekend drivers will ferry their charges back to their homes before telling the organiser what their petrol expenses were.
Once the weekend is complete the organiser will work out the amounts paid out in drivers' expenses, accommodation expenses, etc. as well as the small surcharge levied by the group. If there is any money left over (we deliberately over-estimate our advance payments) it is returned to you.
You can read accounts of recent trips in our newsletter.
