Bumper summer socials with beach fun and joint walk

I had so much fun at the beach picnic and I especially enjoyed the sandcastle competition. It was so nice to catch up with local translators and interpreters and the perfect start to a British summer! ?☀️

Dot Roberts

Despite a drizzly start to the day, a lovely afternoon was spent in Lytham with the North West Translators Network! We ate food, played games and even had a sandcastle competition! It was so nice just to chill out by the sea with some great company!

Chloe Stout

What better way to start the summer wind-down with some beach fun (although not quite in the sun!). We packed a lot into the day – picnic, beach games and even a sandcastle competition, rounding it all off with a chippy tea! I think it’ll become a firm fixture on NWTN’s events calendar, just like our summer walk.

Kat Slater

A large group of NWTN and YTI members arrived at Todmorden station on Saturday 30^th July. I quickly learnt that it is pronounced TOD-mər-dən with emphasis on the TOD. After a short walk together into the town, we split off into two groups for a harder walk and an easier walk.
I’m not entirely sure how long the harder walk was, but my phone tells me I walked 18km that day. It wasn’t overly cold, but the northern drizzle kept us cool while we learnt a little bit of history and got to know each other better. We stopped for lunch in a field by a wall and then hiked up a rather large hill. At the top of this hill, we found the Stoodley Pike Monument, which we also ascended. On our way down the other side, we sang some songs with our new pals.
We ended the walk at the Hebble End Coffee Lounge, where we met up with those who had been on the easier walk. It was lovely to be able to chat to fellow translators and interpreters and learn so much about each other and what we do.
If you want to really see what it was like, watch this short video –>

Dot Roberts

Translation can be a lonely old business at times – and a sedentary one too. So, when I saw that the North West Translators’ Network (NWTN) was organising a joint walk with the Yorkshire Translators and Interpreters (YTI) it was just too good an opportunity to miss. A dose of healthy exercise, combined with the chance to socialise and network in person with translators from across two of my nearest regional groups. What could be better?
Two walk variants were on offer, both from Todmorden to Hebden Bridge: the ‘hard core’ route up to Stoodley Pike and a more civilized stroll along the canal towpath for the less hardened walkers. As someone who enjoys a good yomp up a hill, but is also a bit of a canal geek, I was torn. In the event, though, trouble on the railway line between Manchester and Leeds meant that NWTN’s Kathryn and I arrived an hour late and in the wrong place (Hebden Bridge instead of Todmorden) so we settled for our own special variant of the canal walk, meeting the main group halfway and then turning around to retrace our steps to Hebden.
Still, it turns out you can cover a lot of conversational ground while stuck on a train in Manchester Victoria station, and the towpath walk was pretty with lots to see. Once reunited with the group I even got to practice my Dutch with Nicole – all while strolling along enjoying the picturesque narrowboats and impressive wildflower displays along the canalside, alive with bees and butterflies.
Every good walk ends in a pub or a tea room and the canal walkers managed to fit in both, being joined after a while by the hill walkers back from their exertions. Conversation flowed easily while tired walkers refuelled with cake, coffee and maybe even a well-earned glass of wine or beer (or two). All in all, the day brought home to me that, while Zoom has been a lifeline during the various lockdowns of the recent past, you still can’t beat getting out and meeting other translators in person.

Rachel Waddington

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