Sounds good John. I'm looking forward to the Arran week next year but hopefully there'll be more invitations before then.

JohnH

Well said 😊👍

Thanks Kath_T and Bea,
It's not been an easy couple of years but let's hope that things do improve and we can get back to some sort of normality.
It would be a real shame if OD was a casualty of what's been happening.
And, Bea, that picture with the monster, is just great.
Take care both of you, cheers, John.

Adaptable: Thanks for the thoughts, there is much to do in the coming months to get things moving forwards again. 🤔

JohnH: Your Arran meet is becoming quite the fixture. Its a great island. I'm sure you'll get many takers again.

Site Admin, we have an Arran WhatsApp group so some don't bother to put their intentions on the site. And there's quite a few non-OD members who join in, so it's cxertainly going ahead. And as you rightly say, Arran is a fabulous island with so much to offer

Well said John, i had intended to post another walk on the invitation section after my last walk which was Ingleborough, but the weather has been consistently bad.
Hopefully will post another walk in the new year.

Thanks, Helvellyn40, too many negative posts. OD might have run their time for them but there's still lot a left for the rest of us.
Come better weather, I'm sure we can have a lot more walks, cheers, John.

JohnH: not negative, just long standing members who have enjoyed the site saying bye bye. Jill has been on here for more than 11 years.

When people leave the site, why don't they just leave, rather than say it's over now 🤔
And leave the others to continue to enjoy the site

I have been on OD since the beginning. Met friends, who are now friends for life also met my husband on an OD meet in Wales. The site had been fantastic for me and i am so glad i joined. I think a lot of the original members either meet a partner, or meet lots of friends to walk with so don't use the site as much. Times change and i think there are now a lot of similiar sites and ' meet up' groups than there was when OD started. As John H commented, there are still a lot of new members joining the group and lets not be negative and spoil it for new members. Times change and its only natural that the site will change too.

Adaptable: I think that's a great idea.

JohnH: Wow..what comments....harsh.....i loved this site...a life changer for me...but its just my time to leave and i wanted to day goodbye.....sorry !!!!!!!!!

My apologies Jill, I didn't intend to be so harsh. But when people are leaving perhaps they could just say goodbye as other comments can put new members off. And from what I can see there's quite a steady stream of new members joining, so with some encouragement and with better weather in the spring it could take off again.

JohnH: 🤣...thats what i was doing lol..i said goodbye...and the site has changed..alot...there is no walks put on anymore...i can say what i want !!!!

Jill18: I agree with all your comments, specially OD changed
Over Taken by AI. (App Invasion ).
What's app mainly to blame as there are no comments or banter on the forum about invitations any more. These were what encouraged me to start walking with complete strangers that I felt I already knew.So as I do not share the Northern Britain optimism that it will get better, it is time to say with etiquette, goodbye and thank you to OD, but not goodbye to the many friends that I have made over the years as a member.

Philtheetiler:
Please look at the title of this forum, "Time to be Positive" if you want to make negative comments then you are perfectly entitled to do so, but please do it on your own forum and not this one.

Best wishes,John,
I had both kees replaced 2021 &22,totaly successfull,but i kept to the excersise schedule.

Thanks Landranger68. I've been doing pretty well, though I overdid the exercise routine. However, I've had a physio appointment and orthopaedics appointment since and no harm has been done. I'll just have to take a bit more time in building up the muscles as they do take a real battering during the operation as you'll know.
Thanks again, John.

Philtheetiler: Thanks Phil for totally understanding..best wishes to you x

Jill18: 👍😍

Philtheetiler: 👍😍

What I can't understand is that once you leavers have said goodbye, you still keep putting mostly negative posts on a forum that's trying to be positive.
And please don't reply so that I don't have to waste any more of my positive time.
So, goodbye to you all and I wish you well.
Cheers, John.

JohnH: it’s not too difficult to understand, we are here until our subscription runs out and speaking only for myself, when I see your very unfair, very negative comments regarding very positive, very supportive people and on your own forum post which was supposed to be positive, I will not hesitate to comment back. I always have and always will speak highly about this site. If any new OD members need reassurance, let me tell you that in my experience this site attracts a mostly, wonderful collection of people who are passionate about the outdoors. Many join and have been grateful for the social and emotional support provided by others or just for the fun of getting out and trying new thing

And anyway, I might come back 😂😂😂

Dale: Well said Dale.....love you to bits xx

Hi Dale,
First of all, we've got to be careful with the written word, it can be written in one voice and read in another, we've all got to be careful with it and I'll apologise if I've upset people.
What I found frustrating was that I was trying to be positive and people were using this forum to say goodbye and saying that the site wasn't what it was. The bit that you've added about reassuring new members is great, that's the sort of comments that I was hoping to get.
And, I've done my fair share of helping and supporting other people.
Lazlo did the right thing, he opened up his own goodbye forum and I thanked him.
So, I hope that we can move on from here.

Just in case anyone on the site doesn't realise this, the fact that you stop subscribing doesn't cause your profile to be deleted. It's easy enough to subscribe on an ad-hoc (month at a time) basis, if and when something piques your interest (which is what I do 🙂).

M1960, that's a pretty good idea, especially during the winter months when things are quieter.

M1960: Having thought about it, if everyone only subscribed when they saw something of interest then the site would collapse since no one would be able to put anything on. Therefore there would be no reason for anyone to subscribe, hence the site collapses.
As I said in my introduction what you get for your subscription is really great value compared to other sites.

m on Holiday for a week.2-9 December

JohnH: Anyone wishing to post an invite or start a thread on the forum etc will obviously subscribe / resubscribe.
I have offered to lead a walk around Reigate - most recently on Lazlo's 'Time to say goodbye' forum thread - and if there is any interest when my subscription has lapsed then I will resubscribe.

M1960: But people aren't looking for an invite on a forum such as Lazlo's "Time to say goodbye"
I posted twice on Lazlo's forum and I never noticed the invite.

JohnH: Thank heavens for OD! It changed my life when I most needed it, and I’m grateful enough for the time being to continue my membership subscription for the little it costs, since it’s well worth the contacts with which it’s provided me in the past, and maybe will again in the future.
I’m most grateful to you all, especially Site Admin for it’s creation.

Shorty: Hi, it's great to get positive comments, it's a great site at a very very reasonable cost. Steve at admin does a great job and if you've any problems with the site he's a great help.
People should look at TrustPilot for some of the other so called outdoor and dating sites and they'd be shocked at the comments for which you pay about £25 per month, so long live OutdoorDuo 😀

Shorty: ps it's great to see that so many new members are joining, so come the Spring and better weather I'm sure that we'll see many more invites going out.
We've come through, and for many are still in hard times, but let's hope that things will get better and we can look forward to more great days out in great company, cheers, John.

JohnH: I share your hopes JohnH.👍

I do to 😉👍

Thanks for posting the thread John, I was not expecting the site to be super busy over the winter, but I had such a lovely first walk last year, I'm excited to do more.
I hope that those who are moving on, feeling that interest is waning from others keep their eye on the place, because from what little I've seen some of them are beloved and really the membership is the fabric of this site.
What'sapp groups and established friendships are wonderful benefits, that many have celebrated, but it can mean that communication which in previous years may have been on the forum is done privately making it look even less busy! I really hope that the site continues for many adventures and friendships.

Hi John,
I trust the Rehab,is at an end and and enjoying the Fells.I will be in Little Langdale March 16-23.I hope the weather is better than December,as i was stranded in Ambleside,unable to continue to Little Langdale,

Hi, thanks, my knee replacement has been brilliant and I'm now getting back to full fitness, cheers, John.