General Club Facts:

Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States
Membership in the BCHC is $10.00 per person per year in order to receive the quarterly newsletter. Further information on membership can be obtained when attending a scheduled hike. Other subgroups within the BCHC are the "Thursday Wanderers." Most hikes are followed by a dinner stop. We call ourselves "The Eating Club with a Hiking Disorder"! ****Hiking and Trail Guidelines: ** Be courteous & stay behind the leader unless directed otherwise.** Offer $.10/mile to driver when carpooling. * *In the event of inclement weather, the hike may be canceled.** Please leave your pets at home.**If unable to keep a club commitment, please find a replacement. * Wear blaze orange during hunting season (Sept 1 to last day of Feb). * Appropriate footwear and attire should match the type of hike.** If you leave the hike early, notify the hike leader or ask someone to do that for you.** Bring water and food as the hike description and weather demand.* * Hiking involves risk. Come out prepared and know your capabilities. Each hiker is responsible for their own safety and well-being.

Saturday, October 29, 2016

Saturday December 10, 2016 - Oley and Pike Township Roads


6.1 moderate miles

This road hike covers sections of Pike and Oley townships with no serious hills. Old mills and numerous historic homesteads will add to the pastoral scenery.

Meeting place: 9:30 am, Weis Markets, Rt. 73 and Friedensburg Rd in Oley. There will be a 5 mile drive to the starting point.

GPS to meet: 4018 Friedensburg Road, Oley

For more information and further directions, contact: 610-323-1703 

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Saturday December 3, 2016 - Annual BCHC Christmas Party

Reservations required - see Member flyer for details on time and location.

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Saturday November 26, 2016 - Birdsboro Watershed Turkey Trot!


approx. 5 easy miles

Wear bright orange on this first Saturday of deer hunting season. We will begin at the small parking  lot at 2050 Hay Creek Road and walk on the trail along Hay Creek to the climbing wall before returning on the road to view the picturesque Stinson Run Reservoir. Look and listen for turkeys and point out the ones you hunt down. You may “bag” them and bring them home for dinner! Lunch later at a restaurant of your choice. Rain cancels this Hike!

Meeting place: 9:00 am, Livingood Park, off Rte 82, Elverson to carpool to the beginning of the hike where parking is limited, so please carpool 

For more information or further directions, contact: 610-286-8913 

Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Saturday November 19, 2016 - Pottstown and the Schuylkill River Trail


6 flat, ez miles

We will start by hiking along the Schuylkill River at the Pottstown Riverfront Park, then hike to the Pottsgrove Manor, followed by a stroll through Memorial Park, returning to Riverfront Park. While hiking in Pottstown we will be stopping at the historic sites along the way. From Riverfront Park we will pick up a section of the Schuylkill River Trail and hike west for about 2 miles through an industrial area. Lunch is optional after the hike.

Meeting place: 9:30 am, Grosstown Road parking lot of the Schuylkill River Trail 

Directions: 422 East, past Klein’s bus stay straight onto Business 422 East/Stowe (do not take ramp for 422 bypass) which is Ben Franklin Hwy that becomes West High Street, go 2 miles make a right turn onto Grosstown Road, go past Continental Concrete on your right to parking lot on the right 

For more information and further directions, contact: 484-467-8976 

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Saturday November 12, 2016 - Mount Pisgah Plane and Jim Thorpe Hike


4+ difficult miles

It’s time again for our occasional insanity hike! For the adventurous, or the just plain foolish, we will climb the 2,322 foot, 29 degree Pisgah Plane of the former Switchback Gravity Railroad in old Mauch Chunk (aka Jim Thorpe), Carbon County. This long climb, though strenuous, abounds in history. The Switchback was Pennsylvania’s first railroad, and the second in the USA. We will see a spectacular view at the top, the original “Wagon Road,” and continue down Packer Hill into town for lunch. After lunch it’s up Broadway onto the former, now abandoned Bus Road, returning to the parking area. Rain does NOT cancel this hike, but snow and ice will.

Meeting place: 10:00 am at the parking area at the top of Hill Road in Jim Thorpe 

Directions: From Rt. 209 South in downtown Jim Thorpe, left onto Broadway, then next right turn onto Hill Road next to the Mauch Chunk Opera House which is the only right turn off Broadway, proceed to the parking area at the top of the hill.

for more information and further directions, contact: 610-921-3252 or cell 610-451-5380 

Monday, October 10, 2016

Saturday November 5, 2016 - Horse Shoe Trail Hike


5.7 moderate miles
Wearing of the orange is needed this time. We are reaching out there just a bit farther on the trail. The fall colors are gone and there is a nip in the air but the walk will be good. The start will be at the parking lot just south of Rt. 117 on Mt. Wilson Rd. on the west side of Mt Gretna to the parking lot at the end of Drescher Rd. This is a shuttle hike. Bring snacks/drinks. Maps handed out as needed.

1st Meeting place: 8:30 am, Ollie’s parking lot, Bsns Rts 222 & 724, Shillington, for anyone wanting to carpool to start.
2
nd Meeting place: 9:30 am, parking lot on Drescher Rd off Lawn Rd.

For more information or further directions, contact: 610-909-5018 or cj1sp@allstate.com