Easter tour 2006 - The Chilterns, 6-9th April

The Easter tour this year was in the Chilterns. The tour started as per usual in a pub, the Duck Inn. Usual suspects met gathered here and lots of beer was drunk, pretty much like any Welsh Colleges tour. Unfortunately last orders were called and we made tracks to the hall, which was fairly nice as halls go.

The first proper day of the tour started with a fantastic breakfast by the catering officers. The first tower was St Andrews in Chinnor, a nice 6 and a nice start to the ringing side of the tour. The next tower was a glorious 10, St Mary V, Long Crendon where I failed to pull off the tenor, despite ringing bells double almost that weight back home. We then rang at St Nicolas in Cuddington, a nice 8. Thankfully after a morning of ringing it was time for a typical Welsh Colleges 3 hour lunch. The pub was lovely but a bit posh, ciabatta bread.etc!! Everyone ate lots and had plenty to drink. The afternoon ringing started with an anti-clockwise 6, at SS Peter & Paul in Dinton, which kept everybody on their toes after a long and lazy lunch. Fridays ringing finished at St Mary V in Haddenham, a nice 8. We gate crashed practise at St James Gt in Bierton where we were made most welcome by the local band. Dinner was eaten and then the evening was spent in the pub drinking beer and whiskey.

Saturday was yet another early start but waking up to the smell of breakfast and then being fed in bed is certainly a nice way to start the day. The first tower was an 11cwt 10, St Michael & All Angels, these were a lovely 10, possibly aided by a sunny day. We then headed off to ring at a rather heavy 6, St Mary V Weston Turville which was followed by an 8cwt 8, which I thought were great as they rattled round rather nicely. It was time for lunch in the pub where we ate food and drank beer. There were two 6 bell towers left, a 10cwt 6, St Nicolas, Great Kimble and a 8cwt, SS Peter & Paul, Ellesborough. A meeting was held in the hall whilst the catering officers conjured up an absolutely fantastic dinner. Once wed eaten as much as we could the rest of the evening was spent in the pub.

Somehow it was the last day of the tour and people rang in local towers or headed home. Some of us headed off to ring a quarter (my first of Cambridge Surprise Minor) which was a really good quarter, although it was so hot we had to source ice cream afterwards. We then continued the Cambridge theme and headed off the ring a quarter of Cambridge Surprise Major (a first inside for Pete, despite his rather interesting way of learning the blue line). The tour definitely ended on a high note with 2 Quarters being scored for the society.

Puff was kidnapped and a ransom note was left. I was starting to think that being mascot keeper was not all it was cracked up to be.

Thanks go to the catering officers for keeping us fed and watered, to Jeanette for organising the superb tour and to all those who stepped in to help with the absence of a Ringing Master or deputy.

- Jenny Malin

Photos by Stephen Penney. More photos from the tour taken by Iain Scott are available on his website.

Wendover, Buckinghamshire. Sun 9 April 2006, 1269 Cambridge Surprise Minor (Comp. D Morrison): Gareth Wildig 1, Jennifer Malin 2, Peter G Hampson 3, Ross E Hartley 4, Roger Grieve 5, James P Mort (C) 6. Rung for Palm Sunday. 1st Quarter with Society; 1. 1st of Suprise Minor inside; 2. Rung for the safe return of 'Puff', the society mascot, who was subsequently lost again by 2!!

Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire. Sun 9 April 2006, 1250 Cambridge Surprise Major: Jennifer Malin 1, Peter J Hampson 2, Martyn Owen 3, Jeanette L Lord 4, James P Mort 5, J Robert Jervis 6, Malcolm Murphy 7, Ross E Hartley (C) 8. Rung on the Easter Tour (second quarter of two in a day!). First in method: 2. First Surprise and Major as conductor.