Summer Tour 2009 - Shropshire, 29th July - 2nd August

The eagerly anticipated 50th Anniversary Summer Tour began for me on the afternoon of Wednesday 29th July when myself and Sarah got absolutely drenched tying our bikes to the back of the car. Looking like two drowned rats we squelched our way cross country to Hanwood, our base for the tour. Taking a short walk round to the slightly unfortunately named Cock Inn whilst munching on some appetising if slightly soggy cheese and pickle rolls we encountered a few early arrivers already sampling the local beverages. Soon we were a party of 20 or more and moved into the skittle alley to try our hand at bowling. After trying out a number of alternative skittles including Cader and Percy the group retired to the hall to unleash air beds and ready cycles for the morning.

Thursday dawned in an overcast but dry fashion with several people braving the communal showers housed in the hall before breakfast grub was prepared and distributed by the catering officers. Ringing today comprised of visits to Condover (8) and Cound (6) in the morning followed by lunch at the Riverside Inn, Cound, with further ringing at Atcham (6) and Berrington (8), a mere 27 mile round trip for those based at the hall. Lunch was taken in the conservatory with a picturesque view across the River Severn and many sampled the appetising desserts, I particularly enjoyed my Eaton Mess after discovering exactly what it was.

Today’s cycling saw a number of casualties along the way, with one person feeling decidedly ill on the first leg of cycling and having to turn back and Percy who broke the world record for puncture obtaining by picking up three in the space of a few hundred yards. Despite these difficulties good ringing was achieved at all four towers with 6 brave folk attempting the ‘unnamed method’ which the master had challenged them to ring. En route back to the hall nearly everyone detoured to a nearby pub in Longden for some well earned dinner, more beer and a few games of pool. By the time some of us got there the wait for food was an hour so on arriving back at the hall many of us called it a night whilst a few went back out for some late night skittles.

Come Friday morning many brave cyclists had fallen to aches and strains (and excessive punctures) so a much smaller contingent headed off to the first tower of the day, Westbury, where we were greeted with much needed tea, coffee and biscuits by a local inside the church, before having a ring and then making our way to Worthen and Pontesbury. All towers today were sixes and as such a veritable feast of minor methods were rung including London, Stedman (ok, I know that’s a double method) and the as yet still ‘unnamed method’. Ringing was again of a high class, however I was grateful to Percy when he reminded me to ‘dodge three times on the front my lord’ in St Clement’s.

Lunch today was taken at The Nag’s Head, Pontesbury and involved a hotly contested game of hangman. The teams were evenly matched, myself, Sarah Meaden, Sarah Tadman, Paul Parker, Chris Mundy, Kaye Mundy and Charlotte Mundy against James Mundy. We thought we had won the game when James only just managed to guess our ‘strawberry’ but then he came back all guns blazing with firstly ‘glue’ which was surprisingly hard to guess and then the impossible ‘B and Q’ to win the contest.

Our cycling contingent left a good hour to get to the last tower of the day, Pulverbatch as we had to conquer an amazingly steep hill to reach the church where we would be ringing in the traditional striking competition. After much puffing and panting everyone made it and the teams and running order were announced. This year saw the introduction of a new prize for ‘pleasuring the judges’, what this meant was left to the interpretation of the team captains. With judges Percy, Paul, Sarah, James and Charlotte in position the competition commenced and they enjoyed a mixture of ringing down, jumped call changes and firing. James was clearly not impressed with the third team asking of his fellow judges ‘what do they think they’re doing?’ and by the end the judges were clearly feeling the pressure of having to concentrate for so long as Percy began throwing sticks and Charlotte desperately needed the toilet.

Once ringing had finished the group headed back to the hall eager to hear the results and tuck into the delicious BBQ which had been prepared by the catering officers. We delved into a feast of kebabs, burgers, sausages and salad, washed down with some Welsh Colleges Ale and learnt that the competition had been won by Chris Mundy’s team with the pleasuring award going to Martyn Owen and crew. With an early start the next day many retired to their beds after clearing up the hall eagerly anticipating the joint day in Aberystwyth to follow.

Saturday morning began at 9am when the group boarded a coach bound for the West coast. Some snoozed, some ate, some played the acronym game distributed by Paul, however soon enough 2 hours had whizzed by and we were in Aber. The group split up, with people going there own way. Myself and Sarah headed over to Constitution Hill where we were urged by Paul, Percy and Pete to ‘kick the bar’, something that meant nothing to us but is a local tradition we were told. After reaching the summit (with somewhat sore toes after having kicked the bar just a little too hard) we enjoyed a cream tea and looked out over the picturesque Aber coastline.

The only ringing of the day was at St Padarn’s so we made our way over and entered the bustling ringing room. Members of the Family Tour were also present and had swelled our numbers to over 70. After posing for a group photo many had to depart for their trip on the Vale of Rheidol Railway leaving a more manageable number behind to continue the ringing. After a brief trip up to see the bells, we strolled back into town and acquired a much needed ice cream before visiting the castle ruins and having a quick sit by the beach. All too soon it was time to board the coach and head back to the hall. Tonight to save the catering officers we ordered a curry from a local establishment which was lustily consumed and washed down with further ale.

Suddenly Sunday morning was upon us and the end of the tour beckoned but not before a nip into Shrewsbury to ring the 12 bells of St Chad. Returning to the hall to tidy up, dismantle bikes and pack cars some left for home whilst others went for one final ring to the 6 of Upton Manga. Due to some dodgy map reading on my part a couple of us arrived a little late but a nice concluding ring to the tour was achieved by all nevertheless. We headed south home to Wiltshire at this point whilst a handful of others took in one final lunch at the pub opposite the last tower.

Thanks go to all those who made this tour and the joint anniversary day a success, especially Sarah Tadman for organising the weekend, the catering officers for keeping us fed and Paul Parker for keeping us all in order (to a certain degree) and running the weekend so smoothly. Roll on the autumn tour!

- Daniel Knight

Photos by Iain Scott can be seen here.
Photos below by Stephen Penney.

Let us pray. The first lunch.

Sarah Tadman Kit Probert

Rhyan Probert Roger's Dessert

Sue's dessert Sarah West and Rob Challoner

Martyn Owen fixes Sarah's bike Chris Mundy

Daniel Knight and Sarah Meaden Malcolm Murphy

Waiting to ring Sue Rainsbiry and Sarah Tadman prepare an enormous amount of Chicken

In the hall The Master

Jenny Malin and Sarah West Yes, be careful