Barnes Summer Trip 2017
12th to 16th July 2017. Towers and pubs organised by Mike, hotels by Trisha
Itinerary
Photos
Artistic Notes on Churches
Quarter Peals
For me this trip was going to be a cross-stitching fest - staying in a hotel and enjoying the countryside and sitting in churchyards (weather permitting!) and watching Wimbledon finals week when the signal was good enough. I didn't intend to do any ringing at all!
We picked up Peter and then Monica, and were on the road by just after 10 am. We made good time and arrived at the lunchtime pub (The Greyhound at Ixworth) at noon - the official start time. There were a few other ringers there already - but Mike, Monica and Peter got their lunch order in first and had all the available pork chops! I ate my sandwiches in the car and had some coffee - then popped in to say hello and use the facilities. The ringers went off to ring and I did some cross stitch in the car in the pub car park. By the end of the ringing nearly everyone expected had arrived.
I followed this pattern for the rest of the afternoon. There wasn't really anywhere pretty to sit so I stayed in the car and cross stitched - very happily and listened to Stephen Fry narrating more Sherlock Holmes books on Audible. It was a nice sunny afternoon.
We booked in to The White Horse in Stoke Ash about 7 pm and then drove down to The Four Horseshoes, where half the group were staying, to eat. We had a nice pub meal there and then Monica and I drove back to the White Horse and Mike came along the road later - it was about half a mile although the road was a bit busy and not very nice to walk along.
The breakfasts were very good at The White Horse - I had porridge every day - and they served it quite quickly. It was not so slick at The Four Horseshoes - and indeed several people were late to the first tower the next day. For the rest of the trip they ordered breakfast the night before and said what time they wanted it served.
I did sit in the sunshine at the first tower - although it was quite a short session of cross stitching as it was only 45 mins of general ringing. The rest of the day followed the pattern of the first and I cross stitched mainly in the car. I did go in to the church at Stowlangtoft to look for the promised Pensive Unicorn pew end (see architectural notes). It was of course the last pew end we looked at - although all the pew ends were interesting. I walked in to Bury St Edmunds with Mike and Peter at lunchtime - I had sandwiches and a flask for lunch - Mike had just a cup of coffee - and Peter had just an ice cream. Those hotel breakfasts beginning to tell already! I had a little look round the cathedral shop and got a few nice creams and shower gels in the sale.
I was persuaded to ring on the 12 at The Norman Tower! I couldn't remember anything about Bury St E even though I had worked there for about 6 months in 1985. More cross stitching in the car in the afternoon. I sat outside one of the worst QP attempts of Plain Bob Minor I have ever heard - thankfully it was miscalled! It was too loud to block out by putting the windows up or putting the radio on.
We had dinner at The White Horse in the evening. Service was terrible but the food was good when we could eventually put an order in! They were also hopeless at extracting payment and Trisha found an extra item on her bill the next day for someone who had failed to pay (it was sorted in the end).
On Friday we had to get food orders in for lunch in the morning and phone them through to the lunchtime pub (The Crossways Inn, Scole). This was more difficult than usual with the group being in two venues and inevitably a couple of people were missed. They were able to order when they arrived - but I got somewhat miffed when Eddie He took one of the sandwiches which came out with the pre-ordered food - thus making Mary wait for his sandwich to be prepared and served. I left them to it once I had sorted out payment and had my sandwiches and coffee in the car. More cross stitching in the afternoon - although I did venture in to the church at Eye where they had put on tea and biscuits for us. Mike is seen here talking to the editor of the local Eye Magazine who was taking photos for a follow up article in the next edition, having published an article about our forthcoming visit in the July edition.
In the evening all the others staying at The White Horse decided to eat there again - but we felt that was unfair on the rest of the group so Mike and I once again went to The Four Horseshoes and had another lovely pub meal with no hassle. Mike opted to make his own way back along the road again.
Saturday was another full day of ringing for Mike and cross stitching for me! We had an excellent buffet lunch at The White Hart in Otley including some wonderful red pepper soup.
In the evening we had a group dinner at The White Horse - upstairs! More brilliant organisation by them. Eddie actually fell down the stairs at the end of the evening - I presume Mike was carried up and down. He was there when I arrived and was completely surrounded by people - no thought obviously to saving me a place! I was fine though and sat next to Eddie Ha and near to Linda and Dinos. The meal was not very special and I realised with sinking heart when it came that it was the same as I had had the first night. The lasagne came with chips and garlic bread - which was a complete overload of carbs. I was sensible enough to leave some this time as I had felt quite ill and overful when I ate it all on Thursday. I stayed for the speeches - Trisha then Peter responded then Tony, and then slipped away when the communal singing of Flanders and Swan songs started - led by Tony!
On Sunday morning we had a bit of a mattress catastrophe - which was quite a depressing start to the day although we sorted it out ok with the hotel later. We didn't go to a service as there was too much ringing. I had sandwiches and coffee again for lunch in the car - which at first looked like the best option as there was complete mayhem and disorganisation at the lunchtime pub - The Brewer's Arms at Rattlesden, although eventually they did come up trumps and got everyone served.
In the afternoon Mike was short of ringers so I agreed to have a go - however I did not like the springy ropes and long draught at Rattlesden and knew I couldn't ring a QP there. So I dropped out and the others rang a very nice QP of doubles. I watched the men's final - a somewhat one-sided affair won by Federer again. Then at Woolpit we were joined by local Stephen Dawson so I was spared! They rang a nice QP of Norwich S Minor. It was amazing to actually be at the church of which we have a charcoal drawing in our living room which John had given us one Christmas.
The trip ended with a successful QP of Yorkshire Major at Horringer and then I was persuaded to go for a drink at a local "drinkers" pub before driving home. Of course we were the last to leave! A very enjoyable break well organised by Mike - although I am always surprised that more people don't actually thank him and buy him a drink or a meal! We used to pay for the organisers' Saturday evening meals when it was done by Trisha and Eddie! Still I don't suppose he minds, or even notices.
When we got home we found that Lee had done the garden for us - it looked fantastic and very tidy. Lee and Emma had been staying at the house while we were away looking after Suki - and it was clear that Neville and Beau had learned how to make themselves comfortable!
Itinerary
Photos
Artistic Notes on Churches
Quarter Peals
For me this trip was going to be a cross-stitching fest - staying in a hotel and enjoying the countryside and sitting in churchyards (weather permitting!) and watching Wimbledon finals week when the signal was good enough. I didn't intend to do any ringing at all!
We picked up Peter and then Monica, and were on the road by just after 10 am. We made good time and arrived at the lunchtime pub (The Greyhound at Ixworth) at noon - the official start time. There were a few other ringers there already - but Mike, Monica and Peter got their lunch order in first and had all the available pork chops! I ate my sandwiches in the car and had some coffee - then popped in to say hello and use the facilities. The ringers went off to ring and I did some cross stitch in the car in the pub car park. By the end of the ringing nearly everyone expected had arrived.
 |
| Wickham Skeith |
We booked in to The White Horse in Stoke Ash about 7 pm and then drove down to The Four Horseshoes, where half the group were staying, to eat. We had a nice pub meal there and then Monica and I drove back to the White Horse and Mike came along the road later - it was about half a mile although the road was a bit busy and not very nice to walk along.
 |
| Pensive Unicorn |
We had dinner at The White Horse in the evening. Service was terrible but the food was good when we could eventually put an order in! They were also hopeless at extracting payment and Trisha found an extra item on her bill the next day for someone who had failed to pay (it was sorted in the end).
On Friday we had to get food orders in for lunch in the morning and phone them through to the lunchtime pub (The Crossways Inn, Scole). This was more difficult than usual with the group being in two venues and inevitably a couple of people were missed. They were able to order when they arrived - but I got somewhat miffed when Eddie He took one of the sandwiches which came out with the pre-ordered food - thus making Mary wait for his sandwich to be prepared and served. I left them to it once I had sorted out payment and had my sandwiches and coffee in the car. More cross stitching in the afternoon - although I did venture in to the church at Eye where they had put on tea and biscuits for us. Mike is seen here talking to the editor of the local Eye Magazine who was taking photos for a follow up article in the next edition, having published an article about our forthcoming visit in the July edition.
 |
| Tea at Eye |
In the evening we had a group dinner at The White Horse - upstairs! More brilliant organisation by them. Eddie actually fell down the stairs at the end of the evening - I presume Mike was carried up and down. He was there when I arrived and was completely surrounded by people - no thought obviously to saving me a place! I was fine though and sat next to Eddie Ha and near to Linda and Dinos. The meal was not very special and I realised with sinking heart when it came that it was the same as I had had the first night. The lasagne came with chips and garlic bread - which was a complete overload of carbs. I was sensible enough to leave some this time as I had felt quite ill and overful when I ate it all on Thursday. I stayed for the speeches - Trisha then Peter responded then Tony, and then slipped away when the communal singing of Flanders and Swan songs started - led by Tony!
On Sunday morning we had a bit of a mattress catastrophe - which was quite a depressing start to the day although we sorted it out ok with the hotel later. We didn't go to a service as there was too much ringing. I had sandwiches and coffee again for lunch in the car - which at first looked like the best option as there was complete mayhem and disorganisation at the lunchtime pub - The Brewer's Arms at Rattlesden, although eventually they did come up trumps and got everyone served.
In the afternoon Mike was short of ringers so I agreed to have a go - however I did not like the springy ropes and long draught at Rattlesden and knew I couldn't ring a QP there. So I dropped out and the others rang a very nice QP of doubles. I watched the men's final - a somewhat one-sided affair won by Federer again. Then at Woolpit we were joined by local Stephen Dawson so I was spared! They rang a nice QP of Norwich S Minor. It was amazing to actually be at the church of which we have a charcoal drawing in our living room which John had given us one Christmas.
The trip ended with a successful QP of Yorkshire Major at Horringer and then I was persuaded to go for a drink at a local "drinkers" pub before driving home. Of course we were the last to leave! A very enjoyable break well organised by Mike - although I am always surprised that more people don't actually thank him and buy him a drink or a meal! We used to pay for the organisers' Saturday evening meals when it was done by Trisha and Eddie! Still I don't suppose he minds, or even notices.
When we got home we found that Lee had done the garden for us - it looked fantastic and very tidy. Lee and Emma had been staying at the house while we were away looking after Suki - and it was clear that Neville and Beau had learned how to make themselves comfortable!
