Barnes Summer Trip 17 -21 July 2019
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| Barnes ringers at Eaton Bishop: L to R, Gill Tomlinson, Sarah Percival, Peter Richards, Mary Gow, Francis Ring-Davies, Caleb Saunders, Louise Booth, Mike Wigney, Andrew Howard-Smith, Penny Bradsell, Wendy Archibald, Tony Nunn, Rod Bickerton, Eddie Hartley, Malcolm McAlister |
Itinerary
Write Up
QPs
Wed 17th - picked Caleb up outside Acton station at 9.45 am and we were off. We made reasonable time but found we were one of the last to arrive at the White Lion in Wilton for lunch. Had a tuna sandwich which was huge - I kept half of it for another time (but threw it away the next day). The pub was right by the river which made the garden a very pleasant place to sit and a nice start to the trip. The final two towers of the day were in Hereford itself, so I dropped Mike off at the first one and went to check in at the hotel and have a wander round Hereford.
We stayed at The Green Dragon, which was on the main street in Hereford right by the Cathedral. Parking was a nightmare and I had to pay £12 to park when I arrived - although thereafter I found a row of disabled spaces in the high street which were free overnight. Although we had booked an accessible room, the one we were given was nowhere near. It had a narrow corridor between the door and the room itself, with access to a very narrow bathroom from the corridor. Mike stood no chance of getting into the bathroom as he couldn't turn in the corridor. The door was too heavy for him to open from the inside too. I asked at reception if they had an accessible room available but they said they did not and kept insisting we had got the walk in shower we had requested - as if! We managed to push the bed over a few inches (there wasn't much leeway) so that Mike could get the wheelchair next to the bed, and he used the disabled loo in the downstairs lobby for the duration.
I went out for a walk and found a lovely cafe, totally empty, where I had two lattes. I had a lovely peaceful time all to myself. Met Mike outside the Cathedral and we had a walk round, including listening to them murdering Yorkshire at All Saints - thankfully it was stopped. In the evening we went across the road to The Spread Eagle with a few of the others, while the serious drinkers went looking for the best beer, and I had a large plate of nachos which I couldn't finish. The owners were very nice and friendly - which tempted us to go back again the next evening.
Thurs 18th - we got up for 7 am breakfast in order to ring some handbells with Peter before the first tower. The restaurant was down a flight of steps and despite a promise to the contrary no table was laid on the ground level. However the restaurant manager was brilliant and soon sorted us out in the lounge - she complained that reception should have let her know we were staying, and said she would leave a note for the manager the next day. Had early breakfast with Peter and then went to Marden Church and rang a QP of London Minor on handbells (after failed 720!) sitting in the churchyard. It was somewhat drizzly although the weather got better through the day. Mike wasn't in many of the QPs because of his leg, and it was nice to have him around for company. We went and had a coffee in Leominster while they were ringing at the church. Lunch at The Corners Inn, Kingsland was very good. They were well organised and once again the sandwiches were huge! Did some cross stitch in the afternoon. There was a long wait for keys when we got back - with lots of people queuing while the receptionist just talked on the phone. Louise got so angry she started banging the bell and insisting that there must be someone else in the hotel who could hand out keys. We ate in Spread Eagle again. This time they were very busy and we had a long wait for food, although it was good when it did arrive and they sorted us out with a long table in the back room. Shared nachos with Mike but the portion wasn't as big as yesterday so it wasn't really enough - I ate the biscuits in the hotel room when we got in!
Fri 19th - got up for 7 am breakfast again and more handbells. No sign of anyone having laid a table in the lounge - had to go and ask someone again. We had a good go at ringing London, Wells and Cunecastre but didn't manage to ring a QP. Managed to do some cross stitch during the morning. Lunch at The Pandy, Dorstone was ok although the menu was a bit restricted, and they charged more for the lasagnes than they had shown on the menu. But everyone seemed to enjoy it. Mike and I shared a lasagne. After lunch Mike went round with Peter while I drove Louise back to Hereford to buy some shoes she had seen - she needed them to go with her formal dress which she was wearing the next day to go to her son's passing out parade at Sandhurst so it was somewhat urgent. We got back in time for the final two towers of the day. The final one was Little Dewchurch - where the local was John Harrold, the person who had asked Mike if he was related to the Jill Wigney who rings handbells (the only time I have ever been more "famous" than Mike in ringing circles). Peter, Mike and I had an attempt at ringing a QP of Yorkshire with him - I had to ring 3-4 and it took several attempts before we all settled down and started to ring confidently. Unfortunately Peter swapped the treble with the 2 half a course before the end and it fired out which was a shame. We got back to Hereford and while Peter went off to find the drinkers, Mike and I decided to go for a quiet meal together at Ask - only to find a large table of ringers already there. So of course we joined them and had an excellent meal.
Sat 20th - once again no table laid in the lounge for breakfast and yet another restaurant manager. The chef was late and we didn't get our breakfast until 7.30 am. Failed to ring London Wells and Cunecastre again. Got some cross stitch done again today. Large buffet at lunch time at The Baskerville Arms, Clyro left me feeling uncomfortable and slightly queasy for the rest of the day. In the evening we went to The Den where we had a set price menu. The food was very good, but the restaurant was too noisy for speeches or singing! When I came to pay I found they had overcharged - not taking into account those who had chosen pudding for their second course but charging everyone who had a pudding for 3 courses. Also they failed to give Rod the reduced rate Trisha had negotiated. Of course the owner had gone home by then so I had to pay the bill and then try and get a refund later (at the time of publishing without success!).
Sun 21st - We had a bit of a lie in today at breakfast was only starting at 8 am. Of course when we got there no table had been laid in the lounge for us - and it was the same restaurant manager as yesterday so there was really no excuse. Eight of us went to ring at St Nicholas, with the rest going to the Cathedral, but after sitting around for a while with no sign of life in the church we checked the notices and found that Mike had got the timings wrong. We went off to meet up with Peter and spent a long time in the pub garden of The Wye Inn in Lower Bullingham, trying unsuccessfully to score London Wells and Cunecastre - and then knocked off a QP of Norwich. The QPs in the afternoon mainly successful, Mike ended up ringing in them all, and the total scored for the trip was a pretty impressive 23. Got back home at 9.30, which was later than I would have liked as Lee and Emma had left at 4 pm, but Suki was fine. Dumped everything in the lounge, had a jacket potato and beer and went to bed!
