Dear All
Phew! At last!
Here is the poster for the next quarterly meeting, coming up soon – Saturday week to be precise.
I’ll get the agenda and the minutes of the last meeting out tomorrow, and will test the various route possibilities within the next few days. It’s all to be found on OS Explorer no. 131.
Following the time-honoured format, we begin with a try-out on the interesting new ring of six at All Saints’, Houghton, then lunch (BYO) either inside or on the lawn outside the Village Hall in Houghton, where also there will be tea/coffee-making facilities and loos, and parking. Then we have a probably quite short business meeting, and walk to Stockbridge. There are three possible routes, the shortest of which is along the public highway. I am advised this is do-able but can be hairy owing to the presence of tractors, Chelsea or otherwise. There is a longer and more circuitous route to the west over the downs, or you can make your way to the public footpath along the old railway track to Stockbridge.
We ring at Stockbridge from 3.00 to 4.00, which will be a real treat. I attended the inaugural practice on the newly reinstalled six, and – apart from the hazard of the five going up wrong – they handle like a dream.
Depending what arrangements you make, there are options at Stockbridge, including Lillie’s tea rooms, open till 4.45; I have arranged for the King’s Somborne bells to be available from 5.30 onwards, tho’ to get afternoon tea in Stockbridge AND make it to King’s Somborne you will doubtless need to have transport sorted out – or you could walk to KS from Stockbridge and have a coffee/tea or a drink at the pub in King’s Somborne after ringing there.
Best wishes,
I’ll write again soon,
Bruce
Winchester District Secretary
