Fun-dy in Lundy (December 2013).

Although not officially sanctioned by the DRC, there were enough of us on the trip to make it feel a bit like an extended tower outing. Having driven to Bristol the evening before to enjoy the hospitality of Mr David Giles, we set out at an ungodly hour of the morning to meet the helicopter at Hartland Point. The journey was enhanced by an old packet of Murray Mints which I found in my coat pocket, but also by the increasingly beautiful countryside. As we neared the destination, we passed such places as Westward Ho! and Woolfhardisworthy (pronounced Woolsery), before a final stop at Bideford Morrison’s to use the cash machine. Speaking with others, it seems as if this is traditional part of the trip! Perhaps less traditionally, I came away loaded with Refresher Bars, which at 9p each, were a bit of a bargain.

(Hartland International Airport)

Hartland Point beckoned, and we soon met up with our fellow travellers. We checked in our bags and ourselves (including the terrifying part where you have to declare your own body weight) and enjoyed a final mainland-bacon sandwich. Some very keen people attempted a handbell quarter.

Landing on Lundy, we were ushered to the pub where the merry-making was already in full-flow. As anyone who has been to Lundy before will know, the first visit to the pub marks the electrifying moment where you order something on the Lundy tab, and as we all know, future-money spent is not really money spent.

Friday evening approached and with it, some open ringing at St Helena. Members of the DRC who find Stepney cold would be advised to bring a sweater. This ringer was more than a little excited to have a go, in advance of the next day’s impending peal attempt.

(St Helena, Lundy)

Saturday morning arrived, and amongst the quasi-corpses lying around Milcombe House, several stirred and began preparing for the first of the week’s ringing attempts. We ascended the tower, took our places and having check that the ropes were the right lengths, Grandsire Triples commenced. Expertly called by Ed Hughes d’Aeth, the first hour went by without too much trouble, once the tall, blond ringer on the third bell stopped trying to double-dodge every time in 6/7.

Another hour went by, and apart from a cold nose, there had not been too many mishaps. Over half way through, there was a tacit belief that it might actually be achieved. The ringing quickened. The concentration deepened. The end hastened. All of a sudden, about to go into 4/5 up, the final single was called and floating into long thirds, that was all.

Relief washed over the band, but perhaps mostly me. This was rapidly followed by awareness that my arms and legs felt leaden and that the only cure was surely to be found in the Marisco Tavern. Triumphant, we descended the tower and head for the bar. The rest of the day was a bit of a blur. . .

(Peal band: David Giles, Rhiannon Meredith, Joe Tilley, Jonathan Slack, Chris Giddins, Andrew Wilby, Ed Hughes d’Aeth (C), Ed Bucknall having a well-earned drink)

That was the last ever peal rung in the extra-parochial church of St Helena of Lundy, for the next day, Lundy became its own Parish. The RAF was very obliging in flying a vicar all the way over from the mainland, and, with perhaps the largest ever congregation, St Helena celebrated its first intra-parochial even-song.

The jubilations continued into the evening with a fabulous Christmas dinner for 35 (including the vicar). Perhaps this could only happen in England; perhaps it was madness. Potatoes were mashed, cranberries were cooked. Spread across four ovens, a crack-team of basters ran across the island ensuring that the two geese and two turkeys stayed moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. At the appointed hour, the birds appeared on the Milcombe kitchen table and dinner was served. The roast was followed by some mouthwatering home-made Christmas puddings (smuggled across in several suitcases). The rest of the evening was a bit of a blur. . .

Sadness ensued the next day as we realised that we were only there for the weekend, and with a heavy heart, we began saying goodbye to the week-long visitors. Looking at the mountain of dishes in the sink, it was a bit of a relief that we had a helicopter to catch!

And so, the long trip home. Disappointment at not seeing a single puffin was soothed when we took a train along something called the Tarka line, which was an unexpected treat!

A stellar weekend, and testament to world of ringing. I was thrilled to achieve my first peal, and was also glad to hear that it was a first for David Giles too. Many thanks must go to Luke Camden and Rhiannon Meredith for the organisation. Ringing is a communal hobby, and it would not have been possible without the fellow seven peal-ringers, but also without the time, effort and dedication of everyone who contributes to teaching ringing and to running practices, which allows newer ringers like me to take part in this rewarding, if bizarre, activity. Thank you to everyone who has helped and continues to help me on my way!

(Happy times in Milcombe)

When David Giles left London for the bright lights of Bristol about a year ago, we reckoned that we would at least get a pretty decent away trip to make up for the loss of an enthusiastic, skilled ringer and enthusiastic but hopeless drinker. It took him a while to get organised as he seemed to prefer organising trips to nearby Lundy instead, but eventually he sent out a date and itinerary to us all.

As a native Bristolian who couldn’t wait to leave in 1973 and have rarely been back since, I was slightly curious to see how the city had changed – it could only get better after all.  The towers that David selected were all in the small section of central Bristol that both the Luftwaffe and the town planners had missed. My memories of the area were clouded by huge quantities of keg beer and scuffles with invading Welshies, so I was interested to see a more refined aspect of the town. David certainly came up with a good selection including

Most of the attenders piled onto the 08:00 from Paddington while a couple of cars also made the trip. Pip ‘n’ Jay was close enough to Temple Meads station to be but a short walk.  After eventually finding someone to let us in, we enjoyed a few tunes on the ring of eight.

Interesting old peal board at Pip n’ Jay

A pleasant stroll across one of the many waterways and into the mediaeval part led to St Johns on the Wall which, eponymously, is inside one of the few remaining section of the old wall. This is a very attractive church with lots of old galleries, organs and stuff for the non-ringers to play with.

David at St John on the Wall

Strolling up the hill opposite the cathedral took us to our designated lunch spot at the Green House.  The beer was very good, but obviously I’ve forgotten what it was. Food was fine too. Good choice David, and I’m sure he enjoyed the research.

DRC sleeper at Bristol Cathedral – not a ringer of course

So, on to the cathedral which is always a bit daunting for the less experienced ringers.  It was all very non-threatening though with an easy ascent, large clean ringing chamber and easy bells. At least three of the group found the atmosphere slightly too relaxing and partook of a very nice after-lunch nap while their colleagues played them a soothing tune or two.

DRC at Bristol Cathedral – the wakers

Back through the Old Town with Andrew L boring everyone with unlikely tales of the origin of the phrase ‘cash on the nail’ – sounds a bit too like a game show to be convincing. Final tower was All Saints which is not used for public worship but is still in use as a place of learning.  It is allegedly the nearest tower to another tower just the other side of the alley, but I forget its name. The bells here were pretty tricky and definitely best left to the experts.

That was it.  The train party headed off to Temple Meads and London. A big thank you to David for arranging a splendid day out, and thanks also to those who took on the ringing organisation at the various towers. Thanks to Jonathan for a few pics – please send me any interesting ones and I’ll add them  as mine were rubbish as usual.

Lundy in December.

When we received the first email from David (Giles) in May we were sailing in the Baltic and a bellringing trip to Lundy seemed like a good idea.  I wasn’t too keen on the dates proposed but felt  sure that they would be changed but no they weren’t.

Arrangements were made and plans organised still no change of date.

Lundy is the largest island in the Bristol Channel, lying 12 miles (19 km) off the coast of  Devon.  It measures about 3 by 0.75 miles (4.8 by 1.2 km) at its widest.  Lundy gives its name to a British Sea Area . Even in summer it is quite cut off with a 2 ½ hour boat trip to get there.

As of 2007, there was a resident population of 28 people, including volunteers. These include a warden, ranger, island manager, and farmer, as well as bar and house-keeping staff. Most live in and around the village at the south of the island. Most visitors are day trippers, although there are 23 holiday properties and a camp site for staying visitors, mostly also around the south of the island

We had been promised a trip in a helicopter which was one the reasons Janet want to go as she had never flown in one. The down side was the baggage limit, which made Ryanair’s allowance generous, of just 10 Kilos plus a small hand bag.  Janet had bought herself a Rufus Roo jacket which is worn under your coat with very large pockets and can hold up to 10 Kilos. When she was asked her weight at check in she added a stone to her weight. We were only going for a long weekend with bellringers so how much clothing does one need.

Approaching by helicopter from the South end

Here we were a party of 18 crazy bellringers, mainly from the  Docklands Ringers with David’s parents and other friends, on our way.   At least we would have the island to ourselves. Who else would be crazy enough to be going to Lundy in Decemebr.  I was assured by David that the pub would be open that we would be able to get food there and there was also a shop.

To catch the helicopter we had to be there by 10:00 for a safety briefing.  To get there by 10:00 would mean leaving London at about 04:00 so we decided to go down on the Thursday and stay in a B&B about 10 minutes from the heliport.

The forecast was for gales and a cold front.   I wondered if the helicopter could take off in very strong wind but was assured they would.  The day was bright and sunny but there was quite a strong cold wind.  We had the same safety briefing as one would have in any commercial flight we were even told where to find our life jackets under our seats.  If we had to ditch in the sea it would take longer to find the jackets and put them on than we would have time.  We were only flying at a few hundred feet over the sea.  Surprise surprise we would not be the only visitors to the island, as there were at least another dozen going.  We were told that it cost £1,600 per hour to keep the helicopter flying so they wouldn’t be wasting time.   They planned 3 round trips every hour. The helicopter held the pilot and 7 passengers.  One of the lucky passengers would get the hot seat and sit with the pilot.

Helicopter and church

The flight itself was noisy but there were some good views.  The seating was cramped but the flight only lasted 6 minutes.  We approached Lundy from the south where most of the habitation is and could see the church as we arrived.  The passengers cross first on the way in and the baggage last.  On the return trip it is the other way round.  The baggage is delivered or collected to or from your accommodation.

So the first thing to do was visit the pub, sorry the Marisco Tavern, and have a coffee, then visit the shop before it closed.  The shop hours were a little limited so you needed to plan in advance when to go.   It wasn’t a Waitrose but for a small island shop cut off from the mainland it was well stocked  The prices were reasonable considering its location.  If you have any particular requirement they can be ordered in advance and be waiting for you.  We then returned to the tavern for lunch.

The first session of ringing was just after lunch.  Lundy has 10 bells The treble and 2 were cast in 2004 John Taylor Bellfounders Ltd the other 8 bell by Charles Carr in 1897.  The tenor weighs 13 cwt-1 qt-18 lbs and the treble 4 cwt -3 qt-18lbs.  Access to the bells in not restricted much.  From 09:00 to 18:00 every day only 2 peels in a day or 6 quarters.  So you can ring a lot every day. The best go quite well though they were not the best sounding bell I’ve heard.

A quarter was planned for Saturday morning but unfortunately wasn’t got.  A second quarter of Grandsire Triples was planned for Sunday afternoon which was got.

Whist in the tavern we met two family who had not rung previously so they were invited to come up to the tower and have a go.   One family had been to Lundy several times and never heard the bells rung.  They live very close to a tower in Gloucester which has an active band.  By the time the weekend the youngest daughter was just about ringing rounds and she even managed to pull the tenor off unaided.  We were hopeful that they will continue with their ringing.

On the Friday evening the warden gave a talk about the island.  She explained that the entire island has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and it was England’s first statutory Marine Nature Reserve, and the first Marine Conservation Zone, because of its unique flora and fauna. It is managed by the Landmark Trust on behalf of the National Trust.

Exploring the earthquake fault

Saturday evening David and his parents had planned a Christmas dinner of roast turkey with all the trimmings.  Quite an undertaking .  To cater for 16 in a strange kitchen with some of the ingredients having to have been brought  from the main land.  Millcombe House, where half the party were staying is large enough  to accommodate such a gathering.  The tables had to be rearranged but there was a seat for all in the dinning room. The evening was a great success.  The food was cooked to perfection. There was just the right amount with everyone having plenty to eat with nothing left over.  I must congratulate them for a splendid evening well  done.  The only drawback was half the party had to walk back in the dark to their accommodation.

After dinner

The island has no street lights so a torch is an essential.  Most of the accommodation is quite a walk from the Tavern and the pathways are rather rough. The up side being that as there is no light pollution the night sky can be brilliant. On the first night there was a clear sky and the stars could be seen in all their glory.  Walking over the island could be quite difficult with several  of us slipping and coming a cropper in the mud.

On the Sunday morning there was no ringing.  No service. In the  church.  However instead of  a lie-in  the warden had arranged a walk of the island.  The weather was threating to rain heavily.  The warden made in most interesting and it was well attended.  However the ground was quite marshy in places and the ground very slippery.   We all returned to the tavern in time for lunch.

Going for a walk

The Tavern is the centre of the village it had a roaring log fire going most of the time.  When they have bellringers they usually have to order in extra supplies of beer. On one occasion a group of bellringers on a stag do drank the tavern dry and complained.  They were told that extra supplies had been ordered for the stag do but no-one had told them that they were also bellringers.  We certainly did our best to drink them dry. The food was good but you did have to arrive on time.  If you arrived late there was either a very limited choice or they were closed.   Sunday evening roast was typical.  Those of us who were  hungry and early had a full choice of roast pork , roast lamb  and roast chicken.  By the end they had sold out completely.

Monday morning was wet and cold. A quick trip to the shop for some souvenirs and settle your tab at the  shop and tavern.  Return to the Tavern for a safety briefing and see which flight you were on.  The baggage is flown off first so that as you arrive it is waiting for you.  Agin there were 3 return trips an hour.  The whole process went most smoothly.  Though we got quite a soaking waiting the few minutes we were out side.  They was very little visibility so the return trip was not memorable.

Article by Simon Fraser

L-R: Douglas James, David Giles, Andrew Clark, Andrew Larsen, Elizabeth Lemoine, Mike Todd, Sam Press, Trisha Shannon, Morag Todd, Chris Snelling, Alison Hammond, Chris Giddins

It was a small but select band of Docklands ringers who were available on the Saturday of the August Bank Holiday weekend…. but certainly enough to enjoy a day out organised by Chris Giddins to visit towers in the area where he learned to ring.

We eventually met at the first tower – after various phone calls to ascertain the whereabouts of the nearest car park (recommended  by Chris, who had given it the name the locals use, rather than the one on the signposts!) – and enjoyed the first ring of the day on the bells of Holy Trinity church, which had been Guildford Cathedral until the 1960s. These were not the easiest of bells on which to start the day!

It was only a short walk down the High Street to the next tower, but by this time the weather (well, what did we expect on a Bank Holiday weekend?) had changed from slightly dull to a torrential downpour, bouncing off the tarmac so that even though with the foresight to bring umbrellas got wet. St Mary’s is currently closed for major restoration work, but we were able to pick our way in through the scaffolding and through the cobwebby roof space to reach the ringing room. The first ring on a building site – and for some of us at least – the first on an anti-clockwise ring too.

Just before lunch we made our way down to the river, where Chris’s father met us – making up the 10 needed to ring all the bells at St Nicholas. Those of us on the ringing centre committees were interested to see the teaching aids available in this tower, which is the HQ of the Guildford ringing centre – while Chris reminisced through the records of the quarterpeals he rang years ago!

St Nicholas’ church being conveniently placed immediately opposite the White House pub, we didn’t have far to go for a substantial lunch before making our way out along the river to Shalford. For some of us this was a lovely walk by the water (fortunately no longer raining, and the paths not too muddy) and a chance to examine the wildlife – including some plants which intrigued us, and were later identified by Elizabeth as the invasive Himalayan Balsam.

Shalford’s tiny ringing room proved a little claustrophobic for some (Trish preferred to sit on the stairs!) … and Wonersh too was a little short of space for even our small band of ringers – but each tower offered an interesting ring of 8.

The last ring of the day was to be on the 6 at Bramley. We were lucky that the church was open to the public, as there was no-one there to let us in to the tower. We were however well entertained by Chris’s friend Chris Snelling, who made excellent use of the church’s grand piano whilst Chris Giddins applied himself to tracking down the keyholder, who finally appeared bearing not only the key, but also a supply of bottles of beer as an apology for his late arrival! We ended the day’s ringing there, though sadly the spider fell apart when we tried to replace the ropes on it…

Bramley was the end of our ringing, but not the end of our day, as Chris had invited us all back to his family home – and the weather was good enough for us to explore the garden whilst his sister put the finishing touches to an excellent supper, and those who were not driving back were able to enjoy the beer and wine!

Many thanks to Chris, six interesting towers, our pianist and caterers for an excellent Bank Holiday Saturday!

Article by Morag