Exeter
Branch Train Outing.
Monday 7 May 2007.
Michael Cannon writes...
The annual Exeter Branch outing was a
little different this year but enjoyed by all who took part. Some
time ago plans were discussed for the day and thought was given to
a trip on the Dean Forest Railway or the Gloucestershire and
Warwickshire Railway or ringing around Bristol. Unfortunately it
would have been very difficult to organise a day that would have
been suitable from a ringing point of view, a timing point of view
and of course a cost point of view. No matter how we juggled these
factors it was impossible to get the right balance and so
reluctantly those plans were "stood up".
Inspired by another pint of Otter at the
Royal Oak in Heavitree, the branch chairman came up with the idea
of ringing, fun and frolics to include a BBQ at Exmouth. Well
there was certainly ringing and yes there was certainly frolics
but the weather decreed that there would be no BBQ.
No matter, a group of us made our way by
ferry or train to Exmouth enjoying the wonderful views along the
Exe estuary that this little branch line is famous for. A short
bracing walk from the station to Withycombe Raleigh gave us the
opportunity to ring on the recently augmented 12. Although there
were not enough ringers to ring anything more than call changes on
the 12, we did enjoy some Caters and Royal plus some Bristol
Major. We then made our way to Bapton Lane and enjoyed the
hospitality of Mary Mack as we were let loose on the 1lb 9 1/2oz
six in her garage. After we mastered these (although I am not sure
that mastered is the right word seeing the styles and acrobatics
of some!) we rang on the lightest "conventional" ring of 10 in the
world - the 5lb 8oz ring of ten in the spare bedroom. It was
certainly a new experience for me to sit on a bed with a lady on
each side attempting to ring some decent rounds!
After jokes about bells (or was it
belles?) in the bedroom we made our way to the Powder Monkey in
the centre of Exmouth for lunchtime sustenance (those heavy bells
had, after all, sapped our strength) following which we made our
way to the beach. It had already been decided that lighting a BBQ
in a south-westerly 4 to 5 was not on but French cricket and the
flying of kites definitely was and this activity took up the rest
of the afternoon.
It turned out to be a most enjoyable day
and thanks must go to Ian Campbell and numerous pints of Otter for
the idea and the organisation.
Here are a few photos. Click thumbnail to
enlarge.
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