Monday, 24 March 2014

REX Players - NODA report of the 2014 show

NODA report of the 2014 show

Very pleased that the NODA representative particularly liked the duet Elliott and I did by Flanders and Swann!


Sunday, 23 March 2014

Music - Wessex Military Band

Wessex Military Band

I now have all of my uniform!

Friday, 14 March 2014

Devon Weekend 14.03.14 - 17.03.14

Devon Weekend


14.03.14
We eventually got on our way just before 10 this morning.  The traffic was slow going and we were slightly concerned we were not going to make it to Exeter in time for our Toby Carvery all you can eat breakfast! Thankfully we made it and it was lovely.
Feeling rather full we headed to Oakhampton where we had to collect some new handbells from Ian Hayes to increase our set to three chromatic octaves! We spent nearly 2 hours there playing different types of bells and tunes, we could have played all day!

It was still rather foggy despite the forecast saying it was going to lift.  We made our way to Lydford Gorge where we were hoping to go for a walk and see the waterfall.  Instead we had a cup of tea and hot chocolate and decided to go back tomorrow when the weather should be better.  It is a National Trust site so it seemed a shame to pay just for a quick look!

We were too early to book into the cottage so we went to Tavistock to have a look around and a little walk along the river.  We found an old fashioned sweet shop that we just had to go in to!

We arrived at the cottage just after 16.00.  We had booked into Honeysuckle Cottage behind the main farmhouse but the owners had family coming to stay so moved us to the more expensive Monkstone Cottage which was more separate.  The cottage is lovely and nice and warm.




This evening we have been playing handbells and we are just about to go to the ringing practice at Whitchurch in Tavistock. 

15.03.14
Ringing last night was interesting! Words can't really describe it!

Today has been really sunny and a pleasant temperature.  This morning we decided that we would go back to Lydford Gorge after visiting a bakery for a pasty in Tavistock.  We sat opposite the church to eat and then we had a little look round a craft fair in the town hall.

We got to Lydford Gorge at about 11.00 and after the trainee at the till finally processed our card payment we set off.  We followed the path and turned off right where we thought we were supposed to, but further on we realised we had gone wrong and doing the walk in reverse! We continued the walk the opposite way as we had already gone downhill a bit.  We walked to the other end of the Gorge to where the Devils Couldron is and then on to Tucker' Pool.  We then came back along a lower path which was along side the river.  Near the end of the route we saw Whitelady waterfall and then we got back to the carpark.  It was a lovely walk,  about 4 miles long.  We got back to the car at about 13.30. We went back to the cottage for a drink and to decide what else to do as the sun was still out.  










The view out one side of the cottage is of Brent Tor.  We decided we would take a walk up and have a look at the church that stands at the top of it. Great views from the top of it.



We have just put our dinner in the oven ready for a relaxing evening. 


16.03.14
This morning we went to Tavistock to ring for Sunday morning service.  We then went to Morrisons for a pasty! Today is cloudy where we are staying but it had cleared to blue sky and sun down at Tavistock.  We have come back to the cottage to look at the map and decide where we are going to walk to today. 

We decided that we would head to Princetown and find somewhere to park and walk.  We found a gravel car park and saw a Tor we fancied walking out to (Vixen Tor).  As we got closer to it we found it was rather well protected by dry stone walls and barbed wire with cows on the opposite side!!  We decided to walk around it up on to a ridge to Heckwood Tor and then Feather Tor.  By the time we were back at the car we had walked about 2 miles in an hour.






Next we made our way to Princetown as Tim fancied a cream tea.  Before he could have his cream tea I wanted to visit a few places to hunt for Letterboxes.  I found 5 places that had them so got a few pages worth of stamps.  We ended up at the Old Police Station for a cream tea.

On our way back we found another place to park and walk from.  Tim fancied walking out to an old quarry. From there we walked on to King Tor and found a letterbox containing a visitor book.  While we were on King Tor the weather started to come in so we decided it was time to head back to the car.  We walked about 3 miles in 1 1/2 hours.




Back at the Cottage we had a moments rest before going to Lamerton to ring for their evening service.  We were pleased we went there as they were really friendly and decent ringing.

This evening we made a roast dinner and relaxed in front of the fire.

17.03.14
This morning we needed to be out of the cottage by 10.  We decided we would leisurely pack up and make our way home.  The weather was not going to be that good for today and we had had a couple of busy active days.  On our way home we decided we should finish the weekend where we started - in Toby Carvery in Exeter!!  After a lovely breakfast we continued the journey home.  Everything has been sorted out, washing machine on and now relaxing.  We have had a  lovely weekend but it is nice to be home again.