Walking - Upton Heath

Upton Heath

While it was sunny Tim and I took the opportunity to go out for a walk.  We parked in Creekmoor and went for a walk on Upton Health.  While we were out we found many Chestnut trees so spent quite a bit of time foraging for nuts!

Walking - Priddy

Priddy Walk

Tim and I stayed at the caving club last night as we had been caving.  This morning both Tim and I were lacking motivation to do much!  It was however dry and sunny so I suggested we have a walk.  We got ready and set off from the caving club and were out about 2 hours.  Below are the photos we took on our walk.

Caving - Sludge Pit Hole

Sludge Pit Hole

Tim and I decided to go caving today and stay over at the club hut over night.  We weren't in a rush as the weather was foul and we didn't fancy braving it!  We had some lunch and then eventually got the car packed up with a range of caving kit, overnight stuff and a cool bag of food.  It was a very slow journey up there as the weather didn't make for good visability.  As we got near to Shepton Mallet it was clear that they had not had the bad weather that we had had and at Priddy they had only had one shower early afternoon!  We unloaded the car and decided where we were going to sleep.

We kitted up and made our way to the cave.  It was a short walk from the caving club.  The pad lock on the door was a bit stiff but we got it open.

A few meters in we came to the pitch.  Tim got rigging while I sorted the signing in book.  We then realised we forgot to bring the survey with us!  Luckily we had looked at it before setting off but we could briefly remind ourselves as there was one in the front of the singing in book.

I decended the pitch first, once we were bth at the bottom we ad a look around the chamber for the ways on.  We decided to take a route we thought would take us to Strike Chamber - not sure that is where it actually took us as we didn't find a convincing chamber just a whole load of boulders - think we might have been in Boulder Chamber instead!!

We made our way back to the chamber we decended the ladder into and took the other passage which looked like a more substantial passage.  This turned out to be Fault Passage.  We took the lower passage first which was Main Rift - we found a stal that was worth a photo! 

On return to Fault Passage we took the upper route and headed towards the maze and had a bit of an explore round the different routes.  

After a bit of exporing we had both had enough and made our way back to the ladder.  I ascended first while Tim belayed and had the camera ready!

Holiday - Devon Ringing Holiday

Devon Ringing Holiday

Friday 3rd October

Malcolm arrived to us at about 06:30!!  Surprisingly for Tim and I we were very nearly ready and actually managed to leave pretty much on time!

It felt like a rather slow journey but we arrived to the Exeter Toby Carvery at about 09:15 to have some breakfast.  After shovelling in as much as we could we set off to meet Paul from the train station and continue to the first tower.

We arrived at Wembworthy (7 3/4 cwt 3 in Bb) for 11:00-11:30.  We were the first to arrive and meet the chap who opened up for us.  As there were enough of us we decided to start ringing.  Tim, Myself and Paul grabbed hold and rang the bells up and rang some plain hunt.  I was on the 2nd.  All of a sudden the rope snapped and the sally and tail end ended up in my hands and the bell decided to set it's self!  They had no spare ropes and we had not brought any with us.  The others arrived and they also didn't have any ropes with them.  Sadly that ended the ringing for us. 

Remainder of the rope!

Where the rope was supposed to be!

Tim went to investigate the situation

The rope!

The next tower was Eggesford 11:45 - 12:15 (9 cwt 3 in Bb).  We had a more successful visit here with nothing very eventful happening.

Massive over the top monument!

Ken, Ben and Paul

Tim, Carol and Malcolm

12:30 - 13:30 we went to Cheldon (5-1-09 4 in D).  Luckily we had finished our ringing here when Malcolm decided he would break the wheel!!  When Tim went up and had a look he said he wasn't surprised as it was full of woodworm!

Jo, Ken and Paul

Ben, Jonny and Malcolm

Tim investigates the problem!

After Cheldon we made our way to Witheridge to have some lunch in the church yard. 

14:30 - 15:30 - Our next tower Witheridge (23-2-12 8 in D) we arranged to ring a quarter peal at.  We rang St Nicholas Bob Triples - 1288 changes in 49 mins.
Treble - Sas Watson
2 - Ken Waller

3 - Carol Waller
4 - Tim rose
5 - Malcolm Penney
6 - Paul Smith
7 - Jon Waller (C)
8 - Joanne waller

Tim and Ben raising the Tenor

Malcolm 'helping' Paul raise the 7th!

Jo, Joanne and Jonny raising the 3rd, 4th and 5th

16:00 - 17:00 - Next stop South Moulton (24-2-12 8 in D), we were running a little behind time but the chap opening up didn't mind.  We rang a quarter of Kent Treble Place Triples - 1260 changes in 46 mins.
Treble - Sas Watson
2 - Joanne Waller
3 - Jo Waller
4 - Malcolm Penney
5 - Paul Smith
6 - Ben Waller
7 - Tim Rose (C)
8 - Jon Waller

Paul raising the Tenor

Malcolm attempting to raise the 7th

Paul lends Malcolm a hand!

Saturday 4th October
Bacon and egg sandwiches started the morning.  The rain from overnight had finally stopped. First stop for today is Bideford.  Well I lied about the rain - it has started again!

10:00 - 11:00 - Bideford (17-1-10 8 in E).  Malcolmand I were not Going to be ringing in this quarter so we had a quick ring and then left the others to it while we had a wander around the town.  I managed to find myself a rain coat as we managd to leave any type of coat at home!
The others ranga quarter of Single Oxford Bob Major 1280 changes in 46 mins.
Treble - TimRose
2 - Joanne Waller
3 - Ken Waller
4 - Carol Waller
5 - Jo Waller
6 - Jon Waller
7 - Ben Waller
8 - Paul Smith(C)

11:30 - 12:30 - Barnstaple St Peters (19-1-00 8 in Eb) we rang a quarter of Plain Bob Triples - 1260 changes in 45 mins.
Treble - Carol Waller
2 - Sas Watson
3 - Jo Waller
4 - Ken Waller
5 - Malcolm Penney
6 - Jon Waller
7 - Ben Waller (C)
8 - Tim Rose

We made our way to Pilton to have lunch.

14:00 - 15:00 - Pilton (23-2-05 8 in D). Tim and I had a wander around the town while the others rang a quarter of Middlesex Bob Triples 1288 changes in 47 mins.
Treble - Jo Waller
2 - Carol Waller
3 - Ken Waller
4 - Joanne Waller
5 - Paul Smith
6 - Jon Waller
7 - Malcolm Penney (C)
8 - Ben Waller

15:30 - 16:30 - Tawstock (23-3-20 8 in E).  We began to ring a quarter but due to difficulties with the rope lengths and not being able to put a knott in the ropes to make length!!  We abandoned the quarter and just did some general ringing.

Carol, Paul, Jon and Jo raising

Ben and Tim Raising

Ken and Joanne

Ornate ceiling of Tawstock

17:00 - 17:30 - Bishop's Tawton (9-2-20 6 in G#).  Finally a tower with appropriate rope lengths!

Ben, Jo and Jon

Paul and Jon

After ringing we went ito Bideford to gat an assortment of take aways. After eating the others came to our caravan and we did Tim's quiz.  We paird up into 3 groups by what car we had been going round in this weekend.  Carol, Ken and Joanne - Red Fiesta.  Malcolm, Paul and myself - Out Of Focus and Ben, Jo and Jon - Sexual InterCorsa.
Tim had 7 rounds - North Devon Round, Animal Arses Round, Famous Faces Round, Childrens TV Theme Tunes Round, Amazon Round, Grope Box Round and a Church Photo Round.  Our team won with 69 points!!

Sunday 5th October
This morning began with Saussage and egg sandwiches!
09:20 - 10:00 - Service ringing at Appledor (10-3-26 8 in G)

Jo, Tim and Joanne

Jon and Carol

After ringing at Appledor there was time for us to g back to the caravans for a drink and a wander to the sea!  Tim created some artwork in stones on the sand.

11:30 - 12:00 - After service ringing at Northam (13-2-25 8 in F#)

Tim, Carol and Ken

Paul, Ben and Jon

Jo, Tim and Ben

As the weather was good as we finished we decided to have a greoup photo done - the weather for tomorrow doesn't look good!

Me, Tim, Paul, Malcolm, Jon, Joanne, Ben, Jo, Ken and Carol

Lunch - Lovely Carvery at Westleigh Inn!

14:30 - 15:30 - Quarter at Westleigh (11-0-17 6 in G) 1260 changes of Devon Place Doubles in 41 mins.
Treble - Sas
2 - Jo Waller
3 - Ken Waller
4 - Carol Waller
5 - Ben Waller (C)
6 - Sas Watson

Tim, Paul and Joanne

Jon and Malcolm

16:00 - 17:00 - Quarter at Littleham (8-1-17 6 in Ab) Those of us not in the quarter rang up and had a quick general ring before the others rang their quarter.  While they rang Ben, Jo, Tim and Myself had a walk down the hill to try and find the river.
1260 Plain Bob Major in 40 mins
Treble - Carol Waller
2 - Ken Waller
3 - Joanne Waller
4 - Malcolm Penney
5 - Jon Waller (C)
6 - Paul Smith

Very ornate wooden screen

17:20 - 18:00 - Service ringing at Abbotsham (10-3-22 6 in G)

Jo and Carol

Malcolm and Tim

Joanne

Tim and Ben

Back at the caravan we all had some dinner.  When they had finished the others came over to play some games!!  Tim and I took Pass The Bomb but sadly the bomb turned out to be broken.  Tim found a countdown on his phone to we payed using that!  The others had brought Taboo with them.

Monday 6th October
This morning started with bacon and egg sandwiches before packing everything away and loading up the car.  Today is the last day of our holiday.

09:45 - 10:15 - Frithelstock (17cwt 6 in Eb)

10:30 - 11:30 - Monkleigh (8-2-15 6 in Ab)
Grab for me, Joanne, Paul and Malcolm before the others rang a quarter - 1260 St Clements Bob Minor in 40 mins.
Treble - Jon Waller
2 - Ken Waller
3 - Carol Waller
4 - Jo Waller
5 - Tim Rose
6 - Ben Waller (c)

We had a packed lunch outside Great Torrington church.

13:00 - 14:00 - Great Torrington (14-3-14 8 in F)
1260 Grandsire Triples in 44 mins
Treble - Ben Waller
2 - Sas Watson
3 - Paul Smith
4 - Jo Waller
5 - Joanne Waller
6 - Jon Waller
7 - Tim Rose (c)
8 - Malcolm Penney

14:30 - 15:00 - Huish (7cwt 3 in B)

Ben and Jon

Joanne and Jo

Tim

15:15 - 15:45 - Meeth (8cwt 4 in Ab)

Tim, Paul, Ken and Ben

This was our last tower of the holiday.  Tim, Malcolm, Paul and myself said our goodbyes to the others and got in the car to head back to Exeter.  We dropped Paul off and then set off for home.  We got about half way and tim needed a rest from driving.  We stopped at the A35 PitStop and decided to have dinner as well so we wouldn't need to cook when we got home. We got home said goodbye to Maalcolm and unpacked.  It was a great weekend but it is always nice to get home.