Spring Meeting at Rutland
Spring Meeting at Rutland or The invasion of the Iaitchers.
While we wanted to join in the spring meeting, we had to be back home for a meeting shortly afterwards. (Volunteer for a Charity group(s) and your diary soon fills up!).
Consequently we had a few days extra to meander south, rather than just rush down the motorway, before we were due at Rutland. With a late start,( charity volunteering again), it was only possible to get as far as Carlisle. That’s about 100 miles east and absolutely no progress southwards from home in Galloway. (Galway is on the next island west!). An overnight stop was taken at a farm CL at Wreay – recommended. Is it just habit, or do all roads south necessarily go through Wensleydale and Yorkshire? Avoiding the A66 and using the route through Hawes is the normal plan, but if you do, you really have to like driving. It’s hilly, winding and narrow with overhanging hedges and needs concentration. But look at the countryside! (safely). Then the boring bit – A1 as far as Worksop. Time to stop? Why not Clumber Park? It was the location for a previous ‘meet’ and was busy with families off for Easter holiday time. Pleasant memories of walking round the estate returned, but there was something missing without the IH’s gathered round.
With the weather not inviting further exploration of the estate, a meander eastwards on the country lanes was decided upon with Lincoln being the focus. The objective was achieved via a supermarket that we had noted just off our route. So? - It gets a mention only ‘cos we have never before been choked-up in such dense traffic entering/leaving/circulating. Isn’t easy in an I. H.! Her- Essentials bought; Him-tuck van into bushes and await a quick exit! Next stop - the Cathedral. Circumnavigated it twice, and managed two ½ hour free parking spaces. There was just enough time for a look around, quick exploratory walk down hill and slow walk back. Steep, isn’t it? Continuing eastwards avoiding main routes as far as possible took us towards Horncastle then Louth. Having chanced on a small car park on the edge of town, we “did the shops”, examined the local sculpture and took the “odd” photo. No wonder the passers-by were laughing! “Eejit” was a word Sir T. Wogan used was it not?
Time to look for a night stop. How about a CL this time? First choice couldn’t be contacted, (fortunately). Next choice was a site with hard-standing or grass spaces with all the amenities at less than ½ the cost of “the real thing”. Gets my vote!
Gosh! Its Saturday already. Time to go to Greetham. Just in time for the wind to rise and the wet to fall. It makes it much more fun erecting a new awning by trial and error, and anyway it can be adjusted in the morning when the wind abates can’t it Barry ? And so it came to pass – at least it didn’t fall down. (Now did the manual say anything about needing a sticking plaster somewhere?). In the midst of all this activity there was the usual warm welcome from those already assembled, with Ray & Judy at the forefront with a welcome/puzzle pack. An evening to circulate and chew over the puzzle bags and advert quiz ensued. ”What’s a puzzle bag”? I hear from the uninitiated. It’s like the Masons only different, and you need to be an I.H. Camper and daft to learn the dark secrets. (You may have noticed that I am highly qualified in the latter respect).
A new day dawned and it was Sunday and the heathen hordes poured forth from the I.H. encampment on to the flat countryside – well it did have one hill on the way to the golf course that slowed the pace a bit! (speaking personally, of course). Cassie did at least double mileage through the fields; but she has four legs. Refreshments were taken in the sunshine at the Golf Club.
A red kite was seen to pass over. (This one had feathers rather than paper and string, and is quite rare and interesting to ornithowhatsits). What’s a spell-checker ?
While the less energetic were free on Monday to lounge or explore, nine bodies set off by bicycle to Rutland Water. The route took in bits of cycle track, but was mainly traffic free. One rider, (we’ll call him The Scribe), had a small wheeled folding bike and found that furious pedalling was often appropriate to keep up. Clothing layers were quickly divested to compensate for the exertions and improved weather. (Don’t get excited ladies it isn’t a pretty sight). Coffee and cake were consumed at Rutland Water and lunch at Barnsdale Gardens. A stiff climb soon worked off the calories, with a double doze for some, due to a return descent to investigate/ help with repair to a broken gear system. Good that a “proper cyclist” with the correct spare part was involved. About 16 miles of enjoyable cycling was covered without rushing. Guess who caught a frog along the way! Exciting eh? Camp assembly was called in the afternoon and puzzle answers announced to the multitude.
Tuesday was for exploration, and more than one Iaitcher was to be seen in Oakham exchanging coin of the realm for food items. (Shopping is a boring word, and this is as near to literature as I can get). Charity shops are not to be missed, and, it is reported one van went home with five extra volumes! (Doesn’t do Kindle). Ray & Judy had persuaded the local hostelry that good business could be had from the current invaders. Thus it was that the said establishment was substantially taken over by Iaichers in eating/drinking mode. (They are a nomadic tribe I understand). One sub-group of the tribe is known to have imbibed a potent brew from the northern parts of the islands, egged on by the wimin or winos as they are known in ih-speek.
The traditional lingering farewells were made round the camp field and it was off to the delights of the Great North Road/ Motorway. Wasn’t it fortunate that both gas bottles showed empty just at the Knottingley Services. Wandahome is nearby, but why was the “new” bottle empty too? We will never know. Rather than take a further stop we made base by “empty the fridge and tumble into bed-time”. Never have we experienced such ferocious winds over the Border; even changing gear to progress at times.
Looking forward to next time! Great start to the season and many thanks to Ray & Judy for first class arrangements.