6th October 2025

 

           Dear All,

It has been a fairly quiet week before U3A restarts next week. We have been autumn gardening most of the week, I have spent 3 days digging at the allotment and Kate has been weeding extensively. I have also planted Elephant Garlic, ordinary Garlic and autumn bulb onions. On Thursday Kate and I did a recce for a walk we are due to lead next week from Haddenham taking in Wilburton with loops north from both villages then a big swoop south of the two. It was a typical fen walk with some good parts and some ordinary stretches. As it was Haddenham we met up with Kate and Gordon for lunch and we also met Oli Wright in Wilburton. We managed to have a break at the 20 Pence Garden Centre which was seriously anticipating Halloween!

 

 

Wilburton Hut

 

 

Tudor House, Wilburton

 

 

Path out of Wilburton

 

 

Garden Centre Halloween Display

 

 

Drove near Haddenham

 

We stopped for coffee after the Tesco shop on Friday and former neighbour Lynn Medlock showed up followed by another former neighbour Malcolm Day who 54 years ago, mistakenly sent out honeymoon tickets back when they were delivered to the wrong “Mr M. Day!”

One of my U3A courses this term is “Travel Writing” and the first choice is “Travels in West Africa” by a Victorian lady called Mary Kingsley. It is a good read and another where you wonder how on ever she survived.

Our recent New Zealand visitors Derek and Tenise sent photos of their visit as well as one of his companion 40 years ago:

 

 

Kate, Derek & Mike

 

 

Lochie outside his chip shop

 

Over continued winning ways beating Swavesey 4 v 1 in a local Derby in which the real winner was the wind!

 

 

Best wishes

 

Mike & Kate