25^th September 2016

Dear All,

We had an enjoyable week on Exmoor although the walking was fairly up and down and generally quite hard work. We stopped at Nether Stowey on the way down as we have some serious English Literature adherents in the group and they read “The Ancient Mariner” in the grounds of Coleridge’s cottage – very U3A but performed very well.

Exhibits at Coleridge’s Cottage

We stayed in Simonsbath taking over the pub and the Hotel which was old and family run. The hosts were excellent and told stories of the local history and helped with the walking routes.

View from the Hotel

We had a damp start on Monday and did a walk near the coast at Lynmouth taking in Watersmeet and the Valley of Rocks. It was waterproofs all day and as it was warm we were very quickly soaked from both sweat and rain. We managed two casualties on the first day – not a great start, one case of severe vertigo (Ian for those who met him at Swavesey) and one fell in the river and cracked his head (Jan Ingram for those that know him). Both recovered but it is the joys of stretching activity with the elderly! The weather improved thereafter and waterproofs were not needed again.

Start of the First Walk

On Tuesday we started at Dry Bridge on the moor and headed for Shilstone and Rockford. Unfortunately we suffered the next (and final) accident when after 3 miles or so Felicia slipped on a narrow leafy path leading down a stream and was in serious pain with a damaged arm. Kate and I returned to collect our car, which took a while and collected her Ian and Mary – an ex doctor and headed for A&E at Barnstable with Ian following in his car. It was only 23 miles but seemed to take forever as she was crying out with every bump in the road. When we reached A&E they were at first a bit slow to get going but eventually once the wheels were in motion were very good and the X Ray revealed that her shoulder was dislocated and nothing was broken. When it was relocated she recovered very quickly. As we had missed the rest of the walk Kate, Mary and I headed for Ilfracombe and explored the Tunnel Beaches and the harbour including Damien Hirst’s “Verity”.

Tunnel Beach, Ilfracombe

We did a circular moorland walk on Wednesday starting from the hotel taking in Exhead and ending up on “The Two Moors Way” following the river Barle. At our briefing Philip had assured us that “the climbs would be gentler than Whitby”. By the end of the week he was admitting that he was mistaken – a fairly rare event!

Two Moors Way

On Thursday we drove to Porlock down the infamous Porlock Hill and walked the Coastal Path to Culbone church where Coleridge had composed “Kubla Khan” and we had a recitation of this by Ian in the churchyard. The long walk then struck inland up some fairly steep climbs to Porlock Moor and back down the valley to Porlock. We did about 12 miles each day but there was very little flat walking and on this day climbed 2,900 feet – almost the height of Snowdon!

Culbone Church

Porlock from the top of Porlock Hill

The other piece of information from the briefing that did not materialise was that” the moors are teeming with ticks” and several of our number rushed out to buy tick removers. In fact, in a party of 34 humans and 1 dog, no tick damage was recorded!

We had a long journey home on Friday taking 8 hours with traffic jams and toilet stops.

Love

Mike & Kate

17^th September 2016

Dear All,

We are off to Exmoor tomorrow, hence the early letter.

After swimming, the dentist and rotovating on Monday I had Garden Club talk no. 207 at Wickhambrooke. Kate was in Cambridge for the first of a new session of “The Dickens Fellowship”  who this term are “Nicholas Nickelby” and I managed to arrive just in time to pick her up.

We were in Hove on Tuesday and Wednesday stopping off at Stanstead on the way down to view an industrial dish washer for the chapel which is having a kitchen facelift.

Albert was due to visit a nursery prior to Mary-Ann returning to work in the near future. We were down to collect Amélie from school as the times clashed. Albert was not feeling too well with a high temperature and possibly teething so he was not on top form for his debut.

On Wednesday we walked to Brighton and back along the seas front. The new tower was in operation with the “doughnut” going up and down. Mary-Ann, Esther, Natasha, Amélie and Albert tried it out on the second day. I managed to see the last session of the Sussex v Worcester cricket match which was an exciting finish with 11 runs in it.

Our Thursday walk was in the Fens starting at Haddenham taking in Witchford and Grunty Fen – not spectacular scenery but level walking.

Grunty Fen

This morning I was judging again this time a new show for me at Fowlmere. The standard was not great but they were very friendly and appreciative.

We have two passengers tomorrow one of which is due to arrive shortly so I will finish now.

Love

Mike & Kate

11^th September 2016

Dear All,

On Wednesday Kate and I went to Moggerhanger to see “Charming China” a photographic presentation organised by John Law. There were over 300 large photos mostly displayed outdoors in the walled gardens. It was very good and is on until the end of the month. John is heavily involved with Moggerhanger but it is far from easy and as yet, not very profitable. He lost most of his strawberries and raspberries with vine weevil and is now concentrating on tall Bearded Irises having taken on a National Collection.

Part of Outdoor Display

Indoor Section

Ancient Potting Shed

Sample Pictures

Iris Empire

Thursday saw us walking from Arrington via Whaddon, Orwell and Wimpole Hall. It was still shirtsleeves and good going and Wimpole is always interesting.

Break

Wimpole Estate Building

Friday was car MOT and service day. When we bought the car we also paid for a warrantee scheme covering unforeseen expenses with these operations for 3 years. In retrospect it was a mistake as Marshalls garage is on the edge of Cambridge and the choice is a long wait or a bus trip into Cambridge to pass the time. I chose the latter and surveyed the Grafton Centre, Starbucks, the Sedgewick Museum and the Central Library.

On Monday we had a “Philip Briefing” for our forthcoming walking trip to Exmoor (we leave next Sunday). The briefing is part of the enjoyment as various options are laid out for walks and meals and menu options – you would never guess he was in the military!

Meanwhile I have been working on Joy Larkcom’s book revision which has so far involved receiving 32 emails – but the end is hopefully in sight!

The strawberry bed replanting took place this week and we are waiting for new raspberry canes.

Love

Mike & Kate

4^th September 2016

Dear All,

We haven’t been far this week, even the Thursday walk was fairly local starting at Stow-cum-Quy and took in Lode and Quy Fen. It was warm and a good walk, it is surprisingly rural for an area so close to Cambridge.

Quy Fen

Lode Mill

I played cricket on Bank Holiday Monday – a friendly within the club. I took 2 wickets, held a catch, hit a couple of fours, strained a groin and have a sore arm. I think someone is trying to tell me something!

This weekend marks the finish of the cricket season and the 2^nd XI played in the rain yesterday making a mess of the pitch, justifying it by saying “You have the whole winter to put it right!”

I spent a day swapping the strawberry bed and the raspberry raised bed over in the fruit cage. It was serious rotovating, adding compost and relaying Mypex. Kate has taken strawberry runners and I have ordered new raspberry canes.

Joy Larkcom, who we visited in Cork a few years ago, is busy updating her book “The Salad Garden” and I have been helping her revising the variety sections. This has involved more work than I expected but the end is in sight.

We were on Street Pastors on Friday night. It was fairly quiet – which makes it seem longer. The strangest sight was a line of six lads sitting outside a shoe shop queuing all night to buy the latest “Jordan Air” trainers for a bargain £125 per pair. They explained that they would be worth £250 next week.

Our pastor David Smith has returned to South Africa for a couple of weeks as his father is declining rapidly and he wanted some “quality time” before his demise. We expect Dave Garlick this evening to update news from Ecuador.

Mike & Kate

28^th August 2016

Dear All,

I had another session at Wisley this week and as my usual travelling partner was not attending Kate came with me to make sure I did not doze off on the M25. The journey does not improve but at least it was not the M20!

We were judging 32 Sweet corn varieties and the trial was well grown which made it slightly easier. As we were leaving the trial field and walking to the restaurant we bumped into Peter and Annemarie Nunn with their daughter-in-law in a wheelchair.

I have met a few ex NIAB folks this week firstly at a funeral for the former photographer Giff Gates and then at a Wrinklies lunch at Girton.

As we were at Wisley on Thursday we missed our normal walk so we did a shorter local ramble on Wednesday taking in the allotments and guided bus route.

As the weather seemed settled we held a BBQ on Friday night with 11 attending. It was the first of the year and indeed for two years come to think! But it seemed to go quite well.

Over lost at both cricket and football yesterday. The 1^st cricket team are likely to be relegated despite an opening stand of 205 and it is going to be a long football season as they lost to the bottom team.

It is Felicia Gordon’s 80^th birthday do this afternoon, some of you met her at my 70^th.

Love

Mike & Kate

21st August 2016

Dear All,

Kate and I were at Hutton on a rather warm day on Wednesday. Esther is very thoughtful in providing these bimonthly work creation days for her elderly parents to keep them fit and active! It was mainly weeding, pruning, mowing, green house tidying this time and Esther was able to nip home for lunch.

Chez Esther

On Monday I had another trip to Wisley this time judging Sweet Corn and Sweet Peppers. The sweet Corn was only just coming in but there were 66 Pepper varieties in a hot tunnel and they took a bit of sorting. The M25 was as constipated as usual and I have another visit planned for next Thursday.

We became the proud owners of a new front fence on Tuesday. The previous one was erected with the house nearly 70 years ago so had not done too badly. Its eventual demise was hastened by someone backing into it last year.

Our Thursday walk was back at Cowlinge again and took in Little Bradley. Cereal harvest was nearly complete in that area but there were several fields of beans still standing.

Cricket still has another 2 weeks to run and the wicket had to be soaked for 12 hours during the week.

On Friday we had lunch at Yelling with Rob & Penny who were at my party. Rob walks with us and survived a traumatic childhood – when he was 5 he came home from school to find his mother had committed suicide and killed his younger sister.

Love

Mike & Kate

14^th August 2016

Dear All,

It has been a busy end of the week with walking Thursday, Test Match Friday, Over Show and Street Pastors Saturday, Baby Dedication and lunch out today and Wisley tomorrow.

On Tuesday evening we attended “Shakespeare in the open air” at Trinity College, we saw “Comedy of Errors” which was very good, but it was the chilliest evening of the week.

Trinity Garden

Our Thursday walk started at Little Downham, near Ely, and took in a slice of the Fens. Crops seemed later there than many other places with combining only just beginning.

Near Coveney

The temperature was much hotter at the Oval on Friday, Ben got me a ticket and we were sitting in the full sun all day watching Pakistan’s relentless progress. I left just before the main excitement of taking 2 wickets at the end of the day! It was good to catch up with Ben who is currently having work done in his flat and writing a CV to reapply for an upgrading of his job at King’s.

The Oval

Iconic Gas Holder

Over Show was of a high standard but dominated by one youth who is so good it is discouraging the opposition. Kate was also judging the children’s entries which were rather sparse.

Over Show

Both Over cricket and football teams were at home – the footballers won narrowly and the cricketers lost narrowly.

Street Pastors was fairly lively late on, at one stage Kate and Peter were trying to revive a youth comatose in a gateway, Liz and I were trying to sort a domestic situation, there was a fight going on in the main street which eventually needed an ambulance and we had just encountered the dreaded Neil Carpenter who had just been released from 16 weeks in jail for attacking a SP! He has an ASBO not to come to Cambridge centre if he is drunk, which he clearly was. However the police were thin on the ground due to holidays and other commitments, so I guess he slipped the net.

Kate & Gordon’s granddaughter Ruhe was dedicated in this morning’s service and several of us were invited to Lunch at Haddenham to celebrate.

Love

Mike & Kate