The weather has been amazing this summer; for once we seemed to have a proper summer. For me, thoughts turned to 1976; obviously not as hot, but as settled. Its not often in the UK that you can plan a BBQ a week in advance, but this year we could. After Copenhagen and the Silkeborg Meeting, I took the train into Sweden to visit friends near the Fasltebo Bird Observatory so I could do a few days birding. The autumn migration should have been in full swing, but it had hardly started – blame it on the good weather – as the birds had hardly started on their journey south. Oh well, another time! Back home in Dartmouth, it was Royal Regatta, and the sailing, air show, fireworks etc were all in full swing. Good time to dance, with 50,000 visitors, but my side let me down and couldn't get 6 out to dance, so I watched the Red Arrows in the company of a past Squire and his lady, without the interruption of dancing.
Sunday 1st September was Dartington Day of Dance, which is held on the first Sunday of September (except next year) in and around Totnes. We always invite local sides, usually from South Devon, but this year we spread our wings and included Cornwall! Exeter, Plymouth and Trigg represented the Morris Ring, plus 3 sides from the Fed. We mainly danced on the Plain and partook of Sunday lunch for £5 at the Dartmouth Arms. A nice relaxed day for everyone I think.
The following week found Iain, Tim and me off to Winchester for their walking tour of that handsome city. Winchester MM were joined by Long Man MM, Men of Wight and Ravensbourne MM. Nice friends, nice pubs, nice dancing and good weather; what more could you ask. When I was driving a coach out of London for American and Japanese tourists, Winchester was one of my favourite destinations. We danced outside the Great Hall, the Butter Cross, where we were grumped at by a stall holder in the market and several other places in wonderful weather; until, after a guided tour of the Cathedral, came outside by the West Door to dance by the War Memorial, where our audience included a lovely lady the Deputy Mayor, but Oh Dear! The weather broke, and we danced in pouring rain. From there it was to some almshouses for a wonderful cream tea (however, cream was a bit thin by Devon standards) where we had thunder and lightning, with the amazing sight of a fireball of lightning rushing down the street outside frightening all the smokers. Another great day!
The following weekend Julia and I took the ferry to Spain to spend 5 weeks on Gibraltar ringing migrating birds. We normally run the Bird Observatory there for a month in the autumn, but this year we had been asked to set our nets nearer to the north face of the Rock; so joined by various people over the period, and helped by the British Forces on the Rock, we put out 324 metres of mist nets, and caught 1159 birds (plus 2 cats and a couple of monkeys). I popped back for the Advisory Council meeting in Sheffield, staying with our immediate past Squire and Lesley, who very kindly made their splendid house available for the meeting on Sunday 13th October. Thanks guys for coming and giving me the benefit of your advice! To Gib from Manchester next day to finalise our ringing.
The day after I returned to Devon it was back up to Sheffield with Iain and Tim for a weekend of Unconvention with The Illustrious Order of Fools and Beasts, where I was fed and watered quite royally (check them out on YouTube doing Vandals on the Dodgems).
A day dancing in Sheffield centre was interesting, but we had surprisingly good weather; the worst rain was whist we were being fed by J D Weatherspoon, and the afternoon, positively balmy. The feast was in a pub called the Shiny Sheff, referring to HMS Sheffield of WW2 fame; I knew the later one that was sunk by an Exocet in the Falklands. Anyway, the landlord looked after us really well, producing a feast of quantity, quality and variety to delight us all. On the way back to the Scout hut, the promised storm struck, and the Scout hut overnight on the Saturday was interesting, as it was under a conker tree and the gales kept conkers bouncing off the roof all night … queue lots of small boys next morning searching for conkers! The South Devon contingent slipped away after breakfast, leaving the Unconvention to hold the AGM. Another wonderful weekend! Season's Greetings All
Robin Springett