Walking weekend

This year the Walking Weekend was based upon Upppingham in Rutland.

The party gathered on the Friday afternoon and we were staying in three hotels The Falcon,The Vaults and Lake Isle but all meals were taken in the Falcon hotel.After dinner on the Friday night Bill gave out detail of the walk.

Those who were walking assembled outside the hotel at 9 am for  group photographs before setting off in the direction of Lyddington.(Ian had driven down from Grimsby to join the walk). Fortunately it was dry but slightly misty but this soon cleared and it remained dry,sunny and slightly windy. 

All the party gathered for lunch at the White Hart pub in Lyddington.

Whilst most people enjoyed the walk they found it heavy going because the ground was wet and mud readily adhered to their boots.Also there seemed to be many stiles to climb over!

Fortified with sandwiches,chips and ale the party set to complete the walk.Some took the shorter walk, some the longer one and others decided to return by car to the hotel.

Those members of the party who were not walking entertained themselves and Ann  did her usual paintings.By the time we reached Eyebrook reservoir it was quite cloudy and windy.

The evening meal began with an adapted version of the walkers pray(read by Gordon) especially for the party.He reminded them how to distinguish between a Buzzard and a Kite!

For the past twenty years Bill and Fliss have been arranging the walking weekend.Choosing sites,hotels and mapping out the walks.To mark their retirement President Mike,thanked them for their hard work and presented Fliss with a bouquet of flowers and Bill received a white rose(he is from Yorkshire)some sample beers and a glass(from Oakham) and a card.The card had been decorated by Ann with places previously visited in the past.Martyn read out a poem especially written for Bill and Fliss.

Once aqain it was a very enjoyable weekend with fellowship,good conversation and fun.The weather was very good and we all kept dry.The walk was up to its usual standard.

On Sunday some of our party visited Burghley House for a conducted tour and others made their way home.