June 2020 Update

Despite Coronavirus restrictions slowly lifting, we are still unable to meet in person, so continue to keep in touch via Zoom. This month we held a successful Zoom AGM together with a light hearted quiz.

Following on from last month, June found our walking group ‘virtually’ enjoying a beer at Blue Anchor Bay, having just crossed the Severn Estuary and all set to walk through Devon and Cornwall on our way to Lands End!

As detailed last month, the distance covered each day was the sum of everyone’s daily exercise.  Past President Colin Thomson continued his splendid job of sorting out the route, calculating each member’s mileage and giving excellent details of the virtual places we had passed through or visited.

As our walk continued towards Lands End we successfully cleared Bodmin Moor without attracting the attention of the ‘Beast of Bodmin’ and enjoyed virtual visits to The Eden Project and Lost Gardens of Heligan before heading along the Cornish coastal path and on to Newlyn, St Ives and eventually arriving at Lands End.

Our virtual walks have given us so many highlights and benefits. We have travelled a total of 1374 miles averaging 38 miles per day.  We captured the essence of Rotary with encouragement and friendship on our journey; it helped to keep everyone in touch; ensured some daily exercise, and was mentally stimulating giving a different perspective on the world during lockdown.  Alec and Margaret, who were in total self-isolation, participated by walking around their gardens, Captain Tom style, and two members celebrated birthdays en route too.

Best of all was the banter and the memories of favourite places, childhood adventures, and for the Scots in the group, the delight of introducing the rest of us to their local dialect and colloquialism as we travelled through their previous homeland!!

And our overriding feeling at the end??....... How lucky we are to live in such a stunning country.  We now have Staycation plans to visit these wonderful places …………….. but in person next time!

So, as we enter a new Rotary year we look forward to the day when we can once again meet in person, arrange some exciting community events and do what we do best – helping worthwhile causes while having fun!

Stay safe & sane everyone.